Assignment - MA

ASSIGNMENT:

METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES

The use of Charts and Tables in the Communicative Language

Teaching

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1. There are various statements in this text which are extremely questionable, depending on your own personal view of language learning. For

example, the text says, “...the chart....can serve as a basis for lively questions and discussions....” Why might this be ‘questionable’?

It is a fact that among all the methodological approaches studied, the communicative language teaching (CLT) is still the supreme model in English Language

Teaching and Learning. This model is based on communicative competence, and it views learners as participants of interactive communication. Hence, considering the

CLT perspective in language learning, and its notional and functional view of language, the use of authentic and varied materials improve the conditions in which the

communicative process takes place.

Language learning is a complex process that can be studied from different, although sometimes very similar viewpoints, in the sense that one can talk about first

language learning or second/foreign language learning. However, the focus is to discuss the latter. In this matter, when considering the Communicative Language

Teaching approach, and its notion of language and language learning, it is evident that the social nature of language and the context in which this takes place are

essential. Moreover, language learning is seen as a process, in which the main goal is to develop communicative strategies in a given context so as to be able to

communicate effectively in the target language. Similarly, we value the social nature of language and language learning, and thus promote activities that set learners in

a social context in order to develop competences that help them accomplish their communicative goals in the target language.

In addition to this view of language and language learning, it is important to consider the aspects of notions and functions that this system of meanings includes, as

stated by Wilkins (1976), while incorporating and creating suitable teaching materials. In this matter, language includes notions, such as information regarding time

and space, for instance; and functions, which is related to the discourse type and intentions that learners need to be aware of in order to contextualize their language

and communicative resources. Therefore, while designing activities that promote meaningful language communication, these aspects ought to be considered.

However, when analyzing and questioning this statement: “...the chart....can serve as a basis for lively questions and discussions....” one could infer that even

though tables and charts are widely used by language teachers to help students organize ideas and encourage conversations, regardless of age and level,

this kind of task alone isn't enough for language learning, given the fact that it only considers the notional aspect of language, by providing certain

limited amount of information; which is graphically located and easily distinguished by the learner on the chart. Nevertheless, there is a lack of

information, which overlooks the functional aspect of language, this is to say, in the use of charts, learners are not given further context, failing to

provide students with proper settings for successful communication in the target language.

Furthermore, when thinking about the materials and types of activities with a focus on communication, and the role of the teacher in the elaboration of

these, it is possible to say that the use of charts by itself lacks a communicative purpose. In the first place, the role of the teacher in the communicative

classroom is that of a facilitator, monitor and advisor, among others, as stated by Larsen-Freeman (1986). Hence, the teacher will guide students through

their language learning process to develop his/her/their communicative competence, motivating them and fostering their autonomy. In the second place,

the materials used by the teacher should have a communicative purpose, and the types of activities are expected to promote, create, or use meaningful

language. In this matter, tasks including charts should provide the latter in order to promote language use, being this the main focus of the

communicative language teaching, as studied. Moreover, the use of the task-based approach can be considered one of the strongest forms of CLT and,

being usually designed so as students have tools to do things with language, express concepts and carry out communicative acts of various kinds. Thus,

in order to have meaningful communicative tasks, students should be provided with materials previously taught/seen in class.

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As mentioned before, CLT is a well-built and frequently used approach in language teaching and the role of meaning in language has been heavily

emphasized in this proposal. From this standpoint, the types of activities and materials used during the lessons should follow the basic principles of this

approach, so as to achieve the goals proposed.

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2. Criticise the approach suggested here from the point of view of a ‘strong’ communicative teacher.

Starting out of this premise that communicative teaching claims that language is acquired through communication, so that it is not merely a question of activating an

existing and inert knowledge of the language, but of stimulating the development of the language system itself” Howatt (1984), we can say from the point of view of a

strong communicative teacher that when it comes to providing comprehensible input, charts and tables may not be the most suitable choice for promoting

communication, since it may lead to students automatically focusing on structure when interpreting charts, which is inhibited by strong communicative teachers.

It has been widely discussed about the role of teachers in foreign language teaching, for some approaches, teachers have an important and active role in the teaching,

whereas in approaches such as CLT, their role is that of a facilitator and moderator of the foreign language learning process. As it has been proposed by the CLT

approach, the use of meaningful communicative activities contribute to engaging students with real-life situations, thus promoting motivation and commitment to the

task itself and to their learning experience. Moreover, when describing a communicative teacher, there are several aspects that can be discussed regarding their role,

according to Arzamendi, Bali & Gassó (n.d.), the teacher's role has developed into a more multi-dimensional one, having multiple functions inside the classroom.

Hence, the teacher is not considered just to be the deliverer of information, but of a monitor of the learning process, a cooperator in the students’ interactions, a guide

of tasks and/or conversations helping students develop communicative skills to incorporate them into their lives, among other roles that can be assigned to teachers as

part of their participation in the teaching-learning process.

As previously discussed, communicative language teaching enhances and improves communication skills by providing students with activities that promote authentic

use of the foreign language. For this purpose, some teachers might believe that using charts with students' personal information and using it in follow-up discussions or

interesting inquiries is an activity that improves communication because this activity includes aspects of their lives they can relate to or give meaning to. However, it

has been discussed that one of the main purposes of a communicative session is to enhance communicative competence, which we do by focusing the classroom on

tasks that are distinguished among three different kinds of practice – mechanical, meaningful, and communicative (Nunan,1999). In this matter, in the communicative

language teaching approach, learners are encouraged to participate in collaborative work, given that it is a meaningful instance for sharing experiences and developing

communication. Furthermore, according to Richards and Rodgers, the Communicative Approach to language teaching considers that language is communication,

therefore, focusing on a graphic to teach the foreign language would not be the best or solely way to teach the language, since that the student would focus on

interpreting only what is written. Moreover, when thinking about the role of the teacher as a facilitator, it can be difficult to properly monitor the use of the language in

an uncontrolled practical activity.

As stated by Arzamendi, Bali & Gassó (n.d.), there are three main trends in CLT activity types which enhance meaningful communication, these trends are:

communicativeness, tasks, and meaningfulness. When applying these trends into activities to be included in foreign language classroom, one must be aware of the

importance of real communication, aiming at improving motivation, allowing natural learning, and creating a proper context, in order to produce meaningful language

so as to have a more effective language learning process. In the same line, by exposing students to relatable experiences, which demand learners’ autonomy.

To conclude, when talking about CLT activities, teachers must promote meaningful language use in real communication settings, since it is one of the main purposes

of this approach. However, when including charts and tables as a resource in the lesson, these should be used as a provider of information, rather than the center of the

activity, since the main goal of the activity is to create meaningful language production from the information provided to students on these charts. Moreover, charts

might be used as a primary resource to develop further and more complex language activities, such as role plays, dialogues, group discussion, among others.

3. Say what is good about the approach, from the point of view of a teacher more focused on form and a step-by-step, linear approach.

A linear approach is largely teacher-centred, teachers find themselves providing the contents to be understood and memorized by the students. The linear approach

also suggests that the language learning process must be carried out step by step in a correct order to get all the knowledge consciously. Instructors address specific

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points and students pay attention to them and complete the assignments. In the same line, students should demonstrate their mastery before moving on to more

complex topics or structures, in a step-by-step way, as stated by Nunan (1998). Moreover,

The other thing that both grammar-translation and audiolingualism shared was an assumption that acquiring a second language was a linear process, that learners learn

one item at a time, mastering the simple items first, and then moving on, in a step-by-step fashion to more complex items. However, this is an oversimplification (and,

in some ways, a misrepresentation) of the way that second language grammar is fully acquired. Learners do not acquire information, perfectly, one thing at a time.

They learn numerous things imperfectly at the same time. They structure and restructure their understanding of the language in complex nonlinear ways. (Nunan,

1998, p. 78)

From this statement, one can assume that a linear approach greatly differs from the communicative language approach. Hence, the use of charts and tables might be

more suitable for this type of approach, which is more focused on acquiring knowledge of the language rules than on the use of language in real communicative

settings. In this manner, teachers focused on form would give charts and tables several and varied uses, and they can serve as primary tools for the development of

their lessons.

The use of charts might be considered as authentic materials in a linear, step-by-step approach given that its flexibility and versatility might be adapted to students’

proficiency of the foreign language. Repetitive practice, mechanical drills and memorization of grammar rules are surely significant parts of this methodology. It could

be viewed as what Wilkins (1976) calls a "synthetic approach” in which various pieces of the language are instructed independently bit by bit so acquisition is a course

of slow gathering of parts until the entire construction of language has been developed. Following this idea further, the use of charts and tables might be included in

different activities ranging from the use of vocabulary to simple grammar structures, and then to more complex ones. However, the use of the charts and tables, based

on this approach, are used to provide students with knowledge of how the language works in terms of their structure, lacking a focus on the use of the language in a

communicative setting. Moreover, the speaking ability is not considered to be as important as the reading and writing abilities, given the nature of the exercises

provided by the teacher. Therefore, when using these authentic materials, one might consider that the focus is on the knowledge of the language, rather than on its use,

being an activity still teacher-centered while students have a more passive role.

To conclude, we can say that the use of charts and tables might be useful for certain teachers’ scenarios, even though it might probably not be advisable unilaterally as

a teaching approach. In this way, we as teachers must master different approaches and apply them in the proper way contextualized to our students’ needs and

characteristics, such as class size, purpose of the course, learners’ ages, among others. Therefore, on the one hand, for some teaching contexts the use of charts and

tables might be considered a suitable task, on the other hand, for classrooms with a more communicative purpose might not be recommended. With this being said, in

order to conduct successful foreign language lessons, educators must be aware of their students’ reality so as to use the most effective approach for the purpose of the

class.

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REFERENCES

Ankitaben A. Desai. (2015). Characteristics and Principles of Communicative Language Teaching. Retrieved from:

http://www.raijmr.com/ijrhs/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/IJRHS_2015_vol03_issue_07_10.pdf

Arzamendi, Bali & Gassó. (n.d.). Methodological Approaches. Fundación Universitaria Iberoamericana.

Brumfit, C y Johnson, K. (1979) The communicative approach to language teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Consejo de Europa (2001). Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Hymes, D. (1972). On communicative competence. In Pride J.B. & Holmes, J. (eds.). Sociolinguistics, pp. 269-93. Harmondsworth: Penguin.

Littlewood, W (1981) Communicative language teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

Nunan, D. (1995). Language teaching methodology. Londres: Prentice Hall. University Press.

Nunan, D. (1999). Second Language Teaching and Learning. Heinle & Heinle Publishers.

Richards, J. & Rodgers, T. (1986) Approaches and methods in language teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Richards, J. (1990). The Language Teaching Matrix. Cambridge: Cambridge University.

Richards, J. (2006). Communicative language teaching today. Nueva York: Cambridge University Press.

Stevick, E. (1980). A way and ways. Rowley Newbury House

Widdowson, H. G. (1990). Aspects of language teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Wilkins, D. (1976). Notional Syllabuses. Oxford: Oxford University.