ABSTRACT
It can be a challenge to reconcile the communicative approach with the constraints of the blended format. Every instructor in this study asked about the pedagogical theories applied in their program responded with some version of the communicative approach. Although their specific understandings of it differed, common elements included staying in the target language, reducing in-class grammatical explanations, getting students to learn through actively using the language, and in some cases, grading some tasks on production and communication instead of grammar. Many aspire to the ideals of the method because of departmental expectations and their own desire to get their students communicating. How well the method worked in blended classes in this study depended upon how well prepared the students are for in-class activities and how grammar-dependent the in-class activities are. In-class and online activities can be more consistently productive for students if they enable the students to work through linguistic material to gain familiarity and confidence with it before being assessed.
