Communicative language teaching (CLT): Is an approach to the teaching of second andforeign languages that emphasizes interactionas both the means and the ultimate goalof learning a language.
 It is also referred to as “communicative approach to the teaching
of foreign languages” or simply the “Communicative Approach”.

 As an extension of the notional-functional syllabus,CLT also places great emphasis on helping students use the target language 
  
in a variety of contexts and places great emphasis on learning
language functions. Unlike the ALM, its primary focus is on helping learners create meaning rather than helping them develop perfectly 
grammatical structures or acquire native-like pronunciation.
 This means that successfully learning a foreign language is
assessed in terms of how well learners have developed their communicative competence, which can loosely be defined as their
ability to apply knowledge of bothformal and sociolinguistic aspects of a language with adequate proficiency to communicate.

CLT is usually characterized as a broad approach to teaching, rather

than as a teaching method with a clearly defined set of classroom practices. As such, it is most often defined as a list of general principles or features.
 One of the most recognized of these lists is David Nunan’s (1991) five features of CLT: 1. An emphasis on learning to communicate through interaction in the target language. 2. The introduction of authentic texts into the learning situation.


3. The provision of opportunities for learners to focus, not only on language but also on the learning process itself. 4. An enhancement of the learner’s own personal experiences as important contributing elements to classroom learning. 5. An attempt to link classroom language learning with language activities outside the classroom.

 These five features are claimed by practitioners of CLT to show that they are very interested in the needs and desires of their learners as well as the connection between the language as it is taught in their class and as it used outside the classroom. Under this broad umbrella definition, any teaching practice that helps students develop their communicative competence in an authentic context is deemed an acceptable and beneficial form of instruction.

 Thus, in the classroom CLT often takes the form of pair
and group work requiring negotiation and cooperation between learners, fluency-based activities that encourage learners to develop their confidence, role-plays in which students practice and develop language functions, as well as judicious use of grammar and pronunciation focused activities.