Task-based Teaching

Tania Iveson BA CELTA

People We Love

Is this a task?

• Does the activity engage learners’ interest?• Is the primary focus on meaning that is

learner generated (not simply regurgitating someone else’s)?

• Is there an outcome / communicative goal?• Does it relate to real-world activities?• Is the primary goal to produce specific

language?

Willis (1996)

• “A task is a goal-oriented communicative activity with a specific outcome, where the emphasis is on exchanging meanings, not on producing specific language forms.”

Which ones are tasks?

What was their legacy? (Just Right Advanced, MCELT)

Culture shock (Tapestry 2, Heinle & Heinle)

Last Saturday (Interchange Intro, CUP)

Which ones are tasks?

What was their legacy? (Just Right Advanced, MCELT)

Culture shock (Tapestry 2, Heinle & Heinle)

Last Saturday (Interchange Intro, CUP)

How do we adapt and refine activities to make them into tasks?

add a communicative goal / purpose

get creative to better ensure engagement at starting point

personalize

consider learner interests

add a report stage to the feedback

Which of the following instructions do NOT indicate a communicative goal?

Order / Sort Discuss List

Create a … Compare and decide Match

Solve the problem Choose Talk with your

partner about …

How do we ensure the success of a task-based lesson?

In other words, the activity is one thing…how it’s used is another.

Consider

• How the lesson begins• How the teacher ‘supports’ the task• How and when the teacher corrects target

language• How the teacher does feedback• How the interaction is organized

Who’s to blame?

Perceived problems

What about

grammar!

Student motivatio

n

Fear of losing

control

Lack of time

Not suitable for low levels

Benefits of TBT

• Challenge, not spoon feeding• Focus on real world use of language• Clarifies context• Practices choosing appropriate language • Positive group dynamics• Existing knowledge recognized• Establishing the need to know

Key teacher affective qualities that impact on success

• Expectations• Willingness to share• Empathy• Flexibility• Tolerance• Enthusiasm

Bibliography

• Willis, J & Willis, D. (2007). Doing Task-based Teaching. Oxford University press.

• Van den Branden, K. (2006). Task-Based Language Education (From theory to practice). Cambridge Applied Linguistics.