English in and for the EU, A “Must” but Not Just Anyway – Political Valences of Communicative Language Teaching in the 21st Century

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to outline deficiencies and try to find solutions to flawed and outdated practices in ELT in numerous Romanian schools and institutions of tertiary education. An advocate of a balanced and open-minded communicative approach in ELT, as a political component to proper EU adjustment, the article points out the importance communicatively instilled competencies in learners, in a timely manner. These are of utmost importance for the latter’s future social and professional lives as EU citizens. The article underlines the way in which good teaching practices impact the manner in which learners, as recipients of these practices, shall easier find a job and adjust to the labor market which requires communicative competencies, openness and flexibility in communication, irrespective of the domain. The European multicultural, multi-lingual labor market demands skills, abilities, and competencies which are the outcome of avant-garde teaching techniques which consolidate independent thinking, reasoning, and action combined with a strong sense of responsibility and behavioral, social patterns as supported by the European Council.

Keywords: labor market, pattern, communicative, competence.