Teachers’ Perceptions of the Communicative Language Approach at a Saudi University

Abstract

The Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) approach has been widely popular in foreign language classrooms for a number of decades, but in recent years some practitioners have begun questioning the technique which prioritizes fluency over accuracy. This paper aims to record the perceptions of teachers using CLT to teach English as a foreign language at a Saudi university. It will also take into consideration some of the pitfalls and make some recommendations. A total of 35 participants, all members of faculty took part in the study. A mixed methods approach was used to collect the data. A questionnaire provided the statistical data for the study and semi-structured interviews were used to gather qualitative data. The statistical information was run through the SPSS. The findings indicate that while a substantial number of teachers at this university find the CLT approach a useful way to teach English to homogenous groups of Arabic speaking students, there is a need to be eclectic and incorporate other approaches for effective teaching.

The Effect of Using Communicative Language Teaching Activities on EFL Students’ Speaking Skills at the University of Jeddah

“…A gap in the literature was identified regarding CLT adoption in the classroom; specifically, there is a paucity of studies on implementing CLT in EFL classrooms in Saudi Arabia. However, some studies have tried to shed light on the issue, such as by investigating the challenges and difficulties that teachers face when implementing CLT activities in the classroom (Al Asmari, 2015;Siddiqui & Asif, 2018). Moreover, a study in the Saudi context investigated EFL learners' opinions about the use of communicative and non-communicative activities for learning English and determined the types of activities that increase students' anxiety (Algonhaim, 2014).…”

Saudi EFL Teachers’ Perceptions of the Communicative Approach

“…The results of his study revealed that the teachers had a positive idea of the CLT application; especially, regarding students' and teachers' roles. Likewise, Siddiqui and Asif (2018) scrutinized the perceptions of some Saudi EFL teachers and found that they believed that the CLT method was a useful method to teach English to a homogeneous class. On the contrary, Alharbi (2022) stated that the difficulty of implementing CTL in the Saudi education falls into four broad categories: (1) system related difficulties which include overcrowded classes, the absence of audio-visual equipment and lack of teacher training programs, (2) teacher-related difficulties were mainly related to conflicting thoughts about CLT, low trust in these approaches, preference for the conventional models of learning, deficiencies in teachers' second language, and focus on improving skills that can be used in exams and (3) student-related difficulties related to their passive learning method, low-level proficiency, fear of their marks being affected negatively if they were paired with other weak students during communicative practices, and lack of stimulus to learn the second language.…”

The Impact of EFL Teachers’ Pedagogical Beliefs and Practices: Communicative Language Teaching in A Saudi University Context

“…Another study Asif (2018) examined the perception of EFL teachers' experiences and the rationale to use the principles of CLT at a Saudi university setting. A mixed methods approach was used, and 35 participants were recruited.…”