With the demand for English teachers worldwide, along with the globalization of commerce and education, teaching English as a foreign language had become an emerging niche in the field of language teaching.
The communicative method is the teaching method endorsed by TEFLboard Accreditation and other professional organizations.
Teaching Certificates for the Communicative Method
There are three main certificates that are awarded after a period of training:
- TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language)
- TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages)
- CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults)
Additionally, there are two advanced programs for people who wish to further their career opportunities:
- DELTA (Diploma in English Language Teaching to Adults)
- MA in TESOL (Master of Arts in Teaching English to Students of Other Languages)
The Main Points of the Communicative Method
- Students learn grammar and vocabulary through context.
- Students learn English in a way that allows them to use the language in real life.
- English students learn by complete immersion, by studying with native English speakers.
- There is little or no translation provided.
- Students must communicate with their teacher and with each other in English only.
- There is a strong emphasis on self-correction and peer-correction.
- Lessons always include pair or group work activities.
The Lesson Plan of a Communicative Method Class
There are three main parts of a successful student-centered lesson plan:
There is always a "warmer" to get students comfortable and in the mood to study the topic at hand. Teachers spend several minutes eliciting responses from their students by asking them questions, showing them interesting pictures, playing songs, or showing a short movie clip.
The bulk of the lesson is based on student activities. Students practice (with partners or groups) working on vocabulary and grammar through a text. The text can be a short story, a newspaper article, a song, a poem, or other type of text appropriate to the age level and ability of the students.
At the end of the lesson, students use the language they have learned freely. This means either speaking or writing using the vocabulary or grammar learned.
Student-Centered Learning in a Nutshell
Students who learn English through "teacher-centered" learning (this is a teacher simply lecturing to his or her students) will generally learn grammar points, but have little ability to actually use the grammar in real-life situations.
With student-centered learning, students are encouraged to use context to find the definitions of words and phrases, and also to speak English as much as possible. Teachers of this method sometimes say that the only way to learn how to speak English is to speak English.
In many ways, the communicative method of learning English is the same way as learning how to ride a bike or drive a car. It is also the way children learn their own language. By the time children reach the age when they enter grammar school, they are fluent in their native language because they were immersed in it.
The most important thing for English students (and teachers) to remember is to speak English as often as possible, and to not let the fear of making mistakes deter them from using the language.
