What is Communicative Language Teaching? Communicative Language Teaching is an approach to teaching a World Language that aims toward assisting students in building their proficiency. The ultimate goal is communication and we get to higher levels of proficiency by listening and reading, and not by memorizing vocabulary or grammatical structures. Read more about it here from our Program Manager of Coaches Up: Kristen Wolf. Refer to Communicative Language Teaching from Joshua Cabral of World Language Classroom Podcast and Blog for more on this topic.
What is proficiency? Proficiency is a measure of how consistently and with greater complexity you can use the language, in a variety of situations, using skills like circumlocution. Circumlocution is the ability to “talk around” the word you want/need to say, using the words you already have.
What are we learning? Our aim is to communicate in the target language. Knowing that acquiring a language can be messy and mistakes will be made, we aim to provide a safe space centered around topics about which learners will feel compelled to share their thoughts with proper scaffolding and support.
Why do we learn this way? Using the latest in brain research, we now know that listening and reading a language will get us further down the road toward effective communication in the target language. Therefore, our classes are designed around interesting, student-centered topics. Immersion is the goal, and coaches are encouraged to check their students’ comprehension frequently, while also speaking slowly and clearly to ensure future use of the language from the students. Students are asked to perform tasks with the language with support available for guidance.
Why do we not drill verb conjugations? Verb conjugations, grammar study, and memorization have been shown to actively slow down the learner’s communication process. When we have previously been taught in this manner, our minds often get stuck in trying to recall a certain word. Yet, the linguistic part of our mind functions more fluidly after being immersed in listening and reading the language, centered around compelling topics.