Communicative Language Teaching and the Development of Communicative Competence among Adult Learners Over 30

Abstract

Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) is centered on meaningful interaction and the development of learners' ability to use language for communicative purposes. However, further context-specific research is required to understand how adult learners experience CLT and how communicative practices contribute to the development of communicative competence. The present study aimed to analyze the role of CLT in the development of communicative competence among adult English learners over the age of 30 at a language institute in Bogotá, Colombia. The study is situated within the interpretivist paradigm and adopted a qualitative case study design, with a purposive sampling method employed to select 20 intermediate-level adult English learners. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and non-participant classroom observations, and the analysis was conducted thematically following Braun and Clarke's (2006) six-phase procedure. Findings demonstrated that participants had a high level of appreciation for communicative activities that provided meaningful reasons to use English. Classroom interaction provided the setting for the negotiation of meaning, the management of communication difficulties, and the development of greater communicative autonomy. Affective factors also exerted an influence on participation, as evidenced by the finding that supportive peer interaction and small-group work were associated with increased confidence and a greater willingness to communicate. The study provides context-specific evidence of how adult learners experience CLT and suggests that its contribution to communicative competence depends not only on the presence of communicative activities but also on their meaningfulness, relevance to adult learners' needs, and the pedagogical conditions under which interaction occurs.