The various language teaching methods which have already created and been available serve simply to the one whom is linked in an educational
system, for instance a teacher, a syllabus maker, etc., to choose which method is appropriate to be applied. Even, it is possible not only to select one of
language teaching methods but also to pick more than one of them which will be applied in the different education level in order to get effectively the certain
goals gained by the language learners. In this case, to recognize completely the chosen methods to be
implemented in this research, therefore there will be some discussions explain about Communicative Approach and Audio-Lingual Method.
1. The Understanding of Communicative Approach
Communicative Approach was created to fulfill certain necessities and to achieve its purposes that those didn’t happen in the preceding time.
Historically, as Scott Thornbury writes, “The development, in the 1970s, of Communicative Language Teaching CLT was motivated by
developments in the new science of sociolinguistics, and the belief that communicative competence consists of more than simply the knowledge
of the rules of grammar”.
26
In addition, “The Communicative Approach could be said to be the product of educators and linguists who had grown
dissatisfied with the audio-lingual and grammar-translation methods of foreign language instruction”.
27
Communicative Approach which is usually called Communicative Language Teaching is “An approach to the teaching of second and foreign
languages that emphasizes interaction as both the means and the ultimate
26
Scott Thornbury, How to Teach Grammar, Edinburgh Gate: Pearson Education Limited, 1999, p. 22.
27
http:www.monografias.comtrabajos18the-communicative-approachthe-communicative- approach.shtml Friday, 3
rd
of August 2007: 19.14.
goal of learning a language”.
28
In line with the initial definition, Jack C. Richards, John Platt, and Heidi Platt cite that Communicative Approach is
“An approach to foreign or second language teaching which emphasizes that the goal of language learning is communicative competence”.
29
Furthermore, Hymes and Halliday note some ideas about Communicative Approach, they are:
a. It is assumed that the goal of language teaching is learner ability to
communicate in the target language. b.
It is assumed that the content of a language course will include semantic notions and social functions, not just linguistic structure.
c. Classroom materials and activities are often authentic to reflect real-
life situations and demands.
30
It may be resumed from the reflections above that “Communicative Language Teaching makes use of real-life situations that necessitate
communication”.
31
Real-life situations, here, refer to the actions or events which the learners experience in their daily life, for instance receiving a
phone, asking direction, etc. Then, Communicative Approach underlines the use of a language
in language teaching and learning and, as Jack C. Richards and Theodore S. Rodgers argue that “It stresses the importance of providing learners
with opportunities to use their English for communicative purposes”.
32
Michael Canale and Merrill Swain state “A Communicative Approach … is organized on the basis of communicative functions … that
a given learner or group of learners needs to know and emphasizes the ways in which particular grammatical forms may be used to express these
28
http:en.wikipedia.orgwikiCommunicative_language_teaching Friday, 3
rd
of August 2007: 19.23.
29
http:www.freewebs.comdzchunUnit202.htm Friday, 3
rd
of August 2007: 19.41.
30
Celce-Murcia, Teaching English …, p. 8.
31
http:www.monografias …, Friday, 3
rd
of August 2007: 19.39.
32
Jack C. Richards and Theodore S. Rodgers, Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching, New York: Cambridge University Press, 1986, p. 66.
functions accurately”.
33
Although grammar is not stressed exclusively, it is concerned how the learners are able to produce a communication with the
correct grammar. Grammar is important, and learners seem to focus best on grammar when it relates to their communicative needs and
experiences.
34
This means there is a special consideration for grammar lesson in this method and it affiliates to other competencies to work
together. After having viewed several theories of Communicative Approach,
it may be understood partially of its essence, as it has been asserted by Marianne Celce-Murcia that “The essence of Communicative Language
Teaching is the engagement of learners in communication in order to allow them to develop their communicative competence”.
35
2. The Communicative Competence
