Article+Reflection+Özgür+Can+Kaya

Özgür Can Kaya 1734946 FLE 324 TEACHING LANGUAGE SKILLS ARTICLE REFLECTION For my Article Reflection, I have chosen CLT Re-examined by Rebecca Belchamber. In the article, she argues that although CLT, or Communicative Language Teaching, has served its purpose to create a basis and a good learning environment to students for English, as everything changes in time, it would be better to re-examine some features of CLT, both on micro and macro level. I agree that in Foreign Language Education, however good a method may seem to be, one must never forget that it is the enthusiasm to improve our teaching skills to a better level that has enabled such advancements and developments in our classes. She then states that it is possible to have more than one interpretation for CLT. She points out that CLT has had more than 30 years of life, and that because of its long history, many other people such as Jack Richards, Mangubhai, Marland, Dashwood, and Son also had their own interpretations of CLT. I also agree here that, when we take the relatively long history of CLT into consideration, it is only natural to observe many people putting their own thoughts and interpretations in it. This notion is supported by the previously stated fact that ELT is in an always-changing nature, and as time goes by, it is inevitable for its elements, or methods, to face some changes, either in their own core form, or by the interpretations of scholars or teachers. Another point she makes is that the problem does not end by defining the distinctive features of CLT; in fact, it only crates another issue: the challenge of devising such a framework for CLT that it will include all of these features suggested. I believe the main problem lies within the fact that there are simply too many people prioritizing their own interpretations over others, and as the writer suggests, they may not be school-based or teacher-initiated. The writer moves on to the topic of dimensions in CLT. She mentions two dimensions: the micro and macro elements of CLT. She gives a few examples of micro-elements that may seem to contradict the idea of CLT such as comparing answers before class checking, drilling and accuracy practice in a grammar lesson. She states that even though such elements may indeed seem to contradict the very idea of CLT where people have put emphasis on fluency over accuracy for so long, there are some changes that occur in CLT and as a result, the emphasis shifts from being solely on fluency towards both fluency and accuracy. I believe that this is a very good example of how CLT has been changing over the years, to the point that elements on micro level that would otherwise be deemed as the antithesis of CLT are now slowly being accepted. The writers moves to macro-elements of CLT, and states that they are about the content of our exchanges and focusing on functions as they are used in real life. This brings out the aim that is sought after in CLT, to enable students to acquire a level of competence necessary to communicate. I agree on the writer that although CLT does have some shifts in its very nature, it does not mean that it loses its core characteristics. The writer’s next point is how EFL affects the way students consider learning English, and for what aims. She gives examples from China and Taiwan, where the curriculum is very grammar-driven and exam-based. As a result, the communication aspect of English may be neglected compared to other aspects. In addition, CLT may not be perfectly suitable for such countries in contrast to those that have English as L1. I believe that this is a vital point to consider, as it interests our country as well. Taking CLT as a whole without changing anything, and then making it override all other methods that could have been used means that it would probably hinder the growth of our students, who have very different aims regarding English in the first place. Thus, I believe that it is far better for us to make necessary alterations and even combine other methods with CLT in order to bring out the maximum efficiency when it comes to teaching English (as a foreign language). Lastly, the writer suggests that CLT may be a positive or negative effect on student motivation, again depending on students. She gives a reference from Gaynor, who states that if students get a chance to have the topic on something they like or find interesting, they may have a better motivation towards learning English. However, there is also the point that having an interest over a topic alone may not be enough. It needs to be supplemented by a practical use, which will enable students to bring what they have learned in the class to real-life situations. I agree with the writer that if we wish to have our students be motivated in class, we must not blindly implement a method, rather, use it in our own way to make sure it is well suited for the needs of our students. In conclusion, I can say that I agree with the writer on almost every point. CLT has a long history in ELT and it is not feasible to expect zero changes throughout the history. What really matters is that we need to examine the features of CLT and make sure we make necessary alterations on them so that we can use it with full effectiveness in our classes.