Communicative Language

Teaching(CLT)

Communicative language teaching began in

Britain in 1960s.This was partly in response to
Chomsky's criticism of structural theories of
language.
• CLT is not a single method it is an approach supported by
many different theoretical principles. In this approach,
students are given tasks to accomplish using language ,
instead of studying the language or learning about the
language. It is an innovative approach that seeks to
overcome the limitation of the ALM.
 • . The focus on meaningful communication not on
structural points. The actual language use is
emphasized over the grammatically correct language
usage.

• Classes are more student-centered, for students

accomplish their task in cooperation and interaction
with other students while the teacher plays the role of
an observer and advisor.
 Of (CLT) The Theoretical Background
• The major linguistic theories supporting the communicative
approach include the following:

• 1-Halliday's Functional account of language: the macro-

functions and micro-functions performed through language.
Halliday believes that language is a tool that we use to perform
a set of functions .we perform different functions through our
use of language-macro-functions and micro-functions.
2-Wilkin's functional notional view of language: linguistic
notions are used to perform functions such as inviting,
complaining, requesting and so on.

3-Henry Widdowson's view on language for

communication: We can learn language through using it.
Students learn when they apply their knowledge of
language for communication.

• 4-Dell Hymens' theory of communicative competence:

what the speaker needs to know in Chomsky's ' view of
language is very limited because it doesn't account for the
social nature of language. It is far from the realities of
• Learners must know whether and to what extent their
utterances are ,formally possible(linguistically correct,
feasible(not stylistically awkward), appropriate (to
context) , and performed (in actually contexts).

• According to Dell Hymens language ability or

communicative competence is not only the knowledge of
what to say, but also the knowledge of how to say it , to
whom , why , ,when , and with what effects.
• 5-Canale's and Swain's four dimensions of communicative
competence:

• Grammatical competence, the knowledge of language

usage, the knowledge of vocabulary, grammar rules, and
meanings.

• Sociolinguistic competence, the knowledge of social

conventions. It is the knowledge of how people in
different societies communicate.
• Discourse competence, the knowledge of text and
context. It enables speakers to understand that words and
sentences can have different meanings in different
linguistic contexts

• Strategic competence, it enables the speakers of the

language to bridge the gap between what they want to say
and their linguistic repertoire of knowledge. It enables
speakers to initiate, to maintain, and to terminate
communicative interactions successfully.