Question

What is the primary goal of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)?

• A. A. Achieving grammatical perfection.
• B. B. Developing native-like pronunciation.
• C. C. Enhancing communicative competence.
• D. D. Mastering literary analysis.

Answer 1

Answer:

C. C. Enhancing communicative competence.

Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)

• Primary Objective: The fundamental goal of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is to develop communicative competence in learners. This means enabling them to use the language effectively and appropriately in various real-world situations, prioritizing meaningful interaction and conveying messages over mere grammatical perfection.
• Emergence and Background: CLT emerged in the 1970s as a significant shift from traditional methods like the Grammar-Translation Method and the Audio-Lingual Method, which focused more on linguistic forms, memorization, and structural drills rather than practical language use.
• Core Principle: CLT is built on the premise that language is primarily for communication. Therefore, the learning process should simulate real communication, involving authentic tasks and interactions.
• Key Components of Communicative Competence (as proposed by Canale and Swain, 1980):
  • Grammatical Competence: Knowledge of vocabulary, pronunciation, and the rules of the language system (syntax, morphology).
  • Sociolinguistic Competence: The ability to use language appropriately in different social contexts, considering factors like register, formality, and cultural norms.
  • Discourse Competence: The capacity to understand and produce coherent and cohesive stretches of language, linking sentences and ideas to form meaningful conversations or texts.
  • Strategic Competence: The ability to use verbal and non-verbal communication strategies to compensate for breakdowns in communication, manage conversations, and enhance the effectiveness of messages (e.g., paraphrasing, asking for clarification).
• Classroom Characteristics: CLT-oriented classrooms typically involve:
  • Authentic materials: Use of real-life texts, audio, and video.
  • Task-based activities: Activities designed to achieve a specific communicative outcome (e.g., solving a problem, exchanging information).
  • Role-plays and simulations: Practicing language in imagined real-life scenarios.
  • Information-gap activities: Where learners have different pieces of information and must communicate to complete a task.
  • Pair and Group Work: Encouraging peer interaction and collaborative learning.
• Teacher's Role: In CLT, the teacher acts as a facilitator, guide, and co-communicator, creating opportunities for meaningful interaction and providing feedback on communication effectiveness.
• Learner's Role: Learners are active participants, initiators of communication, and collaborators in the learning process, taking responsibility for their own learning.
• Historical Context and Key Figures:
  • The concept of communicative competence was first introduced by sociolinguist Dell Hymes in 1972, as a critique of Chomsky's notion of 'linguistic competence,' arguing that knowing a language involves more than just grammatical rules.
  • The development of the Threshold Level by the Council of Europe in the 1970s, which defined a minimum level of language proficiency for everyday communication, greatly influenced the adoption of CLT in language curricula.