Communicative Language Teaching and Contextual Teaching and Learning: Challenges and Prospects in Chinese High-School English Education

Abstract

This paper explores two widely employed language teaching methods in second and foreign language education: Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) and Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL), and analyzes their applicability in Chinese high-school English curriculum. CLT primarily focuses on developing students' "communicative competence", which encompasses linguistic, sociolinguistic, textual, and strategic abilities. CTL, on the other hand, emphasizes connecting academic knowledge to students’ personal, social, and cultural contexts, helping them understand and apply what they learn in real-life situations. While the goals of both CLT and CTL align with the objectives of the Chinese high-school English curriculum, which aims to enhance students' ability to use language effectively in real-life contexts, there are significant challenges in implementing these approaches in practice. Major obstacles include an exam-oriented educational system, teacher-centered classroom models, large class sizes, and insufficient teacher training in both CLT and CTL methods. The paper concludes that although CLT and CTL have the potential to enhance students' language competence, their widespread and effective application in Chinese high-school English classrooms remains limited due to these barriers.