Communicative Approach In Senior High School English Class

For　the　pressure　of　the　examination-oriented　education,　it　has　been　a　long　time　for　English　teaching　of　the　senior　high　schools　in　China　to　be　stressed　too　much　on　grammars　and　vocabularies　that　students'　communicative　competence　were　almost　neglected.　The　traditional　teaching　approaches,　such　as　Grammar-Translation　Approach,　Audio-Lingual　Approach　and　Direct　Approach,　could　not　satisfy　the　requirements　of　the　Knowledge　Economy　Age　for　lack　of　language　using　ability,　learning　strategies,　culture　awareness　and　communicative　competence.　However,　the　communicative　language　teaching　approach　attaches　much　importance　to　developing　students'　ability　to　learn,　to　use　a　language,　and　to　acquire　the　communicative　competence.　This　study　investigates　the　communicative　language　teaching　(CLT)　approach　used　in　senior　high　schools　in　Liaoning　province　of　China.　The　data　consists　of　written　questionnaires　and　interviews.　The　study　was　divided　into　two　parts.　Part　one　examined　the　current　approaches　to　teaching　English　and　the　perceptions　of　CLT　by　interviewing　teachers.　Part　two　investigated　the　perceptions　of　180　students　from　three　senior　high　schools　about　their　perceptions　of　CLT　through　questionnaires.　　This　study　demonstrated　that　it　is　essential　to　combine　the　traditional　teaching　approach　with　CLT　in　the　senior　high　school　EFL.　However,　there　are　two　main　problems　with　CLT　use　in　China　senior　high　school.　One　relates　to　the　various　constraints　that　exist　in　each　of　the　different　settings　in　which　teaching　occurs.　The　other　relates　to　teachers'　awareness　of　CLT　principles,　and　the　lack　of　training　in　how　to　implement　such　principles　in　the　classroom.　There　is　a　need　to　improve　the　teachers'　knowledge　of　multiple　methodologies　and　cultural　knowledge.　English　teaching　in　China　senior　high　school　could　be　more　balanced　if　attention　were　directed　to　both　communicative　functions　and　grammar　in　context.　In　addition,　teachers'　qualifications　and　professional　capacities　should　be　improved　to　better　motivate　students　and　develop　their　communicative　abilities.　This　thesis　contains　five　chapters.　Chapter　one　is　introduction,　describing　the　background　of　the　study,　the　purpose　and　the　significance　of　the　thesis.　Chapter　two　gives　explanation　of　the　main　definitions　and　the　rationales　of　the　study.　Chapter　three　describes　the　research　design,　including　the　methodologies　and　procedures　of　data　collection　and　analysis.　Chapter　four　discusses　the　findings　and　implications　of　the　study　and　puts forward recommendations for implementing CLT approach in English classroom of senior high school.　Chapter　five　is　the　conclusion　of　the　study,　including　the　reflections　on　the　study.