Are Kuwaiti primary EFL teachers implementing a CLT-based learner-centred method in their classrooms?

Abstract

The Communicative Approach in language teaching is based on a theory of language as communication. The objective of language teaching, according to this approach, is to develop what Hymes (1972) calls learners' communicative competence. The literature review on EFL primary, secondary, and post secondary teachers' practices in the classroom has shown teachers focusing on form and using traditional methods, e. g. GTM, ALM and TPR, and techniques, e. g. PPP. However, those studies did not examine teachers' practices, teachers' knowledge and the curriculum, including textbooks/materials,a ssessmenat nd teachert raining programmes,a ll at the samet ime and at one point in time. Thus, the purpose of this study is to take Kuwait as a case study of primary EFL to find out whether EFL primary teachers implement a CLTbased,, learner-centred method in their classrooms, knowing that education is centralized in Kuwait, i. e. the curriculum, textbook/materials,a ssessmenat nd teacher training are provided by one authority: the Ministry of Education. To achieve this objective, first a classroom observation was conducted on twenty three primary EFL Kuwaiti female teachers using the COLT (Communicative Orientation of Language Teaching) Observation Scheme, with its four categories derived from the literature on CLT to find out whether the methodology used is communicative or not. Secondly, an examination of the curriculum document, textbook/materials,a ssessmenat nd teacher training programmes was conducted to find out whether they work in harmony towards the fulfilment of curriculum goals, i. e. to develop learners' communicative and linguistic competence in using English fluently and accurately. Finally, an interview was conducted on the same twenty three teachers to find out about teachers' knowledge and beliefs of CLT, its practicality, land their perception of their own practice. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the data indicated that teachers do not implement a CLT-based learner-centred method for various reasons, e. g. formfocused assessmenat nd textbooks, although teachers'i nterviews and the examination of teacher training programmes have shown teachers know CLT and were prepared to teach communicatively. Implications and recommendations of the study are made in the concluding chapter.