COMMUNICATIVE APPROACH IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING

This article explores the theoretical prerequisites for the Communicative Approach in English language teaching, drawing upon the framework established by Clifford H. Prator in "Cornerstones of Method and Names for the Profession." While the history of language teaching has often been characterized by pendulum swings between opposing methods, Prator argues for a transition from intuitive "art" to applied "science." This paper analyzes Prator’s three identified cornerstones—Linguistics, Psychology, and Aims of Instruction—to demonstrate how shifts in these fields necessitated a move away from mechanical audiolingual drills toward meaning-focused communication. Special attention is given to the impact of the Chomskyan revolution in psycholinguistics and the critical distinction between Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL) and Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) in defining communicative objectives.