An Eclectic Integration of the Audiolingual Method and Communicative Language Teaching in the Chinese EFL Context

Abstract

The prevailing paradigm in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) prioritizes learner-centeredness and authentic meaning negotiation. However, implementing pure Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) in the Chinese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context often conflicts with institutional realities, such as large class sizes and high-stakes examination pressures. Addressing these constraints, this paper proposes a hybrid framework based on systematic Eclecticism. This study advocates for a dual-phase approach that integrates the structural accuracy of the Audiolingual Method (ALM) with the communicative fluency of CLT. In this framework, ALM serves as a structural scaffold to provide lexical and grammatical foundations, thereby preventing cognitive overload and error fossilization. Subsequently, CLT functions as the output mechanism, utilizing micro-tasks and delayed correction to facilitate language production and lower affective filters. This study reconceptualizes learner-centeredness within exam-oriented contexts, offering educators a pragmatic methodology that balances institutional performance metrics with communicative competence.