The communicative approach, also referred to as Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), has occupied the central part of language teaching discussions since the late 1960s. This concept emphasizes problem solving and interactions as the means and final goal of learning a second language (Educopedia Aulas Inglês, 2020). Hence, it stresses essential activities, including role play, pair work, and group discussions. The communicative approach has contributed significantly in switching the ancient language training emphasis on grammar perfection and the teacher-centered approach to active learning (The New School, 2013).
CLT’s central objective is to effectively equip the students with the relevant skills to communicate under different circumstances. Generally, it tends to be more of a philosophy than a highly structured methodology. Over the years, it has become apparent that solely mastering grammatical structures cannot prepare students to use the language they are learning when communicating with their peers. The communicative approach focuses on acquiring native-speaker-like fluency and pronunciation while emphasizing less on the learning of specific grammatical rules. It is an integral tool in assessing the learner’s communicative competence level rather than their explicit language.
Undeniably, educators have had a significant influence on my language teaching. I can reflect on these experiences throughout my studies and improve upon them while training a second language. The aspects I find essential in encouraging a second language acquisition include facilitating activities, highlighting culture, designing a communicative curriculum, and implementing a brain-based approach to language learning.
These elements are critical in the language teaching and contribute to success of a tutor. The audiolingual method is the most ideal and comfortable approach to many second language instructors. This technique makes trainers play an atlas role by supporting the classroom world and is a constant primary focus (The New School, 2013). The guides are considered as the sole knowledge transmitters acting as experts whose work is to motivate students while enforcing learning.
The learners’ job was to receive the information through passive knowledge. Hence, students tended to revere their teachers as absolute knowledge sources. They did not recognize them as capable of making errors. Instead, they followed their teachings blindly, which highly emphasized the syntax, grammar, and pronunciation perfection. However, the drills carried no meaning to learners and did not help them retain the language (The New School, 2013). The reason is that the curriculum focused on grammar depicts an attitude, in which an individual cannot learn a language without mastering its grammatical structure. Hence, learners could excel in grammar but lack practical communicating skills.
CLT strategy plays a fundamental role in promoting communication, the primary classroom goal in my current teaching philosophy. The approach is effective in enabling learners to acquire and communicate a second language. It emphasizes self-expression and is integral in developing the communicative ability (The New School, 2013). CLT allows students to become proficient and develop an exceptional ability to use the language in various contexts. Its purpose is integrative while the scenario implies that they have an urge they wish to integrate into their society. However, most attend the lessons to learn how to communicate.
The communicative approach is unique because it promotes the idea that one can learn a second language as they learned the first one by creating a transparent and implicit system through meaningful input intake. For example, practicing elements of a speech to the learner comprehensively produce an output, such as the ability to utter in real-time. Hence, a genuine classroom communication concerning something meaningful creates an implicit or a subconscious system. Indeed, learning a foreign language the way one knew a native language makes perfect sense, proving the validity of implementing such an approach.
Pragmatics plays an indispensable role in my language teaching because it allows a learner to know how to use a language in specific contexts and use it appropriately. Precisely, the set of skills allows a person to know what to say, to whom, and how to communicate the message correctly. Such activities as engaging in expression, interpretation, and meaning negotiation are vital in enhancing the second language’s understanding (The New School, 2013).
The reason is that the interactions enable learners to comprehend each other’s messages, forcing them to focus on the spoken language. While expressing oneself, the speaker strives to rely on a specific message to the listener. During interpretation, the recipient attempts to understand the received information. Again, both parties come to a consensus to achieve communication. Indeed, the expressing, interpreting, and negotiating process facilitates the learning of a second language. In addition, the learner’s ability to negotiate depends on the language exposure, making proper input CLT’s central part.
Overall, establishing a communicative classroom, whereby feedback is a significant part of the instruction, is a crucial element of my teaching philosophy. Apart from encouraging active student participation, the communicative approach contributes significantly to creating a conducive atmosphere which fosters a foreign language’s holistic learning. An essential part of a communicative classroom, especially while teaching a foreign language, is activities, including expression, interactions, and negotiations which facilitate effective learning.
References
Educopedia Aulas Inglês. (2020). The communicative approach [Video]. YouTube. Web.
The New School. (2013). Communicative language teaching: Jeremy Harmer and Scott Thornbury | The New School [Video]. YouTube. Web.