Communicative methods of teaching English

05 September 2025

Readers-friendly

Oleksandra Kulish

Book expert

At the current stage of education development, there are many different methods of learning foreign languages. However, when choosing among them, experts most often tend to believe that the most effective method for students is the communicative approach.

The communicative approach to learning English appeared abroad in the 1960s as an alternative to the traditional (grammar-translation) approach to language learning, and it came to Ukraine closer to the 1990s. Initially, this method was developed for migrant workers to help them quickly master the basic level of spoken language of their new country. Like any language learning method, the communicative approach is based on its own principles. The main focus of this method is on communication practice and overcoming the language barrier that students often encounter. L

Key principles that make the communicative method of teaching English lively and effective

The communicative approach to teaching English has been refined over time, but its basic principles have remained unchanged. They explain why this approach remains one of the most effective and popular for language learning.

Conversational practice from the very first lesson.

Even beginners who are just starting to learn the language will learn several dozen phrases in their first lesson. This helps them quickly adapt to the sound of English and eliminates the language barrier.

A combination of literacy and fluency.

The communicative approach to English allows students to speak not only correctly, but above all, freely, without having to choose between these aspects. After all, it is the fear of saying something wrong and constant corrections during speech that are the main factors that make a person feel uncomfortable while speaking.

Use of modern authentic materials.

The textbooks contain relevant and practical content that is easy to apply in real-life situations.

The training usually takes place in three stages:

Engagement: the teacher engages the student through interactive discussions or image analysis.
Study: the student is taught grammar and new words, helping to expand their vocabulary.
Activation: the student completes exercises to reinforce their knowledge, for example, by participating in discussions using the material they have learned.

80% of the time in a communicative English language class is devoted to conversational practice. This method creates an English-speaking environment without requiring travel abroad. Learning can be supplemented with game elements such as role-playing or skits. Group and pair work promotes the development of communication skills. Lexical and grammatical structures are easier to learn when presented in a ready-made rather than abstract form, which is a key condition of the communicative method. Discussions and language games, which are an important part of the methodology, help to achieve fluent communication in English in real-life situations. The inability to use their native language encourages students to express their thoughts even with a limited vocabulary, which is one of the most effective principles of the communicative approach to language learning.

The role of the teacher as a facilitator in the communicative approach

Unlike other methods, the key role in the communicative approach belongs to the student. The teacher acts more as an advisor and performs the following tasks:

Maintaining student motivation.
Creating conditions for open and free interaction.
Ensuring a friendly and safe atmosphere.
Explaining the rules, instructions, and basics of the English language.
Observing the learning process and providing quality feedback.
Selecting materials and information for classes.

The teacher should monitor the conversation, correct pronunciation, explain grammatical structures, and help recreate real-life situations. Their main goal is to ensure a continuous, meaningful, and engaging dialogue.

The best communication exercises for English teachers

All exercises should include conversational practice in one way or another — in other aspects, there is complete freedom of choice. Let's look at a few options for activities.

Role-playing

Students are presented with a situation where they can act at their own discretion — there are no “right” answers. The main goal is to find out the necessary information and express their opinion.

Examples of scenarios:

A guy is lost in London and is looking for the way to the train station.
A guy tells his friend about his impressions of a vacation in Egypt.
A person calls a hotel to book a room for the weekend in a town that is new to him and wants to learn more about the accommodation and interesting places nearby.
A foreigner meets locals in a cafe and tries to make new friends.

It is important that participants can imagine themselves as real characters and practice live communication. The plots can be fun and even humorous, the main thing is that the student remembers the words and the context in which they are used.

Information gaps

Students work in groups — they are given cards, texts, audio recordings, drawings, numbers, words, and phrases with incomplete information that needs to be restored. In the process, they learn to consult, share ideas, defend their own views, and provide a complete answer to the teacher.

Puzzles

An interesting activity where students are divided into groups or given individual tasks. All information relates to one topic but is considered from different angles.

The class is divided into three groups, each of which receives a video on the topic of “Healthy Lifestyle.”

The first group watches a video about the benefits of regular exercise.
The second group analyzes a video about proper nutrition and superfoods.
The third group watches a video about stress management techniques and the importance of sleep.

This is followed by a discussion where everyone expresses their opinion, offers ideas, or answers questions.

Open discussions and debates

A great tool for developing speaking speed. Controversial topics are taken up for discussion, for example:

Should the use of gadgets be restricted in school?
What is the best form of transport for the city — cars or bicycles?
Do students need homework?
Should financial literacy be made compulsory in schools?
Should students wear a strict uniform at school?

The older the students are, the more interesting the debates can be and the more complex the topics for them. Adult students discuss gender equality, politics, and so on. The main task is to learn to formulate one's opinion politely and quickly. Often, such lessons are prepared in advance in order to express disagreement constructively and reasonably. Discussion can serve as a form of assessment of communicative competence.

Real-life examples of implementing the method in schools and universities

There are several specific techniques adapted for educational institutions that are successfully used in teaching English. Let's take a look at them.

Project-based learning as an alternative to the traditional system

Many private schools and kindergartens have been using this approach for a long time. Project-based learning has the following advantages:

integrates all academic subjects;
ensures long-term knowledge retention;
develops student independence and responsibility;
links learning to current issues in society and the world.

With this approach, students independently choose the topic and format of the presentation and receive grades for several subjects at once. This method develops broad, non-standard thinking, and defending a project in a foreign language provides more practical skills than a traditional lesson, as communication takes place on several levels: within the project group, between the group and the class during the presentation, and between the group and the teacher during discussions.

Task-Based Learning

Examples of tasks: composing a dialogue, writing a text, creating a presentation or poster. Often, interesting and multi-component tasks are offered, for example:

How to organize a trip to the Carpathians with a budget of 1000 UAH.
How to find out who started the gossip at the university.
How to write a speech for a community leader to gain voter support.
How to justify that the work of a favorite writer should be part of the school literature curriculum.

Tasks are completed in three stages:

Preparation stage – motivating students, explaining the importance of the topic and the expected result. The teacher demonstrates an example of how to complete the task and gives instructions.
Execution – students are divided into pairs or groups for active participation. Hints from the teacher are allowed only when necessary. Students communicate in English.
Review and discussion – presentation of the completed task in English, receiving feedback, analyzing the problem, and developing communication skills.

Since the topics are quite subjective, it is possible not to evaluate students in the traditional way, but to highlight and encourage the best work.

Content-Based Instruction

This approach is used in high schools, colleges, and universities for those who are learning a second language, combining it with academic subjects. Since the 1980s, the method has been used in ESP (English for Special Purposes) and EFL/ESL programs.

Content-Based Instruction is most often used for students majoring in International Relations, International Business, and Intercultural Communication, where most subjects are taught in English.

Important conditions: teachers must be experts in their field and have proficiency in the language. Different levels of student knowledge can complicate the process.

This method is especially useful for those who plan to work abroad, as it provides in-depth study of professional vocabulary and real-life situations. The main sources of knowledge are authentic English-language materials.

Despite the lack of “novelty” or “innovative approach,” the communicative method has many advantages. Today, it is undoubtedly one of the most effective ways to learn English. Therefore, we can safely say that the communicative method is suitable for everyone, and those who have had unpleasant experiences learning from old textbooks will especially appreciate it.