THE COMMUNICATIVE APPROACH

Read and fill in the missing words or word expressions in the abstract

errors a different role to language different teaching techniques

a different role of the teacher testing performance
the function of the classroom linguistic competence basic language skills
the role of students

The Communicative Approach pursues different goals of teaching than

the Grammar-Translation method. The Grammar-Translation method is focused on
teaching how to read literature, learning grammar rules and vocabulary, and
developing mental acuity. In other words, it is focused on 1)_________________.
The Communicative Approach focuses on 2)_______________ (the ability to use
the language). In this approach, far less attention is given to systematic mastery of
sounds and structures. Nor is the focus merely on the skills of reading and writing.
Real uses of language, especially social uses, are the new priority. The
Communicative Approach teaches the students to become communicatively
competent, to be able to use the language appropriately in a given social context,
and to manage the process of negotiating meaning.
The Communicative Approach presupposes 3)______________________
in the teaching process. The teacher facilitates the students’ learning by promoting
student-student interactive situation more than teacher-student interaction. As a
facilitator, he/she has many roles to fulfil, e.g. he/she is the manager of classroom
activities. In this role, one of the teacher’s responsibilities is to establish situations
likely to promote communication. During the activities, the teacher acts as an
advisor, answering students’ questions and monitoring their performance. At other
times, the teacher can be a co-communicator and participates in activities together
with the students. In general, the role of the teacher is a less dominant one,
providing a less teacher-centred classroom environment.
The Communicative Approach changes 4)___________________ in the
learning process. The students are viewed as communicators and responsible
managers of their own learning. They are actively engaged in negotiating meaning
and trying to make themselves understood, even when their knowledge of the
target language is incomplete. They learn to communicate by communicating.
The Communicative Approach assigns 5)______________________. The
Communicative Approach reinforces students’ understanding about the usefulness
of the language they are studying. Students are expected to realise that they can do
real things by using the language. Total immersion in the target language is
encouraged.
The Communicative Approach views 6)__________________ differently.
The activities in the classroom are organised around real-life situations in which
what to say is more important than how to say it. A lot of group work is
encouraged.
 The Communicative Approach employs 7)_____________________.
Students use the language in such activities as games, role-plays and problem-
solving tasks. Activities are often carried out in small groups where each student
gets more time for learning to negotiate meaning. Authentic materials are widely
used.
The Communicative Approach sets different priorities for teaching the
four 8)_________________. These skills are emphasised in the following order:
speaking, listening, reading and writing. Translation as a skill is not applicable.
The Communicative Approach does not view 9)_________________ in a
written form as a means of evaluating students’ knowledge. Oral exams would be
more appropriate under the communicative method, but only if put in the context
of spontaneous communication, for example, participating in role-plays. In
Ukraine, teachers have always administered oral exams using the Grammar-
Translation Approach, yet they have emphasised rote memorisation of texts rather
than communication.
The Communicative Approach views 10)____________ differently. Errors
of form are considered natural; students can have incomplete linguistic knowledge
and still be successful communicators.