Communicative Language Teaching: Introduction, Advantages and Disadvantages as well as it is potential application to Turkish context
From
birth to death, there is always learning in human life beginning at home
continuing at school,in some courses and at university. At early stages of life,
learners are introduced to classrooms at schools where teachers welcome
them.Besides different subjects, they teach a foreign language and Charlemagne
says ‘To have another language is to possess a second soul.’ From this statement, it
can be comprehended that learning another language grows different
thoughts,perspectives and makes people in different world. Then,there can be a
good language atmosphere.The target language is undoubtedly an important step
for learners to their near future world hence language education has a pregnant
part to have a strong language.In classrooms,big spaces can be created with
good methods.On that occassion, how to teach language to learners is the basic
question.For this, many language teaching methods and approaches have been
asserted for many years. Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is one of the
methods that can be used for this aim.This paper examines CLT approach with its
background, advantages and application of this method in Turkish context.
Learning a language is not just learning linguistic
structures since learners may know rules but
they may not use.That means communicative competence is necessary as
well as linguistic competence and it is important for CLT.Found in changes in
the British language teaching tradition,CLT firstly started to be used in the
late 1960s.Its methods for teaching language have wide-ranging
features.Approach of CLT aims communicative competence in learning a language
and gives the knowledge of feeling free in language and communication, this is
simply done by providing. Speaker who has communicative competence chooses not
just what to say but also how to say but another speaker who has grammmatical
competence knows grammar but he may not know what to say in any situation.
Authentic language namely a language that tells real situations.Learners try to
express their thoughts using different words and are given chance to suggest
their ideas.Then, their mistakes are tolerated.One of the main responsibilities
of a teacher is to prepare proper situations to improve communication among
learners.Learners try to guess what the picture is to look like studying with a
partner and they take a part in this game.After creating an imaginary
situation,they are to learn how to behave in it. The teacher creates
communicative activities and during this process they are the ones who
advise.Hence, CLT is the method that is preferred and used effectively in
classes by teachers.
CLT, basically based on ‘student centered’, is a method
which assists learners to communicate in the target language using many
different forms.With its techniques and activities, CLT method creates some
advantages.For instance, one of the techniques of CLT is authentic materials,
thanks to these materials, learners can practise what he has learned using real
subjects in activities that enables to use language as well as the speakers of
the target language.Another advantage of CLT is learners teach how to combine
and reach concordance in language characteristics thanks to scrambled sentences
given a text with scrambled sentences
and asked to put them in their original order.Then, language games used in CLT
approach help learners to create valuable discussion practice when organized
well.With picture strip stories, learners are asked what the picture looks
like, there is information gap here, because learners do not know about the
content of the picture, then seeing the picture, students can take
feedback.Another serious strength with this method is that thanks to roleplays,
learners can take different roles in different social contents, role activities
also ensure information gaps and feedback to learners.Then, because CLT
interaction centered contrary to traditional education system which consists of
dependent relationship, learners begin to engage in stres-free conversation
with their partners thanks to initiative and amicable relationships.Also,
because teachers create non-threatening environment in their classes, students
do not feel under pressure while participating the lessons, which brings
independence so thanks to the stres-free atmosphere, learning can happen and
learners are encouraged to learn.With its beneficial techniques and activities,
CLT can be considered as an important method for learners in terms of its
advantages.
Considering some of the following issues, implementation of
CLT in Turkey may not work for many aspects.Teachers can encounter many
difficulties in implementing CLT in their classrooms.As is known, students at
CLT are communicators, they are engaged in negotiating meaning.While performing
it,they try to express themselves and understand others, however they may not
be capable enough in the target language, but in Turkey,the competence of
students is not generally enough to participate in oral communicative
activities.Main characteristics of CLT every activity is done with a
communicative purpose. Students practice the language with some activities
communicating in forms of plays,roles and work of solving problems, on the contrary,
Turkey has an exam-oriented system and exams are grammar based. The goal of
student is to pass standardized tests. In CLT, a teacher is someone who mostly
organizes activities that ensures interaction among students and helps coaction
and main coaction is student-student centered.However, in Turkey,a teacher
comes and teaches grammar and finishes the lesson without doing any
activity. These difficulties teachers may face in implementing CLT in the Turkish context stem from insufficient
teaching resources,crowded classes that do not provide interaction between
students and mismatch of principles of CLT and education system of Turkey.CLT
is interaction centered but students in Turkey do not have chance to practice
it outside the classroom.Because of these handicaps, CLT may not applicable in
the Turkish context.
This paper has attempted to provide an overview on CLT
method based on its background,advantages and followed by implementation of
CLT in Turkish context. As explained
above, CLT is a method that is important in terms of learning a new language
.It aims at communicative competency in learning a language.The important part
of competence includes using language forms appropriately, preparing proper
situations to improve communications, feeling free, taking part in games.
Authentic materials, scrambled sentences, games, strip stories, roleplays are
the technics that are used in this approach.However, implementation of CLT in
Turkey is not applicable.Teachers who are concerned to apply CLT method in
their classrooms may encounter some barriers because of insufficient teaching
resources, crowded classes, education system of Turkey.The competence of Turkish students may not enough
to participate in oral communicative activities.We can draw a conclusion,
instead of exam-oriented system, it is more beneficial for students to
practise, participate in oral communicative activities.If teachers give up
teaching only grammar in every class and finishing the lesson without doing any
activity, students can have a chance to improve their oral skills.Teachers
should use different activities communicating in forms of plays, roles and work
of solving problems.The goal of students should be then having interaction with
one another instead of passing the standardized tests.All activities should
ensure interaction among students and help coaction.If these conditions are
provided and fullfilled completely, CLT can be one of the most efficient
techniques in the well-designed education circle.
Note: This is an original piece of writing lease cite this website if you want to use it for any educational purposes. The text was produced by 1st year ELT student Büşra Yeşil at Erciyes University, Kayseri
Note: This is an original piece of writing lease cite this website if you want to use it for any educational purposes. The text was produced by 1st year ELT student Büşra Yeşil at Erciyes University, Kayseri