The effect of task-supported and task-based teaching on the use of Russian verbs of motion

Abstract

The goal of this investigation is to determine to what extent task-supported (TS) and task-based (TB) language teaching approaches are effective for learning Russian verbs of motion. To this aim, an experimental study was carried out under real classroom conditions as a part of Russian language courses at the University of ***. Participants were organised into two groups that received a TS and a TB treatment, respectively. The implementation of the didactic strategies subsumed in the design of the TB treatment by means of a Learning Management System (Moodle), the benefits and key features of which facilitate task-based instruction, are analysed. The study follows the pre-test, post-test and delayed post-test design. In the light of the results obtained, it is safe to say that the two approaches are beneficial for learning verbs of motion since both groups showed a significant improvement in all the measured aspects, that is, the correct use of verbs both in the oral and written production and in the grammar tests (fill in the blanks, multiple choice and grammaticality judgement tests). Nevertheless, the TB group performed significantly better than the TS group in the oral tasks, and in most delayed post-tests