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Task-Based Language Teaching

The document discusses task-based language teaching. It defines two types of tasks: 1) real-world or target tasks that involve using language in real situations outside the classroom and 2) pedagogical tasks that are structured language learning activities used in the classroom. Pedagogical tasks have clear objectives and procedures and are meant to focus students on communicating meaning rather than just practicing language forms. The document also outlines principles of task-based teaching like needs-based content, authentic materials, focus on communication and learning processes, and connecting classroom learning to real-world language use.

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Mega Hatta
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
150 views

Task-Based Language Teaching

The document discusses task-based language teaching. It defines two types of tasks: 1) real-world or target tasks that involve using language in real situations outside the classroom and 2) pedagogical tasks that are structured language learning activities used in the classroom. Pedagogical tasks have clear objectives and procedures and are meant to focus students on communicating meaning rather than just practicing language forms. The document also outlines principles of task-based teaching like needs-based content, authentic materials, focus on communication and learning processes, and connecting classroom learning to real-world language use.

Uploaded by

Mega Hatta
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Task-Based Language Teaching

1. Real world or target tasks


They refer to uses of language in the world
beyond the classroom.
2. Pedagogical tasks
They include tasks that occur in the classroom.
Task-based teaching has strengthened the following principles and
practices:
1. A needs-based approach to content selection
2. An emphasis on learning to communicate through interaction in the
target language.
3. The introduction of authentic texts into the learning situation.
4. The provision of opportunities for learners to focus not only on
language but also on the learning process itself.
5. An enhancement of the learners personal experiences as important
contributing elements to classroom learning.
6. The linking of classroom language learning with the language use
outside the classroom
Pedagogical tasks
Pedagogical tasks are any structured language learning
endeavor which has a particular objective, appropriate
content, a specified working procedure, and a range of
outcomes for those who undertake the task.
(Breen in Nunan, 2004)
A pedagogical task is a piece of classroom work that
involves learners in comprehending, manipulating,
producing or interacting in the target language while
their attention is focused on mobilizing their
grammatical knowledge in order to express meaning,
and in which the intention is to convey meaning
rather than to manipulate form.
(Nunan, 2004)
A task is a workplan that requires learners to process language
pragmatically in order to achieve an outcome that can be
evaluated in terms of whether the correct or appropriate
propositional content has been conveyed. To this end, it
requires them to give primary attention to meaning and to make
use of their own linguistic resources, although the design of the
task may predispose them to choose particular forms. A task is
intended to result in language use that bears a resemblance,
direct or indirect, to the way language is used in the real world.
Like other language activities, a task can engage productive or
receptive, and oral or written skills and also varius cognitive
processes.
Experiential learning is emphasized
- Transformation of knowledge within the learner rather than
transmission of knowledge from the teacher to the learner.
- Small and collaborative groups
- Emphasis on process than product, learning how to learn, self-
inquiry, social and communication skills.
- Self-directed rather than teacher-directed learning
- Intrinsic rather than extrinsic motivation
A framework for task-based language
teaching
1. Principles of task-based language teaching
Scaffolding
Task dependency
Recycling
Active learning
Integration
Reproduction to creation
Reflection
2. Developing units of work
Schema building
Controlled practice
Authentic listening practice
Focus on linguistic elements
Provide freer practice
Introduce the pedagogical task
3. Task components
Content: the subject matter to be taught
Materials: the things that learners can observe/manipulate
Activities: the things that learners and teachers will be doing
during a lesson
Goals: the teachers general aims for the task (these much
more general and vague than objectives)
Students: their abilities, needs and interests are important
Social community: the class as a whole and its sense of
groupness
Task types
There are some ways of classifying task types.
Among others:
A. Based on communicative language use
1. The earliest one:
a. Information-gap activity
b. Reasoning-gap activity
c. Opinion-gap activity
2. The one proposed by Pattison (1987)
a. Questions and answers
b. Dialogues and role plays
c. Matching activities
d. Communication strategies
e. Pictures and picture stories
f. Puzzles and problems
g. Discussions and decisions
3. Proposed by Richards (2001):
a. Jigsaw tasks
b. Information-gap tasks
c. Problem-solving tasks
c. Decision- making tasks
d. Opinion exchange tasks
B. Based on the strategies underpinning them:
1. Cognitive
a. classifying
b. predicting
c. inducing
d. taking notes
e. concept mapping
f. inferencing
g. discriminating
h. diagramming
2. Interpersonal
a. co-operating
b. role playing
3. Linguistic
a. conversational patterns
b. practicing
c. using context
d. summarizing
e. selective listening
f. skimming
4. Affective
a. personalizing
b. self-evaluating
c. reflecting

5. Creative
brainstorming
EXAMPLE
Task Difficulty
Easier More difficult
Learner
is confident is not confident
is motivated to carry out the task is not motivated
has prior necessary learning activities has no
can learn at pace required cannot
has necessary language skills does not have
has relevant cultural knowledge does not have
Easier More difficult
Tasks
Low cognitive complexity cognitively complex
Has few steps has many steps
Plenty of context provided no context
Plenty of help available no help available
does not require grammatical grammatical accuracy
accuracy required
Has as much as necessary has little time
Easier More difficult

Text/Input

Is short, not dense (few facts) is long and dense


Clear presentation presentation not clear
Plenty7 of contextual clues few contextual clues
Familiar, everyday content unfamiliar content

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