Beliefs and Attitudes of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Learners Towards Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) Approach

Background and Aim: Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) has emerged as one of the outstanding approaches in language education, emphasizing interaction and practical communication. To perform well, one must be actively involved, regularly given feedback, and well-informed. In some cases, language learning has to be experienced authentically to be able to familiarize and fully perform it. This study explores the beliefs and attitudes of first-year EFL students of Nakhon Phanom University, Thailand towards the CLT approach, providing insights into its effectiveness and acceptance among new learners. Understanding these perceptions is critical for enhancing language instruction and fostering a more engaging learning environment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions and attitudes of EFL learners and to find out if there is a significant relationship between the learners' beliefs and the attitude of the EFL learners towards the CLT approach. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted using a descriptive correlative research design. The data collection took place at Nakhon University, Thailand. The respondents of this study were first-year education students from the English Department. A survey questionnaire through Google Forms was used to gather the data. For data analysis, mean, frequency distribution, and Pearson Correlation Coefficient (r) were employed. Results: Findings indicated that EFL learners recognized the application of the CLT approach in the class which is similar to their attitude towards the CLT approach that garnered a moderate response of “agree”. The moderate results imply that there is still room for improvement. The study found a positive correlation that proved the significant relationship between the beliefs and attitudes of the EFL learners towards the CLT approach at a 0.5 significance level. The result of the study aligned with the study of Mehta, N.K. (2015) stating that integrating the CLT approach in language teaching encourages language learners to learn better. In addition, the CLT approach plays an integral part in the language learning process. Furthermore, beliefs and attitudes are the main indicators in language learning; however, due to limited variables, future researchers can go further on other factors relating to the CLT approach. Conclusion: Therefore, it is concluded that to make CLT even more effective, EFL teachers should integrate the activities in the classroom with real-life communication, making learning more engaging and enjoyable for students.