Methods and Techniques in Online English Language Teaching Minela Kerla1 and Sead Zolota2 Abstract

Communicative Language Teaching
Some teachers noted that being able to communicate required more than mastering linguistic structures. Students may know the rules of linguistic usage, but be unable to use the language (Widdowson 1978 – see Larsen-Freeman, D., 2000 p.121). It became clear that communication required that students perform certain functions as well, such as promising, inviting, and declining invitations within a social context (Wilkins 1976 – see Larsen-Freeman, D. 2000 p. 121). In short, being able to communicate required more than linguistic competence; it required communicative competence(Hymes 1971 – see Larsen-Freeman, D., 2000 p. 121) – knowing when and how to say what to whom. Communicative Language Teachin aims broadly to apply the theoretical perspective of the Communicative Approach by making communicative competence the goal of language teaching and by acknowledging the interdependence of language and communication (Larsen-Freeman, D., 2000 p. 121). Techniques,which are used in this method are the following: authentic materials, scrambled sentences, language games, picture strip story, and role play (Larsen-Freeman, D., 2000 p. 125-134). Principles,which are used in this method are the following: the target language is a vehicle for classroom communication, not just the object of study, the emphasis is on the process of communication rather than just mastery of language forms, games are important because they have certain features in common with real communicative events, students work in small groups which maximizes the amount of communicative practice they receive, students should be given an opportunity to express their ideas and opinions, errors are tolerated and seen as a natural outcome of the development of communication skills, and one of the teacher's major responsibilities is to establish situations likely to promote communication.
Content-based Instruction
The special contribution of content-based instruction is that it integrates the learning of language with the learning of some other content, often academic subject matter. Principles, which are used in this method are the following: the subject matter content is used for language teaching purposes, teaching should build on students' previous experience, language is learned most effectively when it is used as a medium to convey informational content of interest to the students, when they work with authentic subject matter, students need language support, and communicative competence involves more than using language conversationally; it also includes the ability to read, discuss, and write about content from other fields (Larsen-Freeman, D., 2000 p. 140-141).