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by Manel Lacorte, University of Maryland

Manel Lacorte is Associate Professor of Spanish Applied Linguistics at the University of Maryland. His research focuses on second language (L2) and heritage language (HL) pedagogy and teacher education; L2 classroom interaction and context(s); applied linguistics; and sociopolitical issues in L2 and HL teaching and learning.

Considered a branch of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), task-based language teaching (TBLT) is one of the most popular approaches to second language (L2) teaching at present because of its emphasis on developing meaningful tasks for learners using the L2. The most commonly mentioned advantages of TBLT are:

1.   It is useful for moving the focus of the learning process from the teacher to the student. In a typical task-based lesson, the teacher does not pre-determine what language will be studied. The teacher may present language in the initial steps of the task (ʻpre-taskʼ stage), but the students are ultimately free to use the grammar constructs and vocabulary that may be more useful for the completion of the task.

2.   It provides students with a much more varied exposure to language. TBLT is specifically intended for learners to fulfill a variety of daily practices in the L2. For this reason, students are exposed to a whole range of lexical phrases, collocations and patterns related to a wider variety of social and cultural contexts.

3.   It gives learners a different way of understanding language as a tool to carry out real-world tasks instead of as a specific goal related to specific lexical areas and/or grammar structures. Real-world activities can be looked at and sequenced in much the same way as grammar forms can – from simpler to more complex.

4.   It can bring teaching from abstract knowledge to real world application related to contexts based on the studentsʼ experience with the L2. TBLT emphasizes the combination of language learning in class and activities outside the classroom in order to improve the learnersʼ communicative abilities in the target language.

5.   It is helpful in meeting the immediate needs of the learners, because the language explored often arises from the studentsʼ own needs. In "stronger" versions of the approach, these needs dictate what is to be covered in the lesson rather than a decision made by the teacher or the textbook.

6.   It may be both engaging and motivating because the tasks are likely to be familiar and relevant to the students (e.g.: looking for a job, planning a vacation, searching for a convenient academic program abroad, etc.). In the process of communicating in the L2 to complete the task, TBLT emphasizes learnersʼ interaction and cooperation. Learners are encouraged to apply and share their experiences with the L2 together.

Some possible issues to take into consideration when implementing TBLT are the need for teachers to help learners expand the language and vocabulary they have developed during the completion of the task. In this regard, it is important to follow up in the post-task stage, otherwise half of the task based learning process is wasted.

References

Leaver, B. L. and Willis, J. R. (2004). Task-Based Instruction in Foreign Language Education. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press.

Nunan, D. (2004). Task-Based Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.