3. Task-based Learning
a. Rationale of Task-Based Learning
To discern the rationale of task-based learning, we have to look forward on another paradigm for language teaching that is PPP
Presentation, Practice, and Production. The aim of a PPP lesson is to teach a specific language form-a grammatical structure, or the
realization of a particular function or notion Willis, 2004: 133. Willis says that the PPP cycle derives from the behaviorist view of
learning which rest on the principle helps to ‘automate’ responses, and that practice makes perfect. However, the PPP cycle restricts the
learner’s experience of language by focusing on a single item Willis, 2004: 135.
In task-based learning, the communication tasks involve learners in an entirely different mental process as they compose what they want to
say, express what they think or feel Willis, 2004: 18. Therefore, teachers are not dominating anymore and learners get chance to open
and close conversations, to interact naturally, to interrupt and challenge, to ask people to do things, and to check that they have been
done.
b. Definition of Task-Based Learning
1 Task
In task-based learning, tasks are always activities where the target language is used by the learner for communicative purpose goal in
order to achieve an outcome. It means that the tasks focus on meaning rather than correct form. “...Piece of classroom work that involves
learners in...” Nunan, 1989: 10. In other words, language has to be acquired by deeper experience on the use of target language than the
concentration on a grammar point. To have good language learning tasks, there are some criteria
needed. According to Candlin and Murphy 1987: 9, the tasks cited must be balanced between open-endedness and limited learner
resource; motivating requiring participation, interesting, challenging, rewarding, valuable; cooperative developing social and management
skills for learning; strategic stimulating personal strategies for language learning; differentiated varied for different levels, skills,
styles, objective of learners; focused unambiguous, targeted, relevant to the needs and goals of learners; open extendable, permeable,
accessible by to learners; structured gradable, variable, orderable, organized for learner’s time, place and availability; and critical
evaluative, formative, offering feedback, problem- posing.
2 The framework of Task-Based Learning for Beginners and
Young Learners
According to Willis 2004: 118, a task-based learning approach works well with real beginners. In task-based learning, students learn
by doing; the learning is part of the task itself. So, they will have desire PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
to communicate and understand other people’s meanings. Tasks also offer opportunities for learners to listen to and participate in meaning-
focused interactions from the very beginning, helping them to acquire a new language more naturally.
Moreover, Willis 2004: 119 says that the task-based learning framework for beginners differs from the standard framework in four
main ways. Firstly, there is much more weighting given to exposure. Secondly, the cycle may well consist of sets of short tasks rather than
one long one. Thirdly, because there is less emphasis put on public use of language until learners have gained confidence, the planning and
report stages are either omitted or very short. Finally, the language focus concentrates initially on words and phrases, only gradually
progressing towards grammar. For young learners, there is unlikely to be any language focus.
Longer
Pre-task
Introduction to topic and task. Lots of teacher talk about the topic;
Use of pictures, demonstrations, songs.
Task Cycle More
Sets of short tasks, followed by lots of teacher chat about the tasks.
Gradual increase in emphasis on these:
Planning Report
Language focus
Finding, identifying, and classifying common words and phrases. Practice of classroom language and social phrases.
Keeping personal dictionaries.
Figure 2.3: The Components of the Task-Based Learning Framework for Beginners and Young Learners Willis, 2004: 116
There are three phases on task-based learning for beginners and young learners Willis, 2004: 119-129:
1. Pre-task phase
This phase starts with what learners already know. Even complete beginners in English will find there are a lot of words
they can already recognize. The specific aim of this phase is to make the learners understand deeper about the topic and to get the
learners to listen to the target language. Therefore, based on the familiar words for learners of English, the teacher should talk in
the target language naturally and uses a lot of mime and demonstration.
2. Task cycle
To give good exposure to the target language in use and illustrate the objectives of the task or game are the purpose of this stage.
There are some tasks offered such as classifying, odd word out, memory challenge, ‘Yes or No?’ games, jumbled spelling
dictation, puzzles, guessing games, etc. 3.
Language focus This is the time to focus on language form and the next section
deals with ways of doing so. A language focus in each lesson, after the tasks, can serve to highlight common phrases. Since the tasks
suggested before were based on words already familiar to students, their meanings will usually be too clear from the context and
teacher’s gestures and expressions. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
Willis 2004: 26-27 describes six types of tasks: a
Listing Listing tasks tend to generate a lot of talk as learners explain
their ideas. The processes involved are brainstorming and fact finding. Brainstorming is the activities in which learners draw on
their knowledge and experience either as a class or in pairs groups while fact finding is the activities in which learners finding things
out by asking each other or other people and referring to books, etc.
For young learners, listing includes memory games that are things the learner remember from a picture, ‘Yes or No’ games
based on pictures or personal facts. b
Ordering and sorting These tasks involve four main processes. The first is
sequencing items, actions or events in a logical or chronological order. The second is ranking items according to personal values or
specified criteria. The third is categorizing items in given groups or grouping them under given headings. And the last is classifying
items in different ways, where the categories themselves are not given. For example, international words, international products,
well-known people, and ‘Odd word out’. c
Comparing These tasks involve comparing information of a similar nature
but from different sources or versions in order to identify common PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
points and or differences. The processes involved are matching to identify specific points and relate them to each other, finding
similarities and things in common, and finding differences. For young learners and beginners, there is also identifying task
including listen draw point do, Bingo with numbers, colors, words, and phrases.
d Problem solving
Problem-solving tasks make demands upon people’s intellectual and reasoning powers, and, though challenging, they
are engaging and often satisfying to solve. Real-life problems may involve expressing hypotheses, describing experiences, comparing
alternatives and evaluating and agreeing a solution. Completion tasks are often based on short extracts from texts, where the
learners predict the ending or piece together clues to guess it. e
Sharing personal experiences These tasks encourage learners to talk more freely about
themselves and share their experiences with others. The resulting interaction is closer to causal social conversation in that it is not so
directly goal-oriented as in other tasks. f
Creative tasks There are often called projects and involve pairs or groups of
learners in some kind of freer creative work. They also tend to have more stages than other tasks, and can involve combinations of
task types: listing, ordering and sorting, comparing and sharing, and problem solving. Out-class research is sometimes needed.
Organizational skills and team-work are important in getting the task done. The outcome can often be appreciated by a wider
audience than the students who produced it.
c. Syllabus
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