paper - 12 Task Based Language Learning

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Prepared by : Megha Trivedi

Roll No : 18

Paper – 12 : English Language Teaching – 1

M.A. ( English) : Sem – 3

Enrollment No : 2069108420170030

Batch : 2016 – 18

Email : meghatrivedi666@gmail.com

Submitted to : Smt. S. B. Gardi, Department of English MK Bhavnagar University

Topic : Task Based Language learning

                                                           By - Dave Willis and Jane Willis

What is Task ?

                               

“ A task is an activity where the target language is used by the learners for a communicative purpose ( goal) in order to achieve an outcome”. - Jane Wills (Willis)

“ A piece of work that must be done , especially one that is difficult or that must be done regularly”.

“To give someone the responsibility for doing something”. ( Longman English Dictionary )

“ A task is any activity that learners engage in to process of learning a language”. ( Williams and Burden )

“ A task is a range of learning activities from the simple and brief exercises to more complex and lengthy activities such as group problem solving or simulations and decision making”. ( Breen, 1987 – 23)

“ An activity which required learners to arrive at an outcome from given information through some process of thought and which allowed teachers to control and regulate that process was regarded as a task”. ( Prabhu, 1987 – 24 ) (GULEK)

What is task based language teaching ?

                                     

TBLT is an approach to teaching a second/foreign language that seeks to engage learners in internationally authentic language use by having them perform a series of tasks. It aims to both enable learners (1) to acquire new linguistic knowledge and (2) to proceduralize their existing knowledge. (Al-Shareef)

Task Based Language Teaching ( TBLT ) is an approach which offers students opportunities to actively engage in communication in order to achieve a goal or complete a task. TBLT seeks to develop students inter language through providing a task and then using language to solve it. (GULEK)

TBLT Advocates :-

• David Nunan
• R. Ellis
• M. Bygate
• C. Candlin
• Dave Willis and Jane Willis (Al-Shareef)

Why Using Task – Based Approach ?

• Students are free of language control
• A natural context is developed from the student's experiences. With the language that is personalized and relevant to them.
• They will be exposed to a whole range of lexical phrases, collocations and patterns as well as language forms.
• Students needs dictate what will be covered rather than a decision made by the teacher or the course book.
• It is a strong communicative approach where students spend a lot of time communicating.
• Provide self – Access Activities.
• It is enjoyable and motivating. (Al-Shareef)
• Various tasks provide to think out of the box
• Give confidence with good platform
• Task can be connected with student's real life language needs.
• It's provide chance to acquired second language
• Task create opportunities for focusing on form.

Language and Task :-

Language is very important tool for the task. Through the target language we can learn so many new things in task.

• Language is primarily a means of making meaning.
• Multiple models of language inform task based instruction.
• Tasks provide both the input and output processing necessary for language acquisition.
• Lexical units are central in language use and language learning
• “ Conversation” is the central focus of language and the keystone of language acquisition
• Task activity and achievement are motivational.
• Learning difficulty can be negotiated and fine-tuned for particular pedagogical purposes.

Structure:- Structure of the task is most important thing.

Key characteristics of the TBLT :-

some important characteristics are very important to make the task.

• Teaching efficiency is improved when the learners and their learning are the focus of attention instead of the teacher.
• It is a communicative approach
• The aim of TBL is to integrate all four skills and to move from fluency to accuracy plus fluency.
• It is made in groups or individually also. (Nakashi)
• ' Natural' or ' naturalistic' language use
• Learner center rather than teacher controlled or centered
• Focus on form
• different from traditional approaches
• Tasks serve as the means for achieving natural language use.

Four language skills ( LSRW ) : -

Through task based language learning we can learn four major skills also. Because all interaction designed some oral interaction so here spiking skill and listing skill can be improved. And task can be taken in writing so then writing and reading skills also improve well. Many task are ' Integrative' so it's involve more than one skill.

Framework for TBL :-

• Pre – task :- Before giving the task pre task process is very important for learners. In this teacher introduced the task or topic and the ruls and regulations and limitations of this task. Teacher also explores the highlights words, phrases and it's helps students to understand the task and to prepare something regarding the task. Use materials such as video, songs, text, picture etc. Allow the students time to plan.

• Task :- During the task students do the task in a groups or individual also. During doing the task students take some notes and make planning also. They make some important reports also in which students identified that what they discovered something new from this task, which things they can't understands, how they did the task everything. After completing their task some students present their report in class.

• Post – task :- After present the report in the class, teacher gave some important guidance and some key points as well as teacher encourage the students also. Teacher and learner discussed some quarry also because in which students find some difficulties. At the end teacher conducts practices or new words, phrases and patterns occurring in the data, either during or after the analysis. Give same activity for more practice.

Types of Tasks :-

• Pedagogic task -

Four students – each has one picture and describes it to the rest of the class

Students from the rest of the class ask the four students questions about their pictures.

One students from the class tries to tell the story

• Real world task - Some task are used like it's deal with real world, for example- go to market, go to railway station etc. It's deal with communication and day to day life also. It's helps a lot to learn second language.

Various tasks :-

Role play – Role play is very important activity to learn target language. In which teacher give some role like teacher, merchant, go to market etc. In this activity students talked in second language naturally so they learn also. With new vocabulary and without fear. It's a good classroom activity    

• 

  Debate – Debate is another important and fruitful activity, in which teacher gave one topic and students divided into two groups and they discussed on it. In this activity students learn speaking skill and listening also. It is good classroom activity. It is student orient. Student can increased their confidence level.

• Blog writing – It is also very useful to improve the writing skill and reading skill also. Write blog is good habit in which we can learn new vocabulary, sentence pattern etc. Every write one blog through this we can learn many new things also.

• Quiz – Quiz is a good activity in which we can improve our reading and writing both the things. Students like this activity because it is just like game. Within a short time we can learnt so many new knowledge about the various subjects, it is good classroom activity.

• Flipped learning - In the flipped learning students can watch the various video related the topics and try to understands own your own. If they have any problems then they can ask their teacher . So through this learning students listen videos so their listening skill improve, they listen native speakers videos. Their writing skill also improve.
• 
  
• . online discussion – Teacher gave some online discussion as a task in which student gave their own point of views regarding the topic. So it is very beneficial to learn new things and improve your writing and reading skills. Because before write the answers students refer some reading materials or at list aware about the questions then and then students gave the answers. Students can read their classmates comments and reviews also. It is good classroom activity.                                                          

Role of teacher – In TBL teacher played a very vital role. Cooperate and listens students needs. As a moderator. Respond to student's questions. As a teacher first you have to mentally ready before giving task. Decide what tasks to work on. Decide when to try a new task. Give correct feedback and analysis also which is very necessary for students. Be positive. Always help the students and motivated them , encourage their confidence level. Be as a ' TASK MASTER'. As a teacher watch the use of the language and create opportunity to involved every single student. Give an introduction to the task. Be sure that the second language is used with no exceptions.

                                   

Role of students – As a students or learner one thing is most important is “ Readiness is all” always ready to do any task with enthusiasm. Ready to work in a groups or individually. In group task unity is most important thing. As a learner make report in organize manners. Be a Risk taker and innovator. They need to solve any problem or situation ( task ) that the teacher gives them. They can use the language any way they want. As a learner participation is very important thing.

Advantages :-

TBL has various advantages also like, 1) Task based language teaching and learning is suitable for students of all ages and background. 2) Students can acquire very easily the L2 and they are free to use vocabulary and grammar . 3) TBL allows meaningful communication. 4) Encourages students to be more ambitious in the language they use. 5) The psychological dynamic of the group which works together to complete a task will have a great influence on the success. 6) Students pay more attention to learn language through task.

Disadvantages :-

1) It's requires a high level of creativity. 2) Some risk are also there like to achieve fluency in L2. 3) TBLT requires some authentic resources and the materials beyond the syllabus or text books. 4) All students may not participate also in different activity. 5) Evaluation of task based learning can be difficult. 6) Students can not deep interest in task.

Conclusion : -

So, this task based language learning is very mush useful approach. It is communicative as well. It's create ' Natural' learning inside the classroom. It is completely learner centered but teacher also gave their input and guidance. It can be used alongside a more traditional approach. In this approach teacher must stay active.

Works Cited

Al-Shareef, Samar Yahiya. <https://www.slideshare.net/Sa345mar/task-based-learning-14703475>.

GULEK, Muberra. <https://www.slideshare.net/hulyagulek1993/task-based-language-teaching-tblt>.

Nakashi, Reiji. <https://www.slideshare.net/reijinakashi1/task-based-learning-15416587>.

Willis, Dave Willis and Jane. "Task based language learning."