Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) in English as Foreign Language (EFL) Classrooms: A Systematic Review of Its Pedagogical Effectiveness and Classroom Implementation

Abstract

This study presents a systematic review of empirical research on Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) in EFL contexts, with the aim of examining how CLT is implemented in classroom settings, how it influences students’ language proficiency, and what contextual challenges shape its effectiveness. The review followed the PRISMA 2020 framework and included studies published between 2015 and 2025 that were retrieved from Scopus and Google Scholar using combinations of keywords related to CLT, EFL classrooms, instructional effectiveness, implementation challenges, and language proficiency development. The selection process involved title–abstract screening and full-text eligibility assessment based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, resulting in 18 empirical studies retained from an initial pool of 309 records. The included studies were further classified by thematic focus, research method, and research location, and three key thematic areas were identified: (1) pedagogical effectiveness, (2) impact on students’ English proficiency, and (3) implementation challenges. The findings indicate that CLT promotes interaction-oriented instruction and contributes positively to students’ communicative competence, particularly in speaking, listening, and classroom engagement, while evidence for grammar, reading, and writing development remains less consistent due to variation in instructional design and assessment emphasis across studies. The review also shows that implementation outcomes are strongly influenced by contextual constraints such as limited teacher training, mixed-ability classes, large enrollments, restricted instructional time, and exam-driven curricula. Overall, the findings suggest that CLT remains a valuable pedagogical approach in EFL contexts, and its effectiveness depends on appropriate implementation and alignment between instructional practices and learners’ proficiency levels and classroom realities.