TBL - a rough guide

March 14, 2008 in methodology, skills | No comments

This post is intended to give the most cursory idea about what exactly task based learning is.

A sample TBL lesson

Aim: learners will communicate a short personal anecdote (speaking)

Anticipated language: tense and aspect distinctions will probably need to be made (past simple and continuous). There will be some narrative type vocabulary especially related to order of events.

  1. Have you ever been in a situation where you have felt some danger or scared? Note down what happened, how you felt and what was the outcome?
  2. Describe the situation to your partner who must do 2 things:
    1. listen and give the anecdote a title
    2. write down any language chunks which they find interesting - for whatever reason.
  3. Elicit and put all the titles onto the board.
  4. Listen to my account and note down any interesting language.
  5. Compare notes and brainstorm onto the board.
  6. Clarify any confusion.
  7. Using the language you heard, re-plan your anecdote and get ready to
    1. present it to the class.
    2. record it on a tape recorder
  8. This recording can be used as the basis for a class selection of the best anecdote. Learners can be given criteria on which to base their judgements - or you could let then select their own personal criterion. This final stage provide a communicative outcome and gives learners a reason to listen to the work of their peers in a comparative exercise.

A rough guıde to the procedure of the lesson.

  1. Pre-task
  2. Task and noticing activity
  3. Native model
  4. Work on original work.
  5. Presentation
  6. Outcome

a) Strong version of Task-Based learning (Prabhu: 1987)

Pre-task → Task

b) Willis and Willis Version (J. Willis: 96)

Pre-Task

↓

Task / Planning / Report

↓

Language Focus

C) Moor and Cunningham weaker version of TBL (as in Cutting Edge)

Model → Planning

↓

Rehearsal

↓

Input → Task Performance

Features of Task-Based learning

  • Activities should have an outcome (maybe a public performance)
  • Preparation time for learners to give their best.
  • Learners are encouraged to notice language for themselves rather than rely on teacher ınput.
  • The aim to achieve ‘accuracy’ through the performing of a specific task.
  • Some ‘communicative stress’ is invariably involved due to the public performance a communicative task. Is it really possible to have communicative situation that is not public?
  • May (and arguably should) involve a native speaker or competent L2 speaker as a model
  • Learners may individually select phrases from a transcript

Synthetic Syllabus (eg PPP) Task-Based Planning

Key teacher questions:

  • What language shall I focus on?
  • What do I want my students to DO?
  • How can they practise it?
  • What language do they need for it?

Rationale for TBL

  • Reflects the way we learn
  • Suitable for mixed-ability classes
  • Focus on students need to DO, on outcome rather than enabling skill.

Theoretical underpinning

  • Krashen’s theories - the natural order hypothesis’
  • Michael Long’s research on ‘Negotiation of Meaning’

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