Communicative Language Teaching: Strategies and Goals

On the threshold of the 21st century, communicative language teaching (CLT) has become as familiar to discussions about the practice and theory of second and foreign language teaching as the Big Mac is to fast food. The appeal is worldwide. And while the particular characteristics may vary from one context to another, the identifiable features remain the same. Or do they? Just what is CLT? Is it a method of teaching? Does it have characteristics that are universally understood and implemented? If so, what are they? Most important, is CLT a meaningful and lasting reorientation of classroom language teaching, or does it represent but onemore swing of the pedagogy pendulum?