Communicative Language Teaching (CLT): A Complete Guide

Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), or “the communicative approach,” is one of the most popular language-learning methods today. Many universities, language schools, and other educational institutions have adopted CLT, or parts of it, in their teaching practices.

You have probably seen people mention CLT when discussing learning methods on forums and groups online.

It’s the method of today.

If you want to catch up and see what the fuss is all about, well, you have come to the right place!

Here’s all you need to know about communicative language teaching.

What is communicative language teaching (CLT)

Communicative language teaching (CLT) is a learner-centered approach that emphasizes developing communicative competence, the ability to use language in real-life situations.

In essence, communicative interaction serves as both the primary vehicle (studying technique) and the method’s main goal.

CLT came about in the 1970s as a response to the limitations of traditional teaching methods, such as the grammar-translation method and the audio-lingual method, which primarily focused on grammatical accuracy and memorization.

The main goal of CLT is to enable students to communicate fluently in their target language. This is achieved by engaging students in meaningful, authentic communication activities that simulate real-life situations. Fluency comes before grammatical accuracy.

CLT is a learner-centered approach in which the teacher is more of a coordinator and guide rather than a traditional instructor.

Practical approach

Communicative language teaching is a framework built on the idea that language learning should promote authentic communication and engagement. This is usually achieved through roleplays, group discussions, problem-solving activities, and information-gap exercises.

Roleplays

Roleplays that simulate real-life situations have become synonymous with CLT. Students are often asked to act out specific scenarios, such as ordering food at a restaurant or participating in a job interview. By doing so, they get to practice language in context and develop their communicative competence in various situations and topics.

Information-gap exercises

In these tasks, the students will be given different parts of a solution. In order to solve a question, puzzle or problem, they must communicate with each other and share their knowledge to come up with the answer.

For example, two students are given two pictures that are slightly different from each other. Without showing each other their pictures, they must describe them and identify the differences in their images.

Discussions

Communicative language teaching often incorporates discussions or debates into the curriculum. The teacher gives the students a topic to discuss with each other. This activity encourages students to express their opinions, listen to others, and participate in meaningful communication.

The students can also be asked to bring an object that they find interesting or like. They should then discuss the object and explain why they find it interesting or likable.

Authentic material

CLT incorporates a lot of authentic materials, such as news articles, Youtube videos, or podcasts, to expose students to real-life language use.

These materials serve two purposes: they demonstrate how native speakers use the target language in real-life situations, and they can be used as a basis for various communicative activities, such as discussions and roleplays.

The benefits

CLT offers numerous advantages that older, more traditional methods lack. Instead of sitting by the bench studying grammatical rules, the students engage in an immersive and interactive environment replicating real life.

Here are some of the main benefits of CLT.

Communicative competence: The primary focus of CLT is to develop students’ ability to communicate in the real world. Students learn to use their target language in various contexts using authentic materials and simulating meaningful and realistic scenarios. It gives learners the skills and ability to navigate and communicate in real life.

Fluency focus: CLT prioritizes fluency over accuracy. In other words, speaking and communicating effectively is more important than learning grammatical rules. This is a great foundation for developing fluency.

Increased motivation: Activities are often designed to be interactive, engaging, and relevant to the students. As a result, students are more likely to be motivated and inspired to learn. One of the teachers’ main objectives is to align the teaching materials with what’s relevant to the students.

Positive environment: One of the core philosophies in CLT is to create a supportive and inclusive learning environment. Instead of giving direct corrections, the teacher is encouraged to give feedback sporadically. There is also an emphasis on working in pairs or smaller groups, which helps to build a sense of community among the students.

The challenges

In order to reap all the benefits that CLT offers, it is important to be aware of the potential drawbacks and challenges you might face. Here are some of the main challenges:

Fluency over accuracy: CLT believes fluency is more important than grammatical accuracy. But grammar is still essential and should not be ignored. Otherwise, students risk developing fossilized errors. Teachers must find a balance between encouraging free expression and providing feedback and error correction.

Teacher’s adaptation: If the teacher has been trained and educated in more traditional methods, it can be hard to adapt to CLT. Teachers may need additional training to implement CLT effectively into their lessons.

Diverse skill levels: Larger class sizes can include students with diverse language proficiency levels, making it challenging to create activities that accommodate every student’s needs. This can often be solved by dividing the class into smaller groups without making the students feel like they are being graded or devalued.

The translation issue: CLT encourages using the target language in all communication. However, there may be times when using the student’s native language is necessary for clarification and support. While translations should be kept to a minimum, they should not be avoided at all costs. Unlike what many believe, translations are not strictly forbidden.

Who is communicative language teaching for

As with any other technique and method, CLT is more suitable for some than others.

It can be great for:

• Students who prioritize speaking and listening skills over grammar mastery.
• Social people who enjoy interactive activities with others.
• People who seek to learn a language for specific purposes, such as business or travel.

It’s not ideal for:

• People who prefer a structured, grammar-focused approach.
• Students who would rather study on their own than with other people.
• Students who mainly want to learn to read and write in the target language.