The communicative approach in TESOL classrooms and language learning

Communicative Approach

Applying the Communicative Approach to TESOL Classrooms

The communicative approach is a style of teaching language that focuses on interaction as the ultimate goal of study and also the means with which it is carried out (Mitchell, 1994; Richards & Rodgers, 2001). While some call it a teaching method, many argue that it is not a method but a broad approach (Richards & Rodgers, 2001). There are no clearly defined sets of practices that are used in the classroom in this approach, which encourages the students to speak to one another and interact in the language they are learning, overlooking issues such as incorrect grammar or other difficulties (Whong, 2011). While it may seem simplistic, it serves to help learners become much more comfortable interacting in a new language, as opposed to forcing them to study grammar rules and other guidelines before they can actually start to practice their new language (Savignon, 2000).

Because the communicative approach is a very different way of teaching people English and can be used on young children all the way up through adult learners, there are concerns and considerations with it that have to be addressed. The study of the communicative approach as it relates to TESOL is one that is worthy of exploration. This will provide a higher level of insight into whether the communicative approach is one that should be more readily adopted, or whether it does not provide students of ESL what they actually need to know when it comes to ensuring that they can speak the language with others correctly. They must be capable of learning the grammar rules and other guidelines after they have been speaking the language (often incorrectly) with others, which worries some critics of the method (Richards & Rodgers, 2001; Savignon, 2000).

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study is to carefully consider the communicative approach, and whether it is a logical choice for the TESOL classroom. Studies have shown that the communicative approach works because it encourages students who are learning English as s second language to interact with one another (Whong, 2011). By interacting with others who are also learning the language, students learn from the mistakes of others and get comfortable speaking in a new language (Whong, 2011). Once the students have achieved some level of linguistic comfort, they are then introduced to the grammar rules, allowing them to adjust the way they speak but helping them to avoid losing the comfort they have already achieved with the language (Mitchell, 1994). In order to determine whether that is an accurate assessment of the issue when it comes to a TESOL classroom, however, more research will be required to study the thoughts and beliefs of those who use this method.

Research Questions

The research questions for this study will focus on teachers in TESOL classrooms who use the communicative approach, as this will allow the researcher to collect their impressions and feelings when it comes to how the approach in question actually works when it comes to the value of student learning. Students will also be questioned, because this will allow the researcher to draw conclusions regarding whether teacher and student perceptions of the quality of the communicative approach is TESOL classrooms match or are similar in nature. The specific research questions are as follows:

Does the communicative approach improve teacher motivation and experience in the ESL classroom?

Does the communicative approach improve learning for ESL students?

Research Design

The methodology of any study is particularly important, because it provides insight into how the study is being conducted and the value it can potentially provide for the future. This study will utilize a qualitative approach via questionnaires provided to both teachers and students (see appendices B & C). Qualitative research is a popular method for studies of this kind, as it addresses the thoughts, feelings, and beliefs of the study participants (Mackey & Gass, 2012). Statistical information can also be used to determine how well a method or approach works for teaching and learning ESL, but the researcher is particularly interested in how the students and teachers feel about their experiences with the communicative approach and how they would rate that approach in helping them have personal success in the classroom. In order to determine that, the questionnaires in the Appendices will be used so the researcher can collect data regarding the perceived value of the communicative approach when it comes to TESOL and the students who take those classes.

The use of questionnaires makes for a relatively simple research design that can easily be used by the researcher without complication. Questionnaires can also reduce the time that is used to conduct a study, because they can be handed out to bigger groups and collected all at once (Bowern, 2008; Cohen, Manion, & Morrison, 2007; Ross, Seedhouse, & Richards, 2011). That gives the researcher all the needed data quickly and efficiently, so the work of analyzing it can begin (Denzin, 2012a). From that point, the researcher is able to determine the answers to the research questions, thus drawing conclusions for the study that can be considered by those who want to do further research into an issues in the future, and those who may have considered the issue in the past but had not made a decision as to whether or acknowledge or address the issue (Holliday, 2007; Krathwohl & Smith, 2005).

In short, the researcher is using the qualitative method because it is the best choice to determine how both teachers and students feel about using the communicative approach in a TESOL classroom. The qualitative method looks at the how and why of making decisions, and is used to focus on a deeper understanding of human behaviour (O'Keeffe & McCarthy, 2012). In this case, the study will examine whether a more interactive method such as the communicative approach is a better choice for those who want to (or need to) learn English as a second language, how that is found to be accurate, and why the method is a preferable one based on other methods that could also be used to teach ESL students. Using a qualitative method generally means smaller samples (Denzin, 2012b; Do-rnyei, 2007; Payne, 1997). That will be the case here.

While the sample will still be larger than some qualitative studies, there is no need to provide questionnaires to thousands of teachers and students in order to collect significant information regarding the perceived valuable nature of the communicative approach. Questionnaires can be used for the collection of both qualitative and quantitative data, so they are good choices for a number of different types of studies (Denzin, 2012c; Mackey & Gass, 2012; Mackey & Gass, 2005). The main differences between questionnaires used in those two types of studies are the questions that are asked (Krathwohl & Smith, 2005). Qualitative studies focus on the how and why, while quantitative studies are more focused on the what and when (O'Keeffe & McCarthy, 2012; Richards, 2003). It is an important distinction for the researcher to make when conducting a study, so the needed information can be properly collected in order to answer the research question(s) presented.

Participants

This study will be exploring both teacher and student perceptions of the communicative approach in the ESL classroom, so both teachers and students will be asked to complete questionnaires. This is very important, considering enough data is needed to ensure that the research questions can be adequately answered by the researcher in a thorough and timely manner. For purposes of the study, and because of space, time constraints, and the nature of the classroom, the researcher will collect more student responses than teacher responses. There is simply a much larger population of students than there are teachers, and a study should be relatable when it comes to the population used for it (Duff, 2008; Ladefoged, 2003). Studies that provide a skewed perception of what would be seen in the outside world are often not taken as seriously and may not be able to provide a true understanding of what is actually accurate when it comes to the feelings and thoughts of those who would find themselves in the situation the study sought to analyze.

To that end, the study will collect questionnaires for 20 teachers and 100 students. This will provide the researcher with enough responses from which to draw conclusions, but will not require the researcher to address massively large groupings of data that may become too repetitive or overwhelming and thus lose the message the majority of participants were trying to convey. The researcher also has time constraints which must be considered, as there is a timescale for completing the research to which the researcher must adhere. With that in mind, the researcher would be unable to address the responses of thousands of participants, and would not be able to work with the data in a way that would be valuable to the study or the future readers of that study. The data collected must be able to be analyzed and used properly, or the research questions cannot be adequately answered.

Reliability and Validity

Studies must be reliable and valid in order to be successful (O'Keeffe & McCarthy, 2012). When a study is created without both reliability and validity, that study is not one upon which further studies can be based, or one on which readers can rely (Denzin, 2012a; Krathwohl & Smith, 2005). In that sense, there is no point in these kinds of studies because they fail to provide true answers to the research questions and do not acknowledge the actual importance of the information being studied (Payne, 1997; Richards, 2003). To avoid this, the researcher will take care with both reliability and validity in the research instrument and the information collected and analyzed in order to adequately answer the research questions. The research instrument used here will be considered valid because questionnaires are a common method of inquiry when attempting to conduct a study on the thoughts, feelings, and beliefs of others (Holliday, 2007). By using questionnaires, the researcher can ask a number of questions that can all be used to determine the participants' thoughts on the topic of the communicative approach in the TESOL classroom.

Reliability is established through the actual collection of data from willing participants to the study (Krathwohl & Smith, 2005; Ladefoged, 2003). Assumptions can be logically made that the data is reliable because it has been collected from both teachers and students who have experience in the TESOL classroom and who have experience with the communicative approach either as an instructors or as a second-language learner. Information collected straight from the source is generally accepted as reliable for the purposes of a qualitative study (O'Keeffe & McCarthy, 2012). This reliability is very important if the researcher wishes to have any kind of credibility with those who may want to build on the study in the future. Additionally, reliability is important in the replication of the study, because good studies must be able to be replicated in order to ensure that they provide value to the reader and that they were correctly performed (Ladefoged, 2003; Mackey & Gass, 2012).

Ethical Considerations

With any study involving human subjects, there are ethical considerations to be addressed (Denzin, 2012a; Payne, 1997; Richards, 2003). What specific types of considerations are important will depend on the actual study, the questions being asked, and how the data is being collected (Krathwohl & Smith, 2005; O'Keeffe & McCarthy, 2012). In other words, handing out a questionnaire to a number of people would not be seen to have the same level of ethical consideration as performing an experiment which could potentially be harmful. However, ethical considerations cannot be ignored because they are a vital part of doing research and required to be addressed by the researcher (Denzin, 2012a). Researchers who fail to address proper ethical considerations can end up with problems they would prefer to have avoided, including potential lawsuits.

With the collection of data from questionnaires, the researcher has to serious ethical concerns such as those that might come from performing an experiment. Despite this, the researcher will be collecting a signed consent form (see Appendix A) from each person who participates in the study, so the researcher is "covered" and protected from potential harm based on concerns brought to light by study participants in the future. In return for the collection of signatures on the consent forms, the researcher must take care to ensure that the study data is handled properly, and that it is not provided to others who should not be seeing it. The goal is to use the data as a collective piece of information, and not to provide any identifying characteristics of any of the participants in the study. Strict confidentiality is required on the part of the researcher (Richards, 2003). The consent form and proper treatment of the data will protect the researcher and the study participants from any potential issues and handle the concerns over ethical considerations.

Timescale

The timescale of the study is very important. It is expected that the researcher will take between one and two weeks to locate the participants for the study. At that time, the researcher will provide the questionnaires, which will need to be returned within two weeks in order to be included in the study. If possible, the researcher will reach an agreement with some teachers to hand out the questionnaires in class, so they can be collected and returned more easily. Once all the data is collected, a one week period is needed to analyze the data, after which the researcher estimates another three weeks to complete the study and provide a written document addressing the research, detailing the analysis of the findings, and providing answers to the research questions. That allows for a total, maximum time to completion of two months, although it is possible that the study will be completed within six weeks. This will depend on how long it takes to locate participants, and how long those participants take to return their completed questionnaires for the researcher's analysis.

Limitations

All studies have limitations that have to be considered, and this study is no exception to that rule. The main limitation of the study is that it only collects information from a small number of teachers and students. While their experiences with the communicative approach in the ESL classroom are very valid, that does not mean these experiences can be extrapolated out to every other student or teacher who has used or been exposed to the communicative approach. That can have a significant effect on the study from the standpoint of how much it really addresses the true feelings of the majority of those who use this approach to teaching or learning English as a second language. That type of limitation is generally the case with any study that collects data from a small group.

Another limitation of the study is the questionnaire, because it does not lend itself to an in-depth examination of thoughts and feelings. Further studies could be done using interviews or focus groups, as these might provide even more insight into the issue. However, the questionnaires will still provide an excellent starting point for this research and can help future researchers determine what direction they may want to take with their own studies into the issue. In that way, the study can be very valuable, despite its limited scope and the lack of in-depth information that can be collected from participants.

Appendices

Appendix A: Consent Form

Consent to Participate in Research Study

Project: Applying the Communicative Approach to TESOL Classrooms

Introduction: The purpose of this form is to explain the study you are being asked to participate in, record your consent to participate, and provide you with information on the confidentiality of your responses. Please read this form carefully, as your signature at the bottom indicates you agree to participate in the study and that you understand the rights and responsibilities of that participation.

Explanation of the Study: The goal of the study is to determine whether teachers and students who are involved in ESL education find that the communicative approach to study is valuable to them. Past research has shown that the communicative approach can provide students with what they need to learn more successfully. This research has also indicated that some teachers are not comfortable with the communicative approach because of the unstructured nature of it. The researcher will be providing questionnaires to both teachers and students in an effort to collect impressions regarding the value of the communicative approach when it comes to the ESL classroom experience.

Confidentiality: All information you provide for this study will be held in the strictest confidence, and your name and other personally identifying information will not be used anywhere in the study.

Your Participation: Your participation is completely voluntary, and you may stop completing the questionnaire or change your mind about participating in the study at any time. You are under no obligation to complete the study once you have started, or undertake the study at all even though you have signed this form.

Researcher's Signature:

Participant's Signature:

Appendix B: Teacher Questionnaire

Please circle the answer that you feel is most appropriate based on your experience using the communicative approach in the ESL classroom.

1. I use the communicative approach exclusively.

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

2. I have used the communicative method for more than one year.

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

3. The communicative approach is easier for me to use.

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

4. I find the communicative approach helps students learn English faster.

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

5. It is difficult to teach grammar rules to students who are already interacting in English.

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

6. Grammar rules should be taught before a student starts speaking English.

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

7. I would recommend the communicative approach to other teachers.

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

8. I find that I am more motivated to teach because of the communicative approach.

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

9. The communicative approach has given me a better experience in the classroom.

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

10. I think my students like the communicative approach.

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

11. I would use the communicative approach regardless of the age of the student.

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

12. I have no plans to change my approach to teaching ESL students.

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

13. All ESL classrooms should adopt the communicative approach.

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Appendix C: Student Questionnaire

Please circle the answer that you feel is most appropriate based on your experience learning with the communicative approach in the ESL classroom.

1. I feel like I learned easily with the communicative approach.

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

2. My teacher seemed comfortable with the communicative approach.

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

3. Talking with others in English made me more comfortable.

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

4. I liked learning English with the communicative approach.

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

5. I wish English was taught in a different way.

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

6. I learned a lot of words very quickly.

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

7. Learning grammar rules was difficult.

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

8. I wish I could have learned grammar first.

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

9. My teacher cared about whether I was really learning the material.

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

10. The students in my class all seemed to be able to learn with the communicative approach.

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

11. The communicative approach made me want to keep learning.

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

12. I wish I could learn other languages with the communicative approach.

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

13. I found learning English to be a difficult process.

Strongly agree

Agree

Neutral

Disagree

Strongly Disagree