Biography
I completed my Bachelor degree in English language Studies 2012 at Northumbria University, and I continued to do my Master in Applied linguistic For TESOL, where I was awarded the best dissertation prize in 2013. I have been awarded a scholarship for doing my degrees by Saudi government.
Qualifications
BA Applied Linguistic
MA TESOL
Thesis
An Investigation of Saudi EFL Teachers’ and Learners’ Perceptions towards the Application of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) in the English language classroom
Research themes & scholarly interests:
My research interests in developing second language teaching and learning approaches. More specifically the application of communicative language teaching approach in Saudi EFL context.
Supervisors
Dr Alex Ho-Cheong Leung, Graham Hall
Current/ recent projects
The rise of communicative language teaching (CLT) has marked a great change in the paradigm of English language teaching since the late 1960s. This paradigmatic shift represents a change from a focus on mastering linguistic structures to viewing language in terms of communicative proficiency. Thus, the goal of CLT would be achieved by developing learners’ communicative competence, so that they are able to interact through appropriate social behaviours (Brandl, 2008). Savignon (2001) also argues that CLT can affect learners’ competence in the target language and encourage them to interact appropriately. Thus, CLT has been acknowledged and welcomed as an effective language teaching approach, based on its various sets of principles which present a communicative view of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in educational settings and institutions around the world (Richards and Rodgers, 2001). According to Richards and Rodgers (1986), CLT is best considered “an approach rather than a method” (p. 86). Significantly, the theoretical characteristics of CLT can be seen at the level of design and procedure in various proposals for syllabus and activity design (Richards and Rodgers, 1986).
With the high demand to produce learners proficient in English driving the implementation of CLT, in EFL contexts teachers have different perceptions of the approach. Whereas some view traditional approaches, such as grammar translation or the audio-lingual method as most appropriate in their context, others believe that the CLT approach is more appropriate and effective in developing learners’ communicative competence. It is vital to survey the attitudes and expectations of EFL teachers and learners. This study would help to identify probable causes and situations for the current deficiencies in teaching English in Saudi and reveal ways to implement CLT successfully. Therefore, the current study aims to investigate Saudi EFL teachers’ and learners’ perceptions towards the application of CLT in particular teachers’ teaching methods and classroom activities which enhancing language learners’ ability.
