Task—based Language Teaching and Oral Interaction

趙敏

Abstract：During recent years，some notions about tasks have been considered as the major part of analysis in different teaching approaches，and teachers are being more interested in the use of task-based approach both in foreign and in second language teaching.It focuses more on meaning than on the form of the language so that the students are able to communicate spontaneously in their day to day interactions.In this approach Grammatical Competence and communicative competence are extremely emphasized，which is being able to adjust with grammatical norms and being able to convey ideas.Consequently，grammatical competence in this approach is made by 'internal self-regulating processes' and it helps to convey the meaning in 'appropriate conditions.The main goal of this article is to introduce and discuss some major principles of task-based language teaching and indicates how teachers can apply them in their curriculum.

Key words：language teaching，task-based approach，curriculum

1.Introduction

Task- based language teaching（TBLT）is derived from Deweys attitude about the crucial role of experience for an effective learning.It considers the functional role of language in real tasks as the major goal for students to communicate at the class for an ideal learning.TBLT has been popular since its introduction in the 1980s.Basically it reflects communicative teaching and learning.It refers to a type of language teaching which includes "tasks" as its prime units for designing and implementing second language instruction.Language activities are intended to provide students with adequate practice for expressing meaning effectively and appropriately as social context requires so that the students' communicative competence could be developed in a natural manner.

2.Research Design

The goal of the experiment is to explore the effectiveness and feasibility of TBA in the improving the college students oral English.

2.1 Experimental Objectives

The study aims to prove that TBLT is an effective and feasible approach in teaching of oral English in college，and there are three specific questions to be verified.The first question is：whether task-based teaching approach can arouse students interest and foster students positive attitude towards oral English？ The second question is：whether task-based teaching approach is superior to traditional approach，and whether it is more effective in improving students oral English？ The third question is：Whether the students attitude towards TBA changed in the experiment class after the experiment，whether the students believe TBA is an effective approach in oral English teaching？

2.2Experimental Subjects

The participants in this study are freshmen majoring in literature of drama，television and movie in Luoyang Normal University.There are 35 students in each class.Before the experiment，there is a pre-test to make sure the oral English level in the two classes have no difference.Class one is the experimental class and the task-based approach is implemented.Class two is the control class and the traditional PPP approach is used.The experiment was conducted from September 2011 to January 2012.There is twelve weeks in the whole semester；the students had two lessons each week and each lesson lasts 45 minutes.The authors attitude toward the two classes has no differences；just the teaching method is different.

2.3 Pretest and Posttest

The pretest was conducted by the author and two colleagues.To ensure the fairness and impartiality of the test，it is necessary to make sure the authors two colleagues do not know the participants of the test.Three teachers score independently and the mean grade is the final grade of the student.And it is also necessary to avoid revealing the questions.So the results of the test could maintain reliable.The scores the author expected should indicate that the students in the two classes had the same oral English proficiency before the experiment.At the end of the experiment，the students in the two classes are required to take another test（post-test）in order to demonstrate whether or not the students oral English level have difference in the two classes.The post-test was conducted in the same way as the pre-test.

3 Possible Results

Before the experiment，an oral English test should be conducted in the two classes to make sure there was no significant difference between the two classes.Only so，the experiment could move on.So，at the beginning of the semester，an oral English test was conducted in the two classes whose students majoring in Literature of film，television and drama.While，at the end of the semester，another test was conducted both in experimental class and control class，which is known as post-test.The post-test was conducted to find out whether or not the students grades in the experimental class have increased.

References：

Breen，M.（1987）.Learner contributions to task design.In C.Candlin and D.Murphy（eds.）Language Learning Tasks.Englewood Cliffs NJ：Prentice-Hall.

Ellis，R.（2003）.Task-based language learning and teaching.Oxford：Oxford University Press.

Long，M.（1985）.Task，group and task-group interactions.University of Hawaii Working Papers in ESL.

McDonough，K.2004.‘Learner–learner interaction during pair and small group activities in a Thai EFL context.System 32/2：207–24.

Nunan，D.（1989）.Designing tasks for the communicative classroom.Cambridge：Cambridge University Press.

Nunan，D.（1991）.Classroom Management and Teacher-Student Interaction.Cambridge：Cambridge University Press.