The communicative approach

MADE BY IRYNA MYSKIV

Content

 1. The origins of the communicative approach

 2. The main aims
 3. The place of teacher for students
 4. The principles and characteristics
 5. The teaching and activities
 6. The advantages and disadvantages of the CA
 7. Conlusion
 The origins of the communicative approach

The origins of Communicative Language Teaching are to be found in the changes in the British language
teaching tradition dating from the late 1960s. British applied linguists emphasized 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. The goal of language teaching is to
develop communicative competence. Hymes’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 with respect to [Hymes 1972].
The main aims

It as an approach that aims to

 (a) make communicative competence the goal  (b) develop procedures for the teaching of the
of language teaching four language skills that acknowledge the
interdependence of language and
communication.
 The place of teacher for students

Communicative language teaching makes use of real-life situations

that necessitate communication. The teacher sets up a situation that
students are likely to encounter in real life. Activities represent an
information gap that needs to be filled; speakers have a choice of
what to say and how to say it. Authentic materials are used. Students
work in small groups. Teacher initiates interactions between
students. Emphasis is on developing motivation to learn through
establishing meaningful situations.
 The principles and characteristics

 Communicative competence. Implies knowledge of the grammatical system of the language as well as performance.
Language grammar is seen as a language tool not an aim. It is taught intuitively.
Inductive as well as deductive learning of grammar.
The semantic content is given the priority in language learning. Learners acquire the grammar through meaning.
Comprehensible pronunciation is acceptable.
 CA follows a systematic learning process involves trial and error.
 Fluency is emphasized rather than accuracy.
 It is learner centered approach.
 Group/pair work is encouraged.
The class should be held in the TL.
A closer link is required between classroom activities and authentic situations outside (in the target language).
 In this approach, the visual aids are permitted. They help to motivate and focus students’ attention.
 Errors are considered inevitable and predictable in the process of language learning. The teacher should be tolerant and
need NOT to correct every mistake (selective error correction).
 The teaching and activities
1. GAMES: Guessing games are common, mime game and find the differences or similarities etc..
2. ROLE-PLAY: e.g. one student imagines he/she is a farmer. Other students ask him/her questions about his/her daily routine.
3. DRAMA: In which students of a small group may prepare a short dramatization of same event and perform the scene as a
group.
4. PROJECTS: This is for learners of all ages especially young ones.
5. INTERVIEWS: It is popular and appropriate activity for pair and group work. 
6. BRAINSTORMING: This task is used for developing the thinking process, and used in preparing students to read a text or
write on a topic.
7. INFORMATION GAP: When one person in an exchange knows something that the other person doesn’t. if we both know
today is “Monday” and I ask you, “what is today?” our exchange isn’t really communicative.
8. JIGSAW: A special forms of information gaps. One very popular technique is used with large groups. It is known as strip
story.
9. PROBLEM SOLVING AND DECISION MAKING: This task focuses on group solution of any specified problem. In this
technique , the focus is on meaningful cognitive challenges, not on grammatical or phonological items.
10. OPINION EXCHANGE: It is suitable for intermediate level. It contains the exchange of various opinions
 Freeman mentions some of the techniques used by teachers who adopt
the CA for teaching intermediate level as follows:

1. Authentic material
2. Scrambled sentences
3. Language games
4. Picture strip story 
 The advantages of the CA:

1. This approach considered the four language skills equally.

2. The plenty of techniques and activities adopted by this approach provides students with the opportunities to use the
language.
3. In this approach, every student is active because there are interactions among students and teacher verbally and
non- verbally.
4. In this approach, the modern techniques are used to make teaching very effective and interesting.
5. This approach creates communicative environment of real life language. As this approach is learner centered, all
the teaching materials are prepared according to mentality and interest of the students.
6. It has transformed the traditional role of the teacher as the sole giver (the only source) of knowledge to that of
receiver of information, and from the dominant figure in the classroom to that of a manager and co- ordinator of the
class.
 The disadvantages of CA:

1. It is not possible to have big number of competent teachers who can communicate as native speakers of the
target language. In the Arab world such teachers are scarce.
2. Unfortunately, most schools lack the classrooms that can allow for group work activities and teaching aids and
materials.
3. In the CA, teachers encourage the learners to communicate from the early stages, whereas in many other
methods the communicative activities are achieved after a long period of tedious exercises.
4. In the CA, the intelligible pronunciation is accepted, whereas in some other methods the accurate pronunciation
is required, and in others, it is absolutely neglected.
5. In the CA, the teachers should be tolerant with students’ mistakes, whereas in other methods, they are more
strict.
6. In the CA, the suitable use of the native language is accepted, whereas in some traditional methods, the use of
students’ native language is rejected.
 Conclusion

 Communicative Language Teaching is accepted as a best language teaching approach by different countries of the
world.

The Communicative Approach, though still evolving, has gained increased popularity in many educational systems
across the world. Many Arab countries especially those of the Gulf States have recently adopted a modified version of this
approach to teaching English with the aim of improving the communicative competence of the students.

There is no PERFECT method of teaching. We, ourselves can make it perfect if we used it in the appropriate situation in
the appropriate time.