If a school wants to improve students’ ability to use English for real-life…
2026
If a school wants to improve students’ ability to use English for real-life purposes, which principle should guide its language instruction?
Answer: B. Use English for meaningful communication — ConceptCommunicative language teaching treats language primarily as a tool for exchanging meaning. Instruction therefore develops communicative competence by…
- A.
Study the literary history of English
- B.
Use English for meaningful communication
- C.
Depend mainly on strict translation exercises
- D.
Emphasize memorization of isolated vocabulary
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Concept
Communicative language teaching treats language primarily as a tool for exchanging meaning. Instruction therefore develops communicative competence by giving learners purposeful practice in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in contexts that resemble actual use.
Application
The stated goal is the ability to use English for real-life purposes. Instruction guided by meaningful communication directly gives students practice in choosing and understanding language to convey meaning in realistic situations.
Contrast
Literary history builds knowledge of periods, writers, genres, and texts; it does not by itself provide sustained practice in using the language.
Translation exercises compare forms and meanings across languages, but a strict translation-only routine limits spontaneous interaction in English.
Memorizing isolated vocabulary can expand word knowledge, but words become usable for real purposes when learners apply them in meaningful discourse.
Cross-check
Match the teaching principle to the learning objective: a real-life language-use objective requires opportunities to communicate meaning. Therefore, the guiding principle is the use of English for meaningful communication.