Teacher-Student Interaction Review of Related Theories

1 Classroom goals are focused on all of the components of CC communicative competence and not restricted to grammatical or linguistic competence. 2 Language techniques are designed to engage learners in the pragmatic, authentic, functional use of language for meaningful purposes. Organizational language forms are not the central focus but rather aspects of language that enable the learner to accomplish those purposes. 3 Fluency and accuracy are seen as complimentary principles underlying communicative techniques. At times fluency may have to take on more importance than accuracy in order to keep learners meaningfully engaged in language use. 4 In the communicative classroom, students ultimately have to use the language, productively and receptively, in unrehearsed contexts. CLT is generally regarded as an approach to language teaching Richards and Rodgers 2001. It is based on the theory that communication is the primary function of language use. Savignon 2002 states that CLT refers to both processes and goals in classroom learning and that the central theoretical concept in communicative language teaching is the communicative competence The fundamental goal of CLT is to develop the student s’ communicative competence in L2 through communication and interaction with others Brown, 2001. The term communicative competence refers to a speakers’ capability to speak a language with linguistic proficiency and to use language appropriately in different social contexts Hymes in Savignon 1998. Savignon 1998 describes communicative competence as the ability to function in a truly communicative setting that allows students to communicate with other speakers effectively and spontaneously. Savignon 1998 further explains that communicative competence is dependent on the negotiation of meaning between speakers, because communication is spontaneous. Speakers need to negotiate meaning based on what is unclear to them. To achieve communicative competence, students need to be competent in four aspects: linguistic, sociolinguistic, discourse, and strategic competence Canale in Savagnon 1998. According to Canale cited in Savagnon 1998 linguistic competence which is also called grammatical competence concerns students ’ use of lexis, syntax, and structures. Sociolinguistic competence concerns student s’ appropriate use of language in different situations and settings. Discourse competence refers to the speakers’ ability to form oral and written language appropriately and meaningfully. As suggested by the term itself, strategic competence relates to the use of strategies that can be used to make up for the inadequate abilities in other aspects of competence. Richards 2006:3 states that communicative competence includes the following aspects of language knowledge: 1 Knowing how to use language for a range of different purposes and functions 2 Knowing how to vary our use of language according to the setting and the participants e.g., knowing when to use formal and informal speech or when to use language appropriately for written as opposed to spoken communication 3 Knowing how to produce and understand different types of texts e.g., narratives, reports, interviews, conversations 4 Knowing how to maintain communication despite having limitations in one’s language knowledge e.g., through using different kinds of communication strategies Wesche and Skehan cited in Savagnon 2002 describe CLT as: 1 Activities that require frequent interaction among learners or with other interlocutors to exchange information and solve problems.