iarjhssIARJHSSIARJHSS2708-6267https://doi.org/10.47310/iarjhss.2021.v02i02.033A Study on the Use of Communicative Language Teaching Approach to Teach English in Schools in Rathnapura District - Sri LankaM.A.MudithaLakmaliG.PrahalathanTemporary Lecturer, University of Kelaniya, Sri LankaSenior Lecturer, University of Kelaniya, Sri LankaThe Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) approach is meant for communication. The Sri Lankan Government has adopted the communicative approach to teach English in government schools to give more opportunities for students to communicate among themselves and with the teacher. However, the English Language Teaching (ELT) in Sri Lanka has not been able to achieve its intended objectives. English teachers of Sri Lankan government schools use many teaching methodologies and some of them have been proved less effective. Accordingly, this study aims to investigate whether the Communicative Language Teaching approach used in the schools of Rathnapura district is effective in English language teaching. The Sample of this study involved 240 students from grade 10 and 6 teachers from four schools who teach English for grade 10 students. A mixed-method research framework was used in this study. Direct observations, semi-structured interviews with the teachers, and questionnaires for both students and teachers were used to collect data. The qualitative data were analyzed through Thematic Analysis and the quantitative data were analyzed through Statistical Package of the Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings of the study proved that most of the schools use the CLT approach instead of traditional approaches but only one school has implemented the CLT approach at a satisfactory level. Using the CLT approach enhances student engagement and their active participation in classroom activities. Thus, CLT is a more effective way of teaching the English language, which enables the learners to communicate using the language rather than learning a set of grammar rules alone.