Communicative language teaching (CLT), or

the communicative approach, is an approach to

language teaching that emphasizes interaction
as both the means and the ultimate goal of
study.
The aim of CLT (Communicative Language
Teaching) is communicative competence.
 Communicative competence
Linguistic: Knowing how to use language for a range
of different purposes and functions.
Sociolinguistic: Knowing how to vary our use of
language according to the setting and the participant
(e.g. knowing when to use formal and informal speech)
Discourse: Knowing how to produce and understand
different types of texts (e.g. narratives, reports,
conversations)
Strategic: Knowing how to maintain communication
despite having limitations in ones language
knowledge (e.g. through using different kinds of
communication strategies)
 Goals of CLT
1.To become communicatively competent.
2.To use the language appropriate for a given
social context.
3.To manage the process of relating meaning
with interlocutors.
 Techniques
Communicative language teaching uses almost any
activity that engages learners in authentic
communication, like functional communication
activities in which both communication is and
social interaction activities are involved, such as
conversation and discussion sessions, dialogues
and role plays.
 Techniques
1. Authentic materials
Language materials authentic to native
speakers of the target language. (news paper,
radio and television broadcast, menus, weather
forecast, timetables).
For beginner students it is possible to use
realia with out a lot of language.
2. Scrambled Sentences
The students are given a
passage (a text ) in which the
sentences are in a scrambled
order.
Students are asked to
unscramble the sentences so
that the sentences are stored
to their original order,
learning coherence and
cohesive.
To unscramble the lines of a
mixed-up dialogue.
3. Language games
Games are used frequently in CLT. The
students find them enjoyable, and if they are
properly designed, they give students valuable
communicative practice.
4. Pictures Strip Story

Prediction of the next pictures

To put pictures of a picture strip story in order
and write lines to accompany the pictures.
Problem solving tasks is very essential in
CLT?
5. Role play
Role plays are very important in CLT because
they give students an opportunity to practice
communicating in different social contexts and
in different social roles.
The features of communicative
activities according to Morrow
Information gap: one person knows
something , the other one does not.
Choice: the speaker has a choice of what to
predict/say and how to say it.
(Purposeful) Feedback: the purpose is
achieved based upon the information that is
received from the listener.
The Transformation Drill is not keeping
with CLT
The teacher gives students a certain kind of sentence
pattern, an affirmation sentence for example. Students
are asked to transform this sentence into a negative
sentence. Other examples of transformations to ask of
students are changing a statement into a question, an
active sentence into a passive one, or direct speech
into a reported speech.
Example: (positive into negative)
Teacher : I clean the house.
Students : I dont clean the house.
Teacher : She sings a song.
Students : She doesnt sing a song.
 The Principles of the CLT
Learners learn the language through
communication
Authentic and meaningful communication should
be the goal of classroom activities
Fluency is an important dimension of
communication
Communication involves the integration of
different language skills
earning is a process of creative construction and
involves trial and error
What are the goals of teachers
who use CLT?
To communicate in the target language in
authentic situations .
To achieve this goal , students need to know:
1-Linguistic forms
2-Meanings
3-Functions
 What is the teachers role?
A facilitator : facilitates communication in the
classroom and establishes situations likely to
promote communication.
An advisor in the activities, answering
students questions and monitoring their
performance.
To act as an independent participant within the
learning-teaching group
 What is the role of students?
They are actively engaged in negotiating
meaning- in trying to make themselves
understood and in understanding others.
They are more responsible managers of their
own learning.
What are some characteristics of the
teaching / learning process?
1-Students use the language a great deal through
communicative activities such as games , role
plays, and problem-solving tasks.
2- The use of authentic materials.
3- Activities are carried out by students in small
groups .
 What is the nature of student-teacher
interaction/student-student interaction?
Since communicative competence is our aim, it
is essential that students be given every
opportunity to practice communicating. In the
communicative classroom teacher talking time
(TTT) must be kept to a minimum. This is not to
say that the teacher shouldnt speak at all, but
TTT should be controlled and appropriate.
The classroom should be learner centered.
What is the nature of student-teacher
interaction/student-student interaction?
The teachers role is to facilitate student
communication which is done through careful
selection of materials and activities relevant to
the aims of the lesson in which they are used.

Students interact a great deal with one another,

in pairs, triads, small groups and whole group.
mostly student- student interaction
How are the feelings of the students
dealt with ?
Students will be more motivated to study a foreign
language since they will feel they are learning to do
something useful with the language.
They are given an opportunity to express their
individuality by having them share their ideas and
opinions on a regular basis.
Student security is enhanced by the many
opportunities for cooperative interactions with their
fellow students and the teacher.
What areas of language are emphasized?
What language skills are emphasized?
Language functions might be emphasized over
forms.
Students work with language at the discourse
or suprasentential level. They learn about
cohesion and coherence.
Students work with all four skills from the
beginning: oral communication, reading the
article, listening , writing .
What is the role of the students
native language
Sensible and careful use of students native
language is permitted in CLT.
The target language should be used not only
during communicative activities, but also for
explaining the activities to the students or in
assigning homework.
How is evaluation accomplished?
The teacher evaluates not only the students
accuracy, but also their fluency.
Use an integrative test which has a real
communicative function.
To assess students writing skill, a teacher
might ask them to write a letter to a friend.
How does the teacher respond to
student errors?
Errors of form are tolerated during fluency
based activities & are seen as a natural
outcome of the development of
communication skills.
The teacher may note the error during fluency
activities and return to them later with an
accuracy-based- activity.
 ADVANTAGES
This technique increases the teacher-student
and student-student relationship. It is an
interactive relationship.
CLT provides the opportunity for students to
be aware of their abilities and exhibit them.
The students in this way can learn the target
language in an enjoyable way.
Students will be more motivated by learning to
communicate.
Students will learn to communicate effectively.
 DISADVANTAGES

The requirements are difficult. Not all

classrooms can allow for group work activities
and for teaching aids and materials.
It is contraversial whether it can be used in
every level of students.
The teacher should prepare the syllabus by
taking students interests and needs into
account. However, the energy and time of the
teacher are limited.
No grammar rules are presented.