A Sociomaterial Perspective of the Challenges of Implementing the Communicative Approach in Saudi State Schools

Despite its dominance in the field of teaching English as a second/foreign language, the implementation of the Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) approach continues to be challenging and problematic. A similar set of constraints – including but not limited to challenges related to educational cultures, contextual and conceptual factors, and lack of authentic materials and facilities – have been reported as factors hindering CLT implementations in many contexts. Language teaching and learning materials and facilities are crucial elements that have been found to affect communicative language teaching implementation. However, the issue of how those material elements can affect CLT implementation has rarely been the focus of research in CLT implementation studies. In this paper, the researcher examines the effect of language teaching and learning materials on teachers’ ability to teach communicatively. Thus, informed by sociomateriality this paper attends to a gap in the literature about how material elements of the curriculum hinder the implementation of the communicative language teaching approach in the Saudi context. The data examined in this study were collected through classroom observations and semi-structured interviews. The analysis of the findings indicated that material elements in the curriculum exerted agency and power, hindering teachers’ ability to teach communicatively and learners’ ability to improve their learning experiences. The report concludes with practical implications related to the complexity of curriculum development and implementation and the emergent nature of such processes as webs of entangled human/nonhuman relations that give rise to education.

A framework for characterizing communication-oriented ELT textbooks

Textbooks hold a fundamental position in English Language Teaching (ELT). Today, their main aim is to contribute to the development of the learner’s communicative competence. This paper sets out to set the basis for constructing a framework for characterizing ELT textbooks, in terms of their opportunities to promote communicative competence. In order to provide a theoretical foundation for the framework, it first introduces the notions of input (Krashen, 1989) and output (Swain & Lapkin, 1995). Then, it presents two influential models of communicative competence, i.e., those of Canale and Swain (1980), and the Common European Framework for Reference of Languages (Council of Europe, 2001, 2018). Following that, it presents two significantly quoted sets of principles for the study of learning materials in Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), i.e., the principles of Richards and Rodgers (2014) and Nation (2007). Building on the models and principles, the paper suggests eleven criteria for characterizing communication-oriented ELT textbooks, covering input in the form of topics and texts, and output in the form of activities. A short discussion of the main affordances of the suggested framework is provided at the end of the article. Keywords: Communicative Competence, ELT Textbooks, Textbook Analysis, Communicative Language Teaching (CLT).

Practical and Case-Based Methods in Teaching and Learning

This chapter (re)introduces practical learning methods to the reader. Focusing on multimodality, authenticity, engagement, and environmental adaptability, this chapter breaks down practicality in a rapidly changing learning environment and provides a brief overview of three practical approaches. Combining industry-developed knowledge of agile strategies with experiential knowledge of frontline, metric-driven innovations in teaching, learning, and eLearning, this chapter also showcases blueprints for establishing a sustainable foundation for the growing architecture of eLearning in the US and internationally. The chapter is designed to model the chapter's content for the reader, actively involving readers across modalities in the processes of refining an understanding of practical methods and approaches, including (1) case-based learning, (2) active learning, and (3) communicative learning (as a corollary to communicative language teaching).

Managing Study Abroad During a Global Pandemic

Described in this chapter is an innovative online course that was created to support Spanish language students whose study abroad program was cancelled during the summer of 2020 due to the pandemic. While many students were able to enroll quickly in summer online language course offerings at their home campus to substitute for their study abroad coursework, students who were scheduled to complete field experiences in Spain as part of their certificate in Spanish for Professionals were unable to do so. In response to this problem, the author created an online professional practicum course to substitute for students' service-learning course in Spain. The design, development, and delivery of the online course, which featured a virtual language exchange between students in the U.S. and Spain, is the focus of the present chapter. Also described in this chapter is the conceptual framework that underpins sound instructional design for online communicative language teaching.

Active Discussion Approaches for the Synchronous Online World Language Classroom

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the context of world language teaching and learning around the globe in 2020 when schools unexpectedly switched to remote learning. In the face of this unanticipated shift, world language educators sought ways to adapt communicative language teaching to remote delivery. Active discussion approaches effectively encourage students to master course material and gain proficiency in synchronous online classes. This chapter discusses best practices for active discussions and offers examples for creating engaging discussion approaches for synchronous online world language classes.

The Use of Guessing Game in Improving the Speaking Skills of Elementary School Students

ABSTRACTGuessing game is a part of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), which will create an atmosphere for students to increase the desire to learn languages. However, learning with games makes students undisciplined and requires a long time. This study aims to determine the effect of learning English using a guessing game method on the speaking skills of elementary school students. The study is a one-group pretest-posttest design implemented at the Islamic Elementary School in Yogyakarta. The study sample consisted of 68 students in grade 6 in 2019. The sampling technique used was total sampling. The measured learning outcomes are speaking skills in pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, fluency, and understanding. The data were processed using the Wilcoxon test. The results showed that the students' speaking skills improved after learning with guessing games. The speaking skills that improved significantly are pronunciation, vocabulary, and fluency. Grammar and comprehension, on the other hand, improved but not significantly. The conclusion is that the guessing game can improve the students' speaking skills even though it has not covered all of its aspects.ABSTRAKGame menebak merupakan bagian dari Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) yang akan menciptakan suasana bagi siswa dalam meningkatkan keinginan untuk belajar bahasa. Namun pembelajaran dengan permainan membuat siswa tidak disiplin dan membutuhkan waktu yang lama. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh pembelajaran bahasa Inggris menggunakan metode menebak terhadap keterampilan berbicara siswa sekolah dasar. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian dengan menggunakan desain satu grup dengan pre tes dan pasca tes yang dilaksanakan di Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Yogyakarta. Sampel penelitian berjumlah 68 siswa kelas 6 tahun 2019. Teknik pengambilan sampel yang digunakan adalah total sampling. Hasil belajar yang diukur adalah keterampilan berbicara berupa pengucapan, kosakata, tata bahasa, kefasihan, dan pemahaman. Data diolah menggunakan uji Wilcoxon. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa keterampilan berbicara siswa meningkat setelah melalui proses pembelajaran dengan permainan tebak-tebakan. Keterampilan berbicara meningkat secara signifikan adalah pengucapan, kosa kata dan kefasihan. Tata bahasa dan pemahaman meningkat tetapi tidak signifikan. Kesimpulannya adalah bahwa permainan tebak-tebakan dapat meningkatkan keterampilan berbicara siswa meskipun belum mencakup semua aspeknya.

A Sociomaterial Perspective of the Challenges of Implementing the Communicative Approach in Saudi State Schools

Despite its dominance in the field of teaching English as a second/foreign language, the implementation of the Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) approach continues to be challenging and problematic. A similar set of constraints – including but not limited to challenges related to educational cultures, contextual and conceptual factors, and lack of authentic materials and facilities – have been reported as factors hindering CLT implementations in many contexts. Language teaching and learning materials and facilities are crucial elements that have been found to affect communicative language teaching implementation. However, the issue of how those material elements can affect CLT implementation has rarely been the focus of research in CLT implementation studies. In this paper, the researcher examines the effect of language teaching and learning materials on teachers’ ability to teach communicatively. Thus, informed by sociomateriality this paper attends to a gap in the literature about how material elements of the curriculum hinder the implementation of the communicative language teaching approach in the Saudi context. The data examined in this study were collected through classroom observations and semi-structured interviews. The analysis of the findings indicated that material elements in the curriculum exerted agency and power, hindering teachers’ ability to teach communicatively and learners’ ability to improve their learning experiences. The report concludes with practical implications related to the complexity of curriculum development and implementation and the emergent nature of such processes as webs of entangled human/nonhuman relations that give rise to education.

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN THE MALAYSIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM

The purpose of this article is to provide a historical account of the English language in Malaysia. Malaysians' linguistic and educational backgrounds are intricately linked to the country's historical and educational traditions. Despite the evolution of the Malaysian educational system, the English language continues to be taught as a compulsory language in schools. It is a method of engaging students in interaction and meaningful communication that is known as communicative language teaching. Language learners who are still required to learn English in universities must cultivate a positive attitude in order to engage in meaningful learning activities.

The Implementation of Communicative Language Teaching Approach in Selected Secondary School: Nepalese Teachers' Perspective

Throughout the history of second/foreign language teaching, several methods and approaches have been developed. Among them, Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) has been a popularly practiced method in the modern context as there are a large number of teachers around the world who claim that they are using CLT. However, previous studies revealed that there is a discrepancy between their claim and their performance in real practice. Therefore, this research aims at exploring the perceptions of Secondary-level English teachers towards the CLT method along with the activities they use and the challenges they encounter. Using a qualitative descriptive inquiry, a close-ended questionnaire was sent via e-mail to the four purposively selected teachers teaching in public Secondary-schools in Kanchanpur, Nepal. In addition, an interview protocol was used with Four of the teachers. The findings of the study revealed that the teachers had positive perceptions towards the CLT method. However, the present study also highlighted that the teachers did not involve many communicative activities which are essentially needed for the successful implementation of the method. This study further exposed that the participants seem encountered several challenges while implementing the CLT method which is quite similar to the challenges faced by the teachers in the region. These results emphasized that the teachers should try to contextualize and maximize communicative activities amidst the challenges.

The Impact of EFL Teachers’ Pedagogical Beliefs and Practices: Communicative Language Teaching in A Saudi University Context

This study aims to explore the pedagogical beliefs of Saudi instructors of English as a foreign language (EFL), and the extent to which they apply the values of the communicative language teaching (CLT) approach in their classroom practice. The study was conducted with 42 Saudi EFL teachers and employed a mixed methods approach. A descriptive analysis of classroom observation data was conducted. The results showed that teachers hold positive views of CLT, but that there are some discrepancies between their beliefs and their implementations of the approach. For example, most of the instructors continued to apply traditional teaching methods (i.e., grammar translation and the audio-lingual approach). The study concludes that it is essential in the Saudi EFL context for teachers to cultivate relations between their beliefs and practices to assure better language learning outcomes. The key contribution of this study lies in disclosing the reasons for the discrepancies between Saudi EFL teachers’ beliefs and practices to help them develop congruence, and in highlighting the pedagogical implementations.