Task-Based Language Teaching

Johanna Dillinger, Sabrina Frank, Clara Gillmayr, Lisa Leopold

Task-Based Language Teaching

a task is

an activity which requires learners to arrive at an outcome from given information through some process of thought, and which allows teachers to control and regulate that process. (Prabhu 1987: 17)
tasks as the core unit of planning and instruction

Task-Based Language Teaching

Draws on some aspects of CLT:

Real-life communication is essential for learning

language is used for carrying out meaningful tasks should promote learning meaningful language supports learning process

Key Assumptions (Feez 1998)

Focus: process rather than product

Basic elements: purposeful activities and tasks that emphasise communication and meaning
Learning happens by interacting communicatively and purposefully while engaged in the activities

TBLT shares general assumptions of Communicative Language Teaching, with some additional aspects: TBLT sees tasks as central point for activating input-output practice () because they: motivate learners, are clearly defined, are diversified, include physical activity, involve collaboration, may call on past experiences, tolerate varieties

tasks as facilitation of learning particular aspects of language

Types of learning and teaching activities

listing, ordering and sorting, comparing, problem solving, sharing personal experiences, creative tasks. jigsaw tasks, information-gap tasks, decision-making tasks, problem-solving tasks, opinion exchange tasks.

Additional Roles
Learner Roles: Group participant, monitor, risk-taker and innovator Teacher Roles: Selector and sequencer of tasks, preparing learners for tasks, Consciousness-raising

Teaching Task
PRE-TASK
Vocabulary work: persuasion

TASK
Tools: Memory cards Each stundent gets one card 1)Think-share: Find the person who has the same card. Then the pair has to prepare a brief presentation.
Leading questions:
Describe the appearance of the item. Describe its function(s). Convince/Persuade the customer to buy it.

First round
a)Each team has to present their product. After all presentations the whole group has to decide which product was presented the best (Students should reason their decision)

Second round
b)Each person gets another product, new pairs have to act out a persuasive shopping dialogue
customer: worst case salesperson: wants as much money as possible