Introduction / Definition
CLT is an approach to the teaching of foreign languages that aims to make communicative
competence. The CLT was the result of dissatisfaction that grew from failure of earlier
Grammar Translation Method, in which students may know the rules of linguistic usage but be
unable to use the language in real-life situations(Henry Widdowson, cited in Larsen Freeman
2000:121). Apart from that, The "Communicative Movement " was also a product of a huge
change in educational realities in Europe. In other words, It was a demand of the age.
So, Communicative Language Teaching emerged out of these realizations and theoretical
developments in the field of language teaching. In the subject, approach teaching starts from a
functional theory of language. Learners learn a language as a means of communication.
Goal
The Goal Of Communicative Language teaching is to develop "communicative competence"
Hymes (1972)coined this term "communicative competence."
Key features
Some common key features of CLT are following:
- Language is a process to express meaning.
- The basic emphasis on learning through interaction and communication.
- Functional and communicative based language structure
- Learning situation interacted with realia
- The elementary units of language are functional and communicative.
- meaning rather than grammar.
- An effort to link between language learning and activation.
Conclusion
CLT is an approach that offers numerous flexibility to the educationists. Educationists
can use this approach are keeping the main intention of making students competent in
the target language in real-life contexts.
Written by Israt Jahan from Bangladesh
