Unit Plan: Communicative Language Teaching
 

One’s ability to communicate with other persons is of critical importance in today’s world. As international trade and business expand, there are increased opportunities to interact with persons of different countries and cultures. Therefore knowledge of a foreign language is essential.

Foreign language students must not only be able to communicate effectively in the target language, but they must also develop an understanding and appreciation of the different cultures in these countries to compete in a global economy.

Many experts in the field such as Rivers (1981) and Omaggio Hadley (1993) have advocated the Communicative Approach to language teaching. They are of the view that if students are to be completely functional in for example Spanish, then emphasis should be placed on:

• Contextualization- the teaching of concepts in Spanish using real life situations. Opportunities must be given to students to practice using the language in situations that they are likely to encounter in the target culture.

• The teaching of Culture.

• Active communicative interaction through paired and group activities.

• Opportunities for students to be creative with the language.

• The affective needs of the students, i.e. their various learning styles and personalities.

Focus must be on the total development of the four language skills - listening, speaking, reading and writing. These should in turn be linked to the development of cultural awareness.

References

Omaggio Hadley, Alice (1993). Teaching Language in Context. Boston: Heinle and Heinle Publishers.

Rivers, Wilga (1981). Teaching Foreign Language Skills. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
 

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