DR.

ROD ELLIS

 Dr. Rod Ellis is a prominent figure in the field of second language acquisition
research.
 His influential work explores how people learn new languages, and his theories have
shaped modern language teaching methods.
 His work on Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) is a highly influential concept
that has transformed language learning for many. This approach emphasizes
communication and real-world tasks over rote memorization.

WHAT I HAVE LEARNT FROM DR.ROD ELLIS

1. HIỀN

Video: https://youtu.be/WOTG-zt5c1A?si=wTBbuC8OAvvyv1Ao

In this video, Dr. Rod Ellis discussed Written Corrective Feedback with 6 dimensions
including:

1. Direct Feedback

2. Indirect Feedback

3. Metalinguistic Feedback

4. Focus of the feedback

5. Electronic Feedback

6. Reformulation

One of these, the strategy that I find most useful in English language teaching is
Reformulation.

This involves a native-speaker rewriting the student's text in such a way as to preserve as
many of the writer's ideas as possible, while expressing them in his/her own words so as to
make the piece sound native-like. The writer then revises by deciding which of the native-
speaker's reconstructions to accept.

Reformulation does more than just focus on grammatical errors it focuses on other aspects of
writing as well.

2. HẠNH

VIDEO: Written Corrective Feedback by Dr Rod Ellis

In this video, Dr. Rod Ellis discussed Written Corrective Feedback with 6 dimensions
including:

1. Direct Feedback
2. Indirect Feedback
3. Metalinguistic Feedback
4. Focus of the feedback
5. Electronic Feedback
6. Reformulation

One of those that I was impressed with the most is Metalinguistic Feedback. This
method should be recommended in teaching methodology for it can cover the disadvantages
of the first two methods mentioned above and can have learners memorise their written errors
when dealing with other later pieces of writing. Metalinguistic Feedback means that teachers
use error codes to provide learners with some form of explicit comment about their writing.

For example: Putting Art (stands for Articles) immediately above where there is an error
about the articles.

That will allow learners to find where the errors are and correct them by themselves
which cannot be found in Direct Feedback where learners get too explicit correction from
their teacher, and in Indirect Feedback where the teachers are unsure whether learners can
actually find the errors.
3. QUỲNH

Rod Ellis - Using task in language teaching

There are 4 criteria for a task

1- A task involves a primary focus on meaning

2- A task has some kind of “gap”

3- The participants choose the linguistic and non-linguistic resource needed to complete the
task

4- A task has a clearly defined communicative outcome

Types of tasks

1. Real-life tasks vs pedagogic tasks

2. Input-based vs output-based tasks

3. Closed vs Open Tasks

4. Here-and-now vs there-and-then tasks

5. Unfocused vs focused task

6. Teacher generated vs learner generated

Suiting the task type to the learner

Type of learner Type of task

Beginner Pedagogic input-based tasks; closed; here-and-now tasks

learners

Intermediate Pedagogic input-based and output-based asks; mixture of

learners pedagogic and real-life tasks; mixture of closed/open and here-
 and-now and there-and-then tasks

Advanced Mainly output-based tasks; focused tasks; real-life tasks; mainly

learners open there-and-then tasks

Special purpose Real-life tasks input-based and output-based; closed and open
learners tasks

He also mentioned two ways of using tasks in language teaching: Task-supported

teaching and Task-based teaching

Skill-learning theory

Declarative knowledge

Practice

Procedural knowledge

Incidental Acquisition
Greater Control

Focus on
Meaning Acquisition

New language
4. HƯỜNG

Ellis defines the key features of a task as being:

1. A workplan: there is a set of teaching materials and activities which are designated for
the learning process.
2. A primary focus on meaning: there is a gap of communication or reason that must be
filled through interaction. Students are given the freedom to use the language of their
choosing rather than focusing on grammatical form.
3. A real world process of language: the task can take the form of an interaction that is
likely or less than likely to happen in the real world. The language process should
exhibit real-world communication.
4. One that involves any of the four languages skills (reading, writing, listening or
speaking).
5. One that engages cognitive processes: students must utilize cognitive processes
through their engagement with the task, such as ordering, analyzing and selecting.
6. A clearly defined communicative outcome: the goal of the activity includes a non-
linguistic negotiation for meaning.

In his explanation of a task, Ellis careful to illustrate its contrast with an activity, with the
former being primarily meaning focused and the latter placing more emphasis on form. This
distinction also affects the role of each participant, as a task requires students to act as
language users. Alternatively, an activity requires the students to act as language learners