Communicative Language Teaching
by Діана Гергец
1. Key components
1.1. learning to communicate using the target language
1.2. language appropriate to the situation, the roes of the speakers, the setting and the register
1.3. communicative activities are essential, they should have a communicative purpose
1.4. learners must have constant interaction with and exposure to the target language
1.5. development of the four macroskills - speaking, listening, reading and writing
1.6. the topics are selected and graded
1.7. motivation is central
1.8. the teacher is a guide, a facilitator or an instructor
1.9. trial and error is considered part of the learning process
1.10. evaluation concerns the learners` accuracy and fluency
2. Advantages
2.1. communicative approach is pupil - orientated, it is based on pupils` needs and interests
2.2. communicative approach seeks to personalise and localise language and adapt it to interests of learners
2.3. seeks to use authentic resources
2.4. children aquire grammar rules as a necessity to speak so is more proficient and efficient
3. Disadvantages
3.1. it plays insufficient attention to the context in which teaching and learning take pace
3.2. the communicative approach often seems to be interpreted as "if the teacher understands the student we have good communication" but native speakers of the target language can have great difficulty understanding students
3.3. CLT approach focuses on fluency but not accuracy
4. Teacher`s role
4.1. setting the communicative context of the lesson
4.2. creating opportunities for communication
4.3. maintaining learner motivation
4.4. establishing a welcoming and safe environment
4.5. giving instructions and setting activities
4.6. monitoring learning and providing constructive feedback
5. Learner`s role
5.1. negotiators
5.2. more responsible managers of their own learning
5.3. interact primarily with each other
5.4. give and receive information
6. Assessment
6.1. formative
6.1.1. assessment for learning
6.2. diagnostic
6.2.1. assessment of learning
6.3. summative
6.3.1. at the end of the unit, term or school year