Blog #4- Skehan, Bax, Hu

The End of CLT: A Context Approach to Language Teaching article was much more interesting to read compared to the Task-Based Instruction article. More examples within articles are much better to read because I can better understand the material. Although Communicative Language Teaching has been used for many years, the article discusses that CLT is now having a negative effect. CLT says that speaking in the language you are learning is the most important skill. The CLT attitude is when people think that without CLT, it is considered backwards. This makes it seems like no other method is good enough to be used in the classroom. There are many different approaches to learning a language, so one method cannot be the sole way to learn a new language. “The view seems to be 1) assume and insist that CLT is the whole and complete solution to language learning; 2) assume that no other method could be any good; 3) ignore people’s own views of who they are and what they want; 4) neglect and ignore all aspects of the local context as being irrelevant.” (Bax 280) The solution in order to remove these ideas from the minds of those teaching a new language to students is to demote this theory to second place. CLT is about the way teachers teach, not the way that students learn. We should not be putting in student’s heads that there is only one way to learn, especially because you will be teaching future educators. The main problem of CLT is that it gives the suggestions that this method will work anywhere in any context, which is not true. Not all classrooms are the same. This method should not be telling the teacher what they need to do. CLT is not the complete answer. Other factors are important and other methods need to be considered while teaching. Methodologically-driven and language-driven approaches need to both be considered for language teaching and CLT is saying that only teachers should be instructing methodologically. If more attention was paid to the context teachers should be teaching in, it would benefit language teaching. CLT needs to be a disposed of theory so better teaching ideas can begin to surface. What can be done so that more teachers begin to use other methods besides CLT?

            Communicative activity and task were eventually referred to as the same concept. The weak position said the use of tasks is an adjunct to structure-based teaching, while the strong position says that the engagement of acquitisional processes are central. I believe in any case input is very necessary especially for English Language learners. Obviously as a teacher you don’t want to overwhelm students by showing them every single error they make, but input and feedback is so important for learning. Well-timed feedback is so crucial because then students can start to see their trouble areas and make the necessary adjustments. Comprehension checks, clarification requests and confirmation checks are being promoted, but do all learners need these? When should they be used? Task-based instruction says that Focus on Form can function better for a large number of approaches. The users of tasks are researchers, testers and teachers. There is some overlap among their functions for what they do concerning the use of tasks. I think the task definition in relation to the real world could be the easiest one to relate to. It is much easier for a teacher to relate a concept to real life than to lecture and give definitions. Most students can remember concepts and definitions easier if they can relate them to their own lives.