Programa Nacional de Capacitación Idiomática IDI OM AS
Caracas, May, 2012
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 The Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)
 Main tenets, types of activities, roles of learner, teacher and materials
 Classroom Management. The learner: importance, learning styles and teaching context.
 Student-centred techniques for developing the four language skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking.
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(Littlewood,1981), Main types of activities in CLT
Functional communication activities
Social interaction activities
• SS comparing sets of pictures (differences and similarities).
• Sequence in a set of pictures.
• Discovering missing features in a map or picture.
• Giving instructions on how to draw a shape to a partner.
• Following directions
• Solving problems with clues
• Conversations and discussion sessions.
• Dialogues and role plays.
• Simulations
• Improvisations
• Debates
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The group
Learner roles according to
Breen & Candlin (1980)
Negotiator
&
Contributor
Activities,
Classroom procedures
Him/herself
L2.
Learning process
Source: Richards & Rodgers, 2002
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Teacher roles in CLT Breen & Candlin
(1980)
Main role
Facilitates the communication process between all ss in the class
2ndary
Roles Organizer of resources.
Guide within the classroom procedures and activities.
Facilitates the communication process between the ss and the activities and texts.
Researcher and learner
Manager
Counselor
Needs analyst
Source: Richards & Rodgers, 2002
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1. Determine the learner language needs.
2. Respond to such language needs.
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Activities in CLT
Appropriateness: formal and casual styles of speaking.
The message is the main point.
Psycholinguistic
Process
The learner takes risks.
Freer practise is allowed.
Source: Richards & Rodgers, 2002
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Roles of Materials according to Breen &
Candlin (1980)
Text-based
Task-based
Realia
Source: Richards & Rodgers, 2002
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Communicative Language Teaching:CLT
• Learners learn a language through using it to communicate.
• Authentic and meaningful communication should be the goal of classroom activities.
• Fluency is an important dimension of communication.
• Communication involves the integration of different language skills.
• Learning is a process of creative construction and involves trial and error.
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Activity I:
Divide the class into 2 groups.
Each group writes a list of ideas about classroom management.
Socialize ideas with the whole class.
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 Prepares and plan the class before teaching it.
 Organizes the learning space, sets up the rules and routines.
 Adecquates language to the class (register).
 Varies interaction pattern (T-Ss, ss-ss, group).
 Provides ss with simple and straight-to-thepoint instructions.
 Checks understanding with direct questions.
 Monitors and help the learners.
 Organizes the board (use coloured markers).
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Redefining
Activities
Planning the class
Learning styles
Activities
Source: Spratt , Pulverness, Williams (2005)
MPF
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Feedback

Learning styles are the ways in which a learner naturally prefers to take in, process and remember information and skills.
Visual
Auditory
Kinaesthetic
Group vs individual
Reflective vs impulsive
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Learning strategies
Learning strategies are the ways chosen and used by the learner to learn a language.
E.g.:
Repeating new words in your head until you remember them.
Guessing the meaning of unknown words
Asking a speaker to repeat
Recording yourself speaking
Writing key words in order to remember
Drawing meaning instead of translating.
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Extensive reading
• Outside the classroom
• Authentic reading: newspaper, books, ads, booklets, brochures, flyers, magazines, internet articles and anything you can read.
Intensive reading
• Within the classroom:
• Graded readings or authentic texts suitable for the classroom.
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• Reading for gist
• Reading for specific information
• Inferring
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•
Create interest
• Preteach vocab
• Listening for gist
• Listening for specific information
•Follow-up: working with the language
•Use this skill as a springboard to a productive one
Source: TKT Essentials (2005)
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 Extensive listening (outside the classroom)
 Intensive listening (within the classroom):
Live listening:
 Reading aloud
 Story-telling
 Interviews
 Conversations
Source: TKT Essentials (2005)
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 Subskills: using the right words, correct grammar and
Spelling, Layout and puctuation, sentence and paragraph linking. Writing is both a process and a product
Stages in the writing process:
 Brainstorming
 Making notes
 Planning
 Writing a draft
 Editing
 Proof reading
Source: TKT Essentials (2005)
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• Interaction: 2-way communication uses language and body language.
•Fluency speaking at a normal speed, no hesitations, repetition or self correction.
•Accuracy speaking with correct forms of grammar, vocab and pronunciation.
Source: TKT Essentials (2005)
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• Interviews
• Guessing games
• Jigsaw tasks: involves learners combining different pieces of information to form a whole.
• Ranking exercises
• Discussions
• Values clarification
• Problem solving activities
• Role plays
• Simulations
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• Choral drill: learners repeat after teacher as a whole class, then in groups.
• Substitution drill: T gives a sentence and a different word or phrase the learners must use in the same place. E.g.
• If you go to Maturin you will see La Puerta de
Miraflores.
• If you go to Maturin you will see el Baile del
Mono.
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• Transformation Drill: learners change the grammatical structure of the sentence given by the teacher according to which rule is being practised. E.g.
I went to Margarita
I didn ´t go to Margarita
I went to Del Valle Virgin Sanctuary
I didn ´t go to Del Valle Virgin Sanctuary etc.
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• www.rinksworks.com/brainfood/p/latreal1.shtml
.
• www.onestopenglish.com
• www.aphraseaweek.com
• VenTesol.com
• www.busyteacher.com
• www.aboutESL.com
• www.brithcouncil.org
• www.teachingenglish.org.uk
• http://teachandlearn.missouri.edu
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 Each group/pair prepares a microclass taking into consideration what we have practised.
 Use a template of lesson plan.
 Timing: 30 minutes per group/pair.
 Choose the skill, try to combine two or more.
 Choose activities which meets different learning styles.
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Bibliografía
Brown, D. (2007), Teaching by Principles, Pearson Longman
Harmer, J. (2007). The Practice of English Language Teaching,
Pearson-Longman.
Oxford, R. (1989) ERIC Clearinghouse on Languages and
Linguistics Washington, DC.
Richards, J. and Rodgers,T. (2002). Approaches and Methods in
Language Teaching (Cambridge University Press).
Spratt, M., Pulverness, A. and Williams, M., (2005) The Teacher ´s
Knowledge Test Course, TKT University of Cambridge.
Thornburry, S. and Watkins, P. (200) The Certificate in English
Language Teaching to Adults CELTA Course. University of
Cambridge.
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