Communicative approach

The communicative approach is the theory that language is communication. Therefore the final aim of CLT is communicative competence.

The principles of the communicative approach:

• Learners learn 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 envolves trial and error.

So, what is the teacher's role in this?

The teacher has two main roles:

• To facilitate the communication process in the classroom.
• To act as an independent participant within the learning-teaching group.

The teacher is also expected to act as a resource, an organiser of resources, a motivator, a counsellor, a guide, an analyst and a researcher.

In practical terms, what does that mean?

It means that we need to concentrate on the following:

• Teacher-student activities.
• Activities.
• Materials.

Here, we post a video about communicative language teaching:

The PEPP model

                                      

Present: Introduce new english items. Learnes NOT produce the new language. The teacher has to SET a CONTEXT, trough visual information, sounds, etc.

Extensive exposure: The teacher provides students a lot of INPUTS, to exposure them the new knowledge in different contexts and activities. Learners NOT produce the new language. How exposure? By flashcards (pointing, claping their hands...), songs, stories, etc.

Practice: Repetiting, imitating. The main idea is stay your children in controlled activities, where they START to produce the new language, when they use them in a correct way you pass to the next step.

Produce: They produce the new language in free activities.

                                                 

TPR

Hello again! we can share with you some contents related to the TPR (Total Physical Response).

What is TPR?

TPR is a method of teaching language using physical movement to react to verbal input in order to reduce student inhibitions and lower their affective filter.

• Total Physical Response(TPR) is due to James Asher.
• TPR is an example of Comprehension Approach.
• The emphasis is given to listening comprehension.
• Children listen and respond with actions.
• Speaking is a natural product of listening.
• Game like movements reduce stress.
•  Language chunks are practice rather than single items.
• No grammar explanation is given.
• Listen before speaking. 

TPR is not: Simon says, gesture based songs, simply using commands to practice English.


You can watch this video to learn more about TPR.

Now, we attach a scheme about Language teaching TPR Principles: