Omani English Teachers’ Perspectives on Implementing Communicative Language Teaching in Post-Basic Schools: A Case Study

Abstract

Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) has been widely promoted as an approach emphasizing communicative competence and purposeful language use. Despite its prominence in English language education, a persistent gap exists between teachers' awareness and classroom implementation of CLT principles, particularly in non-native contexts such as Oman. While previous studies have quantified teacher awareness, limited qualitative research has explored how teachers interpret and adapt CLT within their specific classroom contexts. This qualitative case study investigated how six Omani English teachers in government post-basic schools (Grades 11–12) conceptualised and interpreted CLT within their classroom contexts. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and analysed using the Codes–Categories–Themes (CO–CAT) framework to identify patterns in teachers' perspectives. Teachers associated effective implementation of CLT with supportive classroom environments that foster confidence and communication. Teachers also viewed CLT as context-dependent, influenced by learner proficiency, lesson focus, instructional time, and classroom conditions, resulting in selective and adaptive implementation practices. Teachers conceptualised CLT not simply as a collection of communicative techniques, but as a set of interconnected conditions that support classroom communication, including learner participation, authentic language use, emotional support, and contextual adaptation. The study contributes to understanding the theory–practice gap as a process of professional judgement rather than a failure of implementation. The findings may inform teacher professional development, curriculum implementation, and communicative language teaching practices in Oman and similar EFL contexts.