Barriers Confront Implementing Teachers' and Learners' Roles in Applying Communicative Activities

Abstract

Abstract:
This theory-oriented paper attempts to highlight some critical issues related
to the application of communicative activities in the classroom based on
different roles implemented by teachers and learners. Initially, the paper
introduces the communicative language teaching as an approach of teaching
English as a foreign language. Then, it clarifies the roles of the teacher
according to the CLT approach and how they are unlike the roles of the
traditional teacher-centred approach where teachers are the main movers in
the classroom. Then there is a clarification of the roles of the learner based on
learner-centred approach and that students should be engaged in the activities
and taken their responsibilities in the learning process. Furthermore, the
paper explains how activities could be communicative and demonstrates
types of communicative activities that can be applied in classrooms. After
that, there are some barriers and difficulties that face the application of these
activities in classrooms because of various misconceptions and
misunderstandings of the use of the CLT. To present these barriers, there are
examples of some studies conducted in different countries such as Thailand,
Iran, Australia, China and Qatar. Finally, the paper concludes with
suggestions and recommendations of the appropriate and suitable roles that
teachers and learners should follow when applying the communicative
activities.