Communication strategies have a big role in learning target language since they can be the tool in solving communication problem. Both teacher and students need to use the strategies in communicating to keep the conversation flow smoothly. By using qualitative research, this study was composed to find out the types of communication strategies used by the English teacher during the teaching process and to explain the implementation of those strategies in the classroom. Dornyei’s taxonomy (1995) was used as the guideline of this study and the data was collected by doing observation, audio recording and interviewing the teacher in SMAN 3 Banda Aceh. The result showed that eight strategies were used by the English teacher included three additional strategies that appeared during teaching process out of thirteen strategies; (1) use of all-purpose word, (2) use of non-linguistics means, (3) code switching, (4) appeal for help, (5) stalling or time gaining strategy, (6) repetition, (7) asking for confirmation, and (8)comprehension check. Based on the result, stalling and time gaining strategy was the highest number of strategies used by the teacher in the classroom. Meanwhile the least number of strategies used was repetition. In addition, the teacher only implemented compensatory strategies in the class since the eight strategies were included into it. Therefore, it could be inferred that teacher who commonly applied compensatory strategies had high proficiency in English. Thus, by conducting this study, the teacher was expected to use and choose the best strategies to overcome the communication problem in the classroom. It was also suggested that the further study to compare the strategies used by the English teacher in one school with another.