If you found a historic CLT PDF from 1985, you might think it is outdated. However, modern has evolved into Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) and Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) . The core premise—that we learn to communicate by communicating—remains unchallenged.
Errors are viewed as a natural part of the learning process. During fluency-based activities, teachers generally avoid interrupting students to correct minor mistakes, focusing instead on whether the intended message was delivered. The Evolving Role of the Teacher and Learner Communicative Language Teaching -CLT-.pdf
By the 1970s, European countries realized that students could conjugate verbs perfectly but could not order a sandwich in a Parisian café or ask for directions in Berlin. The Council of Europe needed a syllabus for adults that focused on what learners needed to do with the language (e.g., buying a train ticket, making a complaint). If you found a historic CLT PDF from
| Traditional Classroom (Audiolingual) | CLT Classroom | | :--- | :--- | | Teacher speaks 80% of the time. | Teacher speaks 20% of the time. | | Teacher controls the topic. | Students negotiate the topic. | | Errors are stopped immediately. | Errors are tolerated for fluency. | | Focus: Individual words/sentences. | Focus: Discourse/Whole conversation. | | Materials: Textbook only. | Materials: Menus, news, realia. | Errors are viewed as a natural part of the learning process