A Bridge Between the Target Language and the Learners Culture: Communicative Language Teaching - Research Paper Example

Languages are complex but more complicated is the language learning process. We need a language to survive and learning a new language opens new gateways for one’s life. The instrumental factors of language learning make learning motivating, so my learners shall be able to fulfil their instrumental purposes of coping with job situations, along with the maintenance of a healthy social life. At the same time, we must not forget the increasing importance of language as a social function. Thus structuring language on a social basis is also essential.

This perspective of language is the functional view that sees language as a vehicle for the expression of functional meaning. This communication in language teaching subscribes to this view of language. Richard and Stephen quote Krashen and Terrell who write, “Communication is the primary function of language” which emphasises the semantic and communicative function rather than merely the grammatical characteristics of the language and is known as “Communicative view” (2003: 179).

Smith agrees with Widdowson (1968) and Prabhu (1987), he states who all rejected the teaching of the grammar-translation method of language teaching (2003: xxvii), and not any component of this method will be used in the class after the implementation of my course. Communicative language teaching stresses “on the primacy of speech among language skills,” says Smith (2003: xxvii). In this approach a lot of importance is also given to the “presentation of language items through meaningful situations,” says Smith (2003: xxvii).