Task-Based Learning in the L2 Classroom

Sarah Martin

This paper was completed and submitted in partial fulfillment of the Master Teacher Program, a 2-year faculty

professional development program conducted by the Center for Faculty Excellence, United States Military

Academy, West Point, NY, 2015

Abstract:

Communicative language teaching, which involves engaging the student in all aspects of

learning, is considered the standard these days, replacing mere rote memorization. One

important tool to facilitate learning is that of using task-based activities, in which students

imitate real-world interactions in order to practice forms as well as to convey meaning in

linguistically unfamiliar situations. Many researchers have contributed to the study of the

effectiveness of task-based learning, analyzing different methods and outcomes for this

technique.

Foreign Language has evolved greatly in the last few decades, shifting from the more rote

memorization techniques of the past to a methodology that acknowledges that languages are a

living entity, to be used in real-world communicative contexts. To that end, more teachers are

incorporating task-based learning techniques in their lessons, in an attempt to make the grammar

and vocabulary they teach more relevant to how students may actually utilize their language

skills outside of the classroom. What distinguishes this type of activity is that it encourages the

student to engage in conversation aimed at a particular goal, rather than merely reciting a list of

verb conjugations.

The practical applications gained from this particular style of teaching are many, in

particular if the student is preparing for a future immersion experience, such as a semester living

in another country. The skills gained from task-based activities include such seemingly basic

things as knowing what verbal register to use with particular people, being familiar with the

vocabulary and structures needed in a given type of transaction (e.g. in a store versus in a bank

versus at a restaurant), and strategies for circumlocution if the learner does not know the

necessary vocabulary. As Berry-Bravo puts it, the skills learned from task-based activities will

prove useful for: “all of those unforeseen, real-life circumstances when a teacher will not be

available to play the part of dictionary” (372). From the teacher perspective, things to take into

consideration include syllabus design, the best methods for providing feedback, and methods for

evaluating student progress

Several of the articles referenced in this review discuss the importance of circumlocution,

which Jourdain defines as “the linguistic means by which speakers describe objects for which

they lack precise terminology” (185). Imagine being in a store, needing to buy food to make

sandwiches for the weekend. You know the words for “bread” and “cheese,” but cannot

remember how to say “ham.” As often happens in other countries, you do not have any signal on

your cell phone, and there is no Wifi available, so you cannot resort to Google Translate. Good

circumlocution skills will lead you to be able to describe the product in question in some way,

hopefully not resorting to making pig noises while pointing at the deli case.

Tasks may include decision-making and personal and narrative tasks, all while still

maintaining an emphasis on form; in other words, while it is important that the learner make

himself understood, this is best achieved while also paying attention to the structure of the

language he is trying to use. As Skehan et al state:

completing the task is not sufficient . . . [as] there have to be ways in which

second language learners also are induced not to forget form, and instead to

wrestle with form-meaning connections so that what is developed is not simply

strategies of communication but also control over a developing inter-language

system (171).

The learner cannot sacrifice function for form, or vice-versa, and it is important that the teacher

allows for that when practicing task-based situations.

A critical component for improving form and function can be found in preparing post-

task activities for the learners. These activities can greatly affect the quality of performance, in

terms of the accuracy of the forms, the complexity, and the general fluency. For instance, if the

learner knows that another student will have to repeat or summarize what he did, he might be

more inclined to slow his speech patterns, or to be more accurate in his grammatical structures.

A study by Foster and Skehan showed that, when students knew that there would be a post-task

activity, “the accuracy level for the decision-making task was significantly greater” (252). This

could be for both the individual as well as the class as a whole – if the other students know that

they will have to report on what an individual produced, they will develop better

listening/reading skills, which will in turn make them more effective in real-world situations.

Good feedback is essential for students to improve their performance, but the type of

feedback given also has a great effect on the outcome. Swain and Lapkin conducted a study in

which, in an immersive experience in the L2 classroom in which students could only speak in the

target language, it was found that groups who were not being constantly corrected performed

better (252). Gurzynski-Weiss and Baralt also discuss feedback; their argument is that a learner

has to be consciously aware of corrections in order for them to be noticed and incorporated (2-3).

The trouble found in these studies is that learner reactions can vary greatly, so it is virtually

impossible to find one method that will work for everyone.

Task-based activities are an effective tool for creating a more communicative language-

learning experience. They can be used to place students in linguistically unfamiliar territory that

will approximate the real-world experiences they would encounter during a foreign immersion

program. Well-constructed tasks have the dual purpose of practicing both communication to

achieve a particular goal and practicing grammar constructions relevant to accomplishing that

task. By being cognizant of the intended outcome and providing appropriate feedback to

improve performance, foreign language teachers can guide their students towards increased

proficiency, thereby increasing confidence and ensuring that the L2 learner will get the most out

of their linguistic experience.

Recommendations:

The following are recommendations for ways to incorporate task-based learning into the

classroom based on the articles contained in this study:

Create tasks that have real-world applications, particularly for students who will be

spending time in a country that speaks the target language.

Teach students strategies for communication when they do not possess the necessary

vocabulary or familiarity, e.g. circumlocution.

Maintain an emphasis on grammar and structure; students should not neglect the basics

just because they are attempting higher-level applications.

Have thoughtful post-task activities that engage the learner as well as the class. This will

encourage each student to pay more attention to their performance, as well as give the

others the skills to listen and think constructively.

Find ways to provide good feedback that the students can internalize and use to improve

performance.

Annotated Bibliography:

Berry-Bravo, Judy. “Teaching the Art of Circumlocution.” Hispania 76.2 (1993): 371-377.

Print.

This article address the skill of circumlocution, in which the L2 learner can find alternative ways

to make himself understood if he does not possess the appropriate vocabulary. Berry-Bravo

comments on the fact that many textbooks do not teach these methods, in spite of the fact that

they are a necessary part of the immersion experience.

Foster, Pauline and Peter Skehan. “Anticipating a Post-task Activity: The Effects on Accuracy,

Complexity, and Fluency of Second Language Performance.” The Canadian Modern

Language Review 69.3 (2013): 249-273. Print.

Here we find a discussion of how knowing that there will be a post-task activity can make the

learner more conscious of what he is doing. It can directly affect the complexity, accuracy and

fluency of speech, as well as the degree of attention paid, particularly to other people’s

performance.

Furman, N., D. Goldberg and N. Lusin. “Best Practices in Study Abroad: A Primer for Chairs of

Departments of Foreign Languages.” ADFL Bulletin 39.2&3 (Winter-Spring 2008): 89-

93. Print.

This article gives recommendations for ways in which foreign language departments can make

their programs more effective for students participating in Study Abroad. Relevant to this

literature review are the comments made regarding how students who already have a basis in the

language tend to perform and adapt better in the foreign country.

Gurzynski-Weiss, Laura and Melissa Baralt. “Exploring Learner Perception and Use of Task-

Based Iteractional Feedback in FTF and CMC Modes.” Studies in Second Language

Acquisition 36.1 (2014): 1-37. Print.

This article focuses on different types of feedback and their general effectiveness. The authors

stress that fact that the learner needs to notice, to be consciously aware of the feedback in order

for it to be effective. They consider different mediums of feedback, specifically verbal versus

written, and how that leads to a learner being more or less likely to notice the corrections.

Jourdain, Sarah. “A Native-Like Ability to Circumlocute. The Modern Language Journal. 84.2

(2000): 185-195.

Here again we see the importance of teaching students the skills of circumlocution in the target

language. This article focuses more on how with confidence and practice, the L2 can become

more “native-like” in their abilities with this skill.

Knight, Susan M. and Barbara C. Schmidt-Rinehart. “Exploring Conditions to Enhance

Student/Host Family Interaction Abroad.” Foreign Language Annals 43.1 (2010): 64-79.

Print.

Here the authors discuss how students with a weaker L2 background tend to become more

reserved when in an immersion experience, ultimately not improving their linguistic skills as

much as they could. The authors outline various strategies to enhance interaction with native

speakers while abroad, with a particular emphasis on task-based activities.

Kruse, Julia and Cate Brubaker. “Successful Study Abroad: Tips for Student Preparation,

Immersion, and Postprocessing.” Die Unterrichtspraxis / Teaching German 40.2 (2007):

147-15. Print.

This article also discusses methods for better preparing students for their study abroad

experience. This one focuses more on cultural preparation, and suggests that part of a study

abroad curriculum should include requiring the learner to interact with native speakers in

different ways, a task made significantly less daunting by prior task-based practice.

Skehan, Peter et. al. “The Task is Not Enough: Processing Approaches to Task-Based

Performance.” Language Teaching Research 16.2 (2012): 170-187. Print.

The main focus of this article is that task-based activities are important to successful language

acquisition, but cannot come at the expense of grammatical structure. Both have to work

together in order to allow the learner to grow both in form and function and to have the greatest

linguistic success.

Swain, Merrill and Sharon Lapkin. “Task-Based Second Language Learning: the Uses of the

First Language.” Language Teaching Research 4.3 (2000): 251-274. Print.

This study discusses the role that the native language (L1) plays in building confidence for

learning the L2. By not insisting on the learners’ sole usage of the L1, teachers allow them to

build important scaffolding and to foment organizational needs.

Troyan, Francis J. “Standards for Foreign Language Learning: Defining the Constructs and

Researching Learner Outcomes.” Foreign Language Annals 45.S1 (2012): 118-140.

Print.

This article seeks to define some common goals for language teachers, focusing on the many

levels of communication and understanding that a learner needs to master in order to be

successful. It is always important for teachers to take a moment to step back and reflect on what

it is they are trying to accomplish with a given lesson; in the case of task-based activities, it is

most likely communication in order to achieve a specific outcome.