The document discusses Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) and provides examples of communicative activities that can be used in large classrooms. CLT focuses on involving students in natural language use through speaking and interacting, rather than focusing on grammar rules. It is an effective way to teach language because it mirrors how humans naturally acquire language in real communication. The document provides three examples of communicative activities and discusses how CLT can be implemented in large classrooms through organizing students into small groups and using engaging, fun activities to encourage participation.

1. COMMUNICATIVE ACTIVITIES FOR
LARGE CLASSROOMS
ILA TEACH

2. Hello!
Todd Bierbaum
Academic Manager, ILA Vietnam, Go Vap District
Cambridge CELTA, DELTA
Bachelors of Science, Electrical Engineering

3. Communicative Activities for
Large Classrooms
Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)
Benefits of CLT
CLT in Large Classes
Examples of CLT Activities
Participation is encouraged!

4. Introductions
1. My name is .
2. I’m a at .
3. I’ve been a for years.
4. My favorite .
Talk to your peers.

5. What is Communicative
Language Teaching (CLT)?

6. Communicative Language Teaching
(CLT) is a method for teaching...
A. grammar and vocabulary only
B. speaking and listening only
C. reading and writing only
D. all of the above
CLT is a method for teaching all skills/systems
of a second language (i.e. English)

7. When did Communicative Language
Teaching (CLT) begin?
A. 1870s
B. 1920s
C. 1970s
D. 2000s
CLT is a common ESL teaching method used
internationally.

8. What is Communicative Language
Teaching (CLT)?
or
A B

9. What is Communicative Language
Teaching (CLT)?
Focused on the
students...
not on the teacher.
A

10. What is Communicative Language
Teaching (CLT)?
táo apple
It’s an apple.
or
A B

11. What is Communicative Language
Teaching (CLT)?
It’s an apple.
Students learn
naturally...
not by translation.
B

12. What is Communicative Language
Teaching (CLT)?
A: Have you been to
Singapore?
B: No, I haven’t.
or
A B

13. What is Communicative Language
Teaching (CLT)?
A: Have you been to
Singapore?
B: No, I haven’t.
Students learn by
example and
practice...
not by rules.
B

14. What is Communicative Language
Teaching (CLT)?
“Involve me, and I
will learn.”or
“Teach me, and I will
remember.”
A B

15. What is Communicative Language
Teaching (CLT)?
“Involve me, and I
will learn.”
Students learn by
involving them...
not by teaching
them.
B

16. Traditional (1870s) CLT (>1970s)
● Focused on the
teacher.
● The students learn by
translation.
● The students learn
English through rules
and vocabulary.
● The students are
“taught”.
●
●
Talk to your peers.

17. Traditional (1870s) CLT (>1970s)
● Focused on the
teacher.
● The students learn by
translation.
● The students learn
English through rules
and vocabulary.
● The students are
“taught”.
● Focused on the
students.
● The students learn
“naturally”.
● The students learn by
example and practice.
● The students are
“involved”.

18. Benefits of Communicative
Language Teaching

19. CLT Benefits: How do we learn language?
“You + ‘to be’ +
adjective.”
“You are
handsome.”
CLT is “natural”.
It’s how humans
learn language.
A
B

20. CLT Benefits: Why do we learn language?
To
communicate!
(i.e. not to pass
an exam, or get
a good job)
Talk to your peers.

21. Examples of
Communicative Activities
for Large Classrooms
Participation is encouraged!

22. Skill: Grammar
Purpose: Past Simple ‘to be’
Activity: Memory
Communicative Activities: Example #1

23. There was one _______.
There were four _________.
There were three _________.
Communicative Activities: Example #1

24. There was one apple.
There were four bananas.
There were three oranges.
Communicative Activities: Example #1

25. Communicative Activities: Example #1
There was ….
There were ….
Talk to your peers.

26. Communicative Activities: Example #1
❏ The language was “natural”.
❏ Focused on students.
❏ Not focused on rules (i.e. There + were +
numerical adjective + plural noun)

27. Skill: Vocabulary
Purpose: Colors
Activity: Point to
something...
Communicative Activities: Example #2

28. Communicative Activities: Example #2
Teacher: “Point to something…”

29. Communicative Activities: Example #2
Students: “Point to something…”
Talk to your peers.

30. Communicative Activities: Example #1
❏ The language was “natural”.
❏ Focused on students.
❏ Activity was “fun” through competition.

31. System: Speaking
Purpose: Talking about your
city
Activity: Speak for 45
seconds
Communicative Activities: Example #3

32. Communicative Activities: Example #3
city
motorbike
live
food
restaurant
river

33. Communicative Activities: Example #3

34. Communicative Activities: Example #3
weather
transportation
work
school
time
neighbors
hometown
hobbies
friends
music
family
river
downtown
students
rain
museums
Talk to your peers.

35. Communicative Activities: Example #1
❏ The language was “natural”.
❏ Focused on students.
❏ Made students communicate.

36. Communicative Activities: Other examples
How can you use this as a communicative activity?
Talk to your peers.

37. Communicative Activities: Other examples
Adapt children’s games to use
in the classroom.
For example
Students give example of
present continuous and move
forward a space.

38. Communicative Activities: Other examples
How can you use this as a communicative activity?
Talk to your peers.

39. Communicative Activities: Other examples
Talk to your peers.
Surveys are popular
CLT activities.
Students ask each
other questions.
Adaptable for all
levels.

40. Communicative Language
Teaching in Large Classrooms

41. Communicative Language Teaching in
Large Classrooms
Two Advantages
More students = more
ideas!
Students learn from
each other
Two Disadvantages
Managing students
Working with individual
students (strong &
weak)
Talk to your peers.

42. Communicative Language Teaching in
Large Classrooms
Two
Disadvantages
Managing students
Getting students to
participate
How to
overcome
these?

43. CLT in Large Classrooms:
Managing Students
S S
S S
S S
S
S S S
Students work together in small groups. The
teacher watches and guides them.
T
T T
Talk to your peers.
What does this represent?

44. CLT in Large Classrooms:
Getting students to participate
Use “fun” and engaging activities.
Talk to your peers.
What does this represent?

45. Summary
What…
Why…
How...

46. What is Communicative Language
Teaching (CLT)?
● Focused on the
students.
● The students learn
“naturally”.
● The students learn by
example and practice.
● The students are
“involved”.

47. Why use Communicative Language
Teaching (CLT)?
It’s to communicate.
It’s how
humans
learn
language.

48. How to use Communicative Language
Teaching (CLT)?
“Fun” and engaging
activities.
S S
S S
T
Put
students in
groups.

49. Questions?

50. Homework
1. Create and use one
CLT activity in your
class.
1. Share it with your
peers.

51. Thank you!