TASK BASED LANGUAGE TEACHING

INTRODUCTION

Task based language teaching started in the 1970s when scholars argued that language

instruction should teach both grammar and meaning. It is recognized and widely discussed in

language teaching and research in second language acquisition. Now a day task based language

teaching is a broad term, which involves not only research and teaching, but testing and

curriculum design in second language acquisition.

TASK BASED LANGUAGE TEACHING

The term task has been defined by many researchers. Nunan States that task is a piece of

classroom work which involves learners in comprehending, producing or interacting in the target

language while their attention is principally focused on meaning rather than form.

In task based learning, lesson is based around the completion of a central task and the

language studied is determined by what happens as the students complete it. The lesson follows

certain stages.

Pre task: the teacher introduces the topic and gives the students clear instruction on what

they will have to do at the task stage and might help the students to recall some language that

may be useful for the task.

Task: the students complete the task in pairs or groups using the language resources that

they have as the teacher monitors and offers encouragement.

Planning: students prepare a short oral or written report to tell the class what happened

during their task.

Report: students report back to the class orally or read the written report. At this stage

the teacher may also play a recording of students doing the same task to compare their

performances.

Analysis: The teacher then highlights relevant points from the text of the recording for

the students to analyze.

Practice: finally the teacher selects language areas to practice based upon the needs of

the students and what emerged from the task and report phases.

The task based language teaching upholds the importance of natural classroom

communication in facilitating language acquisition. The task based language teaching syllabus is

evolved around the tasks and activities. Linguistic syllabus and formal teaching procedures have

no place while meaning is given importance. It encourages communication in the target

language. Students engage in active interaction with the intention of doing the given task. it

encourages students to use language creatively and spontaneously through tasks and problem

solving. Meaning is given no importance. It is student centered. Assessment is based on learning

outcome. Accomplishment of task is more important than accuracy of language forms.

The task is of three types. They are information gap activity, reasoning gap activity, and

opinion gap activity. They focus on meaning. Each of them serves different purposes.

CONCLUSION

Task based language teaching is based on the constructivist theory of learning and

communicative language teaching methodology. It has emerged in response to some constrains

of the traditional process of presentation, practice and performance. Hence it has the significant

meaning that language learning is a developmental process enhancing communication and social

interaction rather than a product internalized by practicing language items. Learners master the

target language more powerfully when exposed to meaningful task based activities in a natural

way.