Task-BasedLanguageTeachingforDesigningGrammar-FocusedCommunica9veAc9vi9es

Task-basedlanguageteaching(TBLT)createsopportuni9esforstudentstouseanddeveloplanguageskillsinthecourseofauthen9ccommunica9on.

ResearchsuggeststhatTBLTcanmakestudentsawareofgramma9calform,

meaning,andusewhilealsopreparingthemforreal-worldEnglishlanguagetasks.

Thispresenta,onwill:

•  explainhowtoplangrammar-focusedcommunica9vetasksusingTBLTprinciples;theexampletaskscanbemodifiedfordifferentschoolseKngs,learners,andgrammarforms

JamilaBarton

JamilaBartonhastaughtEnglishtoadultsandchildrenfor19yearsinavarietyofcontexts,includingEFLinSpain,ESLforimmigrantsandrefugeesintheUnitedStates,Computer-AssistedLanguageLearning,EnglishforSpecificPurposes,andcoursesforundergraduateandgraduateinterna9onalstudents.Shealsohasexperienceincurriculumdevelopmentandprogramcoordina9on.

JamilaconductedteachertrainingandtaughtEnglishlinguis9cswhileservingasaU.S.DepartmentofStateEnglishLanguageFellowinJordan.

Currently,JamilaisadoctoralcandidateinAppliedLinguis9cs/ESLatGeorgiaStateUniversitywithafocusonsecondlanguageacquisi9on,literacy,andteacherprofessionaldevelopment.

Task-BasedLanguageTeaching(TBLT)forDesigningGrammar-FocusedCommunica9veAc9vi9es

ThisPhotobyUnknownAuthorislicensedunderCCBY

©2019byJamilaBarton.Task-BasedLanguageTeachingforDesigningGrammar-FocusedCommunica9veAc9vi9esfortheOfficeofEnglishLanguagePrograms.ThisworkislicensedundertheCrea,veCommonsAJribu,on4.0License,exceptwherenoted.Toviewacopyofthelicense,visit:hJp://crea,vecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

SessionOverviewWewill…

1.  discusstheprinciplesoftask-basedlanguageteachinganddefinea‘task’

2.  examinecriteriaforselec,ngcommunica,vetasksfordifferentgramma9calfeatures

3.  reviewconsidera,onsfordesigningcommunica9vegrammar-focusedtasksandplanningtask-basedlessons

4.  modifytasksfordifferentlanguagelearnersandschoolcontexts.

Howmuchofyourclass,meisspentteachinggrammar?

Howmuchofyourclass,meisspentonstudentsprac,cingandusinggrammar?

Principles of Task-based Language Teaching

TheLanguageTeacher’sDilemmaHowdoweprovidelearnerswithengaginggrammar

prac,cewithafocusonformandaccuracy,but

withafocusonmeaningandhowthestructuresareusedinreal-worldcontexts?

Wedesignclassroomtasksbasedonreal-worldlanguageac,vi,eswherestudentsuse

gramma9calstructurestonego9atemeaningandachievecommunica9vepurposes

TheLanguageTeacher’sDilemma

Task-BasedLanguageTeaching• Languageiswhatweusetocreatemeaningandcommunicate

• Learningonlyhappenswhenthelearnerisac,velyinvolvedintheprocess.

• Thefocusisonknowinghowtousethegrammarstructureinrealsitua,ons

SomePrinciplesofTBLT

LanguageLearningFriendlyRecyclelanguagestructures

SequencedInstruc,onAc9vi9esbuildoneachother

LanguageUseinContextFocusonform,meaning,anduse

Learner-centeredDesignAc9vestudentlearning

Tasks and Task Criteria in TBLT

Whatisatask?

“…classroomworkthatinvolvelearnersincomprehending…orinterac,ng

inthetargetlanguagewhiletheiraJen,onisfocusedon

[using]theirgramma,calknowledgeinordertoexpressmeaning...”

(AdaptedfromNunan,2004,p.4)

TaskCriteriaintheLanguageClassroom

• Classroomtasksarerelatedtoreal-worldcommunica,veac,vi,es

• Learnershavetodosomething• Learnersuselanguagetocompletetheac,vity

• ThereisaclearlydefinedoutcomeThisPhotobyUnknownAuthorislicensedunderCCBY-SA-NC

Canyouthinkofareal-worldtaskforthefollowinggrammarpoint?

Preposi,onsofplace(e.g.onthedesk)

Whichofthesetwoac9vi9esisatask?

Op,on1:Lookattheshoppinglistandtheitemsinthestore.Talkwithyourpartner.A:Doyouhaveany___?B:Yes,Ihavesome___.No,Idon’thaveany_.

ShoppingList

ApplesEggsBread

StoreFlour

CocacolaOrangesbread

Op,on2:Studentsworkinpairswithseparateinforma9oncards.

StudentAHereisyourshoppinglist.Findoutwhatyoucanbuyatthestore.

StudentBHereisthelistofitemsyouhaveinyourstore.

Talktoyourcustomer.Makealistofitemsyoudon’thave.

ShoppingList

ApplesEggsBread

StoreFlour

OrangesBreadEggs

Designing and Planning Tasks

ChoosingaGrammar-FocusedTask

DEVELOPGOALS

• Whatisthegrammarfeature?

•  Isitanappropriatelevel?

•  Inwhatcontextisitused?

TASKDESIGN

• Whatgrammar,vocabulary,andstrategiestoteach?

• Whatdolearnershavetodo?Outcomes?

• Workalone,inpairs,orgroups?

CLASSROOMMANAGEMENT

• Howtoensurelearnerspar,cipate?

• Whenandhowtogiveinstruc,on,direc,ons,modeling,andfeedback?

Haveyoutriedcollabora,vetasksinyourclassroom?

Whatstrategiesworkedwellfor

managingyourstudents?

ATask-BasedLesson:StagesandObjec9ves

Stages Objec,ves

Beforethetask Topreparelearnersforthetask

DuringtheTask Toguidelearnersduringthetask

Post-task Tointegratelearning

ATask-BasedLesson:BeforetheTask

Stages Objec,ves TeacherRole StudentRole

Beforethetask

Topreparelearnersforthetask

•  Teachvocabularyandgrammar

•  Givebackgroundknowledge

•  Providecontrolledprac9ce(rehearsal)

Prac9cenewknowledge,skillsandabili9es(KSAs)

ATask-BasedLesson:DuringtheTask

Stages Objec,ves TeacherRole StudentRole

DuringtheTask

Toguidelearnersduringthetask

•  Statetheoutcome•  Modeltheac9vity•  Givecleartask

direc9ons•  Giveopenprac9ce

(ac9va9on)•  Correcterrors

UseKSAstocompletetask

ATask-BasedLesson:Post-Task

Stages Objec,ves TeacherRole StudentRole

Post-task

Tointegratelearning

•  Reviewtheoutcomes

•  Giveaddi9onalfeedback

•  Reportresults•  Reflect•  Askques9ons

ATask-BasedLesson:ReviewStages Objec,ves TeacherRole StudentRole

Beforethetask

Topreparelearnersforthetask

Teachvocabulary,grammar,andbackgroundknowledgeGivecleardirec9ons,modeltheac9vity,andstatetheoutcome

Prac9cenewknowledge,skillsandabili9es(KSAs)

DuringtheTask

Toguidelearnersduringthetask

Providecontrolledprac9ce(rehearsal)Giveopenprac9ce(ac9va9on)Givefeedback/Correcterrors

UseKSAstocompletetask

Post-task Tointegratelearning

ReviewtheoutcomesGiveaddi9onalfeedback

ReportresultsReflectAskques9ons

Example Lesson 1: WriBng an art review for an Advanced ESP course

Wri9ngaReviewGrammar:UsingAdjec9ves,Compara9ves,Equa9ves,andSuperla9vesLevel:Advanced;EnglishforSpecificPurposes(ArtandArchitecture)Objec,ve:Towriteareviewofanartworkusingdescrip9veandevalua9velanguagetosummarize,interpret,andcri9quefromdifferentperspec9ves

ThisPhotobyUnknownAuthorislicensedunderCCBY-SA

ThisPhotobyUnknownAuthorislicensedunderCCBY-SA

Ques,onstoconsider:1.Whatisthepurposeofthereview?2.Whatartworkisthereviewabout?3.Whataretheposi,veandnega,vecri,ques?

AcBvity 1: Sample Art Review

Summary

OverallImpression

Theexhibi,onfeaturesawell-mademaskofacreaturecalledaBarongKetusedinaBalineseceremonialdance.Itismadeofwoodandothernaturalmaterialsfromanunknownar,stinIndonesia(BarongMask,1900CE–2010CE).

TheBarongmaskistypicalofceremonialart;however,theexhibi,onisproblema,cbecauseofitssepara,onfromitsoriginalculturalmeaning.

Posi,veCri,que

Nega,veCri,que

Frequentlyusedadjec,vesto

cri,queposi,vely:

Useful ClearImportant Informa,veSignificant Interes,ng

Frequentlyusedadjec,vesto

cri,quenega,vely:

Difficult UnconvincingProblema,c Uninteres,ngWeak Impossible

AcBvity 2: Using EvaluaBve Language

Nevertheless,itisimpossibletounderstanditsfullmeaningwithoutwatchingtheIndonesianceremonybecausethereasonsfortheritualoffergreaterbeautythanthemaskalone.

Summary

OverallImpression

Posi,veCri,que

Nega,veCri,que

Ontheonehand,thedisplayedmaskprovidesviewerswithaninforma,velookintoIndonesianculture.RedandgoldarecommoncolorsusedtosymbolizegoodluckinAsianart.

Nevertheless,itisimpossibletounderstanditsfullmeaningwithoutwatchingtheIndonesianceremonybecausethereasonsfortheritualoffergreaterbeautythanthemaskalone.

Summary

OverallImpression

Posi,veCri,que

Nega,veCri,que

Theexhibi,onfeaturesawell-mademaskofacreaturecalledaBarongKetusedinaBalineseceremonialdance.Itismadeofwoodandothernaturalmaterialsfromanunknownar,stinIndonesia(BarongMask,1900CE–2010CE).

TheBarongmaskexemplifiesthemostceremonialart;however,theexhibi,onisproblema,cbecauseofitssepara,onfromitsoriginalculturalmeaning.

Ontheonehand,thedisplayedmaskprovidesviewerswithaninforma,velookintoIndonesianculture.RedandgoldarecommoncolorsusedtosymbolizegoodluckinAsianart.

Ac9vity3:Compara9ves,Superla9ves,andEqua9ves

Compara,ves-howsimilarordifferent(more/less…than)

Superla,ves–no9ngthehighestdegreeofcomparison(most/least)

Equa,ves–similarornotsimilar(as…as,thesameas,similarto)

Ac9vity3:Comparethebuildings.UseCompara9ves,Superla9ves,andEqua9ves.

ThisPhotoofthemodernSeagramBuildinginNewYorkbyUnknownAuthorislicensedunderCCBY-NC

ThisPhotooftheartdecoChryslerBuildinginNewYorkbyUnknownAuthorislicensedunderCCBY-SA

ThisPhotoofthegothicJeffersonMarketLibraryinNewYorkbyUnknownAuthorislicensedunderCCBY-NC-ND

UniversityESPforArchitectureLesson:DuringthetaskStages Ac,vityDuringtheTaskObjec,ve:Tosupportlearnersduringthetask

Sswriteareviewofabuildingingroups(Eachgrouphasadifferentbuilding)Ssusedescrip9veandevalua9velanguageintheirwri9ngTcollectscollabora9vewri9ngfromthetasktogivefeedback(nextclass)

45min

Task:Writeareviewofthebuilding

GroupReviewSample

TheSeagramBuildinginNewYorkisasteel-framed,glassskyscraperbuiltbyMilesDeRohein1958.

Theskyscraperisthemostinfluen,alexampleofmodernfunc9onalisminAmericanarchitecture.

Somefeelthatthemodernstyleisnotasstrikingasmoreelaboratestyles.Nevertheless,thisstyleisnotwell-understood.Itscleanlinesshowasimplebeauty.

ThisPhotoofthemodernSeagramBuildinginNewYorkbyUnknownAuthorislicensedunderCCBY-NC

UniversityESPforArchitecture:Task-BasedLessonStages Ac,vity Time

Post-taskObjec,ve:Tointegratelearning

Tdiscussesmainproblemsandshowsareviewrubric.

15min

SsreadT’sfeedbackandrevisetheirreviews.Sssubmitthefinaldrasoftheirreviews.

30min

SsprepareanoralreviewofthebuildingGroupspresenttheirreviewstotheclass

45min

ArtReview:GroupChecklistOpeningq Introducetheartworkq Describetheartworkq Provideathesisstatementwithyouroverallimpressionoftheartwork

Bodyq Provideposi9veandthennega9vecri9quesq Usedescrip9veandevalua9velanguageincri9quesConclusionq Reviewyouropinionsq Provideafinalthoughtabouttheartwork

HowcanthisTBLTlessonbeadaptedfor

yourowncontext?

TaskModifica9ons

Mixed-levelClassrooms:•  Simplifythegrammarforsomegroups•  Useadjec9vesorcompara9vesonly

DifferentLearners:•  Changethetypeofreview(books,movies,games,products)

NoTechnology:•  Usereviewsand/orpicturesfrommagazines

DifferentTeachingObjec,ves:•  Changetoaspeakingtask(e.g.adiscussioncomparingcellphones)

Example Lesson 2: Giving Advice in

ConversaBon

IntermediateTBLTLesson:BeforetheTask

Stages Ac,vity Time

Beforethetask

Ac,vity3:Ssprac9cedifficultsitua9onswithapartnerandaskforadvice.Then,Ssswitchandgiveadvicetoapartner.Ideas:StudyingforatestFigh9ngwithafriendEa9nghealthier

20min

IntermediateTBLTLesson:DuringtheTask

Stages Ac,vity TimeDuringtheTask Ssroleplaygivingadviceinpairsusingcards 30min

Problem:Youareupsetbecauseafriendistoocompe99vewhenyouplaygames.Direc,ons:1.Readyourcardtofindoutyourproblem.2.Ask3peopleforadvice.3.Writetheadviceinthechart.4.Giveadviceforyourfriends’problems.

Partner’sname Whatadvice?

Partner1:

Partner2:

Partner3:

Task-BasedLessonforIntermediateSchool-AgedLearners

Stages Ac,vi,es TimePost-task

Sssharetheirpartners’adviceTgivesfeedbackandcorrectserrorsasstudentsreadtheadvice

20min

HowcanthisTBLTlessonbeadaptedfor

yourowncontext?

TaskModifica9ons

• MixedLevelClassrooms:•  Increasethegrammarlevelforsomegroups• Usemodalsandcondi9onals

• DifferentLearners:• Changethecontextforgivingadvice(parent-child,boss-employee)

• WithTechnology:• Recordthestudents’roleplaysforself-review

• DifferentTeachingObjec9ves:• Changetoawri9ngtask(e.g.answeringleuerstothenewspaper)

Other Grammar-Focused Classroom Tasks

SomeAc9vi9esforGrammar-FocusedTasks

• LearnersshareinfoInforma9ongap

• LearnersmakedecisionsorsolveproblemsReasoninggap

• LearnerssharepreferencesandgiveopinionsOpiniongap

• Learnerssimulaterealconversa9ons

Dialogues/Roleplays

Whattaskshaveyouusedtoteach

grammarfeatures?

Informa9onGapAc9vityforDecisionMakingGrammar:Informa9onQues9onsLevel:Beginning;Grade6+Objec,ve:Toaskandanswerinforma9onques9onsinordertodecideonamovieDIRECTIONS:1.  Youandyourpartnerwanttogotoamovietomorrownight,but

youneedtodecidewhichone.2.  Readtheinforma9onaboutyourmoviechoices.3.  Askandanswerques9onstodecidewhichmovietogoto.

Informa9onGapAc9vityforDecisionMaking

StudentAMovie:RomeoandJuliet(PG)Genre:Tragedy/DramaTwoyoungstersfallinlove,buttheirfamiliesarefeuding.Whatcantheydo?Show,mes:12noon;7:30pm;9pmPrice:Adults$12Children$8

StudentBMovie:SpyKids(PG)Genre:AdventureComedyTwoyoungsiblingsbecomespiestorescuetheirparents.Willtheysavethem?Show,mes:2pm;8pm;11pmPrice:Adults,$15Children$12

Ques,onstoconsider:1.   Whatmoviedoyouwanttosee?2.   Whatis…about?3.   Whendoes…start?

Role-PlayAc9vity:ProblemSolvingTask

Grammar:too,notenough+adjec9ves;requestsLevel:Advanced,HighSchoolorCollegeObjec,ve:Todiscussaproblemwithahotelroomandnego9ateasolu9onDIRECTIONS:1.  Lookattheinforma9ononyourrolecardandtalktoyour

partner.2.  Findasolu9ontotheproblem.3.  Presentyourdialoguetotheclass.

Role-PlayAc9vity:ProblemSolvingTask

RoleA:Youareagueststayingatahotel.Thewebsitesaysitisaluxuryhotel,butthesheetsandtowelsaredirty,the

bathroomistoosmall,and...(youdecide).

YouwanttochangetoabeJerroom,andyouwanta

discount.

RoleB:Youareahotelrecep9onist.Thereisagueststayingatthehotelwhocomplainsabouteverything,evenwhenthere

isn’taproblem.

Youcanmoveaguesttoadifferentroom,butyoucan’tchangethepriceofaroom.

Howcanyoumodifythesetasksforyourlearnersandyourcontexts?

Quick Review

Review:TrueorFalse?1.   InTBLT,languageisasetofrules.2.   Aclassroomtaskisrelatedtoa

real-worldac,vityalearnermighthavetodousinglanguagetoachieveanoutcome

3.   Whenplanningatask,ateachershouldconsiderclassroommanagement.

4.   TBLTlessonshavefourstages.

1.  False.Languageiswhatweusetocreatemeaningandcommunicate.

2.  True.3.  True.4.  False.TBLTlessonshave3

stages:before,duringandaserthetask.

ReferencesU.S.BureauofInterna9onalInforma9onalPrograms(n.d.)EverydayConversa9ons:LearningAmericanEnglish.AmericanEnglishWebsite.Retrievedfromhups://americanenglish.state.gov/resources/everyday-conversa9ons-learning-american-englishEllis,R.(2012).Inves9ga9ngtheperformanceoftasks.InR.Ellis(Ed.),Languageteachingresearchandlanguagepedagogy.[electronicresource](pp.195-236):Wiley-Blackwell.Keck,C.M.,&Kim,Y.(2014).Designinggrammar-focusedcommunica9ontasks.InC.M.Keck&Y.Kim(Eds.),PedagogicalGrammar(pp.171-195).Amsterdam:JohnBenjaminsPublishingCompany.Long,M.H.(2015).Task-basedmaterials.InM.H.Long(Ed.),SecondlanguageacquisiNonandtask-basedlanguageteaching(FirstEdiNon.ed.,pp.248-298):JohnWiley&Sons,Ltd.Nunan,D.,&Nunan,D.(2004).Task-basedlanguageteaching:CambridgeUniversityPress.

Email:americanenglishwebinars@{i360.org

AELive-NingCommunityofPrac9ce:americanenglishwebinars.comAEforEducatorsFacebookpage:facebook.com/AmericanEnglishforEducators

AEwebsite:americanenglish.state.gov

AEYouTubechannel:youtube.com/StateAmericanEnglishAEFacebookpage:facebook.com/AmericanEnglishatState

Thankyou!

Reflec9onandDiscussionQues9ons

1.  Howdoyouplanonusingtheinforma9onandstrategiessurrounding

TBLTlearnedtodayinyourclassroom?

2.  Considerthegrammarstructuresyouareteaching.Whatcontextuallyrelevant,real-worldtasksmightyouhaveyourstudentsprac9ce?