2 Pedagogic task Pedagogic task is briefly defined as an activity attained by learners in
classroom rather than in the outside world as a result of processing the language. An example of this is performing a command while listening to teacher’s
explanation. Pedagogic task is taken in advance into account since implementing
meaningful task deals with several activities that should be accomplished by language learners in classroom. For this reason, a teacher should provide learners
with meaningful and communicative task. In addition, Nunan 1989: 10 supports the communicative task to be delivered to the learners for communicative task
leads learners to get involved in such classroom activities in comprehending, manipulating, producing, or interacting in the target language while their attention
is focused on meaning rather than on form. Larsen and Freeman 2000: 144 also confirm that providing language
learners with communicative task is beneficial. It is because a task offers learners a big opportunity to interact with the use of language in natural context. Hereby, a
task is used to facilitate language learning since it much assists learners to achieve a particular objective of learning a language.
b. Four Conditions for Language Learning
Researchers have found in their studies that there is no single method which can fulfill language learning satisfactorily. Other factors might influence
the process, however. As what is proposed by Willis 1996: 10, there must be conditions that should be met in language learning in order that language learners
can take effective language learning. Those conditions for language learning are exposure, use of language, motivation, and instruction.
The first three conditions, those are exposure, use of language, and motivation are considered essential because without one of these, the achievement
of language learning might not be met. On the other hand, the last condition, that is instruction, is desirable since language learners are able to learn the target
language outside the classroom for instance through informal conversation, spontaneous spoken language, and chatting. Further, they will be clarified below.
1 Exposure of language All good language learners take full advantage of such exposure to the
target language in use Willis, 1996: 11. In this learning condition, exposure refers to any input of the target language that is received by language learners
from both inside the classroom and outside the classroom. The input received by the learners can be varied. Input obtained from inside the classroom can be
teacher’s modification on his talk, learners’ reading to the materials or some other classroom activities that support the learners to have rich and real input. On the
contrary, any input obtained from outside the classroom can be from informal chat and spontaneous conversation.
It is vital to give learners exposure in language learning. It, at least, results in two beneficial ways. The first one is to provide the learners with rich but
comprehensible input. Giving rich input that is understandable to the learners helps them to learn the target language much better. The second benefit is to
prepare the learners to be ready in using the target language. Learners often feel much confident to use the target language if they have enough input beforehand.
2 Use of language Language learners need to make use of the target language efficiently, for
instance practicing the language in more productive skills such as in writing and speaking. To do this, teacher should create supportive and low-stress atmosphere
during language learning. The foremost point is that learners need so encouraging an atmosphere that enables them to say and express their feelings and thoughts. It
can be held, for example in classroom activities, by setting the class to have simple conversation such as asking hobby or exchanging phone numbers.
Willis 1996: 14 says that learners who are encouraged to communicate in the target language are likely to acquire the target language faster. It is because
they strive harder to improve their language proficiency. Therefore, it is better to challenge the learners to practice the target language as often as possible.
3 Motivation Motivation is needed by someone to achieve a particular goal. Motivation
can be integrative, instrumental, or both Willis, 1996: 14. Motivation is said to be integrative when it comes from an individual himself that he expects to be able
to communicate the language where the language is spoken in the community. On the other hand, motivation is purely instrumental when it is built as a means to an
end such as for further study. In the experience of language teaching learning, a teacher should create
activities that raise learners’ motivation. The learning activities are to attract PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
learners’ attention. Such activities can be enriched then, for example singing a song and reading poems. It is carried out to stimulate individual’s effort to get
involved in class. As a result, learners feel satisfied towards what they do, so that they are eager to take in the learning activities.
4 Instruction Instruction is not too essential in language learning condition, but it is
highly desirable. It is in accordance with what is proposed by Willis 1996: 15 who argues that instruction, which focuses on language form, is able to speed up
learners’ language development to arrive at learners’ achievement of learning. It is to say that instruction is a desirable condition for language learning since it
provides the learners with form of the language. In other words, learners can learn the structural patterns of the language through instruction.
Willis 1996: 16 also states that learners can benefit from instruction when language learning is about to be conducted. The major point is to facilitate
learners to process grammatical and lexical patterns of the language. In this case, when learners receive the instruction in the target language, they will process it
within their minds. Later, they make sense of everything they obtain and fit it to the instruction that they have accepted for the purpose of using the target
language. From the above explanation, the four conditions for language learning can
be summarized in the following diagram. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
Figure 2.1 Four Conditions for Language Learning Willis, 1996: 11
c. An Overview of Task-Based Learning
