EFL teachers' perception of the concept of communicative competence

Abstract

This study briefly reviews Chomsky's and Hymes' ideas on competence and links them to Dubin's notions of autonomous and ideological communicative competence. Based on interviews with high school EFL teachers, the study hypothesizes that some of these teachers have an indistinct view about communicative competence that moves between autonomous and ideological concepts. Drawing on observation of high school EFL classes, this study also hypothesizes that raising high school EFL teachers' awareness of the autonomous and ideological concepts of communicative competence is likely to help them see that their teaching activities lean towards the autonomous model of communicative competence. As a consequence, high school EFL teachers might reflect on their beliefs and practices and might be better prepared to base their classes on a broader view of communicative competence.