Task-based Language Learning Research Articles

LITERATURE CIRCLES AS AN IMPLEMENTATION OF READER-RESPONSE THEORY WHEN TEACHING EXTENSIVE READING IN ENGLISH AT UNIVERSITY

Teaching extensive reading at university has a great potential for development of students’ linguistic, thinking and creative skills. By embracing the content of a literary work, students expand their vocabulary and increase their range of grammar constructions. Moreover, literary texts comprise a variety of social, ethical, and moral problems and are characterized by diverse conflicts. They are perceived and understood as a result of literary interpretation and are determined by readers’ life experience and attitudes, cultural and moral standards. Therefore, the reader-response theory becomes relevant, since it considers reading as transaction (interaction) between the reader and the text. It means that the meaning wasn’t put by the author once and for all but will be interpreted differently by different readers. Accordingly, there is no single interpretation of the literary work. The subject of this research is the problem of teaching extensive reading in English at university through reader-response theory. The purpose of the article is to introduce the premises of this theory making a case for its application and to describe the operation of literature circles as a local example of the scientific paradigm. The methodological framework of the research was comprised of the communicative approach to teaching English, task-based language learning and the studentcentered approach in collaborative learning. The article demonstrates that literature circles function in a group where each student performs his/her role and different layers of understanding of the literary text are uncovered through peer discussion. The results of the research can be of interest to both foreign language teachers and to the researchers dealing with applied methodology of teaching literature. The author proves that literature circles favorably affect both students’ motivation for extensive reading and English teaching enhancement at university.

DESIGNING COMPLEX LSP TASKS FOR ASSESSMENT PURPOSES

When integrating task-based learning into LSP courses, assessment procedures have to reflect the communicative goals of such tasks. However, performances on authentic and complex tasks are often difficult to score, because they involve not only specific language ability but also field specific knowledge. Moreover, the emphasis of tasks on meaning suggests that the communicative outcome should be regarded as the main criterion of success. This paper focuses on task design and scoring. It is argued that tasks have to be adapted to assessment purposes. However, to avoid a misalignment between teaching/learning and assessment, they should comprise the main features of LSP tasks in the sense of task-based language learning.

Second Life Ortaminda Görev Temelli Dil Eğitimi Etkinliklerinde Öğrencilerin İngilizce Konuşmaya Yönelik Endişe, Güdülenme ve Özgüvenleri

This study investigated the contribution of task-based language learning in a 3D virtual world to anxiety, motivation, and self-confidence. The participants were Middle East Technical University preparatory students speaking English as a foreign language, and the 3D environment selected was Second Life, an online virtual world with a global user base. The results demonstrated the effectiveness of task-based language learning in the virtual environment, which had a positive impact on students. Findings suggest that students’ experiences in Second Life provided them with increased motivation and self-confidence, helping them overcome anxiety related to speaking English.

Incorporating Task Based Language Learning Approach into a Kurdish Young EFL Learners' Classroom through Storytelling Technique in a Basic School in Kurdistan Region

Effective teaching of English language to EFL learners has always been an important issue. There has been continuous efforts to find and adapt teaching methods and styles which suit learners' context, needs, and interest. This paper tries to devise a lesson for Kurdish young learners of grade six in a primary school in Kurdistan Region through integrating Task Based Learning aspects with the characteristics of Storytelling Method. Efficacious language learning approaches prioritise enhancing learners’ communicative performance over teaching complex grammatical structures in the early stage of learning a foreign language. Similarly, Task Based Language Learning approach aims to develop learners’ communicative competence via engaging them in authentic language activities and tasks. Storytelling technique on the other hand, can create an energetic, friendly ambiance in which learners are enthusiastically immersed in the lesson. They speak more confidently and are less afraid of making mistakes. The technique adapted, is new and novel in Kurdistan region's basic schools however, it falls within the scope of Communicative Teaching Approach which has recently become the popular approach for teaching English Language in basic schools of the region in the last few years.

Utilizing Preservice English Teachers Strategies and Classroom Management at Junior High School in Rejang Lebong Regency

ABSTRACT
 The objective of this research is aimed to know what are the most strategies and classroom management which are used by Preservice English Teacher at STAIN Curup in the academic year 2016/2017. The total of English Teacher was 7 teachers which as cooperating teacher of 17 preservice English Teacher. The types of english teaching strategies used by preservive English teacher were: (1) Task-Based Language Learning (100%) and (2) Cooperative Learning (100%); (3) Grapic Organizers (29%); (4) Technology (5.8%); (5) Roleplay (5.8%); (6) Storytelling (11.7%); (7) Vocabulary Building (11.7%); (8) Summarizing and Notetaking (5.8%); and (9) Analysis of Student Work (5.8%). The most strategies used by preservice english teacher (>50%) were Task-Based Language Learning and Cooperative Learning (100%). The types of classroom management used by preservive English teacher were: (1) Maintaning Discipline (58.5%), (2) giving feedback (100%), and classroom interaction (17.6%). The most classroom management used by preservice english teacher (>50%) were giving feedback and maintaning discipline. 
 Keywords: Classroom Management, Presrvice English Teacher, Teaching Strategies

The Effect of Task-based Language Learning on Speaking and Writing Skills of Arabic Language Learners in International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM)

The Effect of Task-based Language Learning on Speaking and Writing Skills of Arabic Language Learners in International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM)

Task-based Language Learning through Debate

Task-based Language Learning through Debate

The Effect of Instructional Methods and Cognitive Styles toward Speaking Skill

This study investigated the effect of instructional methods and students’ cognitive styles toward speaking skill. It was an experimental research using a two-factor ANOVA at 0.05 and 0.01 significance level. Because an interaction between the variables involved was found, the analysis was then continued by Tuckey Test. The data was collected using oral test rating scale and a cognitive style questionnaire. The findings showed the following points: (1) the speaking skill of the students taught by CLL (Cooperative Language Learning) was higher than the students taught by TBL (Task-Based Language Learning); (2) the speaking skill of FD (Field Dependent) students was higher than FI (Field Independent) students; (3) there was an interaction between instructional methods and cognitive style to speaking skill; (4) the speaking skill of the students taught by CLL was higher than the students taught by TBL in the group of FD students; (5) there was no significant difference of the speaking skill of the students taught by CLL and the students taught by TBL in the group of FI students. The findings above led to a conclusion that generally CLL was more effective than TBL in teaching speaking skill. Moreover, besides instructional methods, cognitive style also gives a significant effect to students’ speaking skill.

The Effect of Task-Based Language Learning and Learning Styles on the Students’ Reading Ability

This study was aimed at examining the effect of task-based language learning (TBLL) and learning styles on students‘ reading ability. The research design of this study was experimental research in the form of factorial design. The population of this study was the eighth grade students of Islamic Junior High School in Jepara Municipality under The Ministry of National Education. The sampling used was simple random sampling which reached 68 respondents. Variables in this study were 1) independent variables (the use of task-based language learning to experimental group and conventional teaching strategy to control group), 2) moderator variable (students‘ learning styles; visual and auditory), and 3) dependent variable (students‘ reading ability). To test the hypothesis, this study used multifactor analysis of variance (MANOVA). The result revealed that started in the similar reading ability, regardless of the students‘ learning styles, students treated under TBLL had better achievement than those treated under conventional teaching strategy (81.32 > 72.21). Therefore, TBLL was more effective than conventional teaching strategy (F>7.04 and p: .01). Then, students‘ learning styles differ significantly from one another in their effect on students‘ reading ability. Regardless of the teaching strategies, visual students performed better than auditory students (79.12 > 74.41). Finally, the data revealed no interaction between teaching strategies and students‘ learning styles; the value of F, 4.284, was not significant because it was smaller than the values shown in the table. It indicated that they were independent of each other; the effect of teaching strategies did not depend on the students‘ learning styles.

Teaching \'Technical Report Writing\' Through Task Based Language Learning

Teaching \'Technical Report Writing\' Through Task Based Language Learning

Teaching ‘Technical Report Writing’ Through Task Based Language Learning

Teaching ‘Technical Report Writing’ Through Task Based Language Learning

Implementacija mobilnog učenja u nastavi stranih jezika na primeru nemačkog

The paper analyzes the possibilities of effective implementation of mobile learning in foreign language instruction and the potential contribution of mobile learning to the enhancement of teaching quality and to the achievement of teaching goals. The paper aims to critically examine the potential of mobile learning in foreign language instruction, based on an analysis of the findings of a study conducted in 2017 on a sample of 120 students of German language courses at the Goethe Institute in Belgrade. The results of the study, which utilized a questionnaire supplemented with a five-point Likert scale, have been used for and analyzing and summarizing students‘ experiences, attitudes and suggestions with regard to mobile learning, primarily with the aim of improving teaching practice. In order to assess the effects of tablet use on the quality of instruction, a Likert scale was created with indicators formulated on the bases of Meyer’s “The characteristics of good teaching” (Meyer, 2009:17-18). The paper starts from the following premises: the use of tablets has a positive effect on the quality of instruction and on achievement; students show more interest in educational games and tools that facilitate vocabulary acquisition and structural language patterns practice than in tools and applications that aim to develop speaking or writing skills; in their choice of applications and tools, teachers don’t use the full potential of mobile media for developing all language skills, and the most frequently used tools and applications are those designed to expand learners‘ vocabulary and provide practice of structural language patterns. The findings have confirmed the hypothesis that tablet use has a positive effect on instruction quality by helping create a stimulating learning environment and more efficient achievement of teaching goals. Questionnaire responses indicated that students perceived the greatest benefits of implementing mobile learning in German language teaching to be rapid feedback, interesting teaching and the opportunity for collaborative work. None of the indicators of good teaching pointed to any deficit in teaching that used tablets compared to teaching without tablets, and students stated they would like to use them either in every class or several times a week, preferably in pairs, as they regard pair work as the most effective. Educational games were rated as the most interesting, followed by vocabulary and reading exercises and culture learning activities. Respondents suggested that more time should be allocated to exercises for listening, writing and reading skills development, but also to culture learning activities. Although responses indicated that in their free time students used tablets primarily for information searches and communication and only very rarely for informal learning, respondents expressed interest in the possibilities of using tablets for German language learning in their free time. The findings of the study indicate that there is a need for teachers to become more thoroughly acquainted with collaborative learning techniques such as collaborative writing, while learning scenarios should include a number of tasks that lead to the creation of new cultural products, as defined by Bachmair (Bachmair 2010: 24), because they enable task-based language learning.

Gender, Scaffolding Mechanism and Output Complexity in Task-based Language Learning

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of gender in Iranian EFL learners’ output complexity and scaffolding mechanism as they were performing the tasks. The participants were 18 intermediate learners from both genders who were selected based on a proficiency test and an interview. They were placed into three groups based on their gender. They were also assigned into nine different collaborative pairs and were required to perform four tasks while being tape-recorded for 36 sessions. The audio-recorded dialogues were then transcribed and divided into AS-units. Ohta’s (2001) seven types of scaffolding methods were used as a framework to analyze the data. The findings indicated that the interlocutors in female-female pairs scaffolded their struggling partners more than the other pairs and produced a more complex output; however, the interlocutors in male-male pairs underperformed the other groups. It can be concluded that gender plays an important role in EFL learners’ output complexity and scaffolding mechanisms they employ. Keywords: AS-units, gender, scaffolding mechanism, sociocultural approach, task-based language learning

Introducing IoT and Wearable Technologies into Task-Based Language Learning for Young Children

In the last few years, in an attempt to further motivate students to learn a foreign language, there has been an increasing interest in task-based teaching techniques, which emphasize communication and the practical use of language, thus moving away from the repetitive grammar-translation methods. Within this approach, the significance of situating foreign language learners in scenarios where they can meaningfully learn has become a major priority for many educators. This approach is particularly relevant in the context of teaching foreign languages to young children, who need to be introduced to a new language by means of very concrete vocabulary, which is facilitated by the use of objects that they can handle and see. In this study, we investigate the benefits of using wearable and Internet-of-Things (IoT) technologies in streamlining the creation of such realistic task-based language learning scenarios. We show that the use of these technologies will prove beneficial by freeing the instructors of having to keep records of the tasks performed by each student during the class session. Instead, instructors can focus their efforts on creating a friendly environment and encouraging students to participate. Our study sets up a basis for showing the great benefits of using wearable and IoT technologies in streamlining 1) the creation of realistic scenarios in which young foreign language learners can feel comfortable engaging in chat and becoming better prepared for social interaction in a foreign language, and 2) the acquisition and processing of performance metrics.

Focus-on-form and EFL learners’ language development in synchronous computer-mediated communication: task-based interactions

The purpose of this study was to explore the occurrence of incidental focus-on-form and its effect on subsequent second language (L2) production of learners of different dyads in an online task-based language learning context. The participants included Taiwanese learners of English as a foreign language at different proficiency levels, and native speakers of English. Sixteen native speaker–non-native speaker (NS–NNS) dyads and 14 NNS–NNS dyads were formed. The dyads were asked to complete two multiphase communicative tasks in a synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC) environment. Language-related episodes (LREs) were identified and utilised as a basis for individualised tailor-made tests. The tailor-made post-tests were used to assess the learners’ learning outcomes. The results suggested that LREs in the SCMC medium can enhance learners’ language development in both dyadic types. No significant differences were found between the two dyadic types in relation to the amount of LREs produced and the learning outcomes. In sum, this quasi-experimental study demonstrates that the effectiveness of incidental focus-on-form can be measured through individualised testing of linguistic items and that research on incidental focus-on-form does not have to remain descriptive or exploratory in nature. Our findings suggest that language proficiency, dyadic type and incidental focus-on-form in the SCMC setting interacted in complex and intricate ways.

The effects of pre-task planning on L2 writing: Mind-mapping and chronological sequencing in a 1st-year German class

Grounded in scholarship on task-based language learning (Ellis, 2003; Robinson & Gilabert, 2007; Skehan & Foster, 2001; Skehan, 2003) and second language (L2) writing (Byrnes & Manchón, 2014; Ojima, 2006), this quasi-experimental study examines the performance of 26 first-year learners of German on three written summary tasks with different levels of complexity. The first task served to establish a baseline for subsequent analyses. For the second and third tasks, participants completed either a mind-mapping pre-task or a chronological sequencing pre-task, using a counterbalanced design. All essays were analyzed for complexity, grammatical accuracy, fluency, lexical choice, lexical accuracy and propositional content. Results from non-parametric Friedman's ANOVAs indicated several significant differences between participants' performance on the baseline task compared to both treatments, but no significant differences between the pre-task types. Further analyses revealed significant correlations between the amount of ideas learners generated on the pre-task and on the subsequent writing tasks. These findings offer new insights into the role of pre-tasks in the L2 writing process, especially among first-year learners, a population in need of further study (Adams, Amani, Newton, & Alwi, 2014; Manchón & de Haan, 2008; Nitta & Baba, 2014; O'Brien, 2004).

Variability and variation of L2 grammar: A cross-sectional analysis of German learners’ performance on two tasks

Research on second language (L2) grammar in task-based language learning has yielded inconsistent results regarding the effects of task-complexity, prompting calls for more nuanced analyses of L2 development and task performance. The present cross-sectional study contributes to this discussion by comparing the performance of 245 learners of German at two universities in the USA on two types of assessment tasks using multidimensional analyses of grammatical accuracy, fluency and complexity. Results show that: (1) grammatical accuracy in learner performance did not improve linearly across two years of instruction in either task condition; (2) participants tended to perform more accurately in the integrative task than on discrete-point items; (3) second-year learners wrote more fluently than first-year learners; and (4) fourth-semester learners wrote more complex sentences than other groups. The results yield important research, pedagogical and curricular insights.

The first five days

Facilitating lifelong language learning amongst students is a frequently mentioned goal of many language teachers. Teachers want their students to fall in love with the cultures and languages they have dedicated their lives to studying. However, igniting the spark for learning beyond the classroom can be a real challenge. In the current educational culture where motivation for learning is too often focused on extrinsic motivations like passing tests and making good grades, how do teachers redirect students toward intrinsic motivations like a love for learning? Research into various fields of study have provided evidence that it typically takes at least ten years of concerted effort to master most skills. From this premise it stands to reason that in order for language learners to reach higher levels of language proficiency, there is a need to promote learner autonomy that extends learning beyond the language classes students take in schools. Facilitating learner autonomy requires a reconceptualization of the way language classes are structured. Building upon goal theories, task-based language learning, and deep reflection within a transparent learning framework can help to provide students with the skills to continue learning beyond the classroom. This framework can set students on a more self-directed path toward language learning that is both intrinsically motivating and engaging. Throughout my own research and practice I have begun to develop a process to facilitate this type of learning environment for my students. In this paper, I share my own successes and challenges as I spent the first five days of a semester establishing expectations for facilitating learner autonomy.

Possibilities and challenges of learning German in a multimodal environment: A case study

AbstractDespite a growing body of research on task-based language learning (TBLT) (Samuda & Bygate, 2008; Ellis, 2003), there is still little information available regarding the pedagogical design behind tasks and how they are implemented (Samuda & Bygate, 2008). Scholars in computer-mediated second language (L2) learning have called for research to fill in this gap by reflecting critically on task design and the subsequent implementation process (Fuchs, Hauck & Müller-Hartmann, 2012; Hampel, 2010; Hampel & Hauck, 2006; Hampel & Plaines, 2013; Hauck, 2010), instead of considering a task an “unproblematic fait accompli” (O’Dowd & Ware, 2009: 174). In response to this charge, the present case study provides a critical analysis of tasks carried out in a first-year German language course built around the weekly TV-series,Rosenheim-Cops(ZDF). These tasks drew from research on multimodality (Kress & van Leeuwen, 2001; Norris & Maier, 2014) providing a framework for understanding how multiple semiotic systems work together to create meaning. The insights provided by this study have relevance for research on multimodal task design (Hampel & Hauck, 2006) through examining the possibilities and limitations of beginner second language (L2) learners’ effective use of authentic resources. The results suggest that the tasks encouraged semiotic awareness, helped activate referential knowledge useful for accessing multimodal resources, and elicited a positive response to authentic L2 use in context. The challenges of implementing these tasks included variation in learners’ engagement with authentic multimedia resources, either due to L2 skills levels or the level of interest in the particular resource used.

Teachers’ Beliefs About Task-Based Language Teaching in Japan

As task-based language teaching (TBLT) has grown in popularity in many Asian EFL countries, it has sometimes been the target of criticism from locally situated researchers and teachers, who question its appropriateness for such contexts (Burrows, 2008), often in contrast to more traditional methods, such as the “presentation, practice, production” (PPP) approach (Sato 2009). Partially in response to this criticism, the Task Based Language Learning Special Interest Group (TBLSIG) of the Japanese Association for Language Teachers was formed in 2010 in order to contribute to research into the implementation of TBLT in Japanese and Asian EFL classrooms. As the majority of TBLSIG members are teachers, presently interested in using TBLT in classrooms, they provide an ideal source of insight into how the approach can be implemented effectively in Japan, and by extension, in other similar EFL countries in Asia. This study investigated these teachers’ beliefs about TBLT in Japanese classrooms through an online survey. The aim of the study was to add to existing research on teacher beliefs by not only investigating teachers’ understanding of the principles of TBLT, but also by enquiring into what special considerations practicing teachers have made when implementing TBLT in Japanese classrooms.