A REVIEW OF LITERATURE ON TASK-BASED VOCABULARY TEACHING AND LEARNING

Abstract

There have been numerous research studies which claim that the use of learning tasks is an effective means in facilitating second language teaching and learning context. The major argument is that the application of tasks give rise to a communicative learning ambience in classrooms which gives second language learners ample opportunities to negotiate with one another in authentic and meaningful contexts and hence be able to attain a desirable level of fluency when it comes to the acquisition of a second language. The emergence of the influential task-based language teaching (TBLT) approach, which is seen as an alternative to the more traditional Presentation-Practice-Production procedure (PPP) in ESL classrooms has since prompted many researchers and practitioners to examine the promise of TBLT, the relevance and practicality of incorporating TBLT in classroom practice as well as gauge the overall effectiveness of TBLT. While TBLT is quite common in teaching the major language skills, this review paper will focus on the use of tasks in facilitating the learning and teaching of English vocabulary in ESL contexts. This paper will especially highlight studies that examine selected features of tasks and discuss. The task induced involvement load hypothesis proposed by Laufer and Hulstijn (2001) and how the hypothesis influences the design and use of tasks in the language classroom.