The Application of Communicative Language Teaching Approach to the Listening Class in Senior High Schools in China

Sun+Yanyan

【Abstract】Nowadays the Listening class in Senior High Schools in China is usually examination-oriented， which cannot stimulate real-life listening. The paper discusses the solutions and highlights that Communicative Language Teaching （CLT） is an applicable approach to improving students communicative competence.

【Key words】Communicative Language Teaching； Listening Class； China

With the globalization， English has become a medium of interpersonal communication in the world. As a result， its essential for students to know how they should use English in a real situation， which our classes often ignore. Listening affects the improvement of students overall language level. Therefore， it widely deserves attention how students listening ability is improved in an authentic context. Communicative Language Teaching （CLT） approach focuses on cultivating students English communicative competence. The paper aims to apply CLT approach to the listening class in senior schools in China to make it more real-life， interactive and effective.

Communicative Language Teaching approach was founded by applied linguists Christopher Candi and Henry Widdow Son and others in the late 1960s， which focuses on meaning and communication and incorporating authentic input. The goal of CLT is to develop language learners communicative competence through meaningful interaction.

Nowadays many listening materials in China are usually examination-oriented， the majority of which consists of formal and carefully enunciated language. In real life， the speech is typically informal and colloquial， so the traditional listening cannot stimulate real-life listening. Furthermore， the listening materials we use at present are usually long and difficult. As students try to understand what has been said， more information is constantly arriving. After listening， students are required to answer the detailed questions based on the listening materials， which are often difficult.

The traditional teaching method applied to listening class is too rigid. After listening， the teacher checks students answers and explains some vocabulary occasionally who usually concerns whether students have got right answers. In addition， students often get answers until the long speech ends. Listening is a challenge of not only comprehension but also memory.

It is necessary that listening should be integrated with speaking， reading and writing in the teaching process. Combining present situation of the listening class with the characteristics of communicative language teaching， the author analyses how to apply CLT approach to listening teaching.endprint

Communicative Language Teaching approach can be applied to the three stages in English listening class：warm-up， while-listening and post-listening. During warm-up， students can be engaged in different activities to communicate with each other in English. The teacher can bring up some lead-in questions for students to discuss in pairs or groups and make students predict what they will hear. Then， the teacher can introduce relevant cultural knowledge to arouse students interest. During while-listening， the teacher can highlight the difficult points by designing communicative activities. After listening， the teacher can ask students to discuss the relevant details. The teacher in the three stages can apply communicative teaching to the listening class so that students are actively involved in various communicative activities and really improve their communicative competence in real life.

To sum up， the fundamental goal of foreign language teaching is to cultivate students communicative competence and listening teaching is the most basic one. Communicative Language Teaching approach can be applied to the listening class， which can help students communicate effectively in real life. By doing so， students can not only learn language but also use language effectively in real life.

References：

[1]Anderson，A.，& Lynch，T.（1988）.Listening.Oxford：O.U.P.

[2]Brown，H.D.（1994）.Principles of language learning and teaching.N.Y：Prentice Hall Press.

[3]Norman，D.，Levihn，U.and Hedenquist，J.A.（1986）.Communicative Ideas.London：Commercial Colour Press.

[4]Halliday，M.A.K.（1978）.Language as social semiotic：The social interpretation of language and meaning.London：Arnold.

[5]Richards，J.C.（2005）.Tactics for listening.（2nd ed.）.Oxford：O.U.P.

[6]Rost，M.（1990）.Listening in language learning.N.Y：Longman.endprint