Task-based Language Teaching Research Articles

How to Improve Speaking Skills for Undergraduates at Dong Nai Technology University

The ability to communicate in both written and spoken form is the main goal of learning English. Teachers need to provide students with opportunities to communicate in English so that they can become fluent speakers. Nonetheless, the majority of non-major students at Dong Nai Technology University are struggling with conversations due to brief and unnecessary pauses. While speaking ability among students must be developed, it has been seen that listening and speaking skills are not given enough attention in the practice of English teaching and learning. The current study seeks to increase non-major sophomores’ oral English fluency. The teaching methodology employed in the study was task-based language teaching (TBLT) which encourages students to participate more in communicative activities and ensures that they will be able to grasp the target language. The researcher used different types of study devices to get the data, including tests, observations as well as questionnaires, to determine how task-based language instruction enhanced students’ speaking abilities and what opinions students had towards the teaching method. By analysing data from test scores, observation notes, and questionnaires, it was concluded that there is a necessity for TBLT for the development of speaking fluency.

Designing for diversity in Aotearoa / New Zealand Chinese language classrooms

There has been an increased interest in teaching and learning Chinese language across many schools in Aotearoa / New Zealand (NZ). Chinese language teachers, particularly those new to the Aotearoa/NZ schools and education system, are confronted with (1) an educational environment that calls for learner-centred pedagogies and (2) an increasingly diverse classroom that requires these teachers to adopt pedagogical strategies that address and cater for diversity. In response to these needs, this article discusses a case study of a research-informed professional development (PD) workshop designed to support Chinese language teachers to (1) identify ways that diversity manifests in the Aotearoa/NZ classroom and (2) figure out how to design for learning whilst accounting for diversity in Aotearoa/NZ. The workshop promoted a discussion on diversity from an inclusive, heterogeneous perspective, and introduced teachers to contemporary conceptual ideas connected to ‘teaching-as-design’, and to the Activity-Centred Analysis and Design (ACAD) framework. Teachers (N = 19) were randomly assigned to groups of three to five. Groups were encouraged to collaborate on the design of learning tasks that incorporated TBLT (Task-Based Language Teaching) and addressed diversity in the classroom. Analysis of their design activities and produced artefacts reveals that teachers’ understanding of diversity comprised many characteristics, they held a positive attitude towards being responsive to diversity, and were able to experiment with new design concepts and ideas using the ACAD toolkit. In particular, teachers were able to successfully expand the design of their learning tasks to include social and material design elements to address learner diversity. Findings also reveal teachers’ emerging awareness of their dual role as facilitators and as teacher-designers.

The Implementation of Task-Based Language Teaching to Develop Students’ Grammar Accuracy

This research aims to find out; (1) whether task-based language teaching can develop students’ grammar accuracy; and (2) whether the implementation of Task-Based Language Teaching can develop class condition in grammar class of the second-grade students of English Department of Universitas Harapan Bangsa. The method used in this research is classroom action research. It was conducted in two cycles from October to December 2021 at the first-grade students of English Department of Universitas Harapan Bangsa. The research result shows that the use of Task-Based Language Teaching can develop the students’ grammar accuracy. The students succeed to make sentences in various tenses with correct form and meaning. The results of all cycles conducted as follows; the average score of post-tests in cycle I is 64, and post-test in cycle II is 73. The class condition also became better since the method was applied. They are more active joining the learning process. They applied the language rules they learned communicatively in the spoken and written forms. This condition made them aware of their ability to use the standard language in the communication. In conclusion, task-based language instruction can improve the classroom environment and the students' grammar proficiency. Both the academic performance and the learning environment of the students are benefited by this approach.

Primary school children’s peer interaction: Exploring EFL teachers’ perceptions and practices

Peer interaction (PI) research to date has primarily focused on documenting the benefits and issues of PI among adult learners, with little research examining teachers’ perceptions and practices of PI among young learners (YLs) in intact English as a foreign language (EFL) classrooms. To address this gap, this study explored how primary school teachers in Vietnam perceived and used PI in the classroom. The study used multi-methods, including classroom video recordings, field notes, semi-structured interviews, and stimulated recall interviews with seven EFL primary school teachers to explore their perceptions of PI. Field notes and interview data were analysed following a theme-based approach in combination with descriptive analyses of observational data. Findings revealed that PI was perceived by teachers as including two types: decontextualized form-practiced PI (DFPI) and genuinely communicative PI (GCPI). These results suggested that teachers’ perceptions of PI did not match the definition of PI adopted in this study which only considered GCPI as PI and excluded the DFPI. Regarding the GCPI, the teachers acknowledged its benefits but reported numerous drawbacks in implementing it. Notably, the teachers’ PI practices reflected their stated beliefs about PI, and the results showed that GCPI accounted for only a small portion (20%) of the lesson time. The results revealed a lack of awareness of PI and thus a limited understanding of communicative language teaching (CLT) and/or Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) among primary English teachers in a Vietnamese EFL context. The study provides insights into teachers’ varied interpretations of PI as it is practiced in authentic classrooms and points to a need for further teacher training in equipping primary school teachers with updated knowledge of TBLT, especially in terms of PI and skills to implement it more frequently in intact L2 classrooms for YLs.

Investigating the Effects of ESL Learners’ Motivation and Anxiety on Task Based Language Teaching in Pakistan

Motivation and anxiety play a significant role in the teaching and learning process, either it is second language learning or Task Based Language Teaching (TBLT). The current research aimed to investigate the motivation and anxiety faced by Pakistani English as Second Language (ESL) learners while learning English language. A quantitative research design was used to conduct this research. Moreover, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was subsequently applied to record the relationship between task motivation and second language (L2) motivation, as well as to configure the association between task anxiety and foreign language anxiety. From two public sector colleges of Sargodha, eighty ESL learners participated in the experiment. They were shown a cartoon video and then they were asked to narrate the video in English. Furthermore, they were inquired about their task anxiety and task motivation. The results showed that task motivation has three sides, that is, positive attitude towards the task, negative attitude towards the task, and task diagnostic tool. Task anxiety construct also shows three sides-setting namely anxiety, language related anxiety, and anxiety reliefs. The results also revealed that TBLT is greatly affected by motivation and anxiety. The current study would help the teachers to gain knowledge about the motivational strategies used by their students. Lastly, the research would be helpful for ESL teachers to motivate their students and understand their anxieties. This study was limited to the video narration task. Hence, it is recommended to extend future studies by including more than one task while using a large sample size.

TASK-BASED LANGUAGE TEACHING IN VIETNAM: RESEARCH TRENDS, FINDINGS, AND IMPLICATIONS

It is widely assumed that task-based language teaching (TBLT) has been effectively applied in EFL contexts. In Vietnam, abundant research has been implemented to examine its effects on English proficiency as well as to identify perceptions and attitudes of both teachers and learners towards using this approach in classroom contexts. This paper aims to synthesize trends in research on task-based language teaching in the context by reviewing results extracted from a corpus of 60 studies. Key aspects like effects, challenges, teacher/learner perceptions and attitudes were selected for analysis and synthesis. The results revealed that the research tended to focus more on production skills than receptive skills, and that the implementation of TBLT was reported to cause challenges for teachers, while learners tended to hold positive attitudes toward the approach. Based on the research findings, some lessons were drawn for pedagogy and future research. For successful TBLT implementation, it is suggested that teachers are informed of the effects, engaged in reflections and that exams should be shifted towards communicative competence assessment. Future research could increase sample size and treatment duration, and especially address the challenges teachers, as the main agent, encounter in implementation.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0023/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>

A Study on the Utilization of OpenAI ChatGPT as a Second Language Learning Tool

In November 2022, ChatGPT was introduced and caused a sensation, gathering 100 million users only within two months. ChatGPT’s capability of generating high-quality sentences demonstrated potential to be applied in a wide range of fields. In this paper, we explore the utilization of ChatGPT as a second language learning tool and scrutinize its suitability. Specifically, we analyzed technical aspects of ChatGPT including its principles, history, and features. We then assessed its ability from two different perspectives: designing course contents and teaching these contents based on Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) method. Firstly, we built up a Korean ESL learner persona who is an intermediate level and directed ChatGPT to construct a course for business English writing. Second, we asked ChatGPT to teach business English writing by TBLT method. Although there were areas for improvement, the results were promising, indicating that ChatGPT was able to execute given prompts to act as a language learning tool. By highlighting opportunities and concerns of ChatGPT in the language learning context, this paper implied its potential to create enhanced learning experience by facilitating a supportive learning environment. Further research is expected to investigate its effectiveness in diverse contexts and purposes.

A sociocultural perspective understanding the role of L1 in the learning of L2 through TBLT and CLIL pedagogical approaches

Over the past few decades, there have been an increasing number of empirical studies exploring the use of the first language (L1) in pedagogical approaches (e.g., Lee, 2018; Lo, 2015; Turnbull, 2001). However, to date relatively less research has undressed the role of the L1 from a sociocultural perspective to inform educational practitioners of theory-supported teaching practices. With a focus on two specific pedagogical approaches, namely, task-based language teaching (TBLT) and content and language integrated learning (CLIL), this paper reviews two recent studies whose findings pertaining to the role of L1 in second language (L2) learning and teaching are discussed and re-interpreted through the lens of Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory of mind (1978, 1986). The discussion uncovers the multifaceted role of L1 as a cognitive, affective, and interactional mediator, which I argue could optimise the L2 learning process within both the TBLT and CLIL classroom discourse. Such a reconceptualisation of the mediating role of the L1 may shed light on the benefits of using L1 in TBLT and CLIL pedagogies and help language educators make research-informed decisions about their language use choices in the L2 classroom.

Saudi EFL University Learners’ Perspectives on Using Task-Based Language Teaching in Promoting Opinion Essay Writing

The fundamental aim of this study is to investigate Saudi EFL university learners’ perspectives on using the task-based language teaching (TBLT) approach to improve opinion essay writing in the College of Science and Arts in Tanumah, King Khalid University. The study was conducted during the second semester of the academic year 2021-2022. To collect data, the study uses a questionnaire and tests as primary tools. The population of the study covers all third-level EFL university students in the aforementioned college. Thirty students are randomly chosen and then they are divided into the control group (CG) and the experimental group (EG), each of which consists of 15 students. The participants in the CG learned how to write an opinion essay by employing traditional teaching methods based on the structure of the textbook. In contrast, the participants in the EG learned how to write an opinion essay by implementing the task-based language teaching approach, which is based on the TBLT framed by Wills (1996). The post-test analysis reveals that the implementation of TBLT has significantly improved the opinion essay writing of Saudi EFL university learners. In addition, the analysis of questionnaires of the experimental group shows that most Saudi EFL university learners hold positive perspectives towards implementing TBLT to improve their opinion essay writing.

Authenticity of tasks in online ESL/EFL learning to foster transfer

Authentic learning tasks, resembling life-like situations, have been effectively used in this research with Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT) of English as a Second/Foreign Language (ESL/EFL). The present study also focuses on the implementation of the Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach in ESL/EFL teaching comparing two online courses, a course containing more “traditional” tasks with one consisting of less authentic tasks. For more meaningful learning, a sufficient level of authenticity to enable holistic teaching is required. Towards this goal, the study put into effect two e-courses, with 50 participants, differing distinctly in levels of authenticity. The Method section describes the three instruments, used to collect the relevant data, which will provide answers to the equally posed three research questions. Specifically, the Integrative Learning Value (ILV) instrument measured knowledge transfer, the Approaches to Teaching Inventory (ATI) students’ learning performance in relation to more or less teacher/student-centered teaching strategies as well as the 5-Dimensional Framework for Authenticity (5DF) instrument for student perceived authenticity. Finally, results are presented and conclusions are discussed.

Role of task-based language teaching (TBLT) in enhancing students’ speaking skills in English as a second language.

This qualitative research paper investigates the impact of Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) on ESL students' speaking skills. Data is collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and document analysis of course materials. The study finds that TBLT has a positive impact on students' speaking skills by providing them with opportunities to use English in realistic and meaningful contexts, promoting fluency, accuracy, and interactional competence. However, the study also highlights challenges such as students feeling overwhelmed or anxious when completing TBLT tasks, especially when working in groups. The need to balance task demands with the need to use correct grammar and vocabulary is also noted. Overall, the study supports the effectiveness of TBLT in enhancing students' speaking skills in ESL, but acknowledges the importance of addressing challenges associated with TBLT implementation.

Ideating task‐based designs for special education learners

AbstractThe task‐based language teaching (TBLT) approach has long drawn data from general learners and developed theories on the basis of those data. In this article, the author explores how to adapt TBLT materials for learners with special educational needs (LwSENs) who have difficulty learning, thinking, and communicating. TBLT conceptualizes proficiency‐oriented targets differently than SEN, which emphasizes remedial teaching methods. Using visual images and textual definitions, this study probes special educators' ideal learning tasks, a method derived from phenomenology, which studies things in the world by studying people's perceptions of them. Visuals and texts as eidetic tools enabled the researcher to collect data of perception from nine core participants, which showed their excitement and trepidation regarding using tasks to teach. Results showed that special educators preferred project‐like tasks with game plans and goal‐oriented outcomes and were pessimistic about the possibility of developing a fully proficiency‐targeted approach for teaching LwSENs. Their preference for simple materials may contradict the expectation that the TBLT approach will produce high‐quality outputs among LwSENs. As a means of closing these knowledge gaps, this article responds to the special educators’ task design ideas and proposes solutions for developing appropriate materials.

Multicultural Education in Foreign Language Teaching: Task-Based Approach

The aim of this paper is to propose a methodological framework for incorporating multicultural education into foreign language teaching using a task-based approach. The paper presents three objectives for achieving this aim: (1) investigate the role of multicultural education in foreign language teaching (FLT); (2) examine the effectiveness of task-based approach in promoting intercultural competence and understanding in FLT; and finally (3) provide recommendations for the integration of multicultural education into FLT in Ukraine, based on the findings of this study. The study presents a literature review of the role of multicultural education in foreign language teaching, which emphasizes the need for learners to develop intercultural competence alongside language proficiency. The effectiveness of task-based language teaching (TBLT) in promoting intercultural competence and understanding is also discussed, with several studies suggesting that TBLT can be an effective approach for promoting intercultural competence among learners. The findings discuss a study conducted in Ukraine, which investigated the integration of multicultural education into foreign language teaching using a task-based approach. The study found that incorporating multicultural education into TBLT can enhance learners' intercultural competence and understanding, as well as their motivation to learn the language. The paper brings to light several recommendations for the integration of multicultural education into foreign language teaching in Ukraine and other countries, including the use of authentic materials and tasks, the promotion of collaboration and interaction among learners from different cultural backgrounds, and the incorporation of reflection activities into the curriculum. In conclusion, it is proposed to consider a methodological framework for incorporating multicultural education into foreign language teaching using a task-based approach. The study findings suggest that TBLT can be an effective tool for promoting intercultural competence among learners, and that the integration of multicultural education into TBLT can enhance learners' motivation to learn the language. The recommendations provided can serve as a guide for foreign language teachers in Ukraine and other contexts who wish to incorporate multicultural education into their language teaching practice.

Task-Based Language Teaching Criteria in Textbook for Senior High School in Indonesia

The current study focused on activities and tasks that concluded in an English textbook used in a senior high school in Indonesia based on the TBLT's criteria. This study analyzed the content of an English textbook for senior high school grade X. The subject of this study was an English textbook titled "Pathway to English." The researchers used the qualitative descriptive method, especially in the analysis content, to analyze the tasks in the textbook. The researchers conducted this study in August 2022 at the library of IAIN Palangka Raya. The researchers utilized an observation instrument and an observation assessment form suggested by Akmal. Findings indicated that the textbook matched the standards for a good task based on Akmals' instruments. It showed that eight activities were classified as "strong" tasks, and seven obtained "weak" tasks. Moreover, this book also contains the four language skills with 12 activities of the book has more than one of the language skills in each activity and fulfills the criteria. In conclusion, this study indicates that the book is compatible with the Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT) criteria. However, the textbook mostly lacks the aspect of real-life activity and students' negotiation.

Historicity, Significance, and Implication of Adopting Task-Based Learning Framework in the Teaching of English: A Critical Review

Task-based language methodology has drawn the attention of second language acquisition researchers and teachers across the globe. The notion of task is central to task-based language teaching. Comprehensive theoretical and empirical study has established its effectiveness in developing language skills. What makes this approach stands unique is the introduction of a task-based learning framework by Jane Willis in 1996. The procedural syllabus propounded by N.S Prabhu(1987) serves as the precursor to the TBL framework. This article aims to review the historicity, significance, and implication of adopting a task-based learning framework in learning and teaching the English language.

On the similarities of slaying dragons and ordering food: A proposition for using a Task-Based Language Teaching Approach for playing Tabletop Role-playing Games

Background: Given their potential for language learning, TRPGs can become effective teaching tools when implemented through a pedagogic framework. Aim: To demonstrate how TRPGs and task-based language teaching could align in theory. Methods: Theoretical comparison combined with script data from a student project and exemplification through three adventures. Results: TRPGs and TBLT align in several aspects theoretically, which few projects and pedagogic plans suggest. Conclusion: To maximize the learning benefits, it is suggested to combine research in a rather fast-headed joint action-research program.

What do second language speakers really need for real-world interaction? A needs analysis of L2 Chinese interactional competence

A primary undertaking in communicative language teaching is to ensure second language (L2) speakers develop the ability to interact in real-world communicative events, a skill known as interactional competence (IC). Thus far, there have been few needs analysis studies conducted on L2 IC, posing challenges when ascertaining whether the teaching and testing of L2 IC are empirically grounded. Henceforth, the researcher carried out a needs analysis to systematically investigate the IC learning needs of speakers of L2 Chinese, which in itself represents an under-investigated target language in present-day needs analysis literature. A considered methodology was utilized to elicit triangulated information from 18 participants. Content analysis of the elicited data identified seven IC learning categories: (1) social actions, (2) sociopragmatic knowledge, (3) pragmalinguistic knowledge, (4) interactional structure, (5) content knowledge, (6) linguistic resources, and (7) nonverbal resources. Results revealed disaffiliative social actions (e.g. complaining) to be most challenging. The management of social actions was mediated by speakers’ sociopragmatic knowledge (e.g. social distance) and pragmalinguistic knowledge (e.g. formality devices). Other learning categories such as interactional structure (e.g. topic development) and nonverbal resources (e.g. gaze) contributed to successful interaction at a more foundational level. Based on these findings, this article proposes a three-tier IC needs model to conceptualize the hierarchical interrelationships among the seven categories. In addition, the researcher generated lists of IC learning needs for each category and subcategory to assist language educators with developing targeted IC teaching and assessment tasks. The IC needs model and needs lists constitute a pedagogical toolkit for the systematic incorporation of IC in task-based language teaching, language curricula and language programs. This article also discusses how methodological considerations and innovations formulated in the study can contribute to needs analysis research in general.

MENUMBUHKAN KREATIVITAS MAHASISWA MELALUI INTEGRASI TEKNOLOGI DALAM TASK BASED LANGUAGE TEACHING UNTUK MAHASISWA PENDIDIKAN BAHASA INGGRIS

Student creativity is needed in 21st century learning. When students have creative thinking skills, they can create new things that are innovative or creative. For this reason, this study aims to foster creative thinking skills for English students by using the Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT)method that is integrated with technology in online learning and describes the results of student creativity. This study is a class study with participants are students majoring in English Education which amounts to 29. The research instrument is an observation and test sheet. Hasil research shows that the TBLT stage has been carried out well in learning by lecturers and students. This can be seen in the activities ofmahasiswa when they are able to develop English teaching materials, which starts from choosing KD and making a good GPA. In addition, analyze predetermined books and eventually they can create the development of the selected material using wakelet.com, as well as presenting synchronously (through zoom sessions and asynchronously (via wakalet). In addition, the results of the paired sample t-test analysis showed that the T-value was 0.000 and there was a significant increase in student creativity in the application of TBLT integrated with technology in the learning of Developing EFL Materials courses. It is concluded that to foster student creativity, methods are needed that can make the learning process more comfortable and interesting for students.

Impact of integrated writing tasks on thinking and writing skills of Indian ESL learners

This paper explores the reciprocal relationship between thinking and writing skills using task-based language teaching. The tasks designed for a second language writing classroom must activate learners’ working memory and provide scope for thinking and content generation. If the learners find the task to be more relevant, interesting and related to their experience, they automatically get oriented towards the task with a pleasant affective mindset. In this regard, writing tasks as a pedagogical tool and method have been employed to develop the thinking and cohesive writing of the students. The participants of this experimental study are the postgraduate students of National Institute of Technology (NIT)-Tiruchirappalli, India. The structured writing tasks have been administered in different discourse types to the students in a span of one and a half months. The delayed post task has been administered to test the sustenance level of their writing proficiency developed through the course. The findings of the study reveal that there is a significant correlation between task variables, students’ thinking and writing skills. The results indicate that students’ thinking skills have been empowered to develop the central idea logically and cohesively through an integrated writing task. The study recommends that researchers design writing tasks in which the students will be able to relate to their real-life situations, and in turn, content generation will become congenial for students to process in their cognitive domain.

Language learning activities in the Spanish L2 classroom related to a task-based framework: What types are the most commonly occurring according to Swedish learners?

The present study investigates language learners’ perceptions of what types of language learning activities they carry out in the Spanish second language (L2) classroom and what activities are the most common ones. A further aim is to investigate how the activities align with a model based on task-based language teaching. The group studied are Swedish learners of Spanish as L2 in a Swedish setting, where out of class exposure to first language (L1) Spanish is generally limited. The activities carried out in class are therefore expected to have a high impact on learners’ L2 acquisition in Spanish. The participants were tested after finishing secondary school. The reported learning activities, which in the long run should lead to goal attainment according to the national curriculum, were ranked and classified. The activity types were then graded along the scale explicit/analytic – implicit/experiential, according to a model based on task-based language teaching, an approach that is closely related to the action-oriented view of language, central to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages and the Swedish syllabus. Ninety-nine learners were included in the study, which is based on quantitative data consisting in self-report questionnaires in which participants estimate what activities they have typically been involved in. Results show a dominance of activity types based on a structural view of language with focus-on-form rather than on meaningful communication, and a dominance of writing-based activities. The study also has direct implications for the classroom, where it points to the importance of including more communicative oral activities without the support from writing in the teaching.