Communicative Approach | Characteristics, Merits & Demerits
Communicative Approach:
Seeing and analysing shortcomings In the various methods and approaches, the educationists have been at work at introducing and developing a new method or approach which would suit the teaching English in the Indian conditions. The communicative approach is the reside of such activity which lays emphasis on the practical or user aspect of language.
It enables the students to communicate their ideas freely in and outside the classroom. This approach came into being as a result people have to increasingly interact with the world, and there was a need? a method which would help bridge this gap.
After all, the basic purpose of a language is to impart the ability to communicate one's ideas, notions, needs and feelings. The communicative approach aims at communicative competence, including linguistic competence and ability to use the language appropriately.
The communicative approach was developed and practiced in the Far East, including China and Japan. The success of this approach in the countries can be seen in the fact that these countries are economically and technologically developed, especially Japan, and its underlying cause could lie in its open- door policy toward learning of English.
Characteristics of the communicative approach
The features of the communicative approach can be delineated under the following points:
1. It is based on the principles of 'use, communication and practice re situations. A situation can be unpredictable, varied and spontaneous 2. It is based on the heed analysis and looks forward to planning new syllabuses and curricula in consonance with the approach.
3. It follows the age-old maxim of simple to complex and concrete abstract, in which the simpler exercises are put at first followed by reserving the complex ones for a later Stage. The progress is based on the performance t requirements, and not on the grasp of grammar or vocabulary.
4. Under it, communication does not mean speaking in isolation from other pillars of the language listening, writing and reading. It is an integrative approach which takes care of the four objectives of language learning.
5. It is a student-centred approach and puts the student in the core of the learning process. The teacher does not play the role of a director or feeder, rather he plays the role of a facilitator. He is not a controller, only a guide who keeps telling the students which way they should tread. lays stress on the use of the language rather than in its structures.
6. it lays stress on the use of the language rather than in its structures.
7. it also lays stress on the semantic value of the language. that is, the meaning of the vocabulary in real life situations.
8. The students are provided ample opportunities to communicate in the language with the help of dialogues, debates, discussions, dramas, and other activities of the classroom and school.
9, Thus, we can see that the communicative approach is different from traditional approaches of teaching English. It aims at the competence of the students in real life situations and results in development.
Merits of Communicative approach
The advantages of the communicative approach are as follows:
1. It develops the speech ability of the students.
2. It emphasises on different ways of expression.
3. It is based on the practical utility of the language in real life situations.
4. It stresses the need for the functional value of the language.
5. It enables and capacitates the students to communicate and understand ideas, feelings, requirements and notions freely within the four walls of the classroom, as well as outside it.
Demerits of Communicative Approach
The disadvantages of the communicative approach can be enumerated follow:
1. It overlooks the Importance of grammar and structures to a large extent, and only stresses the need for a communicative aspect.
2. It has not yet been fully implemented anywhere with the result that its outcome is still quite ambiguous needing clarification its benefits are not yet yet certain.
3. The teachers will have to be property trained for giving this type of education to the students; unfortunately, there are few teachers in India who have mastery over the speech factor of the language.
It can be said that the communicative approach is a good approach though its results have not been fully tested. It is a new concept which needs experimentation in the real life situation. It would need proper training of the teacher.
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