The Communicative ApproachProf.MiguelA.ArceRamos

ELED208MethodologyofElementaryESL

The Communicative Approach

• Itisthetheorythatlanguageiscommunication.

• Therefore,thefinalaimofCLT(CommunicativeLanguageTeaching)iscommunicativecompetence.

• Itemphasizes interaction asboththemeansandtheultimategoalofstudy.

The Communicative Approach

• Forexample,practicingquestionformsbyaskinglearnerstofindoutpersonalinformationabouttheircolleaguesisanexampleofthecommunicativeapproach,asitinvolvesmeaningfulcommunication.

• Theteachersetsupasituationthatstudentsarelikelytoencounterinreallife.

• Inthecommunicativeapproach,teacherscanleavestudentsinsuspenseastotheoutcomeofaclassexercise,whichwillvaryaccordingtotheirreactionsandresponses.

The Communicative Approach

• CLTisusuallycharacterizedasabroad approach toteaching,ratherthanasateaching method withaclearlydefinedsetofclassroompractices.

• TheCLTclassroomoftentakestheformofpairandgroupworkrequiringnegotiationandcooperationbetweenlearners,fluency-basedactivitiesthatencouragelearnerstodeveloptheirconfidence,role-playsinwhichstudentspracticeanddeveloplanguagefunctions,aswellasjudicioususeofgrammar- andpronunciation-focusedactivities.

What is communicative competence?

Rules

Differentstrategies

Objective CommunicativeCompetence

Socio-linguistic

Socio-cultural Discourse

Grammatical Strategic

Principles

Learnerslearnthroughusingittocommunicate

Authenticandmeaningfulcommunication

Fluency

Communicationinvolvestheintegrationofdifferentlanguageskills

Learningisaprocessofcreativeconstructionandinvolvestrialanderror

Teacher’s Role

Teacher’s Role

• Theteachermustfocusoncreatingrealworldactivitiesthatinvolvehim/herintheprocess.

• Theteachermustalsofocusoncreatingmaterialsthatareadequateforthistypeofeducation.

• Sincecommunicativecompetenceisouraim,teacher’smustunderstandthatitisessentialthatstudentsbegiveneveryopportunitytopracticecommunicating.

Teacher’s Role

• Thisisnotateachercentricapproach.

• Theteachermustunderstandthathis/hertalkingtimemustbekepttoaminimum.

• Theteachercantalkbutitshouldbecontrolledandappropriate.

Type of Communication

• Communicationcanbedividedintotwocategories:• Input• Output

• Thefourcommunicativeskillsareputintothesecategories.

Input

Reading

Listening

Output

Speaking

Writing

Type of Communication

•Whicheveroftheseskillsisbeingtaughtthemainfocusmustbeonthestudentandnotontheteacher.

• Theinteractionshouldusuallybethestudenttostudentandshouldincludetheteacheronlywherenecessary.

• Duringmostclassroomactivitiestheteacherwillmonitorandinterveneonlywherenecessary.

Activities

• Classroomactivitiesshouldbecarriedoutinthetargetlanguage(English).

• Theremaysometimesbeoccasionswhereallowingthestudentstobrieflydiscussapointintheirnativetonguecanpromotegreaterunderstandingandassimilationofnewinformation.

• Thisiscontroversialissueandshouldnotusuallybepermitted.

Activities

Activ

ities Games Language

Exchanges

Role-plays Show andTell

Simulations Surveys

Materials

• Materialsfallintothreebroadcategories:

Text-Based Materials

• Forexamplepracticeexercises,readingpassages,gapfills,recordings,etc.canbefoundinalmostanycoursebookaswellasinbookscontainingsupplementarymaterials.

• Theyformanessentialpartofmostlessons.

Task-Based Materials

• Theseincludegameboards,role-playcards,materialsfordrilling,pairworktasks,etc.

• Theymightbeusedtosupport'reallife'taskssuchasroleplayingbookingintoahotel,orajobinterview.

Real World

• Thisincludessuchthingsasmagazines,newspapers,fruitandvegetables,axes,maps- thingsfromtherealworldoutsidetheclassroom.

• Forexample,fruitandvegetablescouldbeusedinashoppingactivity,anactcouldbeusedtoshowtheeffectofusingthepresentperfectcontinuousonashortactionverb.