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Competency Based Approach

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Competency Based Approach

Uploaded by

achrafsadeq5
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Competency Based Language

Teaching (CBLT)

Isam Mrah
FLSHO
• CBLT emerged in the 1970s (-present) as a crash
course method to give learners the essentials first.
• The pillars of this method include:
• Active learning
• Real-world application
• Long-term retention
• Competency-based assessment
Competency-based language Teaching (CBLT)
is an application of the principles of CBE to
language teaching. It “seeks to teach students the
basic skills they need in order to prepare them for
situations they commonly encounter in everyday
life” (Richards, 2006, p. 41).
• Most recent realization of the competency perspective is
found in the “standards” movement, which has
dominated education discussions since the 1990s.
• The current educational system is shifting from a
content-based model towards a competence approach,
in which practical application of knowledge to real life
situations is the ultimate aim
• Unlike the other language teaching approaches
and methods that focus on the (language)
learning input, this approach focuses on
the outcomes or outputs of learning.

• It begins with what the learners are expected to


do with the language – language competencies
• Competency-based education has much in
common with such approaches to
learning as performance-based instruction,
mastery learning and individualized
instruction. It is outcome-based and is adaptive
to the changing needs of students, teachers and
the community (Schenck (1978: vi)
• Docking (1994) adds that CBLT “is designed
not around the notion of subject knowledge
but around the notion of competency.
• The focus moves from what students know
about language to what they can do with it. The
focus on competencies or learning outcomes
underpins the curriculum framework and
syllabus specification, teaching strategies,
assessment and reporting” (p. 16)
• I know how to make the perfect fried egg. I

know how to curl a ball and score from 25 yards.

I know how to drive. I know how to ski. I know

how to do all of these things flawlessly. Except,

of course, I can't do any of them.


• A student can perfectly repeat grammar rules
but not actually apply them in real life. Wasted
knowledge.

• It seems there is a gap between knowing and


doing. If we want our learners to become
successful English speakers then we must bridge
this gap.
• So what can we do?

Emphasizing the need to 'be able to' rather

than just 'to know' is an essential step we must

take in order to become competent teachers


• Competencies consist of a description of the

essential skills, knowledge, attitudes, and

behaviors required for effective performance of

a real-world task or activity.


Language theory:

• CBLT is based on a functional and interactional


perspective. It seeks to teach language in relation
to the social contexts in which it is used
• Language always occurs as a medium of
interaction and communication between people
for the achievement of specific goals and
purpose.
Theory of learning :

• Language learning is skilled-based


• Successful language performance depends upon
practice
The syllabus:

• The syllabus for a CBLT course consists of a

description of learning outcomes of

competencies
Types of learning and teaching activities

• The teacher is free to choose any set of activities


or to make use of any methods that will enable
the learning outcomes to be achieved and the
individual competencies to be acquired
• The activities should be systematically designed
and real-world task such a job application,
interview and work schedule
Learner roles:
• Learners are active participants
• To develop a range of learning strategies
• to be able to transfer knowledge and skills to
new situations
Teacher roles:
• Teachers have active role such as need analyst,
material developer, assessor and coach
Imagine you are teaching conversational English to Form Five students. Suppose
the competency you want to teach is “make a telephone call to the national
electricity company to complain about regular power cuts in your locality”. What
are some of the skills that your students need in order to do the task
well? Griffith & Lim propose the following:

• the ability to read and understand telephone numbers;


• the ability to identify oneself when answering or calling;
• the ability to ask to speak to someone;
• the ability to respond to a request to hold the line;
• the ability to give a message or respond to an offer to take a message;
• the ability to express opinions politely following the target language
conventional cultural norms;
• the ability to use past tenses; and
• the ability to provide relevant information.

• From the above example, CBA requires that the teacher be able to break
down competencies into their constituent skills, and teach students only those
skills they need in order to master the various competencies.

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