Evaluation On The Implementation Of Communicative Approach Within The Context Of Business English Teaching

With the enormous expansion of international economic activities, Business English (BE) has developed significantly in China. As Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) has been popular in language teaching practice around the world, many professors and scholars have engaged in the introduction of CLT into Business English Teaching (BET). However, researches abroad are strictly restricted to their own specific cultural and educational background. Chinese researchers just focus on exploration of theoretical suitability of CLT in BET and successful model in teaching practice. This thesis extends the above researches by evaluating communicative approach from three aspects (communicative activities, teaching material and teacher's and learners'role) when it is implemented in a specific BET setting in Chinese universities.After characteristics and teaching objectives of BE are reviewed, techniques and criteria of BE course evaluation are proposed. Then characteristics of CLT are summarized, and three essential characteristics of CLT are interpreted and illustrated specifically in BET setting. Then classroom observation, questionnaires and interviews are carried out in four BE courses in Chongqing University based on previous theoretical interpretation. Finally, conclusion is made based on results and discussion of research data, and relevant suggestions are given. Then limitation of the current study is put forward.The results show that communicative activities are welcomed by most of the Business English learners, but selection of communicative activities is strained by various difficulties of BET practice, and large-sized class is another obstacle for communicative activity organization. Traditional roles of teachers and learners have been transformed to some degree, however, in order to realize overall learner-centered in the whole teaching process more efforts are still needed for effective communicative activity organization, students'motivation, etc. Internet has played a very positive role during the selection of teaching material, and authentic company related materials are still in great demand.