IMPLEMENTING COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TEACHING IN ENGLISH AS A SECOND

LANGUAGE CLASSROOM

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The emergence of Communicative Language Teaching approach which was

“motivated by the new science of sociolinguistics believes that communicative competence

consists of more than the knowledge of the rule of grammar” (Thornbury, 2009).

Communicative Language Approach suggests that communicative competence is a

competence that “involves knowing how to use the grammar and the vocabulary of the

language to achieve communicative goal and knowing how to do this in socially appropriate

way” (Thornbury, 2009).

The practice of teaching grammar is a vital section that must be taught because it

actually interrelated with the other language skills teaching such as writing, reading, listening

and speaking. So, without learning the rule that governs a language which is the grammar of

that language is difficult. Therefore, there are many issues discussed concerning the most

appropriate method or approach in teaching grammar. Until now, there are many researches

and studies have been conducted in regards of the teaching of grammar in language

classroom.

There are claims that go against the use of traditional approach in grammar

teaching such as by Halphin. Halphin, an academician at the University of York stated that

teachers are actually “wasting their time explaining the meaning of nouns, verbs and

pronouns to pupils as part of the national literacy strategy in primary schools.”, (Halpin,

2005). This statement shows that the traditional way of teaching grammar that emphasizes

too much on the part of speech, the meaning and the function is a waste of time and less

effective for the empowerment of students’ communicative competence.

In this case, there are two different views that look at this issue. One view claims

that traditional language teaching in no longer relevant and another view claims that it is still

relevant. However, the teaching must be suitable with the types of the learner and the

situation. In relation to the second claim, Halpin (2005) added that “I am not saying that

grammar is not interesting in its own right, but there is no evidence over 100 years to show

that there is a strong connection between the teaching of formal grammar and improvement

in writing,” he said. “There will be better ways of teaching writing and our findings suggest

that the teaching of sentence combining may be one of the more effective approaches.”

Therefore, this review will look into two major point which are; what is

Communicative Language Teaching and the benefits of implementing Communicative

Language Teaching in English as a Second Language Classroom. This is because there are

many claims that Communicative Language Teaching is the most suitable approach for the

teaching and learning of second language acquisition.

1.1 COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TEACHING

Communicative Language Teaching is best referred as an approach not

method (Brown, 2000). This approach has unified but broadly based on theoretical position

about the nature of language and the nature of language learning and teaching (Brown,

2000). As there are too many definitions of Communicative Language Teaching offered by

many researchers, Brown (2000) listed four simple interconnected characteristics to define

Communicative Language teaching which are; classroom goals are focus on all components

of communicative competence, language techniques are designed to engage learner in

functional use of language for meaningful purpose, fluency and accuracy are seen as

complementary but sometimes, fluency may be more important than accuracy and

communicative classroom students have to use language productively and receptively in

unrehearsed context.

Since the existence of Communicative Language Teaching in early 1980s,

“Communicative Language Teaching has gradually become a teaching idea which has been

confirmed by the language educators all over the world” (Zhong-Guo & Min-yan, 2007). Due

to that factor, many language practitioners change their approach of teaching grammar to

this type of approach. It is claimed that, Communicative Language Teaching is aimed to get

students “to use the language to communicate efficiently”, (Chitravelu, Sithamparam, &

Choon, 2005). In order to make sure that this aim is achievable, “the students will be put

under situations where they are using the language not only to response to the teacher’s

instructions, but also because they need to use it in order to seek information, give

information and solve a problem” (Chitravelu, Sithamparam, & Choon, 2005). For better

understanding on Communicative Language Teaching, two important chapters which are; the

two schools of thought and task-based approach in Communicative Language Teaching

must be known.

1.1.1 THE TWO SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT

Two schools of thought have emerge as the best means to promote

Communicative language Teaching. Both emphasize on the putting the language to the

communicative use but they are different in the matter of when we should use this. The two

ways of approaches are through the shallow-end approach and the deep-end approach.

Shallow-end is practiced through the learning of rules and then applies them in life like

communication (Thornbury, 2009). In contrast, deep-end approach takes an experiential view

of learning (Thornbury, 2009). This is because the students basically learn to communicate

through the communicating. It has been said that by “means of activities that engage the

learner in life-like communication, will be acquired unconsciously” (Thornbury, 2009). These

two approaches are the sub-approaches that lie under communicative approach which is

considered as the best means to achieve the objective of Communicative Learning Teaching

practices.

1.1.2 TASK BASED INSTRUCTION

Task-based instruction is also known as task-based learning focuses on the use

of authentic language by asking students to do meaningful task using target language.

Such tasks can include interesting activities such as meting a counselor, conducting an

interview with relative, or calling customer service for help. According to Zhong-Guo & Min-

yan ( 2007), “task based teaching is an important way of Communicative Language

Teaching in which the original impetus for task-based teaching comes from Bangalore

Project, which acted both against the traditional form of English as a Foreign language used

in India and the type of communicative language teaching then practiced”. This is to say

that, in order to promote Communicative Language Teaching, task based learning is a very

essential way in promoting Communicative Language Teaching in the classroom.

There are two main focuses in Communicative Language Teaching which are

accuracy and fluency. Both focuses have their own target that relate to Communicative

Language Teaching. In aiming for accuracy, deductive approach of teaching is selected

because deductive teaching focuses on the rule first. However, it is believed that in

Communicative Language Teaching actually promotes the students more on the fluency

and the usage of the language first without focusing on the rule and concept because

Fluency is a skill which uses the ability to process language speedily and easily”

(Thornbury, 2009). Therefore, Inductive teaching is the appropriate practice in order to

incorporate better Communicative Language Teaching instructions inside the language

classroom.

1.2 THE BENEFITS OF IMPLEMENTING COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TEACHING

IN ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE CLASSROOM

Communicative Competence deals with the ability of the learner on how “to

use the grammar and vocabulary of the language to achieve communicative goals, and

knowing how to do this in a socially appropriate way”, (Thornbury, 2009). That is to say that,

it is actually every learner’s goal to achieve communicative competence in order to become

an advance user of the targeted language or a competent user at least so that the learners

will be able to use the targeted language not only in the correct form, but appropriately based

on the situation.

It is believed that Communicative Language Teaching provides learners to real

situations of the usage of language because it promotes the learners to learn through their

own discovery with guidance from the teacher. Therefore, it is discovered that there are

many benefits that both teachers and students can gain from the implementation on

Communicative Language Teaching in English as a Second Language classroom. Zhong-

Guo and Min-yan (2007) suggested that the relationship between grammar competence and

communicative competencies that between “absorbing” and “practicing”. Students are

required to participate in the listening and reading activities to observe and understand the

structure and function of the grammar. It means that, students will be able to attentively

involve in ‘real situations’ made by the teacher during the class because Communicative

Language Teaching and Communicative Competence theory are interrelated thus providing

the students towards preparation in learning and acquiring the targeted language proficiently.

1.2.1 COOPERATIVE LEARNING IN COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TEACHING

As what has been suggested by Thornbury (2009), deep-end approach proponents take this

way of learning based on Communicative Language Teaching by experiential learning where

the students learn to communicate by communicating. In fact, he further added that grammar

will be acquired virtually and unconsciously by means of activities that engage the learners in

life-like communication”, (Thornbury, 2009). By promoting Co-operative learning in

Communicative Language Teaching, the objective mentioned above can be achieved as the

learners will actually learn the language in the ‘life-like’ situation where in co-operative

learning, the teacher’s role will be more like a facilitator who facilitates the students through

activities conducted. The students are allowed to practice and help each other during the

lesson and that is how the ‘life-like’ situation can be created in Communicative Language

Teaching classes when the learners communicate among one another using the targeted

language with guidance and assistance from the teacher.

1.2.2 LEARNER-CENTRED CLASSROOM

According to Arizona Board of Regence (2002), “Learner-centred education

places the student at the centre of education. It begins with understanding the educational

contexts from which a student comes. It continues with the instructor evaluating the student's

progress towards learning objectives. By helping the student acquire the basic skills to learn,

it ultimately provides a basis for learning throughout life. It therefore places the responsibility

for learning on the student, while the instructor assumes responsibility for facilitating the

student’s education. This approach strives to be individualistic, flexible, competency-based,

varied in methodology and not always constrained by time or place”.

Communicative Language Teaching provides all the elements in learner-

centred classroom practices. It caters to all types of situation by enabling the teacher to

always suit the content with the basis for ‘learning throughout life’ as what Arizona Board of

Regence (2002) suggests.

1.2.3 HOW DOES COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TEACHING CATER DIFFERENT

LEARNING STYLES?

There are several types of learning styles. Visual, audio, and kinesthetic are

some of the types that usually, “with a specific instruction method or environment, some

people will learn more effectively than others due to their individual learning style” (Gilbert &

Swanier, Volume 1, Fall 2008). Reflecting on Communicative Language Teaching and

grammar teaching, it is the teacher’s responsibility on how he or she will ensure that the

instructions are effective and able to cater different learning styles especially when it involves

Communicative Language Teaching as approach in teaching grammar. Felder and

Silverman stated as cited in Gilbet and Swanier, (Volume 1, Fall 2008), “Teaching methods

also vary. Some instructors lecture, others demonstrate or lead students to self-discovery;

some focus on principles and others on applications; some emphasize memory and others

understanding”. Therefore, it is vital to realize that actually, Communicative Language

Teaching is able to cater different types of learning styles because in Communicative

Language Teaching, “teacher usually put students in situations where they are using the

language not merely in response to the teachers’ instructions, but also because they need to

use it in order to seek information, give information and solve a problem”, (Chitravelu,

Sithamparam, & Choon, 2005) for instance.

Although Communicative Language Teaching focuses on the fluency or the

practical part of the language, forms and rules are also integrated subconsciously as the

students are learning via their own discovery and perhaps through their own style of learning.

Therefore, Regardless of what type of learning styles the student has, the teacher will have

to be aware and creative in adjusting the Communicative Language Teaching lesson to

ensure that it cater all students and the objective of the lesson is achieved by the end of the

lesson.

1.4 CONCLUSION: TEACHING PRACTICE

Being a language practitioner, a teacher has to know how to utilize

Communicative Language Teaching in the language classroom because Communicative

Language Teaching provides wide range of advantages that could benefit the learners.

However, to gain the benefit of practicing Communicative Language Teaching, teachers

must be able to adapt to other possibilities of practicing it. For example, in increasing the

understanding level in English as a Second Language classroom, combining Communicative

Language Teaching with other methods maybe a preferable option. In applying this, teachers

can combine Communicative Language Teaching with the traditional Grammar-Translation

Method in which students not only able to communicate in language learning but also at the

same time, they are aware of the need of accuracy in communication. This will benefit

students to better comprehend to the language better. With large research regarding the

Communicative Language Teaching, the practice is proven to be effective. However,

teachers must consider its practicality according to students’ learning style as well as

students’ proficiency level. Some students may enjoy the teaching method where as some

students may not. This should be taken into consideration and teachers must be aware of

what suits students the most.

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