Task-Based Language Teaching Review of theories

4. Task-Based Language Teaching

a. Task definiton According to Luoma 2004, task is an activity done by people, and in language context, task refers to the use of language. Further, Richards and Schmidt 1985 define a task as an activity in the teaching and learning process which is designed to achieve a certain learning goal. The learning goals, learning processes and learning results are determined by the teacher‘s choice of tasks. The use of variety of different tasks makes the teaching and learning process more communicative. In conclusion, task is an activity that enable learners to learn the target language meaningfully. b. Task components Nunan 1989 proposes some components of task as seen in Figure 2 below. Figure 2: Task Components Goals Input Activities Teacher Role Learner Settings TASK The task will have a goal which is derived from the input. The input can be in the form of dialogue, monologue, reading passage, picture sequenced and so on. The activities will set out what the learners have to do in the task. The roles of the teachers and learners are influenced by those kinds of activities. The setting means where the place of the task will be done and in what way the task will be practiced —pair work, individual work, group discussion, etc. c. Speaking task criteria Thornbury 2005 proposes some criteria of speaking task in order to maximize the speaking opportunities so that students can experience the real-life language use. Some of the criteria are explained as follows. 1 Productivity A speaking activity needs to maximize language productive in order to provide the best conditions for the students to use the language autonomously. 2 Pursposefulness The language productivity can be increased if the speaking activity has a clear purpose, especially for activity which asks students to work together to achieve a certain goal. Asking students to report the result of work discussion is an effective way to ensure a commitment to the task. 3 Interactivity Speaking activity should require students to consider the effect they are having on their audience. If it is not, the students may not have a good preparation for real-life language use. For example, in a presentation or speech, students should perform their talk in front of the audience so that at least there is a possibility of interaction, i.e. questions, suggestions and comments at the end of the performance. 4 Challenge The task should be challenging so that students can experience the sense of achievement and excitement. This will help students to use all of their available communicative resources to achieve the goal. Of course, teachers should adjust the level of difficulty in each task. 5 Safety The classroom should provide the conditions for experimentation, including a supportive classroom. Teachers are supposed to have a non –judgmental attitute to students‘ errors. It is better to correct the error at the end of the activity. Teachers should also becompe a prompter when the students cannot overcome the difficulty in the task. 6 Authenticity Speaking task should have relation with real-life language use. In order to become autonomous language use, students need to experience the communication activity in the classroom which has the same quality with the communication activity outside the classroom. Role play and simulation can help a lot to deal with real-life language use. d. Principles of Task-Based Language Teaching Nunan 2004 defines seven principles of Task-Based Language Teaching. They are explained below. 1 Principle 1: Scaffolding Lessons and materials should provide supporting frameworks. Learners should not be expected to produce language that they have learned before in the beginning of the learning process. 2 Principle 2: Task dependency In the lesson, one task should have any relation with the previous task andor the next task. Learners are led step by step to the point where they finally can do the final task in the sequence. 3 Principle 3: Recycling Recycling language will enable learners to master the language well since it will reintroduce the language given in the previous section. 4 Principle 4: Active Learning Learners learn using the language that they are learning actively. Through doing, learners will learn in their best condition because they construct their own knowledge. These activities are —for example—completing a table based on listening input, completing a table based on questions and answer between learners, memorizing dialogues, and so on. 5 Principle 5: Integration Learners should be taught the differences between linguistic form, communicative function and semantic meaning. 6 Principle 6: Reproduction to creation Learners should be able to move from reproductive tasks given by models tape, teacher, textbook, etc to creative language use. The task should encourage the learners to be creative. 7 Principle 7: Reflection Learners are free to reflect their difficulties in learning or to reflect how well they are doing.

5. Developing units of work