The Application of Communicative Language Teaching Method to Teaching English Grammar

Abstract：Cultivating the students communicative competence is laid on the final goal of foreign language teaching （FLT）.So the Communicative Language Teaching （CLT） becomes popular in many countries in the world.However，there are rare researches about applying CLT to the grammar teaching.This paper is to discuss the Application of CLT to teaching English grammar.Firstly，make a introduction on CLT，then talk about the development of CLT，last，propose practical suggestions in grammar teaching.

Key words：Communicative；Language Teaching method；Grammar teaching；Teaching suggestions

1 Introduction

1.1 Background of the Research

In 1970s，the Communicative Language Teaching （CLT） was introduced to China，and gradually adopted by teachers in grammar teaching.It is important to learn grammar well in order to use English to communicate with others successfully.That is to say，it is very necessary to probe into how to teach English for teachers.

1.2 Definition of CLT

The definition of CLT were described from different aspects.Longman Dictionary of Applied Linguistics （1995） describes；“CLT，which is also named as CA，is a method to foreign or second language.And it regarded the communicative ability as the main purpose of language teaching.

1.3 Principles of CLT

如下：①Communication principle：Students should be provided much real-life communication to acquire communicative competence in real and contextual communication；②Task principle：Tasks can be better to “provide task-based practice，arising motivation，encouraging learning in a context which benefits learning”；③Meaningfulness principle：involves the language which is very meaningful to English language learner and supports the basic learning process；④Learner-centered Principle：Students are in the center in learning.

2 Development

2.1 The Related Researches on CLT Abroad

Chomskys （1965） theory was considered as the basis of modern linguistics.He described the differences between competence and performance.Hymes（1972） is the first one to introduce the opinion of Communicative Competence.Canale and Swains（1980） contribution is that they made and established seminal work and conceptual schemeon defining communicative competence.Cook（1996） suggested that language expression is a process that people use language to convey different means in different context.Freeman（2005） believed that the application of the grammar in different context can express different meanings.

2.2 The Related Researches on CLT in China

Late 70s—Mid 80s：There are many experts and scholars starting to write related articles and books that demonstrated and introduced the CLT，including Communicative Approach in British Friends Eyes（Qin Xiaomeng，1979） and Communicative English for Chinese Learners （Li Xiaoju，1985）.

Mid 80s—Late 80s：CLT is beginning to develop rapidly in China and be applied to English classroom.There are many famous articles and books，such as English （Huang Cidong，1987） and New English Course （Li Guanyi，1989）.

Early 90s—Mid 00s：CLT is beginning to be prosperous.More and more schools lay emphasis on adoption of CLT in language teaching：Talk about the Grammar Teaching of High School in Communicative Language Teaching （Liu lina，2010）；Probe into Application of Communicative Language Teaching in High School （Gao guogang，2016）.

3 Suggestions for Application CLT to Grammar Teaching

3.1 Changing Teachers and Students Ideology

The criteria of new course is to cultivate students independent learning ability and cooperative learning ability in task-based teaching，which in turns helps cultivate students innovative consciousness.Teachers should change their roles from knowledge passers into teaching organizers，and students should change their roles from passive listeners into active participants.

3.2 Combining Real Contexts with the Unreal Contexts

Real contexts can be used as instruments to help students acquire potential language knowledge in learning process.Unreal contexts are effective to emphasize on language rules，and real contexts focus on communicative competence.Only teacher combine unreal with real contexts，can students learn language knowledge better.

3.3 Combining Learning with Practice

It is necessary that teachers should give students more chances to practice in real contexts.Only when teachers design many real intercultural communicative activity，provide more chances to speak out for students，and lay students on the dominant place in learning process，can students communicate with people fluently.

References

[1]Freeman，D.L.Teaching Language：From Grammar to Grammaring[M].Beijing：Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press，2005.

[2]Johnson，K.andK.Morrow.Communication in the Classroom：Application and Methods for a Communicative Approach[M].London：Longman，1981：63.

[3]劉丽娜.交际教学法在中学英语教学中的应用[J].当代教育论坛（教学研究），2010：73-74.

作者简介

姜媛（1994.02—），女，汉族，内蒙古包头人，学历：硕士；职称：无；学习单位：西北师范大学外国语学院；学科教学英语方向。