Communicative

Language
Teaching (CLT)
 “If you just communicate, you can get by. But if you
communicate skillfully, you can work miracles.” Jim Rohn
 Definition of CLT:

The communicative approach is the theory that language is

communication. Therefore the final aim of CLT (Communicative
Language Teaching) is the communicative competence.
Communicative language teaching makes use of real-life situations
that necessitate communication.
The first principle of CLT is an authentic and meaningful
communication.
Second, learners learn through using it to communicate.
Third, fluency is an important dimension of communication. Then,
communication involves the integration of different language skills.
The last, learning is a process of creative construction and involves
trial and error.
 The History of Communicative Language
Teaching

The Communicative Language Teaching (CLT),

started its rise to prominence during the 1970s and
80s. It is a method that overtook older and more
traditional methods such as the GTM (Grammar
Teaching Method) or ALM (Audio-Lingual Method).
The aim of the communicative approach is to provide
students with real life communication lessons that try
to mimic the natural progression of language
learning. The idea is to make the target language
more relevant to real world situations rather than the
classroom.
 The nature of CLT:

An emphasis on learning to communicate through

interaction in the target language.
The introduction of authentic texts into the learning
situation.
The provision of opportunities for learners to focus, not
only on language but also on the learning process itself.
An enhancement of the learner’s own personal
experiences as important contributing elements to
classroom learning.
An attempt to link classroom language learning with
language activities outside the classroom.
 Roles:

A teacher using this method should create a range of different activities

that mimic the use of the English language outside of the classroom,
including: pair work, group work, role plays, interviews, games,
surveys ,etc. Emphasizes the ability to communicate the meaning of the
message, instead of concentrating on grammatical perfection.
The teacher can be the facilitator of the communication process in the
classroom. The teacher is expected to act as a resource, an organizer of
resources, a motivator, a counselor, a guide, an analyst and a researcher.
The students do most of the speaking, the interaction should usually be
the student to student and should include the teacher only where
necessary.
Instruction in listening and speaking, as well as reading and writing, is
given within the context of handling various learning tasks, which
involve learners with language.
 The Methodology of CLT:

Firstly, the point of grammar is taught and then the teacher asks the
students to carry out exercises to practice the point in grammar. For
example, the teacher is teaching the present continuous and outlines
the structure of the tense. After this, the students are required to carry
out activities where they might use it in real life situations.
There are many activities that teachers can employ when using this
method. E.g. pair work, group work, and role plays work well. Students
should express language in the following broads: personal (feelings,
etc.), interpersonal (social and working relationships), directive
(influencing others), referential (reporting about things, events, people
or language itself), and imaginative (creativity and artistic expression).
Teacher shouldn’t correct the student’s grammatical mistakes and
focuses only on the topic of communication, in order to increase the
students’ confidence.
 Advantages of CLT:

Learning second language through interaction,

authentic communication and negotiating meaning.
Understanding of English through active student
interaction; role play, games, information gaps ((i.e.,
“I/we have what you need, and you have what I/we
need to complete our task”). The task cannot be
completed individually ;partners must work together to
successfully complete the assigned task).
The communicative approach embraces the principle of
“learning by doing,” encouraging the use of English
from the beginning of the instructions.
 Disadvantages of CLT:

CLT does not focus on error correction. This is a

disadvantage as learners are forced to practice with
classmates who are not fluent in English. Another
disadvantage is that the CLT approach focuses on
fluency but not accuracy. The approach does not
focus on error reduction but instead creates a
situation where learners are left using their own
devices to solve their communication problems. Thus
they may produce incoherent, grammatically
incorrect sentences.
 Application : Typical Techniques:

Role play.
Games that involves communicative activities.
Information gaps.
Pair work, group work.
Surveys .
Interviews.
Textbooks.