The CLT and the Direct Method

in
CSEC English A

By Leonie Banton
Engage in an analysis of any two approaches to the
teaching of language and say how a particular curriculum
(CSEC English Language or CAPE Communication
Studies) has adopted aspects of these or has deviated
from the ideologies expressed in the Approaches cited.
Overview

➢ Approach to teaching:- Communicative Language Teaching

The Direct Method
➢ CSEC English A Curriculum
➢ Language Education Policy of Jamaica
➢ Vision 2030 Jamaica - National Goal # 1
Approaches to Teach language

• Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)

• The Direct Method

 Communicative Language Teaching

• A set of principles about the goals of language teaching

• Assumptions about how learners learn a language
the best classroom activities that facilitate learning
the roles of the teacher and the learners in the classroom
• The goal of CLT is the teaching of communicative competence as oppose
to linguistic/grammar competence
 CLT competence

• include a number of different dimension of language knowledge and use

• the language for a range of purpose
• vary language according to the setting
• whether formal or informal speech type is appropriate
• language in cross cultural communication
• produce different types of text – narrative, reports, interviews, conversation
• maintain communication by using different types of communication strategies.
 The CLT Approach
Process of Second language Learning

• consists of
• Interaction between the learner and users of the language
• Collaborative creation of meaning
• Creating meaningful and purposeful interaction through language
• Learning through negotiation of meaning – learner and interlocutor come to an
understanding
• Learning through the feedback that the learners get when they use the language
• Noticing and paying attention to the language learners hear to develop one’s
communicative competence.
In the CLT • Grammar is not taught in isolation but arise out of
communicative task – students carry out a task
Classroom and then reflect on some of the linguistic
characteristics of their performance
• Activities include problem solving, task based,
roleplay, information sharing, which provide
opportunities for inductive and deductive approach
to learning grammar
• Activities utilize content that connect to students’
lives and interest which enable students to
personalize learning to their lives.
• Classroom materials use authentic sources –
internet is becoming significant
• Learners Needs assessment is an important
component of CLT
The Direct Method

• Meaning is to be conveyed directly in the target language through the use of

demonstration and visual aids
• Developed by Maximilian Berlitz as a reaction to the Grammar Translation Method
• Not a scientific method
• Based on the idea of language immersion
• Students use only the target language in class
• Believe that students should learn the target language in the same way they learn their
mother tongue
 The Direct Method Knowing a language is
Principles being able to speak it.

• Language is primarily speech

• The teacher should demonstrate not explain or translate
• Students should make a direct association between the target language and
meaning
• Pronunciation should be worked on right from the beginning of language
instruction
• Grammar should be taught inductively
• The purpose of language learning is communication
The Direct Method

• When the teacher introduces a new target language word or phrase, he

demonstrates its meaning through the use of real objects (realia), pictures,
visual aids
• Students speak in the target language a great deal and communicate as if they
were in real situations

• Students practice vocabulary by using new words in complete sentences.

 The Direct Method
Learning Tasks
• Students are asked to use the language not to demonstrate their
knowledge about the language
• They are asked to do so using both oral and written skills ,
interviewed orally by the teacher, write a paragraph about
something they have studied.
 • Reading aloud – students take turns reading sections of a
passage, play or dialogue at the end of each student’s turn,
The Direct the teacher uses gestures, pictures, realia, examples and
other means to make the meaning of the section clear
Method • Question and answer exercise – students are asked
questions and answer in full sentences so that they practice
Learning new words and grammatical structures, they have the
opportunity to ask questions as well as answer them.
Techniques • Conversation practice
• The teacher asks the students a number of questions in
the target language using a particular grammatical structure
then students ask questions using the same grammatical
structure.
• Dictation
• Paragraph writing
 The Direct Method
Advantages
• Let students learn the correct pronunciation and better oral skills because
no native language is used and communication is the main activity in the
class
• The students are motivated to understand and pronounce words or
sentences in foreign language.
 The Direct Method
Disadvantages
• It requires teachers who are native speakers or who have native like
fluency in the foreign language.
• Teaching and learning process will be passive if the teacher cannot
motivate the students to participate in class discussion.
• The method ignores systematic written work and reading activities
and sufficient attention is not paid to reading and writing.
CSEC English Language Curriculum
• Aims to develop student’s the ability to:

• Use spoken and written language effectively

• Use, understand and respond to spoken and written language

• Use language to communicate effectively in variety of contexts

• Give effective articulation to experiences (real or imagined)

(CXC, 2022)
CSEC English Language Curriculum

• promote a willingness and ability to be informed about and to contribute reasoned

opinions on social issues
• appreciate the diversity of purposes of language varieties
• understanding and appreciation of the place and value of the varieties of English and
Creole in social and cultural contexts
• critical awareness of persuasive techniques
• respond to literature for pleasure, recognise and respond to writer’s craft
• knowledge of various sources of information
• assess the reliability of sources including those on the internet
(CXC, 2022)
CSEC English Language Curriculum

• The syllabus implies that all students have the same basic language needs and will
be called upon in social intercourse to utilize the same range of language skills.
• Recognize that communicative competence is a crucial issue in any classroom.
• The approach in the CSEC syllabus calls for emphasis on the exposure of the
students to literature rather than to the learning of facts about theory.
• Content - recommended reading list provided but the choice of material should relate
to the language needs of daily living and the needs of the students to develop the
skills and insights necessary to appreciate novels, stories, poems and plays.
(CXC, 2022)
Students are expected to demonstrate good control of the mechanisms
of language, write good, clear prose, and to communicate easily and
fluently.
It is sound instructional principle to practice the skills required to achieve
these features within situations that simulate the social context as nearly
as possible.
Schools are encouraged to engage in the oral aspect of the English A.
(CXC, 2022)
CSEC English A

Suggested teaching activities

Cloze tests, sentence completion, synonyms, antonyms, listening and
reading comprehension, dictation, extended writing task, summary
writing , report writing, multiple choice , short answer questions,
identifying themes, reading and dramatizing, comparison and contrast

(CXC, 2022)
 CSEC English A
Assessment
Profile dimensions
• Understanding
• Expression
Understanding

The ability to:-

-understand meaning conveyed through word choice and grammar,
punctuation and paragraphing.
-obtain information accurately
-grasp insights from reading literature
-recognize and evaluate opinions expressed in various forms
(CXC, 2022)
Expression
The ability to:-
➔ Use appropriate diction, grammatical forms, punctuation, paragraphing
to convey meaning.
➔ Communicate factual information effectively in oral and written work.
➔ Give aesthetic satisfaction to others in personal, creative and
imaginative language
➔ Communicate personal opinions clearly and cogently in language

(CXC, 2022)
CSEC English A
Weighting of Examination Components

Profile 1 Profile 2 Composite

Understanding Expression

Paper 01 24% - 24%

1 hour 30 minutes

Paper 02 16% 60% 76%

2 hours 30 minutes

Examination 4 hours 40% 60% 100%

(CXC, 2022) for examinations from May / June 2012

CSEC English A
Weighting of Examination Components
Profile 1 Profile 2 Composite
Understanding Expression

Paper 01 60 - 29%
1 hour 30 minutes

Paper 02 15 90 50%
2 hours 40 minutes

Paper 031/SBA 45 21%

Paper 032 / Alternate
2 hours

Examination 6 hours 10 minutes 75 (36%) 135 (64%) 100%

(CXC, 2022) *for examinations from May - June 2018

 Other Influences
on the CSEC English A Curriculum
Jamaica Language Education
Policy

• To address the unsatisfactory performance of students in English Language

Examination
• CSEC English A pass rate 2020 was 83.9% (Morris, 2020)
• Low literacy levels in school
• A Language policy includes among other things - identifying the nation’s language
needs and the role of language in general.
• Its goal is to provide direction for the treatment of language issues in the Jamaican
context in order to improve language and literacy competences.
Vision 2030
Jamaica National Development Plan
Conclusion
• This presentation focussed on the direct method and the communicative
language teaching approach and their use or lack thereof in the delivery of
the CSEC English A curriculum.
• The direct method of teaching seeks to immerse the learner in the same
way as when a first (mother tongue) is learnt.

• It assumes that a second language can be learnt in exactly the same way
as a first.

• In the direct method the teacher and the students are more like partners in
the teaching/learning process
Conclusion
CLT assumes that learners learn a language by communicating in it and
that meaningful communication provides a better opportunity for learning
than a grammar based approach.

Learners have greater degree of responsibility for their learning and

teachers facilitate and monitor rather than model correct speech and
writing.
The use of the CLT and the Direct Method to deliver the curriculum

Aspects of each Approach is used in the delivery of the CSEC English A

curriculum.

Features of the direct method – The use of complete sentences when

answering comprehension questions and including oral activities.

Features of the CLT – use of role play, group work, use of both inductive and
deductive approach to teaching grammar, less focus on grammar and more on
demonstration of communication competence.

The examination is skewed towards assessment of the expression profile which is

closely related to the CLT approach.
How the approaches address the needs of the learners

Direct Method - Students learn correct pronunciation and practice oral

communication skills which are required for social interactions in
various settings.

CLT -Students develop communicative competences

Reference
CXC (2022). English Syllabus.
https://www.cxc.org/SiteAssets/syllabusses/CSEC/CSEC_English.pdf
Impact of Jamaica (2022, May 28). PM Holness- English An Economic
Asset. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuKaCEMqJcw
MOEY&C ((2001, November). Language Education Policy. Ministry of Education
Youth and Culture (MOEY&C).
http://dlpalmer.weebly.com/uploads/3/5/8/7/3587856/language_education_policy.pdf
Morris, A. (2020). 76.5 Percent Pass Rate for
CSEC. https://jis.gov.jm/76-5-per-cent-pass-rate-for-csec/
PIOJ (2022). Vision 2030 Jamaica.
http://lslandr.com/vision2030/national-goals-and-outcomes/
ULM (2022, August 04). The Communicative Language Approach to Teaching
ESL Education. University of Louisiana Monroe
(ULM)https://online.ulm.edu/articles/education/communicative-language-
approach-in-esl.aspx

Zhou, G. & Niu, X. (2015). Approaches to Language Teaching and Learning.

Journal of Language Teaching and Research , Vol. 6, NO. 4, 789 -802, July
2015. DOI: http:/dx.doi.org/10.17507/jltr.0604.11