ERIC Number: ED217696
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1981-Dec
Pages: 14
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Testing Communicative Competence: Problems and Perspectives.
Courchene, Robert J.; De Bagheera, Jean Ivan
Medium, v6 n4 p57-69 Dec 1981
A model for communicative competence, developed by Swain and Canale describes four competences within the concept of communicative competence. These are linguistic, sociolinguistic, discourse, and strategic competence. Each one involves knowledge of and ability to use the competence in question. This model raises questions on several counts; for example, what is the nature of interrelationships between the competences? There are also questions concerning the transfer and universality of the competences, and questions concerning the function of strategic competence in the second language as opposed to the first. Other questions arise concerning the basis for communicative competence as outlined in the model, as well as its lack of attention to the role of the listener in a conversation, and the criteria listeners use to judge the communicative competence of native and non-native speakers. Empathy and interaction management would have to be part of a communicative competence test. A model is proposed that would include the first three competences listed above, but that would replace strategic competence by interactive competence including things such as empathy, interaction management and behavioral management. (AMH)
Publication Type: Opinion Papers; Journal Articles
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: Public Service Commission of Canada, Ottawa (Ontario).
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A