TEL - Volume 17 - Issue 2 - Pages 361-389

Teaching English Language, Vol. 17, No. 2, Summer & Fall 2023, pp.
361-389
Teaching English Language Journal

ISSN: 2538-5488 – E-ISSN: 2538-547X – http://tel.journal.org
© 2023 – Published by Teaching English Language and Literature Society of Iran
Please cite this paper as follows:

Sourani, M., AbdulFattah, F., & Sayer, I (2023). Exploring the Challenges of the
Communicative Language Teaching approach in the EFL context of Arab learners.
Teaching English Language, 17(2), 361-389.
https://doi.org/10.22132/tel.2024.427424.1535
Research Paper
Exploring the Challenges of the Communicative

Language Teaching Approach in the EFL Context
of Arab Learners
Maha Sourani1
Professor, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Translation
Department, Jinan University, Tripoli, Lebanon
Faisal AbdulFattah
Professor, College of Educational and Psychological Sciences,
Amman Arab University, Jordan
Inaad Sayer
Assistant Professor, Department of English, University of Human
Development, Kurdistan Region of Iraq
Abstract
The Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) has been the dominant
method for teaching English as a Foreign Language in Arabic-speaking
countries for over four decades. However, in recent years, there have been
criticisms and debates regarding the effectiveness of this approach and its
impact on learning outcomes. The present exploratory study investigated this
further, involving 206 university students from Lebanon and Jordan. An
online questionnaire consisting of four sections was administered via Google
Forms in the spring of 2023 to gather the students' responses. To ensure the
reliability of the questionnaire, the internal consistency reliability was
calculated using Cronbach's Alpha coefficient. Descriptive and inferential
statistics were then employed to address the research questions, including
independent samples t-test and the Mann-Whitney U test. The study's
findings revealed that CLT continues to cause tension among instructors and
Arab students alike. In conclusion, this study suggests solutions for
1
Corresponding author: maha.sourani@ul.edu.lb
362 Teaching English Language, Vol. 17, No. 2
Exploring the Challenges of …
acclimatizing CLT to the needs of non-native learners in this poly-lingual and

universally interlaced era.
Keywords: Arab World, Communicative Approach, English as a Foreign
Language, Education, Grammatical Competence
Received: September 1, 2023
Accepted: December 26, 2023
1. Introduction
The demand for knowing and being able to properly use foreign
languages has been everlasting (Kim, 2020). Such demand derives from the
continuing interaction of multiple cultures worldwide for general commerce
and informational transactions (Getie, 2020; Papi & Hiver, 2020).
Nevertheless, the importance of getting acquainted with foreign languages
has drawn a lot of attention in the last 100 years since a strong connection has
been established between knowing a language and its renderings in the
economy, in general. The assimilation of foreign languages was interlaced
with the spread of the colonialist movement within the limits of Arabia back
in the 1800s. Concerning this phenomenon, English and French were the
dominant foreign languages to learn back in the day, along with native Arabic
(Catania, 2022).
Nowadays, the English language is the most powerful second language
that L2 learners are taught. It is the framework language for worldwide
digital media, universal commerce, technology, education, finance, and
foreign policy (Jiang et al., 2023). Considering the transition in the media
background over the last years, the requirements of the current EFL learners
have altered, too. Specifically, learners should be capable of talking in
numerous interactions and construction patterns. Communicative Language
Teaching (CLT) gave the impression of resolving any issues that former
Teaching English Language, Vol. 17, No. 2 363
Sourani et al.
teaching methods for a second language left hanging based on the following
individual causes.
One such cause is that the CLT depends on L2 learners' synergistic
engagement in terms of relevant contexts. This synergy revolves around the
replication of everyday interaction patterns and highlights the importance of
genuine language activities, which are bound to be less structured. CLT's
primary leverage is that it aims to ease the flow of language fluency rather
than its accuracy; this is what motivates learners further (Aranas, 2023).
Problems inherent to this approach include the fact that handling
communication in authentic situations has proven to be challenging for L2
learners considering the lack of any structural foundation.
Arab learners face specific challenges and opportunities when acquiring
English as a foreign language due to linguistic, cultural, and educational
factors. The Arab region encompasses a wide range of countries, each with
its unique sociocultural and linguistic characteristics, which influence
language teaching and learning practices. Exploring the application of CLT
within this context offers valuable insights into its effectiveness and potential
adaptations to cater to the specific needs of Arab EFL learners.
2. Literature Review
2.1 The Beginnings of the Communicative Approach
The CLT as far as language learning is concerned emerged in the 1960s,
in the United Kingdom. This method was forged to make up for the obvious
setbacks of former pedagogical methods concerning language learning. The
extensive accumulation of Richard's and Roger's conceptions, also known as
CLT, followed the formerly popular approach of Audio-lingualism (Richards
et al., 2001). Chomsky (1965) was a vigorous opponent of the audiolingual
approach in terms of pedagogy, and he followed a discordant path when the
CLT came to the foreground.
Hymes (1972) pinpointed the weaknesses concerning Chomsky's model.

These weaknesses revolved around the latter's divergence between
competence and performance. According to Hymes, competence and
performance were inextricable. He strongly stated that learning a language in
terms of meaningful interaction demands a certain fluency concerning the
language background and its implementation on behalf of the speaker.
Adequate interaction came into being designated by conclusive background
interaction (Al Mamun et al., 2022; Farooq, 2015). Aspects of pedagogy
align with attributes like suitability and eloquence and not just grammatical
precision, as far as fluency is concerned. These attributes result in
expressiveness. To quote Canale and Swain, these combined attributes are
“getting one's meaning across” (1980, p.15). The audio-lingual approach
(AL) does not consist of conditions that accredit appropriate and articulate
utterances.
The 16th Annual Conference for the Association for Teachers in Lebanon
took place in 2013. During its course, Bax (2013) chose a fictional anecdote
that manifested why automated recurrence of AL is not effective:
Teacher: I am standing. What am I doing?
Class: You are standing up.
Teacher: Again.
Class: You are standing up.
Teacher: (pointing with a finger) You -no -you -yes. What's your name?
Pupil: Ngoroge.
Teacher: Ngoroge, stand up […]
Teacher: What are you doing?
Ngoroge: (thinly) You are standing up.
Teacher: (slightly cross) What are you doing?
Ngoroge: (clears his throat, voice thinner still) You are standing up.
Teacher: No, no! (to the class) Come on. What are you, you doing? (n.p.)
Even though Bax (2013) stressed that this is imaginary, there have been
certain workshop copies of his, which indicate that English lessons for
Sourani et al.
students in the Arab world “illustrate similar patterns of behavior” (Bax,

2013, par. 4). The logic behind this is that mechanical repetition leaves no
place for conveyable abilities which would result in students' compliance
with an appropriate context regarding the circumstances or even an
appropriate context of disparate nature. Angles of automated recurrence such
as ignorance regarding the context of utterance and learners' molding on
passive grounding used to be language learning attributes that CLT founders
aimed to enhance.
Consequently, EFL teachers should consider CLT's fundamental theories
while preparing their lessons (Farooq, 2015). Educational exercises must
focus on students' communicative adaptation in genuine and practical
circumstances to enhance their competence and fluency (Nunan, 1991). The
simultaneous alignment of generating incentives and choosing fluency over
accuracy has sired complications with applying CLT in a classroom
environment. One way to justify this issue is that CLT is not a method that
consists of assigned means and applications, rather it is an approach. This
implies that EFL teachers have no definite theoretical basis to lean on.
The concept of communicative competence has emerged from a series of
characteristics that are part of it since its early articulation by Hymes. There
are four elements that Canale and Swain (1980) have specified out of
interaction capability:
1- Grammatical competence: This is analogous to Chomsky's
interpretation of competence (1975). It consists of expertise in
linguistic semiotics like terminology proficiency along with
guidelines about semantic, grammatical, well-formed, and error-
free orthographic rules. All of the above facilitate an application
of determined dexterity and mastery on behalf of the speaker,
which ultimately leads to comprehending and scrutinizing the

literal meaning of sentences.
2- Sociolinguistic competence: This refers to the ability to use
language in a variety of social, cultural, and linguistic
environments which aligns with Hymes’ concept of
communicative competence.
3- Discourse competence: This involves a command of conventions
that enable the speaker to associate form and meaning to
accomplish a substantial synthesis of either an oral or inscribed
document. According to Canale (1983), both cohesion devices
(pronouns, conjunctions, synonyms, etc.) and coherence devices
(repetition, consistency of ideas, progression, etc.), establish
meaningful combinations of utterances and sentences can be of
supplementary value. The logic behind that is to achieve
reasonable and purposeful association between spoken or written
text.
4- Strategic competence: It is the ability to keep communication
going when a disruption occurs due to either inadequate
expertise or comprehension of a grammatical or communicative
tool. Such a course of action involves duplication, use of
alternate interpretations, eluding certain words, changing register
and style, speculating, and so on.
5- Pragmatic competence: This attribute refers to the ability to
develop and interpret utterances, discourse, and sociolinguistic
conventions rendering the utterance and discourse suitable for a
particular context.
Components of communicative competence have been adapted and
changed according to various approaches that were proposed and
Sourani et al.
subsequently used, such as the one proposed by Canale and Swain (1980) and
the one by Bachman and Palmer (1996). Even so, many approaches indicate
their interest in the communicative competence principle. According to these
interests, competent speakers need to be aware of the language as well as be
capable of adjusting their knowledge regardless of the various
communicative situations. Under these circumstances, the development of the
learners’ communicative competence revolves around the design of the
course for the second language (SL), also known as a foreign language (FL),
as well as the curriculum and classroom teaching materials.
Thus, CLT is broadly recognized within the language teachers'
community. Nevertheless, numerous issues and challenges have impeded the
implementation of the said approach in terms of various social-cultural
contexts, until today (Sarmin, 2022). CLT's prosperity is obvious mainly in
English-speaking contexts where students learn to speak English as a second
language. Yet, CLT has repeatedly come up against challenges and issues
within such backgrounds. The next section will elucidate the Arabic
background where numerous sociocultural, educational, and sociological
factors intervene to impede CLT implementation.
2.2 The Communicative Approach in the Arab World
The 1970s was the period when the Arab World embraced the basic
framework of CLT. Moreover, the Arab world honored CLT as an answer to
the EFL challenges in such backgrounds (Hameed, 2020). EFL teachers in
the Arab World referred to the communicative suggestion as a problem-
solver since it drew all attention as the preferential approach in universal L2
teaching backgrounds (Al-Khafaji, 2015). According to studies based on the
EFL method, implementing CLT in EFL classrooms can iron out fluency
issues in the area (Hammad, 2014).
Procedure alterations have acted on changes in the pedagogical

movement. Educators, administrators, and professional organizations on the
global stage are responsible for such alterations. The educational framework
of these determinants has resulted in a powerful alteration regarding
procedures as far as the CLT syllabus is concerned (Abbas, 2012).
Nevertheless, based on current research, a majority of schools across the
Arab region make use of traditional pedagogies with a particular focus on
memorization (Hammad, 2014). The typical source material for
memorization includes paragraphs, learning new vocabulary by rote as well
as duplicating full texts (Coon & Mitterer, 2014).
The application of a learning method based on communication has faced
impediments in a variety of backgrounds across the Arab region (Bacha &
Bahous, 2011). For example, implementing CLT in Egypt is rather
problematic considering the firmly established cultural traditions. The
anxiety of insulting their interlocutor or suffering disgrace holds Egyptian
students back when they need to articulate their point of view within a team
or an assignment (Gahin & Myhill, 2001). Egyptians treat educators as if they
were prophets. Such treatment reinforces their power within the classroom
and this reality contradicts the communicative principles. The deficiency of
Egyptian EFL teachers in sociolinguistic and strategic competence is also an
issue of concern.
Saudi Arab students are unlikely to perform well in a communicative
classroom for a similar reason to Egyptian students. Several cultural patterns
prevailing in Saudi Arabia are opposed to CLT principles such as focusing on
group work and learning based on students’ capabilities (AlHarbi, 2022).
Saudi Arabian educational authorities question the positive influence of
teamwork, oral practice, and the teachers’ ability to alter the perception of
Sourani et al.
their role. Moreover, since the majority of EFL teachers are not English
native speakers, such an attitude benefits cultural continuity.
Operating communicative classes in the Arab World runs into one more
impediment. There is a shortage of CLT experts who can professionally
educate EFL teachers. For instance, in Morocco EFL teachers are reported to
favor the old grammar-translation approach to CLT. Working in pairs or
groups is disfavored for they lack the CLT techniques that could help in
managing communicative practices structured as such (ElBoubekri, 2022).
An important CLT objective is to captivate students in authentic
communication to enhance their communicative competence. Therefore, this
objective should be a priority in their textbook drafts. Yet, Iraqi teachers have
not replaced the teaching methods that revolve around grammar while
teaching using the most recent CLT textbooks (Abbas, 2012). This implies
that teachers are still unaware of the differences when it comes to
distinguishing the traditional teaching methods, which expend on grammar,
word memorization, interpretation, and exercising, from CLT conventions.
Additionally, rigorous governmental policies restrain EFL teachers’
implementation of the current teaching methods (Hammad, 2014).
From the moment the Arab World embraced CLT as a novel approach, a
severe discrepancy between what the teaching principles and strategies of this
approach demand and what the Arab context provides has emerged. Teachers
and students are mouthpieces of their cultural burdens and beliefs as far as
teaching and learning are concerned. These factors exert great influence on
both teaching and learning the language. Once these values and attitudes
contradict contemporary theories and approaches, the outcome is the misuse
of communicative language learning. The problem of teaching English
extends beyond Egypt, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq to other countries in
the Arab region: Gaza, Lebanon, and Jordan where foreign textbooks
concentrate on vocabularies that are inappropriate for the teaching context in

question.
The implementation of the CLT approach faces several difficulties in the
Arab World. CLT aspires to the desired outcome, which can only be
achieved through a critical rumination of the methods, curriculum, syllabus,
and textbooks for teaching the English language across the Arab World.
Given the importance of examining the difficulties and challenges faced by
EFL learners in various contexts, including those related to teachers,
students, the educational system, and the CLT approach for enhancing the
implementation and effectiveness of CLT, the present study addresses the
following questions:
1. What are the perspectives of students regarding communicative
activities in the English classroom?
2. What are the challenges and difficulties that students perceive
when engaging in CLT activities in English classes?
3. Is there any significant differences in the perception of CLT
difficulties between Jordanian and Lebanese learners?
3. Methodology
3.1 Participants
A total of 206 university students were recruited for the study, hailing
from two Arab countries: Lebanon (n = 100, 48.54%) and Jordan (n = 106,
51.46%). Among the participants, 146 (70.87%) were majoring in English
Language and Literature, while the remaining 60 (29.13%) were enrolled in
other university fields (Business, Psychology, Engineering, and Science). The
distribution of participants across academic years was as follows: 66
(32.04%) freshmen, 78 (37.86%) sophomores, 35 (16.99%) juniors, and 27
(13.11%) seniors. The majority of participants, 161 (78.15%), were females.
It should be noted that all participants had previous exposure to CLT as part
Sourani et al.
of their English classes at the university level. Consequently, they possessed

a solid understanding of the terminology employed in the questionnaire.
3.2 Questionnaire
The questionnaire used in the present study is structured into four
sections, as outlined in Appendix A. Section A pertains to the collection of
students' personal information, including their university level, gender, and
major. Section B consists of 15 statements that describe various scenarios
that may occur in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) class, representing
communicative language practices. These statements encompass activities in
which students require minimal supervision from the instructor (items 1, 2, 4,
7, 9, and 13) as well as situations that necessitate direct supervision by the
instructor (items 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 14, and 15). Participants were asked to
express their personal opinions by selecting one of three options: Always,
Rarely, or Never. Section C focuses on 13 difficulties that students may
encounter when engaging in communicative activities within an EFL context.
Participants were provided with a rating scale and instructed to indicate their
level of agreement using the following response options: Strongly Agree,
Agree, Neutral, Disagree, or Strongly Disagree. To ensure clarity and avoid
misunderstandings, all statements in the questionnaire were formulated
straightforwardly. Finally, Section D consists of an open-ended question in
which the students were invited to mention any additional difficulties they
may encounter in the EFL environment.
To assess the reliability of the questionnaire, the internal consistency
reliability was measured using Cronbach's Alpha coefficient. The results, as
displayed in Table 1, indicate that the Communicative Language Learning
(CLL) activities section exhibited a reliability coefficient of 0.814, and for
the CLL difficulties section the reliability coefficient was 0.857. These
findings suggest that the questionnaire demonstrated an acceptable level of

reliability in measuring both CLT activities and difficulties.
Table 1
The Reliability Test Results of the Participants’ Responses
CLL Activities CLL Difficulties
Cronbach's Alpha N of Items Cronbach's Alpha N of Items
.814 15 .857 13
3.3 Procedure
During the second semester of the 2022-2023 academic year, an online
questionnaire was administered through Google Forms. The primary purpose
of the questionnaire was to align with the study's objectives, which involved
gaining insights into students' opinions regarding communicative activities
and the challenges they encounter while studying in EFL classrooms. The
authors of the study recruited participants from both countries by utilizing
social networks and making announcements. To ensure a systematic flow of
responses, the participants were instructed to follow a specific sequence
while answering the questionnaire. They began by providing demographic
information in Section A, followed by their opinions on the activities that
might take place in EFL classes. Subsequently, they proceeded to address the
difficulties they might encounter in EFL classrooms in Section C. Lastly, an
open-ended question was presented, inviting participants to share any
additional challenges they believed could arise in EFL classrooms.
3.4 Statistical Analysis
Descriptive statistics were employed to analyze and present the research
questions concerning students' opinions and the difficulties they encountered
in EFL classrooms. These descriptive statistics provided an overview of the
data and helped to identify trends and patterns. Following the analysis of
descriptive statistics, an independent samples t-test was conducted to
examine potential differences in opinions and difficulties between students
Sourani et al.
from different countries. This statistical test aimed to determine if there were
significant variations in students' perspectives and challenges based on their
country of origin.
4. Findings
In response to the first research question, students provided their personal
opinions about activities in the EFL classroom using a rating scale ranging
from Always to Never. To analyze their opinions about communicative
activities, the researchers categorized the corresponding codes of the three
scale options into three ranges: 1-1.69 representing Never, 1.7-2.39
representing Rarely, and 2.4-3 representing Always. Accordingly, if the mean
value falls within the first range, it indicates that students never liked the EFL
activities. If the mean value is within the second range, it suggests that
students rarely liked the activities. If the mean value falls within the third
range, it signifies that the students always liked the activities.
Table 2 presents the mean scores, standard deviations, and participants'
opinions regarding the studied communicative EFL activities. The overall
mean suggests that students consistently enjoyed the EFL activities.
However, when examining individual activities, variations in students'
attitudes toward them became apparent. The activities B1, B2, B5, B8, B10,
B12, B14, and B15 received high levels of students’ appreciation. On the
other hand, activities B3, B4, B6, B7, B9, B11, and B13 were moderately
liked by the students. None of the activities were reported as being ever liked
by the participants.
Table 2
Descriptive Statistics for Students’ Opinions about Communicative Activities in
English Classroom
Items N Mean SD Interpretation
B1 206 2.52 0.57 Always
B2 206 2.41 0.66 Always
B3 206 2.34 0.68 Rarely
B4 206 2.38 0.69 Rarely
B5 206 2.62 0.58 Always
B6 206 2.17 0.72 Rarely
B7 206 2.26 0.68 Rarely
B8 206 2.64 0.55 Always
B9 206 2.32 0.67 Rarely
B10 206 2.46 0.61 Always
B11 206 2.35 0.70 Rarely
B12 206 2.47 0.64 Always
B13 206 2.33 0.70 Rarely
B14 206 2.57 0.60 Always
B15 206 2.57 0.64 Always
Total 206 2.43 0.65 Always
Research Question 2 aimed to explore the perceived difficulties of students
regarding CLL in English classes. To analyze the participants' responses, the 5-point
Likert scale was divided into five intervals to interpret their answers. The range of 1-
1.79 represents Strongly Disagree, 1.8-2.59 represents Disagree, 2.6-3.39 represents
Neutral, 3.4-4.19 represents Agree, and 4.2-5 represents Strongly Agree. The overall
mean of the participants' responses in section C of the questionnaire was 3.44,
indicating that they generally agreed that all the items in this section represent
difficulties for Arab EFL learners. However, the mean values for individual items
suggest that Arab EFL learners held a neutral stance towards the difficulties
mentioned in items C1, C2, C4, C5, C8, C12, and C13, as presented in Table 3.
Table 3
Descriptive Statistics of Difficulties Faced by Students in Communicative EFL
Classroom
Items N Mean SD Interpretation
C1 206 3.33 1.25 Neutral
C2 206 3.02 1.32 Neutral
C3 206 3.63 1.14 Agree
C4 206 3.34 1.09 Neutral
C5 206 3.17 1.03 Neutral
C6 206 3.69 0.94 Agree
C7 206 3.50 0.93 Agree
C8 206 3.35 1.10 Neutral
C9 206 3.65 1.22 Agree
C10 206 3.69 0.97 Agree
C11 206 3.70 1.04 Agree
C12 206 3.34 1.11 Neutral
C13 206 3.23 1.135 Neutral
Total 206 3.44 1.10 Agree
Sourani et al.
Before proceeding with the analysis, the study sought to assess the
assumptions of the independent samples t-test, namely normality and
homogeneity of variance. This evaluation was conducted using statistical tests,
specifically the Shapiro-Wilk test for normality and Levene's test for
homogeneity of variance. The results of the Shapiro-Wilk test and the Levene’s
test showed that the assumptions of normality and homogeneity of variance were
violated, W= 0.952, p < .001 and p < .001 respectively. Thus, the Mann-Whitney
U test was used as an alternative to the independent samples t-test. The results of
the Mann-Whitney U test (Table 9) revealed no statistically significant difference
in the opinion of Jordanian students (Median = 2.4, n = 106) and Lebanese
students (Median = 2.47, n = 100), U = 5087, z = -.499, p = .618, r = 0.04 as far
as communicative EFL activities are concerned. However, when tested
individually, activities B5, B8, B12, B14, and B15, which all belong to activities
requiring direct supervision from the instructor, showed statistically significant
differences between Jordanian students’ and Lebanese students’ opinions, as
presented in Table 4.
Table 4
The Results of Mann-Whitney U Test Related to CLL Activities Based on Country
Jordan Lebanon Mann-Whitney U Test
Items
N Median SD N Median SD U z p r
B1 106 3 0.54 100 3 0.61 5221 -0.21 0.83 0.015
B2 106 3 0.63 100 2.5 0.69 5138 -0.42 0.67 0.031
B3 106 2 0.67 100 2 0.69 5032.5 -0.68 0.49 0.051
B4 106 2 0.69 100 3 0.68 5040 -0.67 0.50 0.049
B5 106 3 0.60 100 3 0.54 4584 -2.03 0.0* 0.135
B6 106 2 0.68 100 2 0.76 4655.5 -1.63 0.1 0.122
B7 106 2 0.68 100 2 0.69 5203 -0.249 0.8 0.018
B8 106 3 0.59 100 3 0.49 4555 -2.12 0.0* 0.141
B9 106 2 0.65 100 2 0.69 4828 -1.21 0.225 0.089
B10 106 3 0.60 100 3 0.61 5206 -0.248 0.8 0.018
B11 106 2 0.67 100 2 0.74 5140 -0.411 0.68 0.030
B12 106 2 0.66 100 3 0.58 4065 -3.261 0.0* 0.233
B13 106 2 0.68 100 2 0.71 4916 -0.985 0.32 0.073
B14 106 3 0.62 100 3 0.58 4552.5 -2.056 0.04* 0.141
B15 106 3 0.68 100 3 0.59 4467.5 -2.318 0.02* 0.157
Total 106 2.40 0.64 100 2.47 0.64 5087 -0.499 0.618 0.04
*The difference is significant at 0.05.
To address research question 3, an independent samples t-test was
employed to determine if there were statistically significant differences in the
perception of CLL difficulties between Jordanian EFL learners and Lebanese

EFL learners. The results of the test (Table 5) revealed that generally EFL
learners from Jordan (M = 3.51, SD = 1.10) and those from Lebanon (M =
3.36, SD = 1.08) perceived CLL difficulties equally, t (204) = 1.724, p =
0.086. Thus, the difference between them is statistically not significant.
However, there is a statistically significant difference between the two groups
of EFL learners in their perception of the CLL difficulties stated in items C1,
t (204) = 2.669, p = 0.008; C2, t (204) = 2.67, p = 0.008; C5, t (204) = 3.168,
p = 0.002; C11, t (204) = -2.169, p = 0.031; and C12, t (204) = 2.354, p =
0.02. This suggests that the difficulties C1, C2, C5, and C12 are more serious
for Jordanian EFL learners than for Lebanese EFL learners, but for difficulty
C11, this is exactly the opposite.
Table 5
The Results of Independent Samples T-Test for the Difficulties Faced by
Jordanian and Lebanese EFL Learners
Jordan Lebanon t-test
Items
N Mean SD N Mean SD t-value df p-value
C1 106 3.56 1.24 100 3.1 1.22 2.669 204 0.008*
C2 106 3.25 1.29 100 2.77 1.32 2.67 204 0.008*
C3 106 3.64 1.11 100 3.62 1.17 0.135 204 0.893
C4 106 3.41 1.06 100 3.27 1.12 0.895 204 0.372
C5 106 3.39 1.03 100 2.94 0.993 3.168 204 0.002*
C6 106 3.62 1.01 100 3.77 0.863 -1.123 204 0.263
C7 106 3.61 0.99 100 3.39 0.852 1.729 204 0.085
C8 106 3.44 1.12 100 3.25 1.07 1.266 204 0.207
C9 106 3.54 1.24 100 3.76 1.21 -1.305 204 0.193
C10 106 3.7 1.03 100 3.69 0.907 0.06 204 0.952
C11 106 3.55 1.04 100 3.86 1.03 -2.169 204 0.031*
C12 106 3.52 1.05 100 3.16 1.13 2.354 204 0.02*
C13 106 3.35 1.12 100 3.1 1.14 1.579 204 0.116
Total 106 3.51 1.10 100 3.36 1.08 1.724 204 0.086
*The difference is significant at 0.05.
Finally, the participants were provided additional insights by responding

to the open-ended question, "Would you like to add other difficulties you
face in the learning environment?" Their responses were collected and
categorized based on their frequency. Table 6 presents the difficulties added
by the participants, which were distinct from those addressed in section C of
Sourani et al.
the questionnaire. According to the data presented in Table 6, it is evident

that Arab EFL learners most frequently face challenges related to the lack of
oral practice in the classroom. Anxiety and the role of instructors were
reported as the second most common difficulties experienced by Arab EFL
learners. The learners also highlighted the inappropriate learning environment
as a significant obstacle to their English language learning process. Other
reported difficulties, although present, were not as frequently mentioned.
Table 6
Other Difficulties Faced by Arab EFL Learners
No Difficulty Count
1 Lack of oral practice 6
2 Anxiety 4
3 The instructor 4
4 Inappropriate learning environment 3
5 Difficulty in communication 2
6 Lack of motivation to learn English 2
7 Lack of native English teachers 2
8 Difficulty in answering exam questions. 1
9 Lack of communicative activities 1
10 Lack of a fundamental program 1
11 Lack of variation in activities 1
12 Not enough English classes 1
13 Poor education in schools 1
14 Use of mother language by the instructor 1
15 Use of mother language by students 1
5. Discussion
The findings related to the first research question suggest that Arab EFL
learners hold a generally favorable attitude towards engaging in
communicative activities within the classroom, although there is some
variability in their responses. This aligns with the findings of the previous
studies conducted in various Arab countries, which have explored the
attitudes of both students and teachers toward CLT. For instance, Alharbi
(2021) conducted a study involving 74 Saudi EFL students, revealing a
positive attitude toward the implementation of communicative activities in
their classes. Similarly, Alghamdi (2021) examined 42 EFL Saudi teachers
and found that they also held a positive attitude toward CLT. In a study by
Alshwater (2021) involving 115 Jordanian female students, it was observed

that they exhibited a preference for CLT. Elashhab (2020) investigated the
attitudes of 48 female university students in Saudi Arabia towards
participating in group work in EFL classes, and the majority of participants
displayed positive attitudes. In Morocco, Hattani (2018) explored the
attitudes of 16 EFL teachers and found a positive inclination toward the
implementation of CLT.
Al-Bulushi and Al-Issa (2017) conducted a study in Oman to explore the
attitudes of Omani students and teachers toward the incorporation of games
in language teaching. The findings indicated that the students held a highly
positive attitude towards the use of games, while the teachers' attitude was
moderately positive.
In a separate study conducted in Soran town in northern Iraq, Sherwani
and Kiliç (2017) surveyed 58 EFL Iraqi teachers from secondary and high
school classrooms. The results revealed that the teachers exhibited overall
positive attitudes towards the implementation of CLT approaches.
Furthermore, Asassfeh et al. (2012) investigated the attitudes of 1525
Jordanian EFL school learners towards traditional form-focused instruction
(FFI) and communicative meaning-oriented instruction of English. The
findings demonstrated that the students expressed a preference for meaning-
oriented instruction over FFI, indicating a favorable attitude toward
communicative approaches.
These studies collectively support the notion that Arab EFL learners and
educators exhibit positive attitudes toward the adoption of communicative
language learning methods. These studies contribute to the understanding of
attitudes toward language teaching methodologies within specific contexts.
They provide evidence of positive attitudes towards the use of games, CLT,
and communicative meaning-oriented instruction among students and
Sourani et al.
teachers in Oman, Iraq, and Jordan, respectively. The findings of the present
study further contribute to the existing literature by highlighting the
consistency of these positive attitudes within the Arab EFL context.
Moreover, the comparison between Jordanian and Lebanese EFL students'
responses regarding communicative activities revealed a significant influence
of nationality on attitudes toward the implementation of these activities in the
classroom; there were significant differences in the opinions of Jordanian and
Lebanese EFL students specifically regarding the communicative activities
B5, B8, B12, B14, and B15, with Lebanese students exhibiting more positive
attitudes towards these activities. This is due to the Lebanese students’
exposure to different teaching approaches or educational environments that
prioritize and emphasize communicative language learning. This exposure
could have contributed to their more positive attitudes towards these
activities compared to Jordanian students. The specific activities mentioned
earlier likely have characteristics that are more highly favored by the
Lebanese students, leading to their preference. These activities might involve
more interactive and collaborative tasks, opportunities for authentic
communication, or content that aligns with the cultural background or
interests of Lebanese students. On the other hand, Jordanian students may
have different preferences or experiences that influence their attitudes toward
these activities.
Furthermore, the descriptive statistics have shown that the participants
agree on all the difficulties listed in section C of the questionnaire. However,
the mean values related to individual items show that “C3: fear of making
mistakes, C6: variation in the students’ proficiency level, C7: preference for
exam-oriented English teaching, C9: lack of practice in English outside the
class, C10: traditional ways of teaching and C11: lack of enough
communicative activities in the curriculum” are the major difficulties that

Arab EFL learners suffer from.
Previous studies have also highlighted a range of difficulties and
challenges encountered by Arab EFL learners in CLL. For example, in a
study by Alakrash et al. (2021) involving 50 English language teachers from
25 Syrian public schools in Aleppo Province, four types of challenges were
identified. These included teacher-related challenges such as lack of training,
scarcity of authentic materials, and insufficient knowledge of the English
culture. Students-related challenges encompassed low proficiency levels,
passive learning styles, and lack of motivation. The challenges related to the
educational system included a lack of support, large class sizes, and an
unsuitable curriculum. Additionally, CLT-related challenges were identified,
including the absence of effective and efficient assessment instruments and a
dearth of teaching materials. In a separate study conducted by Diouani (2020)
in Morocco, challenges to the implementation of CLT were attributed to
learners' low proficiency levels and motivation, inappropriate textbooks, and
teachers' limited knowledge of CLT.
Kadi and Madini (2019) conducted a study involving 136 Saudi female
EFL students, who identified factors contributing to their unwillingness to
communicate. These factors included fear of making mistakes, low language
proficiency, fear of negative evaluation, shyness, lack of self-confidence, and
inefficient school education. Similarly, in a study by Sherwani and Kiliç
(2017) involving 58 EFL Iraqi teachers from secondary and preparatory
schools, it was found that the successful implementation of CLT in Iraq
depended on four key factors: the educational system, teachers, students, and
the nature of CLT itself. These findings are in line with the results of the
study by Al Asmari (2015) conducted in the Saudi context.
Sourani et al.
Alyan (2013) investigated the difficulties faced by Palestinian university

students in Gaza and identified several challenges in their oral
communication. These challenges included poor pronunciation and
vocabulary, limited exposure to English, interference from their mother
tongue, lack of self-confidence, and inadequate listening and reading skills.
The findings further revealed that, in general, Jordanian and Lebanese
EFL learners encounter similar challenges. This similarity was determined
through an independent samples t-test, which compared the difficulties faced
by the two groups of learners. However, when examining the difficulties
individually, certain differences emerged. The difficulties of "lack of
motivation for English learning, unwillingness to communicate in English,
deficiency in first language literacy and knowledge, in addition to non-native
English-speaking instructors" were found to be more significant for Jordanian
EFL learners compared to Lebanese EFL learners. This indicates that
Jordanian learners struggle more with these particular aspects of English
language learning. On the other hand, the difficulty of "not having enough
communicative activities in the school's English curriculum" was reported as
a more serious issue for Lebanese EFL learners compared to Jordanian EFL
learners. This suggests that Lebanese learners feel a lack of opportunities to
engage in communicative activities within their English curriculum.
These findings highlight the common difficulties and challenges faced by
Arab EFL learners in various contexts, including factors related to teachers,
students, the education system, and the CLT approach itself. Addressing
these challenges is essential for enhancing the implementation and
effectiveness of CLT in Arab EFL classrooms.
6. Conclusions and Recommendations for Future Studies
This study highlights the importance of considering the specific needs and
challenges faced by learners from different cultural and linguistic
backgrounds. In the case of Jordanian EFL learners, addressing issues such as

motivation, willingness to communicate, first language literacy, and
instructor proficiency may be crucial for enhancing their English language
learning experience. For Lebanese EFL learners, providing more
opportunities for communicative activities within the curriculum could be
beneficial.
Yet, in the Arab cultural context, the implementation of CLT faces
significant challenges in five key areas, which serve as substantial obstacles.
These challenges include inadequate preparation of teachers to effectively
utilize CLT, limited motivation among students due to social and cultural
restraints, a preference for instructor-centered approaches over student-
centered approaches, resource materials that may be perceived as unsuitable
based on cultural standards, and a lack of appropriate assessment techniques.
These factors collectively contribute to the complexity of integrating CLT in
the Arab cultural context, requiring careful consideration and targeted
strategies to address the specific challenges posed by each area. By
addressing these obstacles, it becomes possible to enhance the effectiveness
and applicability of CLT within the Arab EFL classroom.
In a quandary regarding the best solution to employ the instruction of the
English language within an Arabic setting; being trapped between whether to
focus on forms in the sense of teaching language as a discrete set of rules or
focus on communication in the sense of teaching grammar through
communicative tasks and authentic situations (Tosuncuogulu, 2013), and
being unclear about whether to favor accuracy over fluency or vise-versa
have left the teachers in a state of indecision about which approach to
teaching is better in English classrooms within an Arab country.
When striving to establish an effective approach that enhances foreign
language learning for students, two additional factors warrant consideration:
Sourani et al.
the level of enthusiasm displayed by learners and the psychological impact of

each instructional approach. Furthermore, sociocultural and psychological
influences, such as concerns about losing face or discomfort discussing
certain topics, can significantly contribute to students' anxiety when engaging
in peer activities. Consequently, teaching discrete grammatical rules may
offer psychological compensation.
While grammar represents just one aspect of achieving competence in
communication, research has consistently emphasized its importance on par
with other facets. Arab EFL students often encounter difficulties in
comprehending the structural foundations of the English language and
Western cultural nuances due to disparities between English textbooks and
the language used in natural settings. In the Arab context, it is impractical to
employ the CLT without incorporating grammatical competence, as students
and instructors require exposure to grammar to deepen their understanding of
the foreign language. Consequently, grammar and the communicative
teaching approach are considered inseparable aspects of foreign language
instruction in Arab countries.
The findings of the study have implications for language teachers and
curriculum designers. The results highlight the importance of considering
students' cultural backgrounds and preferences when designing and
implementing communicative activities in the EFL setting. By incorporating
activities that appeal to students from different nationalities, educators can
create a more inclusive and engaging learning environment that caters to
diverse student populations. Moreover, the findings from the current study,
along with previous relevant research, highlighted the challenges and
obstacles associated with implementing CLT in Arab countries. These
obstacles have contributed to the limited success of CLT in these educational
contexts. As a result, stakeholders need to take proactive measures in
addressing these barriers and supporting educational institutions in
effectively implementing CLT in EFL classes. Further research could explore

the underlying reasons for these differences in attitudes between Jordanian
and Lebanese EFL students. Additionally, investigating other factors such as
language proficiency, prior exposure to communicative approaches, or
individual learning styles could provide a more comprehensive understanding
of the observed variations in attitudes towards communicative activities.
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APPENDIX A
Dear Learners,
We invite you to take part in this study, which will look at the challenges and
opportunities of CLT in the Arab EFL context. Please complete the following survey,
which includes questions about your CLT experience. The survey should not take more
than 5 minutes. Your responses will be anonymous, confidential, and only used for
research purposes.
If you have any questions, please contact: f.abdelfattah@aau.edu.jo,
maha.sourani@ul.edu.lb
Section A. Personal Information
1. Country: list of countries
2. University Level: Undergraduate students or graduate students
3. Gender: Male, female
4. Major (College): Health, Engineering, Science, Humanities and Social Sciences,
Business.
Section B. The following are statements that describe things that might happen in an
English as a Foreign Language (EFL) class. Please give your personal opinions about
them by choosing one of the answers. Do you like …? 3: Always, 2: Rarely, 1: Never.
Serial Description 3 2 1
Always Rarely Never
B1 to do a written exercise in which you are asked to
fill in the correct forms of verbs in sentences?
B2 to be given the words to a current hit song in
English, and then listen to the recording, or watch
the video?
B3 the instructor to give you a list of words that occur
in a story or article, and then ask you to look up the
words in an English-English dictionary to copy the
definitions?
B4 the instructor to divide you into small groups in
which you and your classmates talk about things
you like and things you don’t.
B5 the instructor to explain a grammatical rule that is
printed in the textbook in English, and then give
you examples in English as well?
B6 the instructor is to speak ARABIC when explaining
a grammatical rule that is printed in the textbook,
and then give examples in English
B7 to find and report on an interesting newspaper or
magazine article in English?
B8 the instructor to correct all mistakes in your
exercises?
B9 to receive a sheet of paper with many sentences
like:
_______________________ is a fantastic dancer.
_______________________ has visited a big city.
and then move around the classroom, ask your
classmates questions in English, and try to fill the
blanks with as many different names as possible.
B10 the instructor to speak a series of sentences and ask
the entire class to respond orally to each sentence
by changing it in some way? For example:
John walks to school.
INSTRUCTOR: John doesn’t walk to
CLASS: school.
INSTRUCTOR: John is walking to school.
CLASS: John isn’t walking to
school.
B11 the instructor to call on all students, in turn, to
change a sentence in some way? For example:
‘‘John walks to school’’,
Maria.
INSTRUCTOR: John doesn’t walk to
MARIA: school.
INSTRUCTOR: Very good. ‘‘John is walking
VICTOR: to school’’, Victor.
John isn’t walking to
school.
B12 the instructor to lead a class discussion of a topic
such as population problems, movies, or places to
visit in your country.
B13 to interview English speakers and report on the
interviews in English?
B14 to do an exercise in which you should find grammar
mistakes and correct the mistakes?
B15 the instructor to give you feedback on how much
you have learned.
Section C: The following are some difficulties that other students in EFL situations had
in adopting communicative activities. Did you come across these difficulties or do you
think they might be difficulties for you in using communicative activities?
5: Strongly Agree, 4: Agree, 3: Neutral, 2: Disagree, 1: Strongly Disagree

Difficulties related to you or other STUDENTS while 5 4 3 2 1
Sourani et al.
learning in English class SA A N D SD
C1 lack of motivation for English learning
C2 unwillingness to communicate in English
C3 fear of making mistakes
C4 low English-speaking proficiency
C5 having low first language cognitive resources
“deficiency in first language literacy &
knowledge”
C6 Variations between students’ levels of general
English proficiency
C7 preference for exam-oriented English teaching
C8 resistance to communicative activities.
C9 not having enough opportunities to practice
English in real situations outside the
classroom.
C10 teachers' preferences to teach English using
more traditional ways.
C11 not having enough communicative activities in
the school’s English curriculum.
C12 non-native English-speaking instructors.
C13 large class size.
Section D: Would you like to add other difficulties you face in the learning environment?
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………
Thank you!
2023 by the authors. Licensee Journal of Teaching

English Language (TEL). This is an open access article
distributed under the terms and conditions of the
Creative Commons Attribution–Non Commercial 4.0
International (CC BY-NC 4.0 license).
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0).

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Teaching English Language, Vol. 17, No. 2, Summer & Fall 2023, pp.

Teaching English Language Journal

Please cite this paper as follows:

Exploring the Challenges of the Communicative

acclimatizing CLT to the needs of non-native learners in this poly-lingual and

Hymes (1972) pinpointed the weaknesses concerning Chomsky's model.

students in the Arab world “illustrate similar patterns of behavior” (Bax,

which ultimately leads to comprehending and scrutinizing the

Procedure alterations have acted on changes in the pedagogical

concentrate on vocabularies that are inappropriate for the teaching context in

of their English classes at the university level. Consequently, they possessed

findings suggest that the questionnaire demonstrated an acceptable level of

perception of CLL difficulties between Jordanian EFL learners and Lebanese

Finally, the participants were provided additional insights by responding

the questionnaire. According to the data presented in Table 6, it is evident

Alshwater (2021) involving 115 Jordanian female students, it was observed

communicative activities in the curriculum” are the major difficulties that

Alyan (2013) investigated the difficulties faced by Palestinian university

backgrounds. In the case of Jordanian EFL learners, addressing issues such as

the level of enthusiasm displayed by learners and the psychological impact of

effectively implementing CLT in EFL classes. Further research could explore

Al-Khafaji, R. S. (2015). An application of the communicative language

ElBoubekri, A. (2022). Investigating teachers’ perceptions of L1 use in

Sarmin, F. (2022). Challenges faced by high school teachers of the low-

5: Strongly Agree, 4: Agree, 3: Neutral, 2: Disagree, 1: Strongly Disagree

2023 by the authors. Licensee Journal of Teaching

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