COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TEACHING CLT INTRODUCTION Previous language teaching

COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TEACHING CLT

INTRODUCTION Previous language teaching methods are thought to be inadequate to teach learners using the target language to communicate in real situations outside the classroom. It is important the foreign language learners are enabled to use their linguistic competence ( knowledge about language ) and the communicative competence ( knowing what and how to say what to whom ) in communication in real life situations.

PRINCIPLES 1. Teacher’s Objectives : To enable students to communicate in the target language through knowing language ( forms, meanings and functions ) and knowing how to make use the appropriate language forms in different social functions.

2. Teacher’s / Students’ Roles : Teacher’s Role : At the beginning of the class, the teacher is a facilitator ( sets up the situation through which the students would communicate ) During the activities, the teacher is : • Advisor ( answering students’ questions ) • Monitor of the students’ performance • Noting students’ errors in order to work on them later on through certain activities he/she designs

• Co – communicator : the teacher may participate in the communicative activity with the students Students’ Roles : • The main role is communicators ( actively participating in the communicative activities to make themselves understood despite heir incomplete knowledge ) • Responsible for their own learning as the class is not teacher-centered

3. Characteristics of the teaching / learning process : Morrow ( 1981 ) states that communicative activities have three features : 1. Information gap : It exists when one person in an exchange knows something the other person does not know. It is different from display questions in which the teacher ask the students to display their knowledge, but not to give information

2. Choice : The speaker has the choice of what to say and how to say it. 3. Feedback : A true communication should have a purpose. The speaker can evaluate whether the aim of the communication has been achieved or not depending on the information received from the listener. Other features are : • Authentic Materials / Situations • Students work in pairs groups

4. Interaction : The teacher starts the interaction when setting the communicative situation. During the activities, there is T – S interaction when the teacher functions as co-communicator. Most of the interaction in the class should S–S.

5. Students’ Feelings : • Students are motivated to learn when they find what they are learning is something useful • Teacher must give the students the chance to express their ideas and opinions • Security is enhanced through the group work

6. How is language / culture viewed? • Language is for communication • Both of linguistic competence and communicative competence are necessary for communication • Communication requires knowledge of language forms with their meaning and functions. • Culture is the lifestyle of the language native speakers. Learners should be aware of the fact that communication is not done through language only, but there is what is called nonverbal communication

7. Language Components / Skills emphasized : • Language functions are emphasized over form ( functional syllabus ) • For beginners, simple forms are presented. But with advanced students, language is taught according to its functions • Students work with language at the discourse or suprasentential level ( cohesion & coherence ) • All four skills are emphasized

8. Role of Native Language : The learners’ native language should only be used when it is necessary. The target language must be the only one used in the class. It should not only be used in the activities, but also in giving instructions and assigning homework as this is considered a type of exchange. This would help the students understand that language is for communication, and not only an object to be studied.

8. Evaluation : • Evaluation should be for students’ fluency and accuracy • Informal evaluation can be done through the activities • Formal evaluation can be done through integrative tests as long as it is communicative

10. Error Correction : For beginners, fluency is important. So, errors should be tolerated. The teacher must note down his / her students language errors to be worked on them later in accuracy – based activities.

TECHNIQUES • • • Authentic Material Scrambled Sentences Language Games Picture Strip – Story Role - Play