PLANNING A TASKBASED COURSE Rod Ellis Curtin University

PLANNING A TASKBASED COURSE Rod Ellis Curtin University Perth (Australia)

Key Assumptions of TBLT Linguistic knowledge is developed via participation in communicative activities (as opposed to the view that linguistic knowledge is a prerequisite for the acquisition of communicative skills). 2. Tasks focus on propositional content and pragmatic meaning (as opposed to language form and semantic meaning). 3. Tasks aim at a communicative goal (as opposed to the display of linguistic knowledge). 1.

Key Assumptions (cont). 3. Task performance and output is evaluated with regard to the achievement of the communicative goal (as opposed to target language conformity). 4. Tasks aim for interactional authenticity and sometimes for situational authenticity as well.

Four criteria 1. A task involves a primary focus on meaning. 2. A task has some kind of ‘gap’. 3. The participants choose the linguistic and non-linguistic resources needed to complete the task. 4. A task has a clearly defined communicative outcome.

Comparing a task and an exercise A task 1. Primary focus on trying to communicate 2. There is a gap 3. Learners use own linguistic resources 4. Successful performance = outcome of task achieved An exercise 1. Primary focus on using language correctly 2. There is no gap 3. Text manipulating 4. Successful performance = accurate use of target feature

Going Shopping Look at Mary's shopping list. Then look at the list of items in Abdullah's store. Mary's Shopping List 1. oranges 2. eggs 3. flour 4. powdered milk 5. biscuits 6. jam 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Abdullah's Store bread 7. rice salt 8. sugar apples 9. curry powder tins of fish 10. biscuits coca cola 11. powdered milk flour 12. dried beans Work with a partner. One person is Mary and the other person is Mr. Abdullah. Make conversations like this. Mary: Good morning. Do you have any ____? Abdullah: Yes, I have some. / No, I don’t have any.

What Can You Buy? Student A: You are going shopping at Student B’s store. Here is your shopping list. Put ticks next to the items on your list you can buy. Mary's Shopping List 1. oranges 2. eggs 3. flour 4. powdered milk 5. biscuits 6. jam Student B: You own a store. Here is a list of items for sale in your store. Find the items that Student A asks for that you do not stock. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Abdullah's Store bread 7. rice salt 8. sugar apples 9. curry powder tins of fish 10. biscuits coca cola 11. powdered milk flour 12. dried beans

The Number Game Task I am going to play a number game with you. When I have finished: 1. Play the game in pairs. 2. Imagine you are writing a book of games for children and want to include this game. Write an entry in the book for this game. 3. Compare your entry with that of another student. Whose entry is better? 4. Develop a set of criteria for evaluating written entries in the book.

Using tasks in language teaching 1. Task-supported language teaching i. e. the syllabus is a structural one and the approach is ‘focus on forms’. Tasks (really ‘situational exercises’) are used in the final stage of a PPP methodology 2. Task-based language teaching i. e. the syllabus is task-based and the approach is ‘focus on form’. The methodology centres around students performing a series of tasks.

Types of tasks

Basic types 1. Real-life tasks vs. pedagogic tasks 2. Unfocused vs. focused tasks 3. Input-based vs. output-based tasks 4. Dialogic vs. monologic tasks 5. Closed vs. open tasks 3. Here-and-now vs. there-and- then tasks 4. Teacher generated vs. learner generated

Real life vs. pedagogic tasks A real world task is a task based on an activity that could occur in an everyday situation – it has situational and interactional authenticity’. A real world task is a ‘rehearsal task’. A pedagogic task is a task that has no real world correlate – it has interactional authenticity but no situational authenticity.

Unfocused and Focused tasks A focused task is directed at creating opportunities for learners to use some specific linguistic feature such as a grammatical structure while their primary focus remains on meaning and achieving the task outcome. A focused task can make the use of the target feature: 1. Useful 2. Natural 3. Essential An unfocused task is a task that is designed to elicit language use in general.

An Example of a focused Communicative Task Candidates for a job You are the owner of a private language school and have advertised for a new English teacher. Below are summaries of the CVs of four applicants. Discuss each applicant and then decide which one to offer the job to. JOCK, aged 30 B. A. in social studies. Has spent a year working his way round the world. Has spent six years teaching economics in state school. Has written a highly successful novel about teachers. Has lived in a back-to-nature commune for two years. Has been married twice - now divorced. Two children. Has been running local youth group for three years. BETTY, aged 45 Has been married for 24 years, three children. Has not worked most of that time. Has done evening courses in youth guidance. Has spent the last year teaching pupils privately for state – with good results. Has been constantly active in local government - has been elected to local council twice.

Input-based vs. output-based An input-based task is a task that does not require production on the part of the learner although it does not prohibit production if learners want. It is a listening or reading task. An output-based task is a task that can only be accomplished if a learner produces language. It is a speaking or writing task. Output-based tasks can be dialogic or monologic.

Monologic vs. dialogic tasks A monologic tasks is a production task that is performed by learner individually. It typically involves in extended L 2 production. A dialogic task is a production task that is performed by the learners interacting with other learners or by the teacher. It typically results in short turns.

Closed and open tasks A closed task is a task that has a clear communicative outcome – i. e. there is only one possible outcome for the task. Closed tasks are typically information-gap tasks. An open task is a task with a number of possible outcomes. Closed tasks are typically opinion-gap tasks.

Here-and-now vs. there-and then tasks A here-and now task is a task where learners have access to the task materials which they can refer to as they perform it. A there-and then task is a task where learners do not have access to the task materials and thus cannot ‘borrow’ from them as they perform the task.

Teacher generated vs. learner-generated 1. Teacher generated task Students work in groups of three. Each student is given pictures of 3 cultural artefacts representative of American culture. Each student describes their artefacts to the other members of their group. They must choose THREE out of the nine artefacts that they think best represent American culture and prepare a class presentation. 2. Learner generated Students work in groups of three. Before class each students must choose three cultural artefacts that they are representative of American culture. Each student describes their artefacts to the other members of their group. They must choose THREE out of the nine artefacts that they think best represent American culture and prepare a class presentation.

Example of a learner-generated task Think of a situation were something bad happened to you. Draw a picture of the situation. Do not show your picture to your partner. Describe it so he/she can draw it. If your partner has any questions answer them. When your partner has finished drawing the picture compare it to your own picture. Are there any differences?

Designing a task-based syllabus

Procedure 1. Determine the course goals in terms of • Pedagogic focus (general or specific purpose) • Skill focus (listening, speaking, reading, writing) • Language focus (unfocussed, focused) 2. Specify the task topics 2. Specify the task types to be used 2. Establish criteria for determining the complexity of tasks. 2. Sequence task types according to complexity

Choosing the topics for tasks General Proficiency Specific Purpose 1. Topic familiarity 1. Analysis of target 2. Intrinsic interest tasks 2. General task content 3. Predicted topic relevancy

Suiting the task type to the learner Type of task Beginner learners Pedagogic tasks; input-based tasks; closed tasks; here-and-now tasks; teacher-generated tasks Intermediate learners Pedagogic or real-life tasks; mainly dialogic tasks; mixture of input-based and output-based tasks; some focused tasks; mixture of closed/ open and here-and-now and there-and-then tasks; some learner-generated tasks. Advanced learners Mainly output-based tasks; some focused tasks; real-life tasks; mainly open and thereand-then tasks; monologic and dialogic tasks Special purpose learners Real-life tasks

Task complexity is “the intrinsic cognitive demands of a task which contribute to between task variation in spoken and other kinds of performance for any one learner performing a simple and a more complex version” (Robinson, Cadieno and Shirai, 2009).

Criteria affecting the complexity of tasks Skehan (1998) 1. Code complexity (i. e. grammatical complexity; vocabulary load; redundancy and density) 2. Cognitive complexity (i. e. familiarity with topic, genre and task type) 3. Cognitive processing (i. e. information structure; amount of information). 4. Communication stress (i. e. time limits and pressure; length of text; type of response)

Criteria affecting the complexity of tasks: Robinson and Gilabert (2007) Resource-directing variables that make cognitive/ conceptual demands Resource-dispersing variables that make performative/procedural demands +/- here and now +/- planning time +/- few elements +/- single task +/- reasoning demands +/- task structure +/- few steps +/- prior knowledge

An example of a task sequence Pedagogic task 1: - reasoning/ + planning time. Pedagogic task 2: - reasoning/ - planning time Pedagogic task 3: + simple reasoning/ - planning time. Pedagogic task 4: + complex reasoning/ - planning time

Sequencing tasks Designers of task-based courses will need to draw on both what research has shown about task complexity and on their own experience and intuitions about what constitutes the right type and level of task for a particular group of learners. From a practical standpoint intuition is needed. Sequencing tasks will be as much an art as a science.

A task for you 1. Look through the materials for the Heart Transplant 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Task. What type of task is this? How would you characterize the complexity of this task? Describe the students you think this task might be suitable for. What would you do to make this task simpler? What would you do to make it more demanding?

Heart Transplant Task

Task Instructions In this task you will be given information about four patients in need of a heart transplant. Unfortunately there is only one heart available so you will have to decide which of the four patients should receive it. This task is in two parts: Part 1 Fill in the chart with information about your own patient. Work in a group of four. You will need to tell the other students in your group about your patient. When they tell you about their patients fill in the information in the chart. Note: When you have completed this part of the task, the information you have been given about your patient will be taken away from you. Therefore, it is very important to make sure that you have completed the chart properly.

Task instructions (continued) Part 2 Stay in your group of four. Use the information in the chart you have completed to decide which of the four patients is most deserving of a heart transplant. You will need to consider reasons for and against each patient receiving the heart transplant. When have decided prepare a written report stating your decision and giving your reasons.

Chart Name Age Sex Family commitments/ responsibilities Financial situation/ insurance Quality of life now Possibilities elsewhere for a new heart Any other relevant factors Good reason for giving him/ her a new heart Reasons against giving him/her a new heart