Theoretical bases of communicative approaches to second language teaching ans testing (Canale and Swain)

1. Background
1.1 Grammatical and communicative approaches
 Differences between grammatical approaches and communicatives approaches. Third approach: Situational Syllabus.
1.2 Competenca and performance
Analysis of the concepts of competence and performance. Competence: knowledge/ Performance: use. Components of communicative competence and different views.

2. Some theories of communicative competence
Different theories of communicative competence.
2.1 Theories of basic communication skills
Different views of communicative approaches and principles underlying those approaches.
Communicative approaches are effective in developing grammatical and communicative competence.
2.2 Sociolinguistic perspectives on communicative competence
Assuptions and components.
Hymes: sociocultural competence and constitutive components of speech.
Halliday: sociosemantic aspects of language.
2.3 Integrative theories of communicative competence
Different theories and models f communicative competence.
Munby's model of communicative competence.
Communicative syllabuses overemphasize communicative functions.
2.4 General comments
Comments and criticizm to the three theories of communicative competence.
     - Comments on Theories of basic communication skills
     - Comments on Sociolinguistic perspectives of communicative competence
     - Comments on Integrative theories of communicative competence.

3. Toward and adequate theory of communicative competence
3.1 Guiding principles for a communicative approach
Five principles for a communicative approach:
     1- Minimal compononents of communicative competence
     2- Respond to learner's needs
     3- Meaningful interaction
     4- Early stages
     5- Main objective: information, practice and experience.
3.2 A proposed theoretical framework for communicative competence
Theoretical foundations for communicative competence.
General assumptions.
Components of communicative competence: - Grammatical competence
                                                                   - Sociolinguistic competence
                                                                   - Strategic competence.
3.3 Implications for a communicative approach to teaching
Implications on: - Syllabus design
                        - Teaching methodologies
                        - Teacher training
                        - Material development.
3.4 Implications for a communicative testing programme
Two important general implications:
     1- Testing the learner's ability to demonstrate what he knows (performance)
     2- Test types: Integrative tests and discrete points tests.

4. Directions for research
Points for further research. 9 points for further research.
Five issues considering the strenghts of adopting a communicative approach.