CONTEXT AND RATIONALE

Task-Based Learning is an approach in which learning revolves around

completion of meaningful tasks. The focus of this approach is the authentic use of

language for genuine communication (Zakime,2019).

As a strong version of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), Task-

Based Learning (TBL) lays great emphasis on language use and entails using the

English language in order to acquire it (Esfandiari, 2014). Communicative Language

Teaching (CLT) has been earning itself a worldwide reputation for effectiveness. As a

logical development of CLT, Task-based Learning (TBL) places great emphasis on

interaction and practical purposes for which language must be used (Brown, 2001 as

cited by Esfandiari, 2014).

Tasked-Based Learning is anchored in the theories of language namely the

Expansive Learning Theory (Engestrom), the Constructivism Theory and the

Discovery theory (Bruner).

Expansive Learning Theory is different from all other theories for it is

concerned with the learning of one form of activity as they are created, rather than the

mastery of the putative stable, well-defined, existing knowledge and skill

(Weibell,C.J. 2011).

Constructivism is a paradigm or a worldview posits that learning is an active,

constructive process. The learner is an information constructor, who will actively

construct or create their own subjective representations of objective reality (David,

2015).

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 The discovery theory of Bruner is an inquiry –based, constructivist learning-

theory that takes place in problem solving situations where the learners draws on his

or her own past experiences and existing knowledge to discover facts and

relationships and new truths to be learned (David, 2017).

This study was also anchored in the different approaches of language teaching:

the problem-based learning; content-based instruction; and, content and language

integrated learning.

The problem-based learning is a student-centered pedagogy in which students

learn about a subject in the context of complex, multifaceted, and realistic problems

while the content-based instruction incorporates authentic materials and tasks to drive

language instruction. The content and language integrated learning (CLIL) is an

approach for learning content through an additional language, thus teaching both the

subject and the language.

With all the theories and approaches as bases, Task-Based Learning came out

and has become a widely used approach in language learning. Task-based teaching

otherwise known as task-based instruction focuses on the use of authentic language

and on asking students to do meaningful tasks. Task-based learning is an approach to

second/foreign language learning and teaching methodology in which classroom tasks

constitute the main focus of instruction (Shehadeh and Coombe, 2012). Through the

use of this approach in language teaching it is believed that learners will learn more

and are more productive since they will be dealing with authentic task and they are

given time to discover and construct the language with their own classroom

experience.

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 Researchers have been developing language teaching methods over ages,

emphasizing on the best approach of structuring, planning and implementing more

effective lessons in classrooms. One popular and widely used at present is the task-

based language teaching an offshoot of Communicative Language Teaching

(Kumaravadivelu, 2006, as cited by Rubaiat, 2018) which provides a student-oriented

learning environment where they learn the language by practicing authentic

communication in the classroom context (Rubaiat, 2018).

Techniques, principles and process / product-based applications of Task-based

learning and their contribution to foreign language learning and acquisition have been

among the hottest topics in the field of foreign language teaching since early nineties

(McDonough, 1995; Szymansky, 2002; Klapper, 2003 as cited by Tilfarliogiu, 2008,).

The number of materials that contain task-based activities is increasing and task-based

language assessment is gaining popularity.

Through the implementation of K to 12, the Department of Education aims to

produce competitive individuals ready to face the challenges of the learners’ future

world in college or in the field of work. With the augmentation of the educational

system to make learners globally competitive, is the contest of educators to improve

the teaching and learning process in each classroom setting. And language teaching is

not an excuse to this. The English teachers have a very demanding task especially

when asked about the literacy level of the students, not only the reading skills but of

course the writing skill also.

The proficiency in English is one of the pre-requisites of higher studies, as

most of the books in tertiary education are written in English. Therefore, reading and

writing skills are crucial for both language and educational development. However,

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even after studying English for 12 consecutive years, that is to include the senior high

school years, still, a significant number of students still lack the expected level of

proficiency, as the only exposure of the language most of them get is from classroom.

The question on the effectiveness of the methods that are followed in classrooms to

teach the language remains unanswered.

Cabulohan-Paradise National High School offers reading remediation

programs to both junior high school and senior high school learners. However, even

with this extended time and effort from the teachers, at least 50% of the senior high

school learners had a problem in both reading and writing skills as per results from

diagnostic tests conducted by the senior high school language teachers.

Writing sentences and paragraph for learners had become a struggle. The

learners had the hard time organizing their ideas into sentences and paragraph.

Writing tasks had become uninteresting tasks for students, resulting to low

performance in English subjects.

Language teachers have this battle every day, asking and deciding as to what

strategy is the most effective in the classroom to make teaching-learning process

meaningful and productive to the students. The teacher, most of the times experiences

frustrations during the checking and rating of students’ outputs taking all the blame of

every error especially the repeated ones committed by the students. As to how and

what effective language strategy will be used inside the classroom is still into debate

until today.

This research was an attempt to find out whether the use of task -based

activities, from the Cabulohan-Paradise National High School perspective is effective

in improving writing skills of senior high school learners. This further aimed to find

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out whether task- based language teaching can be used in developing writing skills of

the learners. Also, it attempted to find out whether learners are willing to do tasks in

their classrooms to enhance their language skills, specifically their writing skills.

Thereby, this research study had investigated the effect of the use of task-

based activity sheets to the level of writing skill of the senior high school students. As

being observed, students have low performance in their writing activities especially if

the teacher is prescriptive with his/her activities.

The final aim of this study was therefore to gather the evidences taken from

the senior high school students specifically the ones who were taking the subject:

Reading and Writing Skills. This study was conducted at Cabulohan-Paradise

National High School Senior High School, second semester of the School Year 2021-

2022.

ACTION RESARCH QUESTIONS

This study sought to investigate the use of Task-Based instructional activities

and its effect to the level of writing skill in Reading and Writing Skills subject among

Senior High School Students. The results of this study would provide necessary

knowledge to design interventions, instructional materials, enriched teaching

strategies that would address the needs and the different learning styles of students.

Specifically, this study was guided by the following questions:

1. What is the level of the learners’ writing skill before and after their

exposure to the task-based activities?

2. Is there a significant difference in the level of writing skill before and after

their exposure to task-based activities?

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 Hypothesis

Null Hypothesis

There is no significant effect with the use of task-based instructional materials

to the level of writing skill among Senior High School students in Reading and

Writing Skills.

INNOVATION, INTERVENTION, STRATEGY USED

The researcher had designed language activities for the students to have a full

grasp and a meaningful experience in learning the language. The so-called task-based

activity sheets came with complete instructions and activities which were learner-

friendly and easy to use/understand. The innovation will come as supplementary

materials/activities in language teaching, focusing on the Senior High School core

subject: Reading and Writing Skills.

The task-based activity sheets were developed from the lesson plans prepared

by the teacher- researcher. They were based on the learning competencies from the

Reading and Writing Curriculum Guide/Most Essential Learning Competencies

(MELCs) as provided by the Department of Education.

Since each activity in the task-based material was based from the

competency/competencies from the Curriculum Guide/MELCs, the learner had

experienced the spiral learning of skills. Which means the activities came from easy

to difficult tasks or easy to complex learning.

Other than the main purpose of making the teaching of writing skills easier for

the teacher, the task-based activity sheets can cater the needs of every learner,

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especially for big-sized classes. The teacher will not be worked up with the giving of

instructions and preparing the lessons every time for this material will cover the

whole semester activities of the Reading and Writing Skills subject in Senior High

School. The material also includes rubrics/criteria for rating the students in every

activity. So, this would lighten the workloads of teaching.

The task-based activity sheets also include target areas and skills, objectives

and description, with a list of activities, tasks, competencies then time frame of

activities. So, teachers may not be lost as to the management of time and the

achievement of lesson objectives.

ACTION RESEARCH METHODS

Research Design

This research had employed the quasi–experimental research using the pretest-

posttest control group design to investigate the effects of task-based activity sheets in

the academic performance Grade 11 learners in English.

The design considered two intact classes; one was assigned as the control

group while the other class as the experimental group. Both groups were taught with

the same lessons in Reading and Writing Skills subject having the same number of

minutes in each session. The treatment was given to the experimental group, which

was the utilization of task-based teacher-made activity sheets. While the control group

was taught with the utilization of conventional learner’s material.

Participants

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 The participants of the study were the Grade 11 students of Cabulohan-

Paradise National High School during the School Year 2021-2022.

Sampling Procedure

The research utilized the purposive sampling. The teacher-researcher had

conducted the research using Grade 11 students, specifically the sections Grade 11-

Bill Gates (TVL-ICT) with 68 students and Grade 11- Henry Sy (Academic Track-

ABM) with 50 students. The Grade 11- Henry Sy had served as the experimental

group while Grade 11- Bill Gates as the control group.

Table 1 Senior High School Students Identified as Participants in the Research.

Grade and Section Number of Students Participants

Grade II- Bill Gates 68 68
(Control Group)
Grade II – Henry Sy 50 50
(Experimental Group)
Total 118 118

Data Collection Method

The research process started immediately after the researcher was given the

approval by the Secondary School Principal of Cabulohan-Paradise National High

School.

The research instrument employed in this study was a 60 – item multiple

choice test. This achievement test was adapted from a standardized test. The 60-item

achievement test used in the study served as the covariance. Almost the same test was

used during the conduct of pre-test and posttest examination of both experimental and

control group.

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 A Table of Specification (TOS) was made to ensure the percentage distribution

of test items in the different least mastered competencies during the first quarter. In

the formulation of the test questions, the number of distributions of test items was

divided equally among four cognitive process dimensions namely: remembering,

understanding, applying, and analyzing (DepEd Order no. 8, 2015).

After the development of achievement test and TOS, the materials were

submitted to the Master Teacher for validation and approval. The suggestions

and corrections given by the Master Teacher was taken into consideration for the

enhancement of the test.

The research process started when the researcher was given the approval from

the office of the Secondary School Principal. The researcher handled both the

experimental and control class. Before the orientation started, the researcher took into

consideration first the factors that might affect the study like environment, setting

arrangements, classroom illumination and ventilation were among the few. The first

session started with an orientation to inform the participants the purpose of the

activity.

The conduct of the study commenced during the second semester of the

School Year 2021-2022 and ran until late of June 2022. At the end of the semester

and after all the lessons were delivered, the posttest was administered in both classes.

The 60-item test used during the pre-test was also the tool used during the posttest.

Test papers were directly retrieved, checked and recorded. Results were used to

compare the academic achievement of the learners from their pre-test scores to their

posttest score. Comparison was done to see if there was an effect to the academic

performance to the learners after the use of task-based instructional materials.

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 Data Analysis

The data gathered was treated with suitable statistical tool to answer the

research questions.

For question number 1 and 2, descriptive statistics was used to determine the

pretest scores and posttest scores of both the control group and the experimental

group. The Mean of the scores was presented in group frequency distribution. T-test

was utilized to determine the difference and the significance of the mean scores of the

two groups.

DISCUSSION OF RESULTS

Level of the Learners’ Writing Skill Before and After their Exposure to the
Task-Based Activities

Table 2 presents the proficiency level of both groups during the pre-test and

posttest. The Table reflects the mean for each group.

Table 2. Proficiency Level of Learners during the Pretest and Posttest

NO. OF
MPS
GRADE AND SECTION STUDENTS
M F T Pretest Posttest
G11- HENRY SY
15 35 50 22.30 35.44
(Experimental Group)
G11-BILL GATES (Control Group) 36 32 68 24.52 25.64

The table shows that G11- Henry Sy which was the experimental group has a

higher mean score in the posttest compared to the pretest mean, and that, there is a

difference of 13.14. While the control group had a very minimal increase of 1.12,

which showed that there was a slight improvement of the students’ performance or

proficiency level.

Pre-test mean scores of both groups has a slight difference. There is only a

minimal difference in their means with the mean score of the control group and the

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experimental group, in fact the control group has a higher mean score than the

experimental group. But after the utilization of the ask-based material, the mean score

of the experimental group has increased higher.

Other researches on the use of task-based activities had also resulted to a

positive result in the reading and writing skills among learners. Nahavandi (2011) in

his research investigated and proved that task-based activities have positive effects on

EFL learners’ reading comprehension. At writing skill, studies by Kusnawati (2014)

found that TBLT has increased understanding writing process and writing skill.

Furthermore, Tabar & Alavi (2013)’s research has proved that the application of task-

based brings learners with different opportunities to plan performing written tasks in

different levels of cognitive complexity.

Significant Difference in the Level of Writing Skill Before and After

their Exposure to Task-Based Activities

Table 3 shows the significant difference in the level of writing skill before and

after their exposure to task-based activities. The data revealed that in experimental

group has significant difference in the level of writing skill before and after their

exposure to task-based activities with p-value of 0.02. This means that there is lesser

p-value than the set level of significance. The null hypothesis which states that there

is no significant difference in the level of writing skill before and after their exposure

to task-based activities is rejected. This simply implies that there is a change in the

level of writing skills among learners from pre-test to posttest using the task-based

activities.

Table 3. Significant Difference in the Level of Writing Skill of Learners

Grade and Section P-value Decision
G11-Henry Sy 0.02 Significant

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 (Experimental Group)
G11-Bill Gates 0.758 Not significant
(Control Group)

However, the data also shows that there is no significant difference in the level

of writing skills before and after the test using conventional method for control group

(p=0.758). This simply denotes that conventional method has no substantial result to

the writing skills among grade 11 learners.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Conclusions

Based on the results and findings it can be concluded that the Grade 11

learners in the experimental group obtained more gains in their posttest scores in the

achievement test compared to the control group.

There is also a significant difference in the level of the writing skills in favor

of the experimental group.

Therefore, the use of task-based instructional materials could be an effective

instructional material in teaching and learning English specifically the writing skill.

Recommendations

In view of the findings and conclusions of the study, the following

recommendations are made:

1. English teachers are encouraged to design activities in the classroom, like the

activity sheets and other instructional materials to make the curriculum

flexible for the learners.

2. Teachers may also utilize the task-based activity sheets or instructional

materials in other subject areas like Science and Math.

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 3. School administrators may capacitate teachers and provide technical assistance

in the development of instructional materials.

4. Teachers are encouraged to attend capacity building trainings and seminars in

the development of task-based learning materials.

5. DepEd could encourage the development of printed instructional materials like

the task-based activity sheets.

6. Future researchers could study further on the effectiveness of the developed

task-based learning materials that the context of the study was during the

limited face to face modality.

REFLECTION

The conduct of the study was challenging on the part of the researcher in the

sense that it was conducted during the pandemic. Students came to school by schedule

since it was a limited face to face modality of learning. While it was hard for students

to get the face to face instruction from the teacher, the researcher had thought about

making a supplementary material that would aid the learners in the making of their

tasks using their modules. The task-based learning activities supplement the activities

in the learning modules. And since the activities came as printed materials, it

lightened the burden of the learners to write on sheets of paper. The activity came

with clear and short instructions as compared with other activities in the modules,

thus, the learners favored to answer of the activity sheets.

The research was beneficial but was demanding on the part of the teacher,

since the teacher had not only spent extra effort in the preparation of the materials but

had exhaust resources personally to come up with the best learning experience and

outcome from the learners.

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 WORK PLAN

Activities Months

APRIL MAY- JANUARY 2023

2022 JUNE
2022
Pre- Implementation Phase

Preparation of the Research proposal

1. Analysis of Learner’s Needs

2. Submission of the research proposal for

approval.

3. Revision (if any)

4. Implementation of the research proposal

Implementation Stage

1. Letter of request will be sent to the

approving officer, consent forms were
signed by parents.

2. Teacher and students were oriented on

how to use the material.

3. Implementation of the developed material

4.Administration of the pre-test and post-test

5. Submit pretest and posttest to inter raters

Post- Implementation Stage

1. Presentation, Analysis, and Interpretation

of Data

2. Action Research Oral Presentation

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 FINANCIAL REPORT

Activities/Tasks Input Input Costs Total Fund Deliverables

Requirements Parameters Source
(resources) and Unit
Cost
A. Construct Bond Paper 0.1 ream x 199.00 Personal -Work Plan
IM 199/ream
Bond Paper 0.1 ream x 199.00 Personal
B. Submit the 199/ream -Certificate
research of
instrument for acceptance
validation of the
deliverables
C. Try-out the Bond Paper 0.1 ream x 188.00 Personal -MOA
research 188/Ream
instrument to
Grade XI
learners.
D. Submit the n/a n/a n/a Personal -Data
research Collection
instrument for Instruments
reliability test.
E. Conduct Pre- Reproduction 0.1 ream x 188.00 Personal -Data
Test to 188 Collection
determine the activities
prior
knowledge of
the students
Board Paper 17 packs x 442.00 Personal
USB 26/pack 1352.00 -Data
4 pieces x 427.00 Analysis
Ink (Black) 338/USB 220.00
Ink 1 piecex 165.00 -Initial
(Magenta) 427/USB 165.00 Findings
F. Ink (Cyan) 4 bot. x 165.00
Implementation Ink (Yellow) 55/bot.
Stage
3 bot. x
55/bot.
3 bot. x
55/bot.
3 bot. x
55/bot.
G. Conduct Additional 1.1 Pack x 80.00 Personal

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Post Test to Bond Paper 16/pack 36.00
determine the and Clear 1.2 Pieces
present writing Folder x
performance 18/pack
of the students
Other School n/a 1160.00
Supplies

TOTAL: 4,986.00

DISSEMINATION AND UTILIZATION

Action Plan Strategies Timeline Source Fund

A. Dissemination of SY 2021-
Findings 1. Present 2022 None
research
output to
school
principal.

SY 2021- MOOE
2. Present 2022
research
output in
research
congress.
3. Advocacy
Trainings Conduct trainings to SY 2021- MOOE
teachers handling 2022
English subjects.
4. Curriculum and
Instruction Encourage teachers to SY 2021- MOOE
use Task-Based 2022
Activity Sheets in
language teaching

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 APPENDICES

Part 1. Documentation
Part 1. Pretest and Posttest
Part 2. Task-Based Instructional Activities

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Orientation of the Learners/Conduct of Pre-test/Posttest and the Activities

18
The Instructional Activities

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