DAVID CARDONA

ARELY MIRANDA
FREDY SALAZAR
MONICA SANTIZO
TASK AND PROJECT WORK
CLASSROOM PRESENTATION
TASK-BASED TEACHING
Task-based language learning has its origins in communicative
language teaching, and is a subcategory of it. Educators
adopted task-based language learning for a variety of reasons.
Some moved to task-based syllabi in an attempt to make
language in the classroom truly communicative, rather than the
pseudo-communication that results from classroom activities
with no direct connection to real-life situations. Others, like
Prabhu in the Bangalore Project, thought that tasks were a way
of tapping into learners' natural mechanisms for second-
language acquisition, and weren't concerned with real-life
communication per se.
Definition of a Task

1. A task involves a primary focus on (pragmatic) meaning.
2. A task has some kind of gap (Prabhu identified the three
main types as information gap, reasoning gap, and opinion
gap).
3. The participants choose the linguistic resources needed to
complete the task.
4. A task has a clearly defined, non-linguistic outcome.
Outline
Pre-task
In the pre-task, the teacher will give
instructions of what will be expected of the
students in the task phase. The instructors may
also present a model of the task by either doing
it themselves or by presenting picture, audio,
or video demonstrating the task.
Task
During the task phase, the students perform the
task, typically in small groups, although this is
dependent on the type of activity. And unless the
teacher plays a particular role in the task, then the
teacher's role is typically limited to one of an
observer or counsellorthus the reason for it being
a more student-centered methodology.
Review
Since learners have created tangible
linguistic products, e.g. text, montage,
presentation, audio or video recording,
classmates should review each other's
work and offer constructive feedback.
Types of task
Information Gap Task
An information-gap activity involves a transfer of given information from one person to another
or from one form to another, or from one place to another and generally calls for the decoding
or encoding of information from or into language. One example is pair work in which each
member of the pair has a part of the total information (for example an incomplete picture) and
attempts to convey it verbally to the other. Another example is completing a tabular
representation with information available in a given piece of text. The activity often involves
selection of relevant information as well, and learners may have to meet criteria of completeness
and correctness in making the transfer.
Reasoning Gap Task
A reasoning-gap activity involves deriving some new information from given
information through processes of inference, deduction, practical reasoning, or a
perception of relationships or patterns. One example is working out a teachers
timetable on the basis of given class timetables. Another is deciding what course of
action is best (for example cheapest or quickest) for a given purpose and within
given constraints. The activity necessarily involves comprehending and conveying
information, as in information-gap activity, but the information to be conveyed is
not identical with that initially comprehended. There is a piece of reasoning which
connects the two.
Opinion Gap Task
An opinion-gap activity involves identifying and articulating a personal
preference, feeling, or attitude in response to a given situation. One example
is story completion; another is taking part in the discussion of a social issue.
The activity may involve using factual information and formulating arguments
to justify ones opinion, but there is no objective procedure for demonstrating
outcomes as right or wrong, and no reason to expect the same outcome from
different individuals or on different occasions.
An Example Of Task-Based Learning Framework
According to J. Willis (1996), a task means a goal-oriented activity with a clear purpose. Doing a communication
task involves achieving an outcome, creating a final product that can be appreciated by other people. Some
examples include compiling a list of reasons, features, or things that need doing under particular circumstances;
comparing two pictures and/or texts to find the differences; and solving a problem or designing a brochure.
Tasks can be used as the central component of a three part framework: "pre-task," "task cycle," and "language
focus." These components have been carefully designed to create four optimum conditions for language
acquisition, and thus provide rich learning opportunities to suit different types of learners.
The following framework outlines the roles of the teacher and learners during a task-based learning (TBL)
lesson.
Pre-Task
Introduction to
topic and task
Task
Cycle
Task Planning Report
Language Focus
Analysis and
Practice
How learning happens
Learners get exposure at the pre-task stage, and a chance to recall things they know. The task cycle gives them speaking and
writing exposure with opportunities for students to learn from each other.
The task cycle also gives students opportunities to use whatever language they have, both in private (where mistakes,
hesitations, and approximate renderings do not matter so long as the meaning is clear) and in public (where there is a built-
in desire to strive for accuracy of form and meaning, so as not to lose face).
Motivation (short term) is provided mainly by the need to achieve the objectives of the task and to report back on it.
Success in doing this can increase longer term motivation. Motivation to listen to fluent speakers doing the task is strong
too, because in attempting the task, learners will notice gaps in their own language, and will listen carefully to hear how
fluent speakers express themselves.
A focus on form is beneficial in two phases in the framework. The planning stage between the private task and the public
report promotes close attention to language form. As learners strive for accuracy, they try to organise their reports clearly
and check words and patterns they are not sure of. In the final component, language analysis activities also provide a focus
on form through consciousness-raising processes. Learners notice and reflect on language features, recycle the task
language, go back over the text or recording and investigate new items, and practise pronouncing useful phrases.
Implication on teaching grammar
Language Analysis Activities
People have often been under the impression that task-based learning means "forget the
grammar." This would not be a wise move.
The aim of analysis activities is to encourage learners to investigate language for themselves,
and to form and test their own hypotheses about how language works. In the task-based
cycle, the language data comes from the texts or transcripts of recordings used in the task
cycle, or from samples of language they have read or heard in earlier lessons. Having already
processed these texts and recordings for meaning, students will get far more out of their
study of language form.
Analysis activities can be followed by quick bursts of oral or written practice, or dictionary
reference work (see Willis & Willis, 1996 for specific ideas). Finally, students need time to
note down useful words, phrases, and patterns into a language notebook. Regular revision of
these will help vocabulary acquisition.
EXAMPLE: Integrating grammar using a task-based model of instruction

Topic: How does upbringing affect attitudes?

Step 1
The teacher introduces the theme by telling a short anecdote about her school days, which
demonstrates, for example, the relaxed approach to the dress-code operating in her school. She
uses this story to check the meaning of easygoing and its opposite, strict.
Step 2
The teacher invites one or two learners to recount related
experiences. She suggests that many people react against a strict
upbringing by adopting very easygoing attitudes as parents, and
vice versa. Since there is some argument about this, she suggests
that the class conduct a survey, in which they canvass each other
to see if there is any correlation between previous experience and
present attitudes. She organizes the class into pairs to prepare
questions, which they write down.
Step 3
The teacher organizes the pairs of
students into groups of four, and asks
them to try out their questions on each
other, and to make a mental note of the
answers. She monitors the interactions,
noting down examples of student
productions that could be improved, but
she doesn't correct them at this point.
Step 4
The teacher asks the class to listen to a
recording of some fluent English speakers
chatting on the same theme. The conversation
includes various examples of the language of
coercion. The teacher asks some general gist
questions about the conversation - for example,
which of the speakers had a strict upbringing,
which had an easygoing one? She then hands
out a transcript of the recording, and replays
the tape while they read.
Step 5
Students then study the transcript with a
view to finding language that might be
useful in the survey task, particularly
language related to the notions of being
strict and easygoing. They list these in
two columns: adjectives and verbs.
Students work in pairs on this task, and
then the teacher elicits ideas on to the
board.
Step 6
The students then return to their survey
task - but are first given a chance to
redraft and refine their questions in
pairs. They are then paired off with
different students than the ones they
were talking to earlier (in Step 3).
Step 7
The teacher then asks students, working
in their original pairs, to prepare a report
on their findings, with a view to
answering the question: How does
upbringing affect attitudes? Individual
students are asked to present their
report to the class. A general discussion
ensues.
CONCLUSION
It is clear that content-based projects strengthen EFL students academic skills. The fact that students
choose the topic themselves and decide the way they want to give the presentation makes them
interested and engaged in the process. A fun element is added to the class. It is recommended that
students do such projects at an early stage of their university life; they could work as a springboard for
many tasks that students have to complete, including working on minor and major projects, giving
individual and joint presentations, as well as engaging in discussions and debates. Students who take
part in content-based projects are apt to function well in many other aspects of university life that
include communicative and critical thinking skills.
TBL offers a change from the grammar practice routines through which many learners have previously
failed to learn to communicate. It encourages learners to experiment with whatever English they can
recall, to try things out without fear of failure and public correction, and to take active control of their
own learning, both in and outside class.
For the teacher, the framework offers security and control. While it may be true that TBL is an adventure,
it can be undertaken within the safety of an imaginatively designed playground.
PROJECT WORK
What is a project?
It is a display of task outcome, collaborative interaction. It
involves planning, execution, constant evaluation, reflection,
end product, demonstration. It is done inside a classroom and
the participating group size does not matter and it does not
affect outcomes or learning procedures either. Projects to be
successful should integrate four skills, with differentiation and
accommodating to the varied ability levels and interests.
This presentation introduces content-based projects as one way that can help students enhance their
language skills, and do so in an engaging manner.
The topic of Content-Based Instruction (CBI) and project work has become increasingly important in recent
years. Content-based projects are believed to help learners develop both language skills and better
knowledge of the world according to Fredricka Stoller, associate professor at Northern Arizona University.
Projects, Stoller adds, make classrooms "vibrant learning environments that require active student
involvement, stimulate higher-level thinking skills, and give students responsibility for their own learning" and
that in CBI "language proficiency is achieved by shifting the focus of instruction from the learning of language
per se to the learning of language through the study of subject matter."
The four language skills are integrated when students engage in content-based activities. Students read
material, understand, interpret and evaluate it; they give oral responses to reading and lecture materials.
Based on the listening and reading activities, students are required to synthesize information from different
sources as preparation for writing. This approach exposes students to different study skills, which helps
them with their future academic life.
The main reason why many teachers use content-based instruction is the fact that it
makes students' learning "authentic", providing opportunities for them to use English
appropriately in the disciplines they will probably encounter during their life at the
university. In addition, the reading, and the other, steps involved in the process will make
him a better critical thinker, better able to make more sound decisions, which will be of
great benefit when it comes to decision making when the student has graduated and
joined the work force.
Projects can motivate teens. They can even out abilities and grades, they work well with
CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning), have more impact and more success,
are effective and meaningful.
Stoller reviewed the literature on the different forms of project work, and concluded that
there are particular features that characterize project work. These features include that
they
focus on content rather than language.
are student-centered,
are cooperative and not competitive,
integrate the 4 skills,
are product and process oriented,
help students to be attentive to both fluency and
accuracy
attend to the process even though it has a final
product
have the teacher offer support and give guidelines
during the whole process
develop participation and collaboration
promote meaningful students engagement with
language
require active students involvement
stimulate higher-level thinking skills
give student responsibility for their own learning
distance teachers role from teacher-dominant instruction
move Teachers toward creating a student community of inquiry involving authentic communication,
cooperative learning, collaboration and problem solving
demand adapting and creativity from teachers and students.
use information from varied sources.
can be carried out in different period of time, either a short period of time or extended over a few
weeks
can be adapted and used in almost all levels, for different ages and abilities
can be integrated to reinforce important pedagogical issues
work on real life issues since they are linked with students interest about real world concerns and
issues or significance
have a final product that can be shared with any person from the community or outside
can simulate real word situations
can be adapted by any kind of issue
Last but not least project work hast
the potential to motivate,
stimulate, empower, and challenge.
Projects, in general, usually result
in building student confidence, self-
esteem, and autonomy as well as
improvement of students' language
skills, content learning skills, and
cognitive abilities.
Ideas that support project work

It is student-centred and not syllabus centred.
It is co-operative rather than competitive.
It is skill based not structure based.
It allows people to learn from other people within the
group.
It caters for interdisciplinary, since being a topic
related activity it allows for all kinds of contacts with
other subjects.
It is connected with reality.
It allows students to learn through doing and to
learn how to learn, since they have to plan their own
work and draw from their own personal skills.
Characteristics of Project Work

A decalogue of characteristics has been developed that can clearly summarize the potential of this approach to language
teaching and learning. Project work must be...
1. Interesting: the topic, the teachers approach and attitude.
2. Productive: the final goal is a product of some way or other.
3. Active: Students do = Students learn. It is also interactive and student centred. The students are an essential
ingredient in the Project Work recipe.
4. Coherent: For the students and for the school. It must be internally coherent and levelled with the students
knowledge.
5. Integrative: Of the four linguistic skills, also communication skills, information skills, group skills, individual skills and
procedural skills for learning and autonomy.
6. Obtainable: It must be oriented to success, but still be a challenge to maintain students spirits high.
7. Authentic: in language, in context and interaction.
8. Useful: For the student, for the teacher and for the school. Most final products can be used as stepping stones for
future projects.
9. Motivating: It has to be a challenge and get students involved.
10. Flexible: Adaptable, it must allow for evaluation and modification in progress.
STAGES
There are three main stages to project work: Planning, doing and evaluating.

Planning
1. Creation of a context in which everybody feels well and not a competitive atmosphere. Teachers have to be
good at selling the idea to students.
2. Negotiation of rules and course of action (e.g. Agree that most of the interaction has to be in English).
3. Training of students. It is useful that the students have had some practice in classroom language, sentence
order, how to use a dictionary, how to use a reference grammar book, brainstorming, brain mapping, decision
taking, letter writing, giving short talks,writing questionnaires, conducting an interview and note taking, to
mention a few aspects that are worth training.
4. Be open to students suggestions and allow a maximum of freedom.
Doing
Project Work has to be done inside and outside the
classroom, but this aspect depends on the actual plan
devised by students. We suggest the following steps:
a. Selection of topic
b. Group discussion
c. Plan: checklist of things to be done.
d. Timetable
e. Materials: list of materials that will be needed
f. Distribution of work
g. Do project
h. Plan presentation
i. Presentation to the class.
Evaluating
Self-evaluation: Students, together with their products hand in comments about the
process: How they have felt, problems they have had and solutions they have given,
and also about result what they have learnt. They can also devise and fill in their own
self-evaluation sheets. Look for mistakes, correct them and comment on them: Why
they made them, etc.
Peer evaluation: Colleagues study products from fellow students and hand in
comments, marks, ranking lists, etc. according to preferences. Mistake hunting can be
an interesting and rewarding activity.
Teacher evaluation: the teacher analyses strategies and problems, gathers, categorises
and values different comments and prepares feedback for the class. S/he also analyses
general mistakes and prepares likely remedial work for the future.
If diaries (both teachers and students) have been used, they can be studied at this
stage and conclusions discussed.
Benefits to students
There are six important benefits to students.
1. Contact with reality: Projects provide contacts with real world subject matter which require students to apply and
adapt what they already know. ( But it can also deal with imaginary and creative topics).
2. Projects are participatory activities: Students involvement in making choices and decisions tends to increase their
motivation and interest.
3. Projects cater for all abilities within a class: It enables and encourages students of different abilities to work co-
operatively on tasks of equal importance. Those who are relatively weak with regard to their formal linguistic
achievement may be able to use other talents which are as valuable to the success of the projects the writing of good
English or the understanding of complete texts,etc.
a. Most projects include some of the following non-linguistic tasks:
b. Design (leaflets, posters, displays)
c. Illustration (Photographs, cartoons, graphs)
d. Organization (of people, materials, tasks and time)
e. Equipment (video, cameras, cassette records, PCs)
4. Projects re-integrate language: language is usually separated into discrete items for teaching purposes; a project
provides language learnt in this way with a natural context which puts things back into place.
5. Projects establish a context which balances the need for fluency and accuracy.
6. Projects are a break with routine: and allow students to relax.
What students do
they create tools: Devise, use and evaluate
Grids, questionnaires, charts, etc.
they handle information: Compare, sort,
analyse, transfer and summarize it.
they improve their socialisation skills: People
skills, Individual Skills, Participation in
different kinds of interaction.
they do a lot of language work: Practice all
four skills in the process. They talk, read,
listen and write.
What teachers do
they prepare students for working independently in groups
they prepare a resource bank and handle timing of projects.
they identify and provide information needed or help
students find it on their own.
they identify and provide language needed or help students
find it on their own.
they define roles.
they provide and train students in skills for dealing with
information, generating ideas, presentations, etc.
they listen before they give advice.
they are supportive and never destructive respecting
students work and initiatives.
they develop their capacity for being flexible and able to re-
conduct projects.
they participate in the evaluation process.
How to carry out project work
In the beginning, students are introduced to content-based projects. They are given an assignment sheet stating what is
expected of them. The teacher goes over the sheet with them, explaining each task, and setting deadlines for each of the
tasks to be completed. The projects could be in the form of a DVD, a video or a power point presentation.
Students are given one week to decide on a topic and show it to the teacher for approval. They are encouraged to
think of more than one topic to decide on one in consultation with the teacher. The reason is, first, to avoid having
overlapping topics within the class, and second, to avoid presenting sensitive topics that might possibly offend other
members of the group.
When their topics have been approved, students are given two weeks to read about the topic; they are encouraged
to search the net, read three articles relevant to their topic, and decide on one to submit to the teacher the day they give
their presentations. During the two weeks, students are also required to interview at least ten people, asking them their
research question. Students report their interviewees' responses, and attempt an interpretation of these responses, in
light of the context where the data has been collected, the respondents' age group and their background about the topic
they are interviewed on.
Following that, the students develop a presentation that they share with their classmates in five
minutes during class time. Most students opt to do a power point presentation; innovative students
attempt a DVD or a video presentation. A student's presentation is usually followed with a discussion
and/or questions, which allows the students to learn more about the topic. Students are encouraged
to use the new information in their compositions, if the idea is related to the given topic and they can
support their content with the point(s) made in their colleague's presentation. The main steps
involved in conducting content-based projects as described in this paper can be summarized as
follows:
Step 1: Choosing a topic for the project
Step 2: Deciding on a research question
Step 3: Gathering information (internet search, interviews )
Step 4: Analyzing the information
Step 5: Giving a presentation and submitting a report
PROJECT STAGES DEVELOPMENT
The 8-step sequence model proposed by Sheppard and
Stoller (1995) was fine-tuned in a 10-step sequence,
once you have your goals in mind this is the way you can
carry it out in a classroom.
STEP 1. STUDENTS AGREE ON A THEME FOR THE
PROJECT.
You can make reference to previous readings,
videos, discussions, and classroom activities.
Brainstorm.
It is a stage of discussion and negotiation.
STEP 2. DETERMINE THE FINAL OUTCOME.
Nature of the project.
Objectives.
Means to finalize the project: Final product.
STEP 3. STRUCTURE THE PROJECT.
Structure the Body of the project. Students
should consider:
What information is needed to complete the
project?
How can the information be obtained?
How the information, once gathered, be
compiled and analyzed?
What role does each student play in the evolution
of the project? Who does what?
What time line will students follow to get from the
starting point to the end point?
STEP 4. PREPARE THE STUDENTS FOR THE LANGUAGE
DEMANDS FOR GATHERING INFORMATION.
Practice the language, skills and strategies needed
to gather information.
Teacher can plan language instructions activities to
prepare students in how to gather information in a good
way and how to use the resources in order to get
information.( e.g. How to look for books at
the library, how to do questions).
Teacher help students devise a grid for organized data
collection.

STEP 5 GATHER INFORMATION
Students collect information and organized.
Teacher also brought in relevant information such
readings, videos, dictocomps and teacher-generated
lectures.
STEP 6 PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THE LANGUAGE
DEMANDS OF STEP 7.
Do different activities to prepare students to
organized and synthesize information.
Introduce students to graphic
representations like grids
and charts that might highlight relationships amon
g ideas.

STEP 7. COMPILE AND ANALYZE INFORMATION.
Using strategies developed in Step 6 students
compile and analyze information to identify data.
STEP 8. PREPARE STUDENTS FOR THE LANGUAGE
DEMANDS OF STEP 9.
Teacher can bring in language improvement activities to
help students succeed with the presentations of
the finals products.
Practicing skills needed in
the final product and receiving feed back.
Editing and revising writing.

STEP 9. PRESENT FINAL PRODUCT.
Present the final outcome of the project.

STEP 10.EVALUATE THE PROJECT.
Students realize how much they have learned and
the teacher benefits from the students
insights for future classroom projects.
Students must reflect on the experience and
the final step:
The language they mastered to complete the
project.
The content they learned about the
targeted theme.
The step they follow to complete the
project.
The effectiveness of the final project.
How they must proceed differently the next
time
What suggestions they have for
future project work endeavors.
Skills Developed through Content-based Projects
There are several positive traits that have been noticed to develop in students over a
given semester. First, they become more self-confident, having to work individually on a
single project. Some of them indicate that working on these projects and giving
presentations on their own gives them better confidence to meet the more challenging
demands of other courses they take. The reason they are asked to work on the project
individually is the tendency of some of them, as reported by a few students when content-
based projects were tried the first time, to do less work than their peers, if they opted to
do the project in pairs. They also develop a sense of autonomy, since they have to work
out the topic, the question to be asked, the people they will interview, the way to present
their findings, and reach conclusions.
Problems with Implementation
There are four main points that can be rather restrictive when it comes to effective implementation of
content-based projects in an academic setting. The first problem is dealing with sensitive issues. A second
problem would be uncooperative students. In almost every group there is one student who does not want to work
on a project, or is too shy to present in front of his/her classmates, or does not meet the deadlines in submitting
an assignment. The third situation is other students, knowing that these projects are not part of the course
requirements, resist the idea and decide not to do a project at all. Luckily, those are few. The fourth, and last,
problem concerns students' reactions to each other's work. More specifically, some students could try to ridicule
the way their colleagues speak English, while others could give negative comments on the content of a given
presentation. This would create a negative atmosphere in the classroom. Therefore, before starting the
presentations, students are advised to give their colleagues constructive feedback, since the ultimate goal is for
them to learn from each other, not to find fault with each other's work. Constructive feedback is given in the form
of a three-item feedback sheet, indicating what they liked most about the presentation, what they did not like, and
what suggestions they can give to improve the presentation. Students are given oral instructions about how to
give effective feedback. The feedback sheets are anonymous and given directly to the presenter after the
presentation, without the teacher seeing them. This method saves class time, makes students comfortable giving
feedback, and saves the presenter the embarrassment of the teacher seeing any negative feedback. At the end of
the presentations of a given class session (usually three), the teacher gives general feedback following the three-
step feedback forms, but orally.
Alternative project suggestions
Based on the above description of the implementation of content-based projects in an EFL academic context, it is
highly recommended that instructors teaching different levels, in different EFL contexts, use projects in their
classrooms, even when technology is not available. Depending on the course learning outcomes, the students' age and
proficiency level, teachers can gear the projects to suit their students. One way is to use the content of the course book
itself to generate ideas for a suitable project. Another way is to have students work in pairs or small groups, as long as
each student has clear instructions as to the tasks that need to be accomplished. Internet searches can help students
find interesting content to develop into a project, but they are not the only way. Newspaper and magazine articles are a
very good source; talk shows, family members, acquaintances and friends are other sources which can be an excellent
motivator for students to complete a project. Students can watch different kinds of talk shows that tackle various
topics, whether social, political, or ones related to gender, before they decide on a particular area to investigate. They
can then develop their content through reading, interviewing others and talking to more experienced individuals.
Another way teachers may follow is to invite a guest speaker who is knowledgeable in a particular area to give a
presentation on a relevant topic. This can help students find more information about the topic, which could be
developed later into a project.
PROJECT STRUCTURES:
In terms of project structure, there are three
kinds of projects :
Structured projects: defined and organized by
teachers.
Unstructured projects: defined and organized,
largely, by students.
Semi-structured projects: defined and organized
by teachers and students.
In terms of types of projects, these are some examples:
Research projects: library research
Text projects: any kind of source like books,
magazines, web pages, videos, but not people.
Correspondence projects: communications with others
using mail or emails.
Survey projects.
Interview projects: having a guest in or outside the
classroom.
According to how the information is presented, the projects
can be:
Production project: creation of bulletin board
displays, videos, radio programs, posters sessions, written
reports, photo essays, letters, handbooks, brochures
menus, oral presentation, travel itineraries, and so forth
Performance project: debates, oral
presentations, theatrical performances, food fairs or
fashion shows.
Organizational projects: club, conversation table,
conversation- partner program.
A Short List of possible Projects to
start with
Class survey on pets
Students Heroes
Teacher age chart
My ideal Room / neighbourhood/ house/city/planet,
etc.
Our favourite recipe
The songs we like
Pollution in the area
Tourist Guide
Classroom magazine
Radio Program
Create an advertisement for the television
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oBZ2rNw9fk