Using Communicative Approach for Language Teaching in Sri Lankan Secondary Schools

English as a second language curriculum in Sri Lankan public schools aims at enhancing knowledge-building through the use of communicative language teaching (CLT) while assisting both the teachers and the learners to solve problems. In this case study, we investigated the extent of teachers’ inclination to use the CLT approach. The study was guided by Socio-Cultural Theory (SCT) and the Experiential Learning Theory (ELT). Five purposively selected participants in a popular secondary school in Colombo District in Sri Lanka responded to semi structured interviews and were observed while they were teaching. The analysis revealed that although teachers understood that knowledge-building can be enhanced by CLT they are less prepared to implement it because they lack the skills and the competencies in doing so. Further, teachers prefer to follow traditional pedagogic practices that do not lead to knowledge-building in learners. We recommend that a number of workshops be offered to in-service teachers who follow the Postgraduate Diploma in Education in Universities and the other Teacher Training Institutes on how to employ CLT activities that enhance knowledge-building in the secondary school students.