Title: Communicative Language Teaching in 21 st Century ESL Classroom
Abstract: Communicative language teaching (CLT) refers to both processes and goals in classroom learning. The central theoretical concept in communicative language teaching is ‘communicative competence’ a term introduced into discussions of language use and second or foreign language learning in the early 1970s. This paper looks at the phenomenon of communicative language teaching (CLT) in the current scenario. The goal of the paper is to show how CLT has been interpreted and implemented in various contexts. Also, the paper discusses ways for teachers to shape a more communicative approach to ELT in the context of their own situation keeping in mind the needs and goals of learners and the traditions of classroom teaching, which is the first step in the development of a teaching program that involves learners as active participants in the interpretation, expression, and negotiation of meaning. *** Teachers have found many ways or methods for teaching languages. All have been admired models in some time or place, often to be ridiculed, perhaps, or dismissed as inappropriate in yet another. Times change, fashions change. What may once appear new and promising can subsequently seem strange and outdated. Within the last quarter century, communicative language teaching (CLT) has been put forth around the world as the “new,” or “innovative,” way to teach English as a second or foreign language. Teaching materials, course descriptions, and curriculum guidelines proclaim a goal of communicative competence. Not long ago, when American structural linguistics and behaviorist psychology were the prevailing influences in language teaching methods and materials, second/foreign language teachers talked about communication in terms of four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. These skill categories were widely accepted and provided a ready-made framework for methods manuals, learner course materials, and teacher education programs. Speaking and writing were collectively described as active skills, reading and listening as passive skills. Today, listeners and readers no longer are regarded as passive. They are seen as active participants in the negotiation of meaning. Schemata, expectancies, and top-down/bottom-up processing are among the terms now used to capture the necessarily complex, interactive nature of this negotiation. Yet full and widespread understanding of communication as negotiation has been hindered by the terms that came to replace the earlier active/passive dichotomy. The skills needed to engage in speaking and writing activities were described subsequently as productive, whereas listening and reading skills were said to be receptive.
Publication Year: 2013
Publication Date: 2013-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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