CLT (Comunicative language teaching)

CLT (Comunicative language teaching)BackgroundDuring the 60s British applied linguists began to consider a fundamental dimension of language that was inadequately addressed in approaches to language teaching at that time - the functional and communicative potential of language. They saw the need to focus in language teaching on communicative proficiency rather than on mere mastery of structures.

BackgroundOne of the linguists that had more influence in the CLT development was Wilkins.Wilkins's contribution was an analysis of the communicative meanings that a language learner needs to understand and express. Rather than describe the language through grammar and vocabulary, he demonstrated the systems of meanings that lay behind the communicative uses of language. BackgroundWilkins described two types of meanings: notional categories (concepts such as time, sequence, quantity, location, frequency) and categories of communicative function (requests, denials, offers, complaints).

Background This ideas were quicly appied by textbook writers and accepted by British language teaching specialists, curriculum development centers, and even governments. This gave prominence nationally and internationally to what is referred to Communicative Language Teaching or Communicative Approach.BackgroundBoth American and British proponents see it as an approach (and not a method) that aims to make communicative competence the goal of language teaching and develop procedures for the teaching of the four language skills that acknowledge the interdependence of language and communication. BackgroundIts comprehensiveness thus makes it different in scope and status from any of the other approaches or methods discussed in this book. Widely used. Main advocates and autors: Hymes, Halliday, Sauvignon and Richards.ApproachTheory of languageStarts from a theory of language as communication. The goal of language teaching is to develop what Hymes (1972) referred to as "communicative competence

Theory of languageHymes's theory of communicative competence was a definition of what a speaker needs to know in order to be communicatively competent in a speech community. In Hymes's view, a person who acquires communicative competence acquires both knowledge and ability for language use to perform different kinds of functions..Theory of languageCanale and Swain identify four dimensions of communicative competence:

Grammatical competence Sociolinguistic competence Discourse competence Strategic competence What do you think these mean?Theory of language Grammatical competence: grammatical and lexical capacity.

Sociolinguistic competence: understanding the social context in which communication takes place, including role relationships and the communicative purpose for their interaction.

Theory of languageDiscourse competence: the interpretation of individual message elements in terms of their interconnectedness and of how meaning is represented in relationship to the entire discourse or text Strategic competence: the strategies that communicators employ to initiate, terminate, maintain, repair, and redirect communication.Theory of languageSome of the characteristics of this communicative view of language:Language is a system for the expression of meaning.The primary function of language is for interaction and communication.The structure of language reflects its functional and communicative uses.Theory of languageThe primary units of language are not merely its grammatical and structural features, but categories of functional and communicative meaning.Theory of learningCLT doesnt follow a specific theory of learning, but is based in some principles that are present in its practice.Theory of learningThe communication principle: Activities that involve real communication promote learning. The task principle: Activities in which language is used for carrying out meaningful tasks promote learning. The meaningfulness principle: Language that is meaningful to the learner supports the learning process. Theory of learningLearning activities are consequently selected according to how well they engage the learner in meaningful and authentic language use (rather than merely mechanical practice of language patterns).

designobjectivesPiepho (1981) discusses the following levels of objectives in a communicative approach:An integrative and content level (language as a means of expression)A linguistic and instrumental level (language as an object of learning)objectivesAn affective level of interpersonal relationships and conduct (language as a means of expressing values and judgments about oneself and others)A level of individual learning needs (remedial learning based on error analysis);A general educational level o f extra-linguistic goals (language learning within the school curriculum).SyllabusIncludes descriptions of the objectives, The situations in which they might typically need to use a foreign language (e.g., travel, business),The topics they might need to talk about (e.g., person al identification, education, shopping), SyllabusThe functions they needed language for (e.g., describing something, requesting information, expressing agreement and disagreement), The notions made use of in communication (e.g., time, frequency, duration), The vocabulary and grammar needed.Types of learning and teaching activitiesThe range of exercise types and activities compatible with a communicative approach is unlimited, as long as they are:Activities that enable learners to attain the communicative objectives of the curriculum, Activities that engage learners in communication, and require the use of such communicative processes as information sharing, negotiation of meaning, and interaction.Types of learning and teaching activitiesClassroom activities that are designed to focus on completing tasks that are mediated through language or involve negotiation of information and information sharing.Teachers rolesFacilitator of the communication process between all students and between the students and the various activities and texts. Needs analyst, CounselorGroup process manager

The role of instructional materialsCLT views materials as a way of influencing the quality of classroom interaction and language use. Materials thus have the primary role of promoting communicative language use. 3 kinds of materials currently used in CLT:text-based task-basedrealiaThe role of instructional materialsCLT views materials as a way of influencing the quality of classroom interaction and language use. Materials thus have the primary role of promoting communicative language use. 3 kinds of materials currently used in CLT:Text-based: textbooks, workbooks Task-based: games, role plays, simulations, and other one-of-a-kind communicative activities.Realia: use of "authentic," "from-life" materialsprocedureProcedureNew teaching points are introduced with dialogues, Grammatical items are isolated for controlled practicePair and group work is suggested to encourage students to use and practice functions and forms.Then students engage on freer practice activities, such as a role play or improvisation.procedure