Task-Based Learning Theoretical Description

27 Figure 2.4 Four Conditions for Language Learning Willis, 1996:11

c. Task-Based Learning

The starting point to discuss Task-Based Learning is about the background of the Task-Based Learning itself. During 1970’s there was new consideration within language teaching to embrace communicative approach Brumfit and Johnson, 1979. This condition influences teaching activities which emphasize more in meaning than in form. The focus on language teaching is not only given in language structure anymore but also the accompanied of ability to express meaning in target language. Therefore, the importance of developing students’ ability to understand and to express meaning in the target language become the core of language teaching pedagogy as the goal of communicative competence Savignon, 2001: 13. In order to achieve the communicative competence, task-based learning appears as development of Communicative Language Teaching which the stress is given in providing learners with natural context for language use Larsen- Freeman, 2000:137. 28 Moreover, Task-Based Learning creates how tasks can be used as the central focus in a methodological framework to create a real purpose for language use. Students prepare for the tasks, report back after the tasks, and then study the language that arises naturally out of the task cycle and its accompanying materials Willis, 1996:1. The concern of Task-Based Learning puts on the language learning, and task appears for the problem solving negotiation between knowledge that learners hold and acquire new knowledge Cadlin and Murphy, 1987:1. The teaching techniques which are used in task-based learning are not very different from ordinary mainstream language teaching. The differences lie in the ordering and weighting the activities, there is a greater amount of students’ activity. Task- Based Learning provides the students with the motivation to improve and to build meaning by the language they already have. The process of completing the task gives students a big amount of opportunity to interact. The interaction functions to facilitate language acquisition when students have to understand each other and to express their own meaning. The exchanging information through the interaction enables students to interact not only with the task but also with other students. Interaction among the students can be facilitated by making group in finishing the tasks. Moreover, the use of group work in finishing task also brings advantages, as follows Willis, 1996:35: a It gives learners confidence to try out whatever language they know, or think they know, in the relative privacy of a pair or small group, without fear of being wrong or of being corrected in front of the class. 29 b It gives the learners experience of spontaneous interaction, which involves composing what the students want to say in real time, formulating phrases and units of meaning, while listening to what is being said. c It gives learners a chance to benefit from noticing how others express similar meanings. d It gives learners chance to practice negotiating turns to speak and to respond the questions. e It engages learners in using language purposefully and co-operatively, concentrating on building meaning not just using language for display purposes. f It makes learners participate in a complete interaction. Negotiating openings and closings, new stages or changes of directions. Another important feature of Task-Based Learning is that students are free to choose whatever language form to convey meaning Willis, 1996: 24. Within this process, teacher must state a specified objective that should be achieved as the outcomes of accomplishing task. The result of this process emphasizes on understanding and conveying meaning in order to complete the task successfully. The needs of accomplishing the task with specified objectives and outcomes ask teachers to clarify the kind of tasks. Thus, Willis 1996: 28 offers two kinds of tasks, those are close task and open task. a Close task is a task which is highly structured and has very specific goals. The instructions are very precise and the information is restricted. There is only one possible outcome and one way to achieve it. For example: Work in pairs 30 to find seven differences between two pictures and write down in note form with two minutes as time limit. b Open task is a task which is more loosely structured with less specific goals. This kind of task will give more challenge for students to think or even to predict the purpose of the task. On the other hand, teacher is difficult to state a specific objective through this kind of task. For example: comparing memories of childhood journeys, or exchanging anecdotes on a theme. Willis 1996: 26 also classifies several types of tasks in which there are several processes within the tasks, those are: listing, ordering and sorting, comparing, problem solving, sharing personal experience, and creative tasks. a Listing Listing tasks purposes to motivate learners in expressing their ideas. The processes which are involved, those are: 1 Brainstorming to draw learners on their own knowledge and experience and 2 Fact finding to find things out by asking each others, or referring to books or movie given. b Ordering and Sorting There are four processes which are involved are: 1 Sequencing items, actions or events in a logical or chronological order, 2 Ranking items according to personal values or specified criteria, 3 Categorizing items in given groups or grouping them under given headings, and 4 Classifying items in different ways, where the categories themselves are not given. c Comparing 31 The processes which are involved are: 1 Matching to identify specific points and relate them to each other, 2 Finding similarities and things in common, and 3 Finding differences. d Problem Solving The process involves learners’ intellectual and reasoning powers. Moreover, the process and time scale mostly depend on the type and complexity of the problems. e Sharing Personal Experience The process encourages learners to talk freely about their personal experience. f Creative Tasks The process is built by the combination of the tasks to produce a creative work by the learners An important aspect in discussing Task-Based Learning is about its framework because only giving many tasks over and over is not the basic idea of Task-Based Learning. The tasks are given as the process within the framework. There are three phases in the Task-Based Learning framework and the further explanation can be described, as follows: a. Pre-Task This phase is usually the shortest stage in the framework. It introduces the class to the topic, activating topic-related words and phrases. Pre-activity is used to explore the topic of language which actively involves learners, gives the students relevant exposure and creates interesting situation in doing a task. 32 b. Task-cycle This stage offers the learners the chance to use whatever language they already know in order to carry out the task. Then, the students improve that language, under teachers’ guidance. Feedback from teacher comes when the students really want it. c. Language Focus Language focus allows a closer study of some features occurring in the language used during the task-cycle. Thus, the learners will have already worked with the language and processed it for meaning. In spite of the focus on Task-Based Learning is students who actively finish the tasks; the teacher role also holds an important point in the framework. The role of teacher is a facilitator who is always keeping condition for learning Willis, 1996:40. Facilitating learning involves balancing the amount of exposure and using the language. In addition, teacher is also course guide, explaining to learners the overall objectives of the course and how the components of task can achieve it. The framework of Task-Based Learning can be summarized as in the figure 2.5 can be seen in the page 33.

d. Task-Based Learning for Beginners and Young Learners