Communicative Language Teaching Principles Research Articles

Slovak EFL Teachers' Perceptions of Using L1 at English Lessons

Using L1 (mother tongue) for the purposes of the target language teaching and learning has been the subject of ample debate throughout the years, generating considerable controversy among instructors and researchers. Although the principles of CLT (communicative language teaching) somehow “delimit” to a certain extent its use at EFL (English as a foreign language) classes, attitudes towards the implementation of L1 into foreign language classes may vary considerably. Thus, this article endeavours to plug this gap by examining the Slovak in-service EFL teachers’ (n = 140) perceptions of using L1 at English classes by acquiring and interpreting the data derived from the research method of a questionnaire, employing a 5-point likers scale items. The research outcomes indicate that although it is the tactful, sound, and judicious use of L1 that is favoured by the teachers, the mother tongue appears to take on a relatively high importance in the realms of EFL teaching and learning. Finally, pedagogical implications are discussed, and suggestions are provided regarding the use of L1 at L2 classes. It is vital that further exploration in this area takes place by performing future studies in this regard. Keywords: EFL teacher, in-service English language teacher, EFL learner, teaching English, L1, native language, mother tongue, L2, foreign language

Commonly Used Techniques in Testing Foreign Language Skills and Communicative Language Teaching

Teaching and testing foreign language skills are long and challenging processes that cannot be separated from each other. Many traditional test items and alternative methods are utilized for various testing purposes. However, for a successful evaluation, alternative method and traditional assessment types should be handled in communicative language teaching for a successful evaluation. The basics of Communicative Language Teaching are important to increase foreign language learners’ communicative competence. In this sense, this review illustrates traditional testing item types after defining the difference between test and assessment. Secondly, testing language skills and components are put under a critical perspective. Then, the basics of Communicative Language Teaching are explained. Eventually, suggestions about adopting all testing types and methods for an effective assessment are discussed. Also, technology-based assessment tools are recommended for an authentic assessment. Correspondingly, the review mainly tries to shed light on testing language skills and language components. Moreover, it aims to help foreign language teachers prepare exams that follow the basic principles of Communicative Language Teaching.

Communicative language teaching approach

This article outlines effective methods and principles of communicative language teaching, demonstrating the application of these methods in foreign language instruction and the various techniques available for teaching communicative language. The article reveals that the organization of foreign language teaching is founded on multiple methods.

Potentialities of Using Travelogues as a Resource in The ESP Classroom

The article proposes the incorporation of travel writing as a linguistic resource in teaching English for specific purposes (ESP). Introducing generic variety into a language lesson is supported by the principles of communicative language teaching. Travel writing is also proven to be both a vehicle of relevant content and a powerful stimulus for students´ involvement in the lesson. Taking social constructivism as its second vector, the article discusses travel writing as a mediatized resource for making sense of the world. Recent publications of travel experiences in Bulgaria are read through the lens of critical discourse analysis seeking to identify travellers´ levels of engagement with the Bulgarian heritage. Focus on the construction of Bulgarian heritage could stimulate critical thinking by alerting students to the fact that communication is never innocent of ideology and travelogues are often instrumental in popular geopolitics.

EFL Student Teachers’ Beliefs about Language Teaching Approaches and Instructional Practices

The crucial role of beliefs in shaping language teachers’ performance has been well-documented. By contrast, research focusing on EFL student teachers’ beliefs about language teaching approaches is still sparse, especially their manifestation in instructional practices. This study aimed to investigate the beliefs of English student teachers in Ukraine regarding language teaching approaches and document any similarities and differences with their actual performance. The data were collected through a researcher-designed questionnaire, reflective journals, and lesson observations, which allowed for a comparison between the student teachers' stated beliefs and their observed practices. The findings revealed that the participants identified with recent methodological thinking, endorsing the principles of communicative language teaching. The questionnaire data indicated a statistically significant difference in the beliefs of student teachers, suggesting a preference for contemporary language teaching approaches over traditional, with a medium effect size. Nevertheless, while the respondents expressed a preference for meaning-focused over form-focused instruction, they experienced difficulties in interpreting how these are implemented in practice. Specifically, they professed advocacy for classroom procedures and techniques associated with both contemporary and traditional language teaching and used them non-discriminately during lesson observation. In this respect, their beliefs and teaching practices align. Additionally, the participants demonstrated conversance with and reported implementing a repertoire of contemporary approaches and methods. However, the observation of their instructional practices did not consistently demonstrate strict adherence to communicative language teaching, as features of traditional teaching methods were visible. Therefore, the results suggest a partial alignment between the student teachers’ beliefs and their actual performance. Overall, by opening a window into student teachers’ mental lives, these findings highlight the likely trajectory of their professional development and the support required by them to bridge the gap between their beliefs and classroom practices.

Task-Based Language Teaching: A Pedagogical Approach for Improving English Proficiency: Analysis of Private Schools in Erbil

This research study investigates the relationship between Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) and English language proficiency among students in private schools in Erbil, Kurdistan. The study is underpinned by communicative language teaching principles and second language acquisition theories, which emphasize the importance of meaningful communication and contextual learning. The research hypothesizes that TBLT is associated with improved language proficiency, enhanced intrinsic motivation, and increased confidence in using English for real-life communication. The study's findings confirm these hypotheses, demonstrating a statistically significant positive relationship between TBLT implementation and English language proficiency. Moreover, TBLT outperforms traditional teaching methods in fostering language proficiency. The study also reveals that TBLT positively correlates with increased intrinsic motivation, contributing to improved language skills. Contextual learning afforded by TBLT is found to enhance practical understanding of English language skills. Additionally, TBLT enhances students' confidence in using English for real-life communication, a vital aspect of language proficiency. These findings suggest the potential of TBLT as an effective pedagogical approach for enhancing English language education in private schools in Erbil. The study concludes by offering recommendations for the implementation of TBLT and the importance of teacher training, motivational strategies, and long-term impact studies in the context of language education.

A Study of the Activities/Tasks in English Textbooks for Intermediate Classes from Communicative Language Teaching Perspective

Textbooks of English are filled with numerous activities for developing different competencies. This study analyzes intermediate English textbooks for Grade 11 & 12 of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Textbook Board, Peshawar for determining the extent of incorporation of Communicative Language Teaching principles (CLT) in the textbooks. The English textbooks for grades 11 & 12 are analyzed to obtain data for the research. For evaluating the textbooks’ activities, a CLT based qualitative framework was adopted. The findings indicated that the textbooks do not incorporate all the principles of CLT. There is no balance among the four skills of language. Listening skill has been completely ignored. The textbooks lack focus on the functional aspects of the use of language in context. Based on the results, recommendations for further research are provided. The study has important implications in terms of modifications and revisions of activities for achieving greater congruency with the tenets of CLT.

Main priorities of communicative language teaching in philological directions

This scientific article describes the effective methods and principles of communicative language teaching, shows the use of communicative methods in teaching foreign languages and what methods and techniques are available in teaching communicative language. The article shows that the organization of teaching activities in foreign languages is based on a number of methods

CBI in Algeria’s Higher Education Institutions: Using the Adjunct Model to Teach Physics

Content-Based Instruction is an approach in which the teaching is centered on the content, deeply rooted on the principles of communicative language teaching; CBI fosters students to take part and participate in the exchange of content. This theoretical article reflects upon Content-Based Instruction as a relevant language teaching approach, its background, a brief definition of the concept, and its principles. An overall overview of the status of English in Algeria is also undertaken with some hints of the linguistic policies and reforms held in Algeria. Moreover, this research paper reports on Content-Based Instruction’s distinctive characteristics and relies on the adjunct model to elaborate an instructional unit meant to implement CBI in the field of Physics and helps students gain a solid knowledge of English through tailored designed activities. The conclusion supports the assumption that the adjunct model as an approach fulfills the needs of learners by bridging ESL classes to academic content and proves to be effective in providing a transition between ESL and academic classes.

Chinese EFL Teachers’ Cognition of CLT in Elementary Schools

This study investigates Chinese elementary school teachers’ cognition of CLT (communicative language teaching). Prepared interviews were conducted with eight Chinese teachers who teach English in different elementary schools in China, with the interviews being translated and transcribed in English. Through repeated reading of the transcripts, the participants’ thinking about the main features of CLT was analysed from a linguistic perspective to determine their attitudes towards and knowledge of CLT, their view of language acquisition, and their practice in real life. The results indicate that EFL teachers hold positive attitudes towards CLT in elementary school teaching in general; their divergences from the principles of CLT are caused by their previous experience, their knowledge of CLT and considerations that affect teaching practice in classrooms. The study provides a lens for future teachers’ training adaption and exposes the limitations of the current teaching curriculum in China.

A case study of EFL teachers’ practice of teaching speaking skills vis-à-vis the principles of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)

Though revising the existing syllabus is part of the Ethiopian education system, the study of the implementations of the notions of the syllabus attracts a few researchers’ interests. Therefore, this study investigates teachers’ practices of teaching speaking and compares them with the principles of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), the underlying approach of the new syllabus. It also explores teachers’ rationalizations of their practices and the factors that influence the teaching of speaking. To achieve the objectives, the researchers used a qualitative case study research design. The data from the four purposively selected English teachers was gathered through classroom observations and stimulated recall interviews. In analyzing the data, a qualitative content analysis method was used. The results of the study showed that 1) the major activities and teaching cycle the teachers employed were similar, 2) most of the actual classroom practices did not match with the principles of Communicative Language Teaching, and 3) there were learner-related, teaching-related, curricular, and environmental factors that influenced the teachers’ enactment of the principles of CLT and the teaching of speaking in general. The predominant influencing factors were the learner-related: Lack of basic background skills, lack of experience in practicing speaking lessons, the use of mother tongue in pair and group work activities, fear of making mistakes, lack of interest in speaking lessons, and excessive focus on standardized tests.

Iraqi EFL teachers, supervisors and students’ perception of CLT principles and practices at Iraqi schools: A study of its benefits, snags, and future directions

Even though in recent decades a bulk of studies have been accomplished on the use of communicative language teaching (CLT) in English as a foreign language (EFL) environments, fairly a limited numbers of studies precisely dealt with investigating the attitudes of language teachers, students and supervisors concerning the principals of CLT in the context of Iraq. Henceforth, this study was designed to delve into the attitudes of teachers, learners and supervisors about the implementation. To this end, the study was accomplished using a mixed method design. The present study was carried out in two phases: designing and using a questionnaire plus interviewing the teachers, students and supervisors (51 language learners, 41 teachers and 28 supervisors), the researcher selected three language institutes of Al-Diwaniyah Iraq. The findings disclosed that although both groups of participants held favorable attitudes toward CLT, teacher participants had significantly higher levels of perception regarding CLT tenets in terms of the role of grammar, the learner’s role, the teacher’s role, and error correction and evaluation. Nevertheless, no significant differences were found between language learners, teachers and supervisors concerning group/pair work and native language role.

Webquest como herramienta para desarrollar la competencia comunicativa en estudiantes de inglés como lengua extranjera con nivel A2

The objective of this study is to develop the communicative competence in undergraduate A2 students of English as a Foreign Language, through the design and implementation of a WebQuest. The design is based on the principles of Communicative Language Teaching and Task-based Instruction. The conclusions show that the use of this tool not only develops the communicative competence, but also increases motivation in students, fosters critical thinking, promotes autonomous learning, and enables differentiated learning. There also exist some difficulties such the amount of time teachers need to devote to planning, the economical investment administrators need to make at acquiring equipment and internet connection, as well as at professional training in the use and design of this tool.

EXPLORING THE COMMUNICATIVE-NESS OF INDONESIAN ENGLISH COURSEBOOK: A CONTENT ANALYSIS

One thing cannot be denied from teaching and learning process is teaching material and methodology. They are often used interchangeably. Therefore, the creation of the teaching materials is underpinned based on the methodology that has been widely used and existed. Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) as the methodology has been widely implemented in the classroom and materials in teaching and learning language. However, the CLT principles in the textbook are not much evaluated. Therefore, this research aims to evaluate the CLT principles in the English textbook in Indonesia, to be exact Bahasa Inggris SMA Kelas 11 Semester 2 Textbook for Secondary Students in Indonesia. In evaluation process, the researchers used an adopted textbook’s evaluation checklist from Grant’s and Cunningsworth’s evaluation tools. Furthermore, there are five aspects to be focused which are the material, CLT claims, activities, provided skills, and tasks in the textbook. The findings showed that the textbook is not really implementing the principles of CLT. Moreover, it can be recognized from its activity and skills. Therefore, several aspects such as task, activity, and skills are needed to be improved. At the end of the chapter, suggestion for improving is also attached to improve the coursebook.

Contextualization of Communicative Language Teaching in Confucian Heritage Culture: Challenging Pedagogic Dichotomization

Based on the comprehensive comparison of the principles of communicative language teaching (CLT) and the pedagogic ideas of Confucian heritage culture (CHC), this study discusses the conceptual common ground, where both principles can be reconciled, and considers practical, negotiated pedagogic forms with the suggestion of some cases of contextualization of CLT in CHC. In summary, CLT and CHC can be reconciled in their pursuit of education for the whole person, cooperative learning, teaching language structures and content, and task completion orientation. Thus, by distributing more responsibilities to learners and encouraging their participation, students in CHC can experience more communicative lessons. By balancing teaching language forms and content, they can learn language in a more comprehensive way, and by applying task-based learning with precise procedures and controls, their task-orientation tendency can enable students to participate in more communicative activities. These comprehensions and discussions, as a challenge to pedagogic dichotomization, will help English teachers in CHC or intercultural classrooms to flexibly construct context-sensitive pedagogies.

The Analysis of the Reading Lesson Conducted in Communicative Language Teaching Method

This reading lesson is based on communicative language teaching principles and students are engaged in a communication focused learning process through pre-reading activity, while reading activity and post-reading activity. Through students’ exposure to these activities, students’ reading for gist, reading for specific information and reading for detail skills could be greatly practiced.

New curriculum, existing problems: Teacher perception of the English language curriculum renewal in Vietnam

The emergence of English as a global lingua franca, coupled with the profound impact of globalisation and neoliberalism in language policy planning, has influenced the Vietnamese Government to embark on a national foreign language project, aiming to enhance the English capacity of school students. New English curricula and textbooks were developed, adhering to the principles of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT). This study is an attempt to explore teacher attitude and understanding of the new curriculum and its pedagogic underpinning. Data obtained from a teacher survey (n=347) and interviews (n=16) reveal doubts and negative attitude among teachers about the feasibility of the curriculum goal. The findings also indicate that teachers had an incomplete understanding of CLT, along with a range of local challenges to the successful enactment of the new communicative curriculum. Implications are proposed in light of these findings, including the need to adapt rather adopt CLT and the prioritisation of teacher professional development, among other structural changes.

Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) Strategies in Daily Lesson Plans of Oral Communication Teachers and their Alignment to Standards in Curriculum Guide

Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is an approach that has been the subject of many practitioners and researchers in the field of language teaching and applied linguistics in many countries like the Philippines because of the recent changes and educational reforms, including lessons and curriculum innovations. Anchored to the CLT theory, this study used quantitative-qualitative content analysis of the daily lesson plans of the 7 purposively sampled Senior High School (SHS) language teachers teaching Oral Communication in Context (OCC). This aimed to identify the activities by cluster, assess which activities are CLT strategies, and determine their alignment to standards in the curriculum guide. Results revealed that the strategies used as classified through content analysis, and according to type and frequency included task-completion activity, opinion-sharing activity, mechanical practice activity, information-transfer activity, reasoning-gap activity, information-gap activity, communicative activity, information-gathering activity, fluency activity, accuracy activity, meaningful practice activity, and others. A number of strategies matched the CLT principles and features but vary on their respective percentages in each of the four phases, i.e., Activity-Analysis-Abstraction-Application (4As) of the lesson. These CLT strategies were found to be aligned to the Department of Education’s curriculum guide in terms of content standards, performance standards and assessment types. Implications of the findings to language teaching in the Philippines were drawn.

CLT using CEFR and EIL in Southeast Asia and East Asia in the English language classroom

This article discusses language teaching and the move from a predominantly psycholinguistic to a more sociolinguistic approach through Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), the Common European Framework of Reference Languages (CEFR) and English as an International Language (EIL). The context is four plurilingual and pluricultural societies in Southeast Asia and East Asia, (Thailand, Japan, Vietnam and China). These countries were chosen as they had similarities in the development of CEFR and consequently there were common factors that needed to be addressed in implementing CEFR. According to the English Proficiency Index (2020) a number of countries in the region have been described as being in the category of low or very low with regard to proficiency. To help improve such a situation, given the need for economic development, CEFR was introduced by various Ministries of Education in addition to the already existing official CLT syllabuses. English as an international language has also been widely proposed by a number of researchers, in terms of making teachers, students and educators aware of English as a world language as well as developing an attitudinal change with regard to ‘standard’ English. This article suggests that the basic principles of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) can be best applied through scaffolding using CEFR and EIL given the reality of teaching in relatively low English language proficiency contexts.

Textbook analysis: the case of the first Nicaraguan ELT series

AbstractNicaragua published its first series of textbooks for the teaching of English in public secondary schools in 2016. This article reports on an investigation of the first three textbooks belonging to this series. The aim was to see how the textbooks follow up the Nicaraguan national curriculum, which emphasizes the need for learners to develop communication skills. We discuss the approaches with reference to principles of communicative language teaching and Nation’s four strands for a well-balanced language course. We identify significant discrepancies between the three books and, thus, a lack of progression in the course. The investigation is also an example of the affordances of our analytical tool for textbook analysis.