Communicative Approach Strategies for English Language Teaching
DOI: 195 Downloads 4892 Views
Author(s)
Abstract
This paper focuses on Communicative Approach strategies used by teachers in teaching English in secondary schools, and the challenges teachers and students face in using such strategies in classes. Data collection was done in four government secondary schools within Mzuzu City in Malawi. Data were collected by using questionnaires, interviews and classroom observations. Key findings reveal that most teachers frequently use communicative approach strategies in teaching English language such as pairing, debates, group discussions, filling in gaps, and dramatization. The study indicates that even though communicative approach strategies are used in classrooms, there are some challenges which hinder the implementation, namely inadequate time to engage students in class, inadequate teaching and learning resources, failure to assist students with disabilities, and overcrowded classrooms. The paper recommends that the government of Malawi through the Ministry of Education should work on the challenge of overcrowded classes and provide enough teaching and learning materials in schools in order to implement communicative approach strategies effectively.
Keywords
communicative approach, strategies, teaching of English, language skills, teaching and learning materials
Cite this paper
Eustard R. TIBATEGEZA, Miriam M. ZIMBA,
Communicative Approach Strategies for English Language Teaching
, SCIREA Journal of Education.
Volume 5, Issue 2, April 2020 | PP. 39-58.
References
[ 1 ] | Ahmad, S. & Rao, N. (2013). Applying Communicative Approach in Teaching English as a Foreign Language: a Case Study of Pakistan. Porta Linguarum (20). |
[ 2 ] | Alamri, W. A. (2018). Communicative Language Teaching: Possible Alternative Approaches to CLT and Teaching Contexts. English Language Teaching. 11 (10). |
[ 3 ] | Candlin, C. N. (1981). The Communicative Teaching of English: Principles and Exrcise Typology. Harlow Essex: Longman. |
[ 4 ] | Chitera, N. (2009). Discourse Practices of Mathematics Teacher Educators in Initial Teacher Training Colleges in Malawi [Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation] University of Witwatersrand. |
[ 5 ] | Chiyembekezo, R., et al. (2019). Teaching English Speaking Skills to L2 Students using Role –Play Method: What do Teachers in Malawi Say? Journal of Arts, Science & Commerce, 10 (1). |
[ 6 ] | Diana, S. (2014). Communicative Language Teaching and its misconceptions about the practice in English Language Teaching (ELT). Bahasa & Sastra Journal, 14 (1). |
[ 7 ] | Fernando, S. & Marikar, F. (2017). Constructivist Teaching/Learning Theory and Participatory Teaching Methods. Journal of Curriculum and Teaching, 6 (1). |
[ 8 ] | Government of Malawi. (2013). Gazette extraordinary: Education bill, 2013.Lilongwe, Malawi. |
[ 9 ] | Hymes, D. (1972). On Communicative Competence. In Pride J. B. & Holmes J. (eds.), Sociolinguistics: Selected readings. Harmondsworth, UK: Penguin. |
[ 10 ] | Irmawati, N. D. (2012). Communicative Approach: An Alternative Method Used in Improving Students’ Academic Reading Achievement. English Language Teaching Journal 5 (7). |
[ 11 ] | Littlewood, W. (2013). Developing a Context-Sensitive Pedagogy for Communication-Oriented Language Teaching. Hong Kong Baptist University. |
[ 12 ] | Moyo, T. (2001). The Changing Language Policies and Reversing Language Roles in Malawi: from Colonial Times (1891-1964) to the Present. Per Linguam 17(2). |
[ 13 ] | Pascal, L. (2017). Communicative Approach Strategies to English Language Teaching in Tanzanian Secondary Schools: Are they really working? [Unpublished MA Dissertation] Mzumbe University. |
[ 14 ] | Richards, J. C. et al. (2001). Approaches and methods in language teaching (2nd ed.). New York: Cambridge University Press. |
[ 15 ] | Richards, J. C & Schmidt, R. (2002). Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics. UK. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data. |
[ 16 ] | The Malawian Institute of Eeducation (2013). Syllabus for English Forms 3 and 4. Domasi: Malawi Institute of Education. |
[ 17 ] | Widdowson, H. G. (1978). Teaching language as communication. London: Oxford University Press. |