Study On The Feasibility Of Communicative Approach In Chinese High School English Teaching And Learning And Suggestions

The communicative approach, in widespread use since the 1970s, emphasizes the use of the target language in the classroom, deemphasizes grammar instruction, and stresses the use of authentic materials and exercises. It is often presented as a "one size fits all" methodology, and the appropriacy of its underlying assumptions for diverse cultural contexts has gradually been challenged. This approach has been criticized as being unrealistic, unsystematic, and beyond the capabilities of many students. Therefore, communicative approach has hardly been able to address the scope and level of English proficiency required for participation in today's global community. This paper offers a critical examination of the communicative approach to foreign language instruction with specific reference to a study of the teaching and learning experiences of a group of Shanghai high school teachers and students and attempts to provide an alternative paradigm in the form of a construct-based integrated approach. The paper consists of six chapters.Chapter One gives an introduction of my intention to write this paper.Chapter Two defines the central tenets of communicative approach and its present situation in China.Chapter Three outlines the main flaws of communicative approach, including its neglect of the distinctions between foreign language learning, second language acquisition and first language acquisition; its ignorance of different cultures and contexts; its inappropriate authenticity; its disregard for the importance of prior knowledge in the cognitive process and the role of the native language in foreign language learning; its exclusion of the explicit formal instruction.Chapter Four concerns the research design and data analysis which reflects the attitudes of Chinese teachers and students towards communicative approach.Chapter Five proposes a construct-based integrated approach and demonstrates what it is and how it works.Chapter Six ends the paper with a summary and raises the questions for further study.