TESOL Core Certificate Program, Part 2

Teaching Adult Learners

Characteristics of Communicative Activities

§ Language is used for a purpose.

§ The target language is a vehicle for communication, not just the object of study.
§ The learners feel a desire to communicate because the activity contains some kind of
‘gap’ — information, opinion, affect or reason — which learners seek to bridge.
§ Communicative activities encourage learners to be creative and contribute their own
ideas.
§ The learners are focused on the message — on what is said rather than how it is said.
§ The learners work independently of the teacher.
§ The learners determine what they want to say or write. The activity is not designed to
control what the learners will say.
§ The teacher is a facilitator, establishing situations likely to promote communication and
acting as an advisor during the activities.
§ The teacher coaches the learners on strategies for how to improve their communication
and comprehension.

Adapted from Nolasco, R., & Arthur, L. (1988). Large Classes (Essential Language Teaching
Series). Macmillan Education.