COMMUNICATIVE ACTIVITIES FOR LARGE CLASSROOMS
ILA TEACH
Hello!Todd BierbaumAcademic Manager, ILA Vietnam, Go Vap DistrictCambridge CELTA, DELTABachelors of Science, Electrical Engineering
Communicative Activities for Large Classrooms
Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)Benefits of CLT
CLT in Large ClassesExamples of CLT Activities
Participation is encouraged!
Introductions
1. My name is .2. I’m a at .
3. I’ve been a for years.4. My favorite .
Talk to your peers.
What is Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)?
Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is a method for teaching...
A. grammar and vocabulary only
B. speaking and listening onlyC. reading and writing onlyD. all of the above
CLT is a method for teaching all skills/systems of a second language (i.e. English)
When did Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) begin?
A. 1870s
B. 1920sC. 1970s
D. 2000s
CLT is a common ESL teaching method used internationally.
What is Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)?
or
A B
What is Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)?
Focused on the students...
not on the teacher.
A
What is Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)?
táo apple
It’s an apple.
or
A B
What is Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)?
It’s an apple.
Students learn naturally...
not by translation.
B
What is Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)?
A: Have you been to Singapore?
B: No, I haven’t.
or
A B
What is Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)?
A: Have you been to Singapore?
B: No, I haven’t.
Students learn by example and practice...
not by rules.B
What is Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)?
“Involve me, and I will learn.”or
“Teach me, and I will remember.”
A B
What is Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)?
“Involve me, and I will learn.”
Students learn by involving them...
not by teaching them.
B
Traditional (1870s) CLT (>1970s)
● Focused on the teacher.
● The students learn by translation.
● The students learn English through rules and vocabulary.
● The students are “taught”.
●
●
Talk to your peers.
Traditional (1870s) CLT (>1970s)
● Focused on the teacher.
● The students learn by translation.
● The students learn English through rules and vocabulary.
● The students are “taught”.
● Focused on the students.
● The students learn “naturally”.
● The students learn by example and practice.
● The students are “involved”.
Benefits of Communicative Language Teaching
CLT Benefits: How do we learn language?
“You + ‘to be’ + adjective.”
“You are handsome.”
CLT is “natural”. It’s how humans learn language.
A
B
CLT Benefits: Why do we learn language?
To communicate!
(i.e. not to pass an exam, or get
a good job)
Talk to your peers.
Examples of Communicative Activities
for Large Classrooms
Participation is encouraged!
Skill: GrammarPurpose: Past Simple ‘to be’
Activity: Memory
Communicative Activities: Example #1
There was one _______.There were four _________.
There were three _________.
Communicative Activities: Example #1
There was one apple.There were four bananas.There were three oranges.
Communicative Activities: Example #1
Communicative Activities: Example #1
There was ….
There were ….
Talk to your peers.
Communicative Activities: Example #1
❏ The language was “natural”.
❏ Focused on students.
❏ Not focused on rules (i.e. There + were + numerical adjective + plural noun)
Skill: VocabularyPurpose: Colors
Activity: Point to something...
Communicative Activities: Example #2
Communicative Activities: Example #2
Teacher: “Point to something…”
Communicative Activities: Example #2
Students: “Point to something…”
Talk to your peers.
Communicative Activities: Example #1
❏ The language was “natural”.
❏ Focused on students.
❏ Activity was “fun” through competition.
System: SpeakingPurpose: Talking about your city
Activity: Speak for 45 seconds
Communicative Activities: Example #3
Communicative Activities: Example #3
citymotorbike
livefood
restaurantriver
Communicative Activities: Example #3
Communicative Activities: Example #3
weathertransportation
workschooltime
neighborshometown
hobbies
friendsmusicfamilyriver
downtownstudents
rainmuseums
Talk to your peers.
Communicative Activities: Example #1
❏ The language was “natural”.
❏ Focused on students.
❏ Made students communicate.
Communicative Activities: Other examples
How can you use this as a communicative activity?
Talk to your peers.
Communicative Activities: Other examples
Adapt children’s games to use in the classroom.
For exampleStudents give example of present continuous and move forward a space.
Communicative Activities: Other examples
How can you use this as a communicative activity?
Talk to your peers.
Communicative Activities: Other examples
Talk to your peers.
Surveys are popular CLT activities. Students ask each other questions. Adaptable for all levels.
Communicative Language Teaching in Large Classrooms
Communicative Language Teaching in Large Classrooms
Two Advantages
More students = more ideas!
Students learn from each other
Two Disadvantages
Managing students
Working with individual students (strong & weak)
Talk to your peers.
Communicative Language Teaching in Large Classrooms
Two Disadvantages
Managing students
Getting students to participate
How to overcome
these?
CLT in Large Classrooms: Managing Students
S S
S S
S S
S
S S S
Students work together in small groups. The teacher watches and guides them.
TT T
Talk to your peers.
What does this represent?
CLT in Large Classrooms:Getting students to participate
Use “fun” and engaging activities.
Talk to your peers.
What does this represent?
Summary
What…Why…How...
What is Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)?
● Focused on the students.
● The students learn “naturally”.
● The students learn by example and practice.
● The students are “involved”.
Why use Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)?
It’s to communicate.
It’s how humans
learn language.
How to use Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)?
“Fun” and engaging activities.
S S
S S
TPut
students in groups.
Questions?
Homework1. Create and use one
CLT activity in your class.
2. Share it with your peers.
Thank you!