Keywords
Abstract
Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is one of the most influential approaches in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education, emphasizing meaningful communication and real-life language use. Unlike traditional grammar-focused methods, CLT prioritizes learners’ communicative competence, including fluency, interaction, and pragmatic use of language. Despite its widespread adoption, implementing CLT in EFL classrooms presents various challenges, particularly in contexts where learners have limited exposure to English outside the classroom. These challenges include large class sizes, examination-oriented systems, insufficient teacher training, low student proficiency, and cultural expectations about teaching and learning. This article examines the key challenges faced by EFL teachers when applying CLT and proposes practical solutions to enhance its effectiveness. By addressing contextual, institutional, and pedagogical factors, the study highlights ways to adapt CLT principles to diverse EFL environments and improve learners’ communicative competence.
References
1. Brown, H. D. (2007). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching. Pearson Education.
2. Canale, M., & Swain, M. (1980). Theoretical bases of communicative approaches to second language teaching. Applied Linguistics, 1(1), 1–47.
3. Harmer, J. (2007). How to Teach English. Longman.
4. Larsen-Freeman, D. (2000). Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. Oxford University Press.
5. Littlewood, W. (1981). Communicative Language Teaching. Cambridge University Press.
6. Richards, J. C. (2006). Communicative Language Teaching Today. Cambridge University Press.
7. Savignon, S. J. (2002). Communicative language teaching: Linguistic theory and classroom practice. Applied Linguistics, 23(1), 1–29.