Are there any methods alternative to Communicative approach?

        As you know there are no ideal method suitable for every situation and any type of learner. Every method,including Communicative langauge teaching,doesn't always allow to achieve the best results. Although this approach  might have many advantages and strong points,it's not always applicable because of students' individual characteristics,their aims and experience. 

 For example, watch the video  Susan Cain The Power of Introverts 

  

   It turns out that  introverts (who are intrapersonal learners) don't necessarily  enjoy group or pair work which is one of the main forms in modern language learning. Their solitude is a prerequsite of effective and creative work.

  There are students with analytical attitude of mind who are contrary to main principles of Communicative Language Teaching want to sort out every detail of  grammar rules.

 Thorough  critical analysis of a Communicative Approach was made by Michael Swan -  

part 1  and  part 2.

  He mantioned positive changes of "communicative revolution" which pushed out translation and cramming,though he criticizes some practical techniques: there is no point in teaching anticipation because we can do that very well and to guess from the context is not always possible.

     J. Dean Mellow, Douglas Brown are founders of   Principled electivism. They suggest fitting the method to the learner,not the learner t the method. It is based on Comminicative Language Teaching but  more attention is paid to students' motivation and  autonomy and taking learners' needs into consideration.

  One of the branches of Communicative approach is  Task-based teaching, whose supporters claim that their lessons are ultimately communicative. 

What's in Wikipedia about it?

"  Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT), also known as task-based instruction (TBI), focuses on the use of authentic language and on asking students to do meaningful tasks using the target language. Such tasks can include visiting a doctor, conducting an interview, or calling customer service for help. Assessment is primarily based on task outcome (in other words the appropriate completion of real world tasks) rather than on accuracy of prescribed language forms. This makes TBLT especially popular for developing target language fluency and student confidence. As such TBLT can be considered a branch of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT).

TBLT was popularized by N. Prabhu while working in Bangalore, India. Prabhu noticed that his students could learn language just as easily with a non-linguistic problem as when they were concentrating on linguistic questions. Major scholars who have done research in this area include Teresa P. Pica and Michael Long."  

The same problematic learning is within Comminucative approach.But the difference is that in majority of textbooks syllabus is well structured though it doesn't always  apply to student's need who might have more difficulties not in the target grammar structure planned to be learnt this lesson.

 The example of a lesson plan within this method. More  information.

Another very interesting method is  Dogme teaching. What's in Wikipedia about it?

"Dogme language teaching is considered to be both a methodology and a movement. Dogme is a communicative approach to language teaching that encourages teaching without published textbooks and focuses instead on conversational communication among learners and teacher. It has its roots in an article by the language education author,Scott Thornbury. The Dogme approach is also referred to as “Dogme ELT”, which reflects its origins in the ELT (English language teaching) sector. "

  In this method students feel more reponsibility for their learning,the lesson is creative and spontaneous,teacher's preparation is minimum. Grammar and vocabulary should arise naturally during the lesson, materials including listening tracks should be produced by students.

   In spite of all advantages,Dogme teaching can be really challenging and stressful for unexperienced teachers and not all students are ready to control their learning.

More information.

Watch the  example of the lesson:

   All things considered, all ultramodern methods are built on Communicative Language Teaching. Not all teachers can use it effectively:

- they don't work on error correction

- don't use guided discovery when they teach grammar 

-they just maintain conversation with students and think that  they do everything which is required by Communicative approach forgetting that even speaking lesson should be varied and carefully planned.

- exclude native language at all at the early stages.

 As a result some students and teacher think that Communicative aproach doesn't work.

 Pay attention to some books on Language teaching which can help you to develop you professional skills.

Jim Scrivener Learning Teaching

Scott Thornburry A-Z of ELT Methodology

Michael Lewis Practical Techniques Language Teaching

Jeremy Harmer How to Teach English