Communicative Language Teaching

Communicative Language Teaching:

Communicative language teaching (CLT) is an approach to the teaching of second language emphasizing interaction as both the means and the ultimate goal of learning a language.

With the emphasis on communication, there is also the implication that spoken exchanges should be authentic and meaningful; detractors claim that the artificial nature of classroom–based (i.e. teacher - created)

Advantages:

1. Language is a system for the expression of meaning.

2. The primary function of language is for interaction and communication.

3. The structure of language reflects its functional and communicative uses.

4. The primary units of language are not merely its grammatical and struc­tural features, but categories of functional and communicative meaning as exemplified in discourse.

Taken from: http://www2.vobs.at/ludescher/alternative%20methods/communicative_language_teaching.htm 

As can be seen, in the next comparison, Audiolingual mthod has some similarities:

Audiolingual	Communicative
Attends to structure and form more than meaning.	Meaning is paramount.
Demands memorization of structure-based dialogues.	Dialogues, if used, centre around communicative functions and are not normally memorized.
Language items are not necessarily contextualized.	Contextualization is a basic premise.
Language learning is learning structures, sounds, or words.	Language learning is learning to communicate.
Mastery, or “over-learning,” is sought.	Effective communication is sought.

Finally, if you want learn more abour this method, you may visit this web page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AazPkAD-65w

According to the previous video, the purpose of the method is to be really good at speaking, and communication.