Abstract
The foremost objective of this research paper is to scrutinize the effect of
Communicative Approach, in contrast to Traditional Approach, on male and female
students’ retention of the learnt material in English, at Secondary level. For this
purpose, pre-test Post-test equivalent group design was adopted. After ensuring
feasibility of the experiment, Pakistan International Public School and College (PIPS),
Abbottabad was selected for the research. Both male and female students of 10th
grade were taken as target population for the study. A teacher made test covering
the proposed units for treatment was administered to students of 10th class, and 100
students (male=60, female= 40) were selected as sample and were consigned to
experimental (n=50) and control (n=50) groups, using matched random sampling
technique. The control group was imparted by dint of traditional teaching method in
contrast, experimental group was treated by teaching through Communicative
approach, for a period of twelve (12) weeks. The factors of learning material,
learning time, and teacher were controlled to maintain the conditions for both the
groups. After one month of the completion of the experiment, once again the
achievement test was given out as retaining test to experimental and control groups.
The post-test scores were used as data for the study; t-test and ANOVA were used as
statistical tools. The analyzed data indicated a significant effect of treatment on
students’ retention of the learnt material. It further revealed that girls’ retention
level of learnt material was same as the boys. It is concluded that communicative
approach for teaching and learning L2 is an effective pedagogy.
