REACTION PAPER

ON

TASK BASED LANGUAGE TEACHING

Questions: Is task based teaching useful for all English language learners or are there

caveats and warnings that need to be considered. Is TBLT appropriated for the young

learners? Could TBLT’s effectiveness depend on cultural restraints?

The impact of language theory and the type of teaching method is very significant

to the learner of language. It is from the method of teaching, and everything that is

associated with it, that the student is able to grasp concepts of a language.

For many years researchers have developed many methods to produce the one

which can gain the use of language as a means of communication especially in language

teaching areas. Language teaching in twentieth century was characterized by frequent

change and innovation and by the development sometimes competing language

teaching ideologies. The year of teacher-centered has been changed by the

development of Communicative method which focuses on student-centered approach.

Communicative Language Teaching helps students to understand the language in

context and to use it effectively in situations outside the classroom. One of the methods

supporting the communicative approach is Task Based Language Teaching.

Task-based language teaching is an approach seeking to provide learners with a

natural context for language use. As learners work to complete a task, they have

abundant opportunity to interact. Such interaction is thought to facilitate language

acquisition as learners have to work to understand each other and to express their own

meaning (Larsen-Freeman 2000:114). As Candlin and Murphy (1987:1) note, “The

central purpose we are concerned with is language learning, and tasks present this in the

form of a problem solving negotiation between knowledge that the learner holds and new

language.”
 Based on the definition above, we can conclude that task is an activity which can

be conducted in the language class to reach or to get an outcome through systematic

process and allow teachers to control and regulate the process. The success of task

based language teaching based on the process of achieving the target language and it

can be seen in the form of outcome of the learners. Task based language teaching

provides learners with activities where the target language is used by the learner for a

communicative purpose in order to achieve an outcome in which the emphasis is on

exchanging meanings not producing specific language forms. The selection of activities

or tasks should be based on the students’ need in order to motivate students, engage

their attention, improve intellectual and linguistic challenge and promote their language

development.

Although TBLT has been in existence for many years and still widely discussed

nowadays, there have been some critiques about it in the literature. Skehan (2003)

acknowledges that TBLT “tends to be with adults (and some adolescents), generally at

intermediate proficiency levels, and mostly with English as the target language”, or TBLT

is oriented toward those who “have already been taught more language than they can

use” (Swan, 2005). For example, Nunan’s (2004) framework for task design is directed at

intermediate-level and adolescents (one of the required readings for this topic). However,

“if one is seeking an efficient way of improving one’s elementary command of a foreign

language, sustained conversation and linguistic speculation with other elementary

learners would scarcely be one’s first choice” (Swan, 2005). As a result, the research of

TBLT has focused on ESL adult classes, but little attention has been paid to TBLT on

children or in EFL or FL contexts (Carless, 2004).

On the other hand, although it is not a new idea to connect learning with real life

in education, it might not be so good to apply it in language learning, especially in a

foreign language context for children. Not very much research has been done in this area

yet. However, Carless’ research (2004) on TBLT in Hong Kong elementary schools

doesn’t find evidence to support TBLT’s superiority to other language pedagogies in

teaching a foreign language to children. In fact, TBLT might negatively affect children’s

foreign language learning since children are overburdened with learning a foreign

language and performing tasks concurrently, and they may not be able to balance the

two.

Despite the debates on the age appropriate teaching approaches used in the

language classroom which young learners could relate to, many studies have proven

Task Based Language Teaching to be an effective approach to teaching children a

foreign language and benefit them in various ways.

In the case of the TBLT approach, children are given a better understanding of

what is expected of them. This could result to them feeling comfortable and safe in the

classroom environment. They gradually learn to take chances and contribute to the

completion of their given task by communicating with their peers in a social context.

When students are placed in a classroom, they are put into their own society in a

microcosm. There is a distinctive atmosphere where the teacher is partially the

determiner. When the teacher introduces the topic and gives instructions on what they

are to do during the task stage, children are given enough to proceed with the task and

build confidence to communicate with others to reach an outcome. They can then

complete the task in pairs or in groups using the language resources they have while the

teacher monitors their progress and offers them encouragement. The approach in

question is relatable to children as they are social creatures. Vygotsky (1978), who

looked more into social interaction as a primary source of behaviour and cognition,

argued that children fully develop through social interaction, it is, therefore, essential for

language educators to provide their learners with the opportunity to learn through

communication, free of language control. Once the children have completed their task

they are expected to report back to the rest of the class, a procedure the teacher can

take advantage of and help their students perform and develop their presentation skills.

The language explored throughout the task arises from the students’ needs which
dictates what would be covered during the lesson rather than a decision made based on

the syllabus or a course book.

Waer (2009) states that in order to maintain the task outcomes, language

learners must negotiate for meaning and communicate with others, asking for

clarification, or checking comprehension. Language in this case is used for genuine

purposes, meaning that authentic communication takes place. Young learners are

encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning without the constant assistance

of the teacher. Breen (1987) characterized TBLT as a structured language learning

venture which contains a specific objective, content and working procedure. A range of

outcomes can occur from this process and as Kaplan has argued, ‘task’ in this sense,

“refers to a range of work plans that have the overall purpose of facilitating language

learning, from the simple and brief exercise type, to more complex and lengthy activities

such as group problem solving or simulations and decision making” (Kaplan, 2002:217).

The assumption made is that the use of the target language during the task is the means

to language development as inter language development is driven through tasks and not

merely by the instructor’s control and input (Kaplan, 2002; Long, 1989; Prabhu, 1987).

Advocates of TBLT suggest that it provides the building blocks for language development

and consider this approach an appealing development of Communicative Language

Teaching (CLT). In the last twenty years the interest in TBLT grew strongly and TBLT

tasks were often used as supplementary material. Additionally, a number of course book

series claim to be task-based and the aim of TBLT is to encourage fluency, accuracy and

complexity as a result of engaging with authentic and communication tasks.

Kumaravadivelu (1993) claims that pre-determined language tasks cannot be followed.

They ought to be thought of as ‘learning material rather than teaching material’ as the

form of communication provided by these materials can only be used as an indication of

content because the negotiation of actual language must be left to the teacher and the

language learners. Furthermore, Kumaradivelu (1993) explains that practicing teachers

cannot expect to be given in precise terms what structures and vocabulary they would be
introducing in their classes. Cameron (2001:30-31) suggests that task-based learning,

focused on young learners, must have a realistic goal if they are to intrigue and give

content to language lessons. She specifically states that “the best we can do is aim for

dynamic congruence: choosing activities and content that are appropriate for the

children’s age and socio-cultural experience, and language that will grow with the

children, in that, although some vocabulary will no longer be needed, most of the

language will provide a useful base for more grown-up purposes”.

In my experience in Kazakhstan I have observed that some of my learners tend

to use Kazakh or Russian rather than English in order to complete the task at hand. An

excessive use of L1 is a frequently voiced concern among teachers in foreign language

contexts where students share the same L1. For example, Eguchi and Eguchi (2006)

found that, while their college students in Japan enjoyed a project-based lesson

(composed of a series of tasks), this was largely due to their excessive use of L1, and as

such they found that little English learning resulted.

It is commonly discussed that the principal Western concepts of TBLT are

radically different from those of the traditional teaching in Asia (Burrows, 2008). The

traditional Asian philosophy of education has arguably affected the cognitive

development of Asian learners and their reaction to various teaching methods. My

learners may have thus developed what Knowles (1982, in Richards and Lockhart, 1994:

60) calls an ‘authority- oriented learning style’. Learners with an authority-oriented

learning style are said to like and need structure and sequential progression and they

prefer the teacher as an authority figure. Such preferences may be at odds with the kind

of collaborative, experiential learning identified as desirable for TBLT (Ellis, 2009).

However, Butler (2011) drawing on McKay (2002) cites evidence (e.g. Kubota,

1999; Savignon and Wang, 2003) showing that the stereotypical view of Asian students

as passive, shy, and preferring lecture-style instruction does not always accurately

portray students in Asia. Furthermore, Adams and Newton (2009) point to evidence
(Weaver, 2007) suggesting that, once exposed to task-based teaching, Asian learners

can adjust their preferences for learning.

The experience with my Kazakh and Russian classes is that some of the students

have been hesitant to ask me questions and actively participate in group work, though

many of the students have indicated a preference for pair- and group work and have not

been reluctant to participate and ask questions. My experience suggests that Asian

learners can indeed adjust their preferences but that, naturally, some make this

adjustment faster than others.

It is often said that a crucial step in the implementation of TBLT is to explain to

the students the rationale behind the approach and what is expected of them (e.g. Willis,

1996). Also, as many (e.g. Anderson, 1993; Holliday, 1997) have argued, TBLT is being

sensitive to local cultural norms, needs, and beliefs.

In conclusion, Task-Based Language Teaching is a method of learning a

language by using task as a central unit of learning. The researchers of this method

believe that language is primarily use to share meaning and language use to

communicate with others. By doing the task given by teacher in the classroom, the

students expected to be able to follow some stages to achieve the target language and

finally, to use the language to communicate in a real world. Task-Based Language

Teaching uses tasks to improve student’s motivation because tasks provide both the

input and output processing necessary for language acquisition. Students are given

opportunity to use whatever language they know and already learn in communicating

their messages. It makes the students improve their confidence to speak because it

rather focuses on meaning than form. Tasks are believed to help processes of

negotiation, modification, rephrasing, and experimentation that are at the heart of second

language learning. This method can be implemented in all level of education because it

is enjoyable and motivating. The effectiveness of TBLT depends on how the teacher

produces and develops the variety of tasks to match his students need and competence.
REFERENCES

Adams, R. and Newton, J. (2009) TBLT in Asia: Constraints and Opportunities.

Asian Journal of English Language Teaching, 19 1-17.

Breen, M.P. (1987) Learner Contributions to Task Design.

C.N Candlin and D. Murphy (eds) Language Learning Tasks. Lancaster Practical

Papers in English Language Teaching, vol. 7. Hemel Hempstaed: Prentice-Hall.

Burrows, C. (2008) An evaluation of task-based learning (TBL) in the Japanese

classroom. English Today, 24 (4): 11-16.

Butler, Y.K. (2011) The Implementation of Communicative and Task-Based

Language Teaching in the Asia-Pacific Region Annual Review of Applied

Linguistics, 31 36-57.

Cameron, L. (2001) Teaching English to Young Learners Cambridge University Press.

Carless, D. (2003). Factors in the implementation of task-based teaching in primary

schools. System, 31(2), 485-500.

Eguchi, M. and K. Eguchi (2006) The Limited Effect of PBL on EFL Learners: A Case

Study of English Magazine Projects. Asian EFL Journal, 8 (3): 207-225.

Kaplan, R.B. (2002) The Oxford Handbook of Applied Linguistics. Oxford University

Press.

Kumaravadivelu, B. (2006). TESOL methods: Changing tracks, challenging

trends. TESOL Quarterly, 40(1), 59-81.

Long, M. (1985). A role for instruction in second language acquisition: Task-based

language teaching. In K. Hyltenstam & M. Pienemann (Eds.), Modelling and assessing

second language acquisition (pp. 77-99). San Diego: College-Hill Press.

McKay, S.L. (2002) Teaching English as an international language . UK: Oxford

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Prabhu, N. S. (1990). There is no best method-Why? TESOL Quarterly, 24(2), 161-

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Skehan, P. 1996. A Framework for the Implementation of Task-Based Instruction.

Applied Linguistic 17(1): 38-61.

Swan, M. (2005a). Legislation by hypothesis: The case of task-based

instruction. Applied Linguistics, 26(3), 376-401

Weaver, C. (2007) "Willingness to communicate: A mediating factor in the

interaction between learners and tasks. " In K. Van den Branden, K. Van Gorp & m.

Verhelst (ed.) Tasks in action: Task-based language education from a classroom-

based perspective Newcastle: Cambridge Scholars Press.

Willis, D. (1996) "Introduction" In Willis, D. and Willis, J. (eds.) Challenge and Change

in Language Teaching Macmillan.

Submitted by:

Melchor S. Praga

July 2014