Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)
Table of Contents:
Q. What does mean by CLT?
Q. What are the common features of English textbooks activities in primary level?
Q. What are the common features of CLT?
Q. What are the differences between CLT and GTM?
Q. What are the challenges in implementing CLT?
Q. What does mean by CLT?
Ans. CLT means Communicative Language Teaching. It is important to know about some common features of CLT. The current approach of English Language Teaching (ELT) all over the world is Communicative Language Teaching(CLT). CLT requires interactive classroom activities with the integration of the four language skills in a meaningful context.
The current approach of English language teaching (ELT) all over the world is communicative (The communicative language teaching or CLT). Very recently, the academicians of Bangladesh ELT context with the backing of the Government has founded CLT in the general education. CLT requires Interactive classroom activities with the integration of the four language skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking.
Q. What are the common features of English textbooks activities in primary level?
Some of the features of English textbooks activities
- The textbooks help children to develop all four skills
- The activities are meaningful
- Activities are enjoyable
- Emphasis is on listening and speaking skills
- Topics and themes related to real life
- Topics inculcate human values and broaden horizons
- Grammar is presented in the context
- Language and skills are graded
Q. What are the common features of CLT?
Ans:
Communicative competence: The role of CLT is to achieve it. The ability to communicate in English. It has four parts – listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Warm- up: An activity used to get students prepared at the beginning of the lesson.
Monitor: The teacher moves around the class and checks if students are doing what they are instructed to do.
Elicit: To succeed in getting information or a reaction from someone, especially when this is difficult
Student-centered: Also called learner-centered, a way of teaching that centers on the goals, needs, interests and existing knowledge of the students. Students actively participate in such classes and may even be involved in setting learning outcomes.
Q. What are the differences between CLT and GTM?
| CLT | GTM |
| Students use language to communicate. | Students use the translation method to learn target language. |
| Students need to practice listening, speaking, reading and writing (four skills). | Students memorize rules or patterns of the target language. |
| Language practice should be meaningful. Students should have a purpose for listening, speaking, reading and writing. | Students learn the grammar deductively. They have less interaction among themselves using target language. |
| Students need to imitate and practice language, but they also need to be creative. | Students understand the target language in mother-tongue and they have less opportunity to be creative here. |
| Students ‘work out’ grammar rules. | Students ‘memorize’ grammar rules. |
Q. What are the challenges in implementing CLT?
The challenges in implementing CLT:
- Large class size
- Teacher-students ratio.
- Cultural inexpediency.
- The mismatch between curriculum and assessment.
- Lack of orientation and tendency.
- Lack of pre-service and in-service training.
- Teacher’s deficiency in spoken English.
- Inadequate technical support.
- Economic limitation.
- And more
Q. What are ways to overcome these challenges.
The ways to overcome these challenges:
- Making the class size smaller and providing adequate teaching aids appropriate for CLT.
- Providing massive CLT training for English and lessening English Teacher’s work-load.
- Improving the infrastructures to make them suitable for CLT and increasing.
