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1. The context of communicative language
teaching

2. Main aim
• To review what a communicative language approach
involves from a series of key viewpoints.

3. Glossary
Explicit language knowledge
Conscious knowledge about how a language feature
works.
Implicit language knowledge
Unconscious, automated knowledge about how a
language feature works, accessed rapidly and easily

4. Glossary
Controlled output
Producing very specific language using tasks with limited
complexity.
Free output
Producing less controlled language through more open-
ended tasks.

5. Glossary
Psuedo-authentic material
Real material that has been slightly adapted for the
learners’ levels.

6. What is communicative language
learning all about?

7. A communicative task?
I’m going to describe a situation to you.
A teacher wants to get his students
more interested in history, so he is going
to take them on a class trip. Talk
together about the different places they
could visit and say which the students
would find most interesting.
Here’s a picture with some ideas to help
you.

8. A communicative task?

9. A communicative task?
A. Tim thinks Ben
should look on the
concert website.
B. Tim hopes that
Ben will be able to
come with him.
C. Tim wants to know
if Ben can pay him
back today.

10. Key principles
1. Creating
authentic
learning
experiences
3. Treating
errors as a
natural part of
learning
2. Using
language
appropriately
4. Practising
grammar and
vocabulary
within a context
Using the
language
rather than
knowing about
the language

11. 1. Authenticity
What does authenticity mean in
communicative language teaching?

12. Authenticity
Three main types:
Text
Real-life texts, audio or video material
Real, practical usefulness
May need to be adapted slightly (psuedo-authentic)
Situational
Properties of the task
Task corresponds to a real-life activity
Interactional
Task creates a context where realistic language use take place
Activates important mental processes

13. Authenticity
Which of these do you think is the most authentic
teaching point example?
A. It’s raining cats and dogs. (idioms)
B. My donkey is wearing a straw hat. (present cont.)
C. How’s it going? / Not too bad. (greetings)
D. Jane wrote a book. / The book was written by Jane.
(passive voice)

14. 2. Using language appropriately

15. Using language appropriately
Context
Who are you talking/writing to? (audience)
What is the desired outcome? (purpose)
How can you use language to achieve this outcome?
When you set a writing task, do you specify who the
audience is (i.e. the target reader) and the purpose of this
piece of writing?
• Yes, always
• Yes, sometimes
• Occasionally
• No, never

16. Errors are a natural part of learning

17. 3. Errors are natural
Focus is on fluency rather than accuracy.
Errors are learning opportunities.
Focus is not on counting errors … but
achieving communication.

18. Errors are natural
.

19. Errors are natural

20. 4. Linguistic competence: grammar and vocabulary
How do we practise grammar and vocabulary
within a context?

21. Grammar and vocabulary
A. Complete these
sentences with the
past tense.
1. He …. for the book
with a credit card.
2. Mary …. to call her
brother.
3. I ….. to a French
restaurant last
night.
B. Add the missing words below.
Hi Phil,
I know you love good food, so I
thought I’d tell you about my
evening last night. I had the best
time with my friends! First, we …..
to a restaurant. We .... lots of
amazing food, and it was delicious.
We …. lots of money in the end,
but really loved the experience!

22. Grammar and vocabulary
Which of these grammar tasks makes the best use of
context?
• Read this text, highlight present perfect in yellow and
past simple in green.
• Convert this sentence into reported speech: ‘Go away,
Tim!’
• Speak to your partner using the present continuous.