Communicative Language Teaching (CLT): Principles, Workflow & Practice
Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is an approach that treats using language for real communication as both the goal and the main means of learning. It develops communicative competence through meaning-focused interaction, casts the teacher as facilitator, and integrates — rather than bans — grammar and error correction.
What this guide covers
- The core principles of CLT and communicative competence
- The difference between “strong” and “weak” versions of CLT
- Common misconceptions (grammar and correction are not banned)
- The teacher-as-facilitator role and Teacher Talk Time
Out of scope
- Full lesson-plan templates (see the lesson-planning page)
- Task-Based Learning in depth (a related but distinct spoke)
Scope of this guide
This page defines Communicative Language Teaching, corrects the most common misunderstandings about it, and gives practical markers — including Teacher Talk Time — that indicate genuinely communicative practice.
What CLT is (and is not)
CLT organises learning around communicative competence — the ability to use language appropriately in real contexts, not just to produce accurate sentences. Meaning-focused interaction (information-gap, opinion-gap and reasoning-gap tasks) is central. A persistent myth is that CLT forbids grammar teaching or error correction; it does not. It relocates form-focused work so that it serves communication.
Myth to correct: “CLT means no grammar and no correction.” In reality, well-implemented CLT includes focus on form and correction — timed so it supports, rather than interrupts, meaningful communication.
Strong vs weak CLT
Howatt’s well-known distinction separates two interpretations of the approach.
| Aspect | Weak CLT | Strong CLT |
|---|---|---|
| Core idea | Learn the language, then use it communicatively | Acquire the language through communicating |
| Role of explicit grammar | Prominent; practised then applied in communication | Minimal upfront; form addressed as needs emerge |
| Typical sequence | Present → practise → communicative production | Communicative task first; language drawn from need |
| Relationship to PPP | Compatible with PPP | Closer to Task-Based Learning |
After Howatt (1984). Most classroom practice sits on a spectrum between the two.
The teacher as facilitator and Teacher Talk Time
In CLT the teacher moves from “sage on the stage” to facilitator: setting up tasks, monitoring, and giving feedback. A practical indicator is Teacher Talk Time (TTT). As a widely used rule of thumb, in communicative lessons teacher talk should generally occupy well under half of class time — often cited as below about 40% — so that students get maximum speaking opportunity. The goal is not silence from the teacher but quality talk (clear instructions, useful feedback) and more student talking time.
Reduce unproductive TTT by using gestures for instructions, nominating after a pause, avoiding echoing every answer, and letting learners complete their own utterances before you reformulate.
Hallmarks of a communicative task
A genuinely communicative task usually has:
- An information, opinion or reasoning gap that creates a real reason to communicate.
- Learner choice over some of the language used (not a fixed script).
- A meaning-focused outcome (a decision, a solution, a completed exchange).
- Feedback that addresses both message success and, at the right moment, form.
Free download
CLT Communicative Task Audit & Lesson Checklist
A checklist to audit any activity for genuine communicativeness plus a lesson-planning checklist for reducing Teacher Talk Time and maximising interaction.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between “Strong” and “Weak” versions of CLT?
Weak CLT means learners first learn language forms and then use them communicatively, so explicit grammar remains prominent and it fits with a PPP sequence. Strong CLT holds that language is acquired through the act of communicating, so explicit teaching is minimal and form is addressed as it emerges from tasks, which is closer to Task-Based Learning. Most real lessons fall between the two.
Does Communicative Language Teaching exclude direct grammar instruction?
No. This is a common misconception. CLT does not ban grammar or error correction; it repositions them so they serve communication. Well-implemented CLT includes focus on form and timely correction, but form-focused work is connected to meaningful use rather than taught in isolation.
How does CLT change the role of the teacher and Teacher Talk Time (TTT)?
CLT shifts the teacher from the main source of information to a facilitator who designs tasks, monitors and gives feedback. A practical marker is Teacher Talk Time: in communicative lessons teacher talk is generally kept well below half the lesson — often cited as under about 40% — to maximise student speaking, while keeping the teacher’s remaining talk high in quality.
Communicative Language Teaching prioritises functional interaction and communicative competence, using a teacher-as-facilitator model that balances fluency-building tasks with contextualised form-focused instruction.
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References & further reading
Written and reviewed by Ian L. Evans, TeflToday.org. Last reviewed August 4, 2026.