Chinese EMI University Students’ Attitudes Towards the Implementation of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) in English Language Classes

Abstract

With the rapid global growth of English usage, numerous institutions have been established in non-English speaking jurisdictions such as China to provide English medium instruction (EMI). Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), a language teaching methodology that emphasizes communicative functions, has increasingly been applied in English as foreign language (EFL) areas. Therefore, this research aims to investigate Chinese EMI university students' attitudes towards the effect of CLT implementation on English skills development, teachers' roles in CLT English classes, and factors influencing their study of English under the methodology of CLT. Through semi-structured interviews with five junior English major students at a Chinese EMI university located in southern China, this study reveals a generally positive attitude towards CLT. The participants believe that the implementation of CLT could enhance their English proficiency, particularly in listening and speaking skills. It is widely acknowledged that teachers play a crucial role as facilitators in CLT-based English classes. Additionally, this study reveals that both internal factors, such as increasing students’ sense of participation in class, and external factors, including a communicative learning environment, cooperative learning activities, peer pressure, the social media publicizing ideas of English language learning and so on, all have positive effect on participants’ English study.