Assessing the Use of Communicative Language Teaching in German Classes at Federal Universities in South West Nigeria

This study assesses the extent to which Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) principles are implemented in German language instruction at federal universities in the South West geopolitical zone of Nigeria. CLT, which prioritises authentic communication, learner interaction, and the development of functional language competence over formal grammar drilling, has been widely endorsed in foreign language teaching literature but faces implementation challenges in resource-constrained environments. The study employs a mixed-methods design combining structured classroom observations across 12 German language lecture sessions at three federal universities with questionnaires administered to 15 German language lecturers. The observational data are coded using a validated CLT implementation checklist, while questionnaire data capture teacher beliefs, training backgrounds, and perceived barriers. Findings indicate that CLT is endorsed in principle by the majority of lecturers but that actual classroom practice remains predominantly grammar-focused, with limited opportunities for open-ended communicative tasks. Key barriers include large class sizes, examination pressure, and insufficient teacher confidence in facilitating spontaneous interaction in German. The study recommends intensive CLT-focused professional development workshops and the redesign of assessment formats to reward communicative competence more directly. Keywords: communicative language teaching, German language, federal universities, South West Nigeria, language pedagogy.