Principles of Communicative Language Teaching

Learning Outcomes

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Identify, select and use critically in professional communication a range of reference resources, printed and electronic
• Use ICT skills appropriately in the planning and development of group projects, and peer support
• Communicate through synchronous and asynchronous computer mediated communication
• Demonstrate online interpersonal and collaborative skills in the presentation of work, tutorials and workshop discussions
• Use ICT skills appropriately in the presentation and discussion of work, and teaching/learning issues
• Use ICT skills appropriately in e-communication
• Communicate in a variety of written formats
• Monitor and evaluate professional activity including self-evaluation

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• Processes of communicative curriculum development
• Theories of learning related communicative approaches
• Current critical debates concerning post-communicative approaches
• Principles and practices of communicative approaches to language teaching
• The relationships between course and materials design principles and practice in a variety of institutional contexts

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Plan modules of ELT work for a range of different contexts and time frames
• Link appropriate teacher and learner roles to classroom practice
• Assess and select materials and resources for different ELT contexts
• Reflect on and evaluate the effectiveness of communicative approaches in a specified context
• Design communicative language learning programmes and materials for ELT

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Explain the relationship between language teaching and learning in ELT
• Describe, justify and evaluate the processes and outcomes of communicative course design in ELT
• Evaluate ELT materials in terms of pedagogic principles and underlying theoretical rationale
• Critically assess developments in CLT and evaluate their impact on pedagogic principles and practices in general and in your own teaching context
• Reflectively assess your own experience in language teaching and learning and explain changes in beliefs and practices

a. Module Overview

The module is intended to provide a theoretical framework for CLT together with examples and practice in how these principles may be applied to language teaching in the classroom.

b. Module Syllabus

We first examine the broader context of approaches to language teaching, tracing the origins and development of the communicative approach. We shall then focus on the learner, the classroom environment and practical applications of a communicative approach to language teaching including material development, skills development and testing.

Teaching and learning methods

Teaching methods include:

• Online tutor led discussion forums
• Interactive tasks in topic learning objects
• Presentations and lectures via podcasts/audio/video files
• Synchronous chat/small group discussions

Learning activities include:

• Reading key texts
• Accessing online resources
• Participating in online forums
• Private study, research and reflection
• Action research and reporting/presentation in forums

Resources & Reading list

Journal Articles

Waters, A. (2009). A guide to Methodolgia: past, present and future. ELT Journal, 63(2), pp. 108-115.

Tomlinson, B. (2005). Testing to learn: a personal view of language testing. ELT Journal, 59(1), pp. 39-46.

Truscott, J. (2007). The effect of error correction on learners’ ability to write accurately. Journal of Second Language Writing, 16, pp. 255-272.

Hinkel, E. (2006). Current perspectives on teaching the four skills. TESOL Quarterly, 40(1), pp. 109-131.

Vandergrift, L (2007). Recent developments in second and foreign language listening comprehension research. Language Teaching, 40, pp. 191-210.

Stapleton, P. & Radia, P. (2010). Tech-era L2 Writing: Towards a New Kind of Process. ELT Journal, 64(2), pp. 175-183.

Kumaravadivelu, B. (2006). TESOL Methods: Changing Tracks, Challenging Trends. TESOL Quarterly, 40(1), pp. 59-81.

Littlewood, W. (2007). Communicative and Task-based Language Teaching in East Asian classrooms. Language Teaching, 40, pp. 243-249.

Textbooks

Thornbury, S. (2008). How to Teach Listening. Harlow: Pearson Longman.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External