Communicative language teaching makes use of real-life situations that necessitate communication.② The teacher sets up a situation that students are likely to encounter in real life. Unlike the method that uses tapes of language teaching, which relies on repetition and drills, the communicative approach can leave students in suspense as to the outcome of a class exercise, which will vary according to their reactions and responses. The real-life simulations change from day to day. Students’ motivation to learn comes from their desire to communicate in meaningful ways about meaningful topics.
Margie S. Berns, an expert in the field of communicative language teaching, writes in explaining Firth’s view that “language is interaction; it is interpersonal activity and has a clear relationship with society. In this light, language study has to look at the use (function) of language in context, both its linguistic context and its social, or situational meaning, context”.③
English as the main classroom language
Among the many possible uses of English in the classroom are:
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I. Abstract
2. English as the main classroom language
3. Teachers and teaching
4. Motivation
5. A general model of English teaching
6. Communication first and last
7. Routine communicative activities
8. Student participation

①Paul Davies and Eric Pearse, Success in English Teaching (Shanghai: The foreign language education publisher, 2002), p.145
②Cao Nanyang and Wu Huanan, English Teaching Methodology Study and Application (Guiyang: People's publisher in Guiyang, 2003), p.72
③Zhang Jianzhong, Brief English teaching method (Guangzhou: Guangdong education publisher, 1990), p.12
④Zhang Zhengdong, Pedagogy in foreign languages (Beijing: Science publisher, 1999), p.69
⑤Hang Baotong, English,teach it better(Shanghai: Huadong education University publisher, 1993), p.173
⑥Jim Scrivener, Learning Teaching: A Guidebook for English Language Teachers (Shanghai: The foreign language education publisher in Shanghai, 2002), p.247
⑦ Yao Ruoguang, A Handbook of communicative English (Beijing: Science publisher, 1993), p.23
⑧ Mick Kavanagh, New English teaching Methodology (Xiamen: Xiamen University publisher, 2002), p.85