6. Components of the
communicative competence
(c) Montse Irun
Linguistic
Competence
Socio-
Linguistic
Competence
Discursive
Competence
Strategic
Competence
Socio-
cultural
Competence
Canale & Swain (1980), Canale (1983), Van Ek y Trim (1984)
9. Why communication?
Language is a dynamic resource for
the creation of meaning.
Communication is our aim in foreign
language teaching.
(c) Montse Irun
10. Communication
Communication is
Speaking and interacting
Reading and listening
Writing
When there is a message to convey (focus
on the message). Monologue o dialogue
When the emphasis is on beginning or
holding social relationships (focus on social
needs)(c) Montse Irun
11. (c) Montse Irun
What does communication entail?
Communicating orally
(speaking, listening,
interacting)
Communicating in written
form: texts that explain, tell,
describe, organise ideas, tell
how to do things, try to
convince, etc.
Master audiovisual languages
14. Overview
Which percentage
of class time is
devoted to each
skill?
And to English as a
formal system?
(c) Montse Irun
15. Overview
“L’objectiu bàsic és la comunicació. Si el
que s’ha de saber sobre la llengua és en
profit de la comunicació, endevant.[ ..]. Jo
els hi dic que el que m’interessa és que
utilitzin la llengua, no que la coneguin. No
em serveix de res que em diguin que el
present continuous es fa amb un verb amb –
ing i precedit del to be.” (Teacher 3)
(Cots, Irun, Llurda, 2002)
(c) Montse Irun
16. Overview
T: Pepe, what did you do in summer?
P: I goed to Majorca and met Rafa Nadal.
T: No, you went to Majorca. Maria, what
did you do?
T: Pepe, what did you do in summer?
P: I goed to Majorca and met Rafa Nadal
T: Great! So you WENT to Majorca. Maria,
what did you do?
(c) Montse Irun
17. There si no point in learning how to use the verbal
tenses if they don’t know how to use them
communicatively
What’s the point
of knowing when
to use a verbal
tense if it is not
used in
communication?
19. Make your students use English
communicatively and effectively
Make your student use English
communicatively and effectively
20. Three principles
the communication principle:
Activities that involve
communication promote lg
learning.
the task principle: Activities
that involve the completion of
real-world tasks promote
learning.
the meaningfulness principle:
Learners must be engaged in
meaningful and authentic
language use for learning to
take place.
21. Influences
The primary function of language is for
interaction and communication.
Language is a system for the expression of
meaning.
Authentic materials should be used.
True communication is purposeful.
Activities are better carried out in small
groups in which interaction among students
are maximized.
22. Characteristics of communicative
activities
communicative purpose
communicative desire
content (what) not form
variety of language
no teacher intervention
no materials control
(Rod Ellis)
(c) Montse Irun
The activities that truly
communicative have features
of information gap, choice,
and feedback; they must be
guided by the teacher for
unrehearsed situations.
23. Is this activity communicative?
Look at these two pictures. What do they like doing
in their free time?
(c) Montse Irun
24. Skills and communication
Language practice Communication
Speaking
Correcting exercises
orally
Expressing an opinion
Listening
Listening to this and try
to understand everything
Listening to the news
Writing
Writing the questions to
these answers
Writing an e-mail to
your friend
Reading
Reading a text in order to
answer the questions
that follow
Reading about your
favourite actor
(c) Montse Irun
25. Four conditions for language
learning
Exposure to input.
Attention focused
Do something with it
Comprehensible
Authentic
Interesting
Production of output
What kind?
Memorization
How?
Motivation
Types
(c) Montse Irun
Instruction hastens the
process (communicative
activities)
26. Characteristics of effective activities
End product.
Real objective.
Simple.
Interesting.
All students participate.
Students use English a lot.
Highly motivating.
Real communication.
Acceptably accurate.
(c) Montse Irun
27. An activity is effective if …
Motivating (topic,
activity)
Communicative
Meaningful (own
meaning, no structural
focused)
Authentic (real world)
Aims to achieve an
objective/ result
(c) Montse Irun
28. Implications in the class
Use English for practical aims (tasks)
Don’t avoid communicative obstacles.
Solve problems through interaction.
Make students responsible for the activity
management
(c) Montse Irun
