Communicative Discourse Teaching

Abstract

This article presents Communicative Discourse Teaching, a practical approach for English language teachers seeking to develop learners’ awareness of language use through structured interaction. It conceptualises classroom talk not only as task completion, but as metadiscourse – learners jointly negotiating how language should be used to achieve shared understanding. By distinguishing between task and metatask, the approach shifts focus from correct answers to collaborative meaning-making. This article shows how teachers can guide learners through discourse stages – Define, Describe, Analyse, and Conclude – while observing and assessing participation. The approach aims to support teachers in fostering learner autonomy, confidence, and increasingly sophisticated language use through reflective, communicative practice.