Current Methodologies in Communicative Language Teaching and Testing
Course Convenor: Dr Alessandro Benati
Course Code: LING 1014
Language teaching and language testing apply the research in Second Language Acquistion into the teaching environment.
Communicative language teaching is a type of instruction which has received considerable attention in recent years. This approach based on the theory of communicative competence put forward by Hymes (1972) is based on the assumption that Communicative Language Teaching programmes will lead to the development of both linguistic competence (a knowledge of the rules of grammar) and communicative competence (a knowledge of the rules of language use).
The aim of the course is to develop and enhance students' theoretical and practical understanding of the concept of communicative competence and of the concept of communicative language testing which have led to several developments of both a theoretical and applied nature.
Specifically, the aims of the course are to introduce students to communicative language teaching methodology and the SLA theories underlying those principles. The course aims at helping students to establish a relationship between theory and practice in language pedagogy.
On completion of this unit students will be able to:
- give an informed and critical account of the relevant theory of communicative language teaching;
- apply the theory of communicative methodology in the development and implementation of an appropriate model of instruction;
- outline topics of research in the field of second language instruction.
Key texts
Lee, J. and VanPatten, B. (2003). Making Communicative Language Teaching Happen, 2nd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill
VanPatten, B. (2003). From Input to Output: A Teacher's Guide to Second Language Acquistion. New York: McGraw-Hill.