Beyond the communicative method
Is it time to look beyond “specific designer” teaching methods to a more eclectic approach? The Language Works Online thinks so, arguing for language teaching to be an “adaptive process rather than the application of an ideal method or approach”.
The “post-communicative” approach calls for variety, in the extent to which students engage in their learning process, in the way lessons are delivered, and in the choice of teaching materials.
Have a look at the article (ed: link no longer working) and tell us what you think…



February 28th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
I like communicative method but I have to agree with a wider approach. Maybe “eclectic” means a wider approach. Every class has a unique curriculum because students are always different. Everytime.
February 28th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
Eclectic sound is good.
July 10th, 2007 at 2:47 pm
Callan Method, best method and proven!
August 15th, 2007 at 7:15 am
Communicative approach sounds good, but from my point of view you should combine it with some other methopds like direct and audio-lingual ones. Besides, you should pay special attention to error correction, because errors can’t be just ignored, the teacher should know when to correct and how to correct them sensitively (this is the thing that the communicvative approach proper ignores).
June 17th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Dear Sir
Iam student of PH.D in St-clements univrsity in Iraq,and teacher in preparotary school for more than 5 years in Iraq (Kut).
It is very good to deal with Communicative approach in Iraq to teaching English as a foreign language
The teacxhing in Iraq very poor ,because no body need to hear in Iraq and the order come from people who don’t know any think about the teaching.
November 16th, 2008 at 6:42 pm
I don’t think that CLT completely ignores error correction. It is, as ms krolenko pointed out, a question of how and when it should be done. teacher intervention, that is, error correction DURING a communicative task is said to be disavantegeous for the development of fluency. as was suggested by many CLT researchers: monitor and take notes during the task, correct errors (and teach grammar!?) after.
October 6th, 2009 at 7:16 pm
Communicative approach is, in fact, the ideal for learning a foreign language. However, by itself captures the lacking of some important elements although they are not part of a communicative event, they polish up the meaning and intention. This is why a post-communicative approach rise to give importance and appropriateness to other approaches not well viewed by the FLT community before.