Applying Communicative Language Teaching in Speaking and Listening Activities in Kurdistan Regional Government Senior High Schools - Meaning-Focused Instructions

Sep 15, 2026

Uploaded by Rowan

Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is presented as a learner-centred approach that supports interaction and real-world communication, targeting listening and speaking competence. Limited evidence exists on CLT’s classroom effects in senior high schools across the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). This study evaluates how implementing CLT influences students’ speaking and listening outcomes, using mixed-method measures from tests, teacher surveys, and structured interviews to assess both effectiveness and adoption barriers.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages21

Reading Time53 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Review of Literature

APPLYING COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TEACHING IN SPEAKING AND LISTENING ACTIVITIES IN KURDISTAN REGIONAL GOVERNMENT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS: MEANING-FOCUSED INSTRUCTIONS Talib Muhammadsharif Omer Department of Translations Techniques, Mergasor Technical Institute, Erbil Polytechnic University, Kurdistan, Iraq. [E-mail: Talib.omer@epu.edu.iq](E-mail: Talib.omer@epu.edu.iq) Received: 03.10.2024 Accepted: 10.01.2025 ABSTRACT Background and Purpose: Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is a learner-centred approach that encourages interaction and real-world communication, focusing on listening and speaking skills. Although numerous studies have been conducted to measure the impact ofCLT, there is limited research on its effects on speaking and listening activities in senior high schools within the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI) . This study aimed to gauge the impact ofCLT implementation on the speaking and listening skills of senior highschool students in the region. Methodology: This study employed a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative techniques. A pre-test was administered to the experimental and control groups to ensure that participants had comparable language proficiency. Following a four-week CLT workshop, a post-test was conducted to assess potential improvements in speaking skills. Additionally, a survey was distributed to English teachers in government institutions to gather their views on using CLT in speaking and listening activities in KRG schools. In-depth interviews were also conducted with three experienced teachers from different educational levels, each lasting 30 minutes, to gain deeper insights. This smaller sample allowed a more thorough understanding of the participants' perspectives. Findings: SPSS analysis confirmed significant improvement in the experimental group’s speaking and listening skills. While the survey results show that most teachers were familiar with CLT, large class sizesand exam pressures limited its use. Interviews confirmed that teachers saw CLT as beneficial but faced time and assessment constraints. Despite these barriers, most teachers believed teaching functional language improved communicative competence. Contributions: This study provides empirical evidence of CLT’s effectiveness in enhancing students'speaking and listening skills in Kurdish secondary schools. It highlights the gap between teachers'theoretical knowledge and practical implementation, emphasizing the need for targeted training. Additionally, it advocates for integrating communicative components into national exams and encourages the use of real-world interaction and authentic materials to align with CLT principles. These insights offer practical recommendations for educators, policymakers, and curriculum developers in exam-driven educational contexts. Keywords: CLT, English, learning, communicative skills, Kurdistan. Cite as: Omer. T. M. (2025) . Applying communicative language teaching in speaking and listening activities in Kurdistan regional government senior high schools: Meaning-focused instructions. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 10(1), 1-21. [http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol10iss1pp1-21](http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol10iss1pp1-21) [1.0 INTRODUCTION](1.0 INTRODUCTION) The core intention of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is to improve students’ ability to communicate more effectively and understand real-life contexts. It emphasizes using authentic language in meaningful interaction, encouraging learners to express themselves effectively in business, education, politics, and other professional fields. CLT helps foreign language learners engage in speaking and listening activities in the classroom successfully (Sarmiento-Campos et al., 2022) . Unlike traditional methods emphasising grammar and rote learning, CLT has gained popularity in the Kurdish context. However, as in most parts of Asia, implementing CLT in the Kurdistan Region faces some difficu

FAQs

What is the purpose of the study on CLT in Kurdistan senior high schools?

The study aims to gauge how implementing Communicative Language Teaching affects students’ speaking and listening skills in Kurdistan governmental senior high schools.

How was the impact of CLT measured in the study?

A mixed-methods design was used, including pre-tests and post-tests around a four-week CLT workshop, plus a teacher survey and in-depth interviews with experienced teachers.

What findings were reported about CLT’s effectiveness and its classroom constraints?

SPSS analysis showed significant improvements in the experimental group’s speaking and listening skills. Although most teachers were familiar with CLT, large classes and exam pressure limited its use, and teachers reported time and assessment constraints.

Sep 15, 2026

Uploaded by Rowan