Difficulties arising in teaching English communicatively

Abstract

The paper provides an analysis of several major issues arising in the process of teaching/learning English communicatively in a Romanian language teaching context. The discussion focuses on the benefits of conveying content effectively, through various skills and cultural awareness, rather than following the grammar-oriented traditional teaching. A framework for playing up the advantages of students' awareness of the differences between learning effective communication skills and observing closely grammar accuracy is then offered. The results of the study, carried out over a full academic year of teaching technical students, show firstly, an increase in the students' understanding of the importance of the cultural component involved and secondly, an improvement in the areas of both language level and communicative skills, mainly in the section of upper-intermediate and advanced students.