Which approach emphasizes starting with language systems and using them later, focusing on shallow-end communication first?

• A. Strong CLT
• B. Weak CLT
• C. Topic
• D. Notion

Answer: (B)

The key idea here is how instruction is sequenced in communicative approaches. Emphasizing language systems first means giving explicit attention to grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation in a structured way, and then having students apply what they’ve learned in later, authentic-sounding use. Pair that with starting with shallow-end communication—simple, low-stakes tasks that let learners strings together the forms they’ve just studied—and you’re describing a pacing that prioritizes form and controlled practice upfront, with communicative use unfolding afterward. That sequencing is characteristic of a weaker version of CLT, where accuracy and form are built before pushing into more open-ended negotiation of meaning. Strong CLT, by contrast, tends to push for meaningful communication from the start with less initial focus on form. The topic and notion frameworks describe different organizing principles that aren’t about this particular order of form-focused work followed by communicative use.