CHAPTER: 19 COMMUNICATIVE APPROACH

 

CHAPTER: 19

COMMUNICATIVE APPROACH

 

This Chapter Deals with

Introduction

Meaning of Communicative Approach

Characteristics of Communicative Approach

Basic Necessities of Linguistic Communicative Approach

Process of Linguistic Communicative Approach

Methods followed in Communicative Approach

Advantages of Communicative Approach

Disadvantages of Communicative Approach

Conclusion

 

Communicative Approach

 

Introduction: In human life language has manifold importance. Man is a social being. He has to communicate with other persons of the society. He wants not only to express himself but also to listen and understand the feeling of others. The interaction is the necessity of social life and it is possible only through language. Any language can be acquired if one develops four basic skills in that language that is listening, speaking, reading and writing. Listening and speaking are interactive process that directly affects each other. Speaking is an expressive language skill in which the speaker uses verbal symbols to communicate, while listening is a receptive language skill which involves the interpretation of those symbols into meaning. Like speaking and listening skill reading and writing skill is also receptive and expressive skill. Listening and speaking and also reading and writing are now considered interactive and taught as one communicative process. Language learning is an important programme in the field of education. Without language the imagination about the world is not possible. We never think up about progress without effective communication. No society can function without it. One, who can communicate well, is said to have learned the language well. The communicative approach is a recent development in teaching of English language. Let us discuss what a communicative approach?

Meaning of Communicative Approach: Before highlight the communicative approach, first of all we have to clear about what communication is? The word Communication which is derived from the Latin word “Communis” which means common, so communication is a common experience till it becomes common possession. it involves interaction which encourage give and take and it also creates social emotional climate. In the field of language learning, the communicative approach was developed and practices in the Far East including China and Japan, and this approach was propagated by Socio Linguist Dell Hymes. As language is the means of communication this approach fulfills the function of the language and also it helps in imparting knowledge of language forms and rules. This approach emphasizes on practical aspects of the language. It enables the students to communicate their ideas freely in and outside the classroom as the basic purpose of the language is to impart ability to communicate one’s ideas, notions, needs and feelings. The communicative approach aims at communicative competence and ability to use the language appropriately.

Characteristics of Communicative Approach: Although no single methodology has been described for the communicative approach, several characteristics are summarized as follow-:

v  It is an interactive process.

v  It concerned with the functional utility of the language.

v  It develops the four basic skill of reading, writing, speaking and listening.

v  It is based on the principles of spontaneous practice in real situation.

v  It follows the maxim of teaching i.e. simple to complex and concrete to abstract.

v  It is not based on the grasp of grammatical rules or vocabulary.

v  It lays stress on the use of the language rather than its structures.

v  It lays stress on the semantic value of the language.

v  It provides opportunities to the students to communicate their ideas through discussion, dialogue delivery, debate and cultural activity.

v  It is a student centered approach.

v  The role of teacher as a facilitator not as a director or feeder in this approach.

v  It provides remedial and diagnosis teaching to the weak students.

v  It stimulates real life communicative experiences.

v  The learning task is content based, theme based and project based.

v  Analysis of language is done in this approach.

v  The focus is not upon listening and speaking but upon using language to communicate and to learn.

v  It emphasis on listening and speaking skills as it is vehicles for learning across all subject areas.

v  It develops correct language habits and pronunciation.

 

Basic Necessities of Linguistic Communicative Approach : There are some basic necessities of linguistic approach which are of the followings-:

v  Linguistic Competence-: Any person who is learning a language should have deep desire and competence for learning a language. Only then he can make proper use of the language according to his needs and requirements.

v  Different forms of Linguistic-: The language learner should understand the different forms of linguistics. Then naturally he can pick up the right one and use it at the appropriate moment.

v  Develop skill and Strategies for using the language-: The language learner should develop all the skills required for learning the language. He should also have training of different strategies which could be applied for using the language in different situation.

v  Social setting is Important-: social setting plays a vital role for speaking the language effectively. The speaker should use the language suitable to the requirements of the audience. He can communicate one thing in many ways-:

(i)                             Please give me your pen

(ii)                           Could you please give me your pen?

(iii)                         Would you mind for giving me your pen?

(iv)                         Could I trouble you for giving me your pen?

 

Process of Linguistic Communicative Approach: Communication can be both verbal as well as non-verbal. In the communicative approach, the information is transmitted through a message from the sender to the receiver through a communication channel. Thus the whole process of communication involves the followings-:

(i)                 Encoder or the sender

(ii)               Message or Information

(iii)             Channel or medium of Communication

(iv)             Decoder or the receiver

 

 

The skill of communication helps the teacher to make the teaching learning process more effective and interesting. In the class room teaching, there is an interaction between the teacher and the students involving initiation and response which serves as a feedback. The Teacher (Encoder) transmit information through some medium in the forms of speaking, reading, writing and  dramatization and the Decoder (students) who interprets the message and respond through the medium. There are various media of communication which complement various methods of teaching. For an effective teaching, a teacher should select an appropriate media of communication.

 

Methods followed in Communicative Approach: In this approach, the learner is giving some task like –

 

Ø  Making a phone call.

Ø  Greeting people.

Ø  Introducing one.

Ø  Booking a room in a hotel.

Ø  Asking for menu in a restaurant.

Ø  Making an inquiry.

Ø  Making a request.

Ø  Making invitation.

Ø  Writing telegraph.

Ø  Writing description, direction, instruction.

Ø  writing social and friendly letter

Ø  Writing work.

Ø  Follows reading.

Ø  All the four skill reading, writing, listening and speaking are used.

Ø  Students are motivated to speak confidently and freely.

Ø  The method is function based and task centered.

 

Modes of Communication: There are different modes of communication used in the teaching learning process are-:    

           (i) Oral communication

(ii) Written Communication

(i)                 Oral communication: It involves speaking and listening channels. The teacher while providing information speaks while the students listen to the verbal communication. This is based on audio-lingual method. In the problem solving learning, the teacher presents a problem. The students try to find solution by referring to the library or other resource centre. The teacher is only a guide or a supervisor. This strategy is also known as heuristic communicative strategy.

 

 

(ii)               Written Communication: The written communication strategies ensure about the correct solution of the problem. This type of communication is based upon the cognitive code method of teaching. It is the most comprehensive and effective communication strategies which has the following features-:

(i)                 It develops chain learning.

(ii)               It helps in achieving the objectives of teaching.

(iii)             It helps in developing the reasoning abilities of the students.

(iv)             It helps in diagnose the weakness of the learner.

(v)               Remediation is provided to the students immediately.

 

 

Advantages of Communicative Approach: The communicative approach has the following objectives-:

v  It lays stress on the functional value of the language.

v  It gives emphasis on the use of the language.

v  This approach is based on the practical utility.

v  It helps in developing the speech ability of the students.

v  It teaches different ways of expression.

v  It develops confidence in the communication.

v  It enables the students to communicate and understand ideas, feelings, requirements and notions freely in the classroom as well as outside of the classroom.

v  This approach is situational, meaningful, motivating others and self-rewarding.

v  This approach is helpful in developing personality of the students.

v  It helps in removing the hesitation of the students.

v  It helps the students to win the confidence of social gathering.

v  Difficult and complex concepts can be easily taught through this approach.

v  It is presented in such a way that the learner commits minimum error.

v  It helps in developing the skill of speaking.

 

Disadvantages of Communicative Approach: The communicative approach has the following disadvantages-:

v It ignores the grammatical aspects of the language and structure.

v Its benefits are uncertain.

v Trained teacher are not available.

v Writing skill is totally neglected.

v It is not scientifically developed.

v It is a new concept which needs experimentation in the real life situation.

 

Conclusion: Communication approach is one of the latest applications of teaching language which helps in developing the skill of communication. It benefits both for the teacher and the learner. Therefore a systematic theory of this application should be developed and teachers of English language should be well trained in this application. It turns out the learner as well as teacher a good speaker and accurate convey or of his thought.