Chapter One Introduction

With China’s adoption of open-door policy and economic reforms, ourgovernment has been paying more and more attention to the use of the EnglishLanguage in order to cope with the globalization of the world. Nowadays, theultimate goal of English language teaching is viewed as the actual use of thelanguage for communication. Nevertheless, traditional Chinese methods likeGrammar-Translation Method, Textbook-centeredness and Teacher-centeredness,have made it difficult for us to achieve this goal. Therefore, CommunicativeLanguage Teaching (CLT) was introduced to English classroom at both secondaryschool level and tertiary level in China in late 1980s. The origins ofCommunicative Language Teaching (CLT) are to be found in the changes in theBritish language teaching tradition dating from the late 1960s. It marks thebeginning of major paradigm shift within language teaching in the twentiethcentury, and its ramifications continue to be felt today.Nevertheless, the use of CLT has provoked a great deal of comment anddebate. Some researchers have emphasized the value of adopting CLT in China(e.g. Li, 1984; Maley, 1984; Spenser,1986; Liao, 2004). But some othersem phasize the importance of Chinese traditional ways of teaching and learning(e.g. Harvey, 1985; Ting, 1987; Sampson, 1990). However, the majority ofaccounts have focused on the need to adapt CLT to meet the demand andconditions for language teaching and learning in China . Someresearchers in the west and in China have investigated learners’ views and beliefsto CLT in language teaching and learning by a variety of research instruments (e.g. Bachman, 1990; Wen and Johnson, 1997; Gaies, Galambos, and Cornish,1999).
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Chapter Two Literature Review

2.1Definition of key terms

Many previous linguists argued that CLT did not refer to any particularteaching method. Some British and American sociolinguists argued that CLT wasan approach instead of a method. Its aim is to develop the procedure for teachingof the four language skills and regard communicative competence as the purposeof language teaching and learning (e.g.Richards and Rodgers, 1986:67). However,there is considerable debate as to appropriate ways of defining CLT, and no singlemodel of CLT is universally accepted as authoritative (McGroarty, 1984; Markee,1997).For some, they stated that CLT was a teaching approach that reconciledgrammatical and functional teaching. Littlewood (1981:1) supported that CLTpaid more attention to functional and structural aspects of language. For others,CLT is a communicative teaching and learning procedure, by which learners workin pairs or groups employing available language resources in problem-solvingtasks. According to Longman Dictionary of Applied Linguistics (1985), CLT is anapproach which regards communicative competence as the purpose of languagelearning in foreign or second language teaching and learningcontext.

2.2 Principles and characteristics of CLT

Most researchers agreed that to cultivate learners’ communicativecompetence and take learners’ need as the core were regarded as the aim of CLT,.According to this, a variety of linguists summarize the basic principles and characteristics of CLT. Richards and Rodgers (1986) concluded three principles ofLearning theory on CLT practices. The first one is communication principle thatequires teaching and learning activities to reflect authentic communicativepurpose; the second one named task principle which means the aim of learninglanguage is to improve learning process by conducting meaningful task activities;and the last one is meaningfulness principle, that is, the learner argues that themeaningful language is useful for learning process.Larsen-Freeman (1986, p.132) claimed one of the important characteristicsof CLT was that students divided into certain groups to carry on thecommunicative activities from CLT. The teachers organized students tocommunicate with each other in order to maximize the time allotted to eachstudent for learning to negotiate meaning. He also thought that the most apparentcharacteristic of CLT was that the goal of conducting every activity must be relevant
with communication.

Chapter Three Research Methodology.................. 20

3.1Research questions of the study ................. 20

3.2Subjects .................. 20 

Chapter Four Results and Discussion............ 26

4.1 What are the college English students’ views toward CLT in this study? ................. 26
4.2 What are college English teachers’ views toward CLT in this study? ........................ 31
4.3 What are the differences and similarities between teachers’ and students’ views toward CLT?.......... 36 

Chapter 5 Conclusion and Implications ................. 46

5.1 Summary of the findings ............................. 46
5.2 Implications for English teaching and learning............. 47

Chapter Four Results and Discussion

4.1 What are the college English students’ views toward CLT in this study?

The results of the college English students’ views on CLT are shown in Table4.1.1. This survey shows that students are interested in a variety of learningactivities, but compared with non-communicative activities, they prefercommunicative activities. The data shows that six statements were favored by a
great number of students, while the other two were not. However, among tennon-communicative activities, only four statements were preferred by more thanhalf of students. When it comes to the item 16, whether students enjoycommunicating with their classmates out of classroom, 58.56% students disagreedthat. This is mainly due to the fact that traditional learning habits and styles and

culture affect their behaviors. In their view, they will feel embarrassed and strange to other people when they communicative with peers in English out of class, andthere is no much benefit for examinations.“To be honest, I seldom talk with classmates in English outside theclassroom. It’s not necessary to do this, because our final exams are easy, andthere is no oral test. I believe I can pass them. Also, I am reluctant to express myviews loudly, especially in English, for I’m afraid of losing face or offendingothers.” (Zhan Min, 20 October, 2013)But as to the other two student-student interaction (Item 13, Item14),71.11% students enjoyed to be divided into small groups to talk about things theyare interested in, and only 6.11% students didn’t enjoy this. In addition, 77.78%students also reported that they were willing to make discussion work and try tocommunicate in group in English. (item14). It’s not surprising that only 3.33%subjects express opposite opinions. The reason may be implied in the followingstatement.“Compared with discussion outside the classroom, I prefer to groupdiscussion in class, which can improve my communicative competence by talkingmy interesting topics. I always try my best to speak English. I won’t feelembarrassed and uncomfortable to join in the group discussion.” (Yuan Yi, 20October, 2013)

4.2 What are college English teachers’ views toward CLT inthis study?
“Most students are accustomed to traditional learning styles and like to doexercises rather than communicate with classmates. Because most of them areintroverted, and they are afraid that others will laugh at them whey they aretalking with peers in English, which is embarrassed.” (Ma Wenxia, 15 November,2013)73.33% teachers claimed that their students favored the teacher to lead all theentire class to discuss interesting topics, such as social hot issues and current news(item15). “Before my class, I will ask every group to discuss some interestingsocial hot issues, and then do a presentation. I discover that they often conductintense debate, and favor sharing their ideas in front of the class.” (Zeng Yanyan,15 November, 2013)Compared with student-teacher interaction, teachers reported that studentsalso were interested in student-student interaction activities (item13, item 14).73.32% of the teachers agreed that students enjoyed to be divided into smallgroups to talk about things they are interested in (item 13). “I think that groupwork is an effective classroom activity. It not only enhances students’ languageuse proficiency but also stimulates students’ learning interest. And most students
don not like the boring explanation of language points, so most students arewilling to participate in the discussion in English when I organize some groupactivities.” (Fu Na, 15 November, 2013) 60.00% of the teachers agreed thatstudents would try to speak in English while they tart part in group discussion ofclass (item14). “These activities like negotiation of meaning, role-play, games andpair work etc. are extremely favored by students in CLT class. Because it iseffective for students to explore  knowledge what they want and improve theirlearning proficiency during the discussion with classmates.” (Zhong Caiqi, 15November, 2013)

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Chapter 5 Conclusion and Implications

5.1 Summary of the findings

The study has made a comparison on teachers’ and students’ views on CLT in college English teaching. According to quantitative and qualitative methods, the researcher summarized the following findings. Firstly, the majority of the students reported that they favored CLT used by teachers in classroom. The data also showed that the students were more accustomed to multiple teaching practices and techniques rather than mono-approach. Then, the findings suggest that reconciling communicative activities and appropriate Chinese learners. Secondly, the data and the interview of the study hold that the teachers hoave favorable attitudes to CLT and approve of communicative principles in theory.The teachers view CLT as an efficient way that is useful to improve students’ learning, especially spoken English learning. But they also came across a wide range of problems affecting students’ development of communicative competence in the actual classroom. The interview results show that some teachers still willkeep a traditional way of English teaching.Thirdly, some differences and similarities between teachers’ and students’views to CLT exist likegrammar accuracy or language fluency, preference ongroup work, obedience to teachers’ instruction, role of grammar explanation androles of teachers and students and teaching method. Teachers and students have consistent opinion on language fluency, group work and roles of teachers andstudents. However, they have different opinions on obedience to teachers’instruction and English explanation of grammatical rules.Finally, Chinese teachers discovered that their difficulties in using CLT ofEFL teaching are common to many parts of the world. As for the findings of thestudy, a wide range of factors like introverted personalities of Chinese students,traditional learning habits and styles, large class and limited class time, EFLcontext and grammar-based exam system, hampered the application of CLT inChina. Only when these obstacles are resolved can CLT fully implemented inChinese EFL teaching and learning context. consistent opinion on language fluency, group work and roles of teachers andstudents. However, they have different opinions on obedience to teachers’nstruction and English explanation of grammatical rules.Finally, Chinese teachers discovered that their difficulties in using CLT ofEFL teaching are common to many parts of the world. As for the findings of thestudy, a wide range of factors like introverted personalities of Chinese students,traditional learning habits and styles, large class and limited class time, EFLcontext and grammar-based exam system, hampered the application of CLT inChina. Only when these obstacles are resolved can CLT fully implemented inChinese EFL teaching and learning context.

5.2 Implications for English teaching and learning

The findings in this study demonstrated that students favored a reconciling ofcommunicative activities and non-communicative activities. So the teachers canmeet the need by reconciling CLT to the teaching of English with traditionalChinese methods. Firstly, English teachers should not only spend time inconducting non-communicative activities like explaining vocabulary, languagepoints, and sentence structures, but also explain the culture of English-speakingcountries. They also must introduce some elements from CLT, and tell studentsthe ways of using the language. Group discussion, for instance, is a good way toengage students for this purpose. If teachers always ask students to do some groupwork without making them understand cultural aspects of the language that theyare supposed to use, it is difficult for them to communicate with each other. Dealing with the above problems, then, it’s effective to require students toconduct communicative activities in EFL teaching and learning context.What’ more, teachers should let students understand how the grammar rulesfunction. In that way, teachers can provide students with the necessary learningenvironment in order to train these grammatical rules. So they will finally bewilling to use them in communicative activities. Celce-Murcia and Hillies (1988)suggested that grammar should never be taught as an end in itself but always withreference to social factors, discourse, meaning, or a combination of these factors.Finally, the teachers must help students understand complex English sentencesand abstract concepts by using their mother tongue. As the students progress inEnglish learning, the use of the mother-tongue can be gradually reduced.

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