The Principles of the Communicative Approach.
- Wherever possible, use authentic language (real material).
- Learning to work out the speaker or writer's intentions is part of being competent in the language.
- Directions are given in the target language.
- The emphasis is on understand meaning rather than concentrating on form.
- Students learn to use language above sentence level, so they need the linking words to understand cohesion and coherence.
- Games are important as they contain real features.
- Students need time to express their opinions
- Errors are tolerated as a natural development of fluency.
- The teacher's job is to provide communicative situations.
- Pair work is important.
- Role plays are encouraged. They help students understand communication in 'real' situations.
- Teacher monitors and offers advice if needed.
- Elicit any new vocabulary which came out of game or roleplay.
- Listening to radio etc, for homework helps develop competence.