Communicative
Language Teaching
(Richards, n.d.)
Phase 1: traditional approaches
(up to the late 1960s)
Priority to grammatical competence as the basis of
language proficiency.
Belief that grammar could be learned through direct
instruction and use of repetitive practice and drilling.
Deductive teaching of grammar: students are
presented with grammar rules and then given
opportunities to practice using them.
It was assumed that language learning meant building
up a large repertoire of sentences and grammatical
patterns and learning to produce these accurately and
quickly in the appropriate situation.
Examples: ALM; Structural-situational approach (P-P-P)
P-P-P approach
Presentation: the new grammar structure is
presented, often by means of a conversation or
short text. The teacher explains the new structure
and checks
students comprehension of it
Practice: Students practice using the new structure
in a controlled context, though drills or
substitution exercises
Production: Students practice using the new
structure in different contexts often using their
own content or information, in order to develop
fluency with the new
pattern.
Phase 2: classic communicative
language teaching (1970s to 1990s)
Aspects of language use:
1. consideration of the purposes for which the learner wishes to
acquire the target language. For example, using English for
business purposes, in the hotel industry, or for travel.
2. some idea of the setting in which they will want to use the target
language. For example in an office, on an airplane, or in a store.
3. the socially defined role the learners will assume in the target
language, as well as the role of their interlocutors. For example
as a traveler, as a salesperson talking to clients, or as a student
in a school setting.
4. the communicative events in which the learners will participate:
everyday situations, vocational or professional situations,
academic situations, and so on. For example making telephone
calls, engaging in casual conversation, or taking part in a
meeting.
Phase 2: classic communicative
language teaching (1970s to
1990s)
5. the language functions involved in those events, or what
the learner will be able to do with or through the language.
For example making introductions, giving explanations, or
describing plans.
6. the notions or concepts involved, or what the learner will
need to be able to talk about. For example leisure, finance,
history, religion.
7. the skills involved in the "knitting together" of discourse:
discourse and rhetorical skills. For example story telling,
giving an effective business presentation.
8. the variety or varieties of the target language that will be
needed, such as American, Australian, or British English
9. the levels in the spoken and written language which the
learners will need to reach: in terms of grammar and
vocabulary
Overarching Principles
Early CLT Approaches and
Tasks
Approaches
Skills-based syllabus (integrated)
Functional syllabus
English for Specific Purposes (ESP)
Tasks
accuracy vs. fluency activities
information-gap; Jigsaw
task completion; information-gathering;
opinion-sharing; information-transfer
CLT Approaches today
Learner
autonomy
Social nature of learning
Curricular integration
Focus on meaning
Diversity
Thinking skills
Alternative assessment
Teachers as co-learners
Approaches
Content-based
instruction
Task-based teaching
Genre-based approach (or textbased)
Competency-based approach
