Коммуникативный подход в обучении английскому языку

Communicative Method in Teaching English

With the demand for English teachers worldwide, along with the globalization of commerce and education, teaching English as a foreign language has become an integral part of our life.

There are many ways to learn English as a foreign language. One of the most popular methods is called the "communicative method," or "student-centered" learning.

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)

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 not to let the fear of making mistakes deter them from using the language.

Communicative Method

Vocabulary

integral part

immersion

to be immersed in

peer

warm-up

to elicit

appropriate

to encourage

to prevent sb from doing st

Answer the questions.

1.    What factors influenced the development of the communicative method?

2.    What teaching certificates for the communicative method are awarded?

3.    Who is the focus of the communicative method?

4.    What is the role of the native language in the communicative method?

5.    What does the plan of a communicative method class include?

Complete the sentences.

According to the communicative method,

• students learn grammar and vocabulary through ….
• students learn English in a way that allows them to ……………………….
• students learn by complete ….
• there is little or no ….
• students must communicate in … ….
• there is a strong emphasis on …………… and peer-correction.
• lessons always include …………………….. activities.