Communicative Language Instructional Approach for

Teaching Foreign Language: a Comparative Study

By Barbara J. Watson

Statement of the Problem

Need to communicate in a second language

Changing demographics and business practices

teaching approach and best practices for today’s students of foreign language

Chapter One

Introduction“The objective of a communicative

classroom is to increase the competence of second language when assessing oral proficiency skills… Current methods of teaching a second language include a traditional grammar based system and Communicative Language Teaching”(Haas, Sept 2000)

Review of Literature

History of teaching foreign language

Methods of instruction Traditional grammar-based

instructionCommunicative Language

Approach

Importance of the Study

Perceived preparedness for the district assessment and/or the oral proficiency district assessment

Impact on classroom communicative

language approach vs. traditional

Identify impact of two approaches on student outcomes

Question

Communicative language approach uses repitition which enables the students to attain a higher level of oral proficiency

Question (continued)

High school students are positively impacted by the communicative language approach because the students are better prepared for oral communication

Operational Definitions of Terms

Communicative Competence: the four components of communicative language which are grammatical competence, sociolinguistic competence, discourse competence, and strategic competence. (Sato & Kleinsasser, The Modern Langauge Journal, 1999).

Communicative language teaching: uses almost any activity that engages learners in authentic communication including functional communication activities and social interaction activities. (LinguaLinks Library, 1999.)

Operational Definitions of Terms (continued)

Convenience Sampling: is defined as a non-probability sampling strategy that uses the most easily accessible people (or objects) to participate in a study. Purposive/purposeful sampling: a non-probability sampling strategy in which the researcher selects participants who are considered to be typical of the wider population. (Project Gold: http:www.bath.ac.uk/dacs/gold.glossary.html)

Functional communication activities: Communicative language activities aimed at developing certain language skills and functions, but which involve communication (LinguaLinks Library, 1999.)

Highly structured activities: highly structured classroom activities such as teaching grammar rules, conducting drills, and teaching vocabulary lists (Gatbonton, Segalowitz 2005 The Canadian Modem Language Review)

Operational Definitions of Terms (continued)

Mechanical Drill: Any learning event that is strictly grammar focused (Snider, Teaching German, 2005).

Non-Communicative activity: Classroom activities that did not require the kind of unpredictable exchanges communicative activities produce, including activities that require the learner to comprehend the stimulus without focusing on meaning and drills (Snider, Teaching German, 2005).

Purposive Style Sampling: based on previous knowledge of a population and the specific purpose of the research, investigators use personal judgment to select a sample (Fraenkal, J. & Wallen, N. 2003).

Limitations of the Study

One high school Communicative language approach Traditional grammar-based approach select group of foreign language teachers Sample size Perception survey-results may vary

Not taken into account:each teacher’s years of experience

Chapter 2

I. Historical Timeline

II. 1970-1990 foreign language teaching

III. 1990-present

IV. Communicative Language Approach vs. Traditional grammar-based approach

Participants

90 level I high school Spanish students.

3 sections 2 teachers Student Demographics

– CL approach– Traditional grammar approach

Instrument

qualitative study

14 question student survey

Audio recording of CL and Traditional classrooms

Qualitative analysis of district test scores

Procedure

level I Spanish high school students of a communicative classroom and

traditional grammar-based classroom.

high school with communicative language approach and the traditional grammar approach.

Chapter 3 Results -The data interpretation begins with the

survey questions

Chapter 3

Results-survey Question #6 -#9: Perceived Preparedness At Listening

Activities, Reading Comprehension Activities, oral communication activities, written essays

CL students are not as confident as Traditional and spend more time listening daily

71

26

95

5

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Perception of Preparedness

CL TRADType of Instruction

Question #6: Perceived Preparedness At Listening Activities

extremely/verypreparedsomewhat/notprepared

Overview of Responses

CL students score very low and read weekly

Overview of Responses

CL students are less confident and score better

Overview of Responses

CL and Traditional continue confidence trend

Overview of Responses

CL students are less confident and score better

Overview of Responses

CL students reverse their trend

Data - Teacher

Data - Teacher

Data - Students

Communicative language approach

Data - Students

Communicative language approach

Data - Students

Traditional grammar-based approach

Data - Students

Traditional grammar-based approach

Significant Data Issues

Students

Summary of Study

Communicative Language Approach to teaching foreign language is an acceptable approach for preparing students of level I Spanish for the school district final exam and the school district oral benchmark exam

Question Supported

CL students did as well or better than Traditional students on final exam

CL students outperformed Traditional students - oral proficiency benchmark second semester.

CL students were as prepared as the Traditional students -final exam & better prepared for the oral testing.

Significance of Research

The results of the study will affect the researcher’s teaching approach

allows students to achieve a higher level of oral proficiency

impact of using grammar-based instruction teaching approach with high school students

Conclusions

The conclusion of the data analysis is….

approach does not have a significant negative affect on the students of level I Spanish

approach prepares students for the final exam and for the oral benchmark exam

CL approach helps students increase their oral proficiency

Recommendations

The researcher recommends… Present data will be to CL and Traditional

teacher and to the district in 2008

Follow the students from this study into Level II Spanish

Classes of the researcher will replicate this study