ABSTRACT
This chapter describes Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) and related classroom strategies beneficial to adult English language learners. There is a discussion on grammatical competence, discourse competence, sociolinguistic competence, strategic competence, and intercultural communicative competence. Learning about other people’s culture is not enough; adult learners must be knowledgeable about their own culture and values to have a point of reference and to be able to develop empathy and acceptance. Cultural appreciation and mediation are crucial in this view. Five strategies illustrate best practices utilizing a CLT approach and include creating positive learning experiences, completing tasks, engaging in language related episodes, carrying out relevant projects, and correcting language errors. These strategies address the different communicative competences that learners need to acquire for effective language usage. Thus, the chapter illustrates how instructors can adapt a CLT approach to respond to challenges associated with lack of time, scarce resources, and limited freedom to teach. It is an invitation to create meaningful lessons and a safe learning environment where students can learn from making mistakes, as well as envision learning as a social, interactive activity.
