Task-Based Learning: Sequence

1) CONSTRUCTION OF DIAGRAMS / PRE-TASKING: Introduce the topic, context, vocabulary and expressions.

2) LISTEN: Analysis of the linguistic elements involved in the task (morphology, syntax, vocabulary, phonetics).

2. CONTROLLED PRACTICE: Similar to a traditional or audiolingual lesson. Practice of vocabulary, structures and functions, but connected with the communicative context.

4. LANGUAGE EXERCISES: Intensive practice of listening and video comprehension related to the communicative functions involved in the final task.

5. FREE PRACTICE: The controlled and reproductive practice is left behind by free oral and written production activities: role-playing,...

6) PEDAGOGICAL TASK: The pedagogical task presented at the beginning of the sequence is carried out.

Task-Based Learning: Teacher

Task-Based Learning: Activities

Tasks: context-centred + communicative skills
1) Simulations: recreation of real actions.
2) Limit situations: forced activation.

Exercises: focused on language + language skills
1) Focused: manipulation of structures.
2) Contextualized: structures in a communicative context.

Task-Based Learning: What is a task?

Rod Ellis:
"Task is a workplan, involves a primary focus on meaning, involves real-world processes of language use, can involve any of the four language skills, engages cognitive processes, has a clearly defined communicative outcome"

A task...
1) Has one purpose: to learn L2 as users of it.
2) Has a perspective: it is a work plan aimed at involving the student in the use of meaning-centred L2.
3) It is authentic: it is a meaningful recreation of habitual or daily activities.
4) Mobilises skills: generally linguistic (oral).
5) Mobilizes cognitive processes: tasks can be cognitively more or less complex.
6) Produces a result: the task must produce a concrete result with linguistic content in L2.

The 7 principles of Task-Based learning

1. Integration: the form, meaning and communicative function of the items are learned in an integrated way.

2. Active learning: students learn an L2 best when they use it by performing a meaningful action.

3. Dependence between tasks: a task is built on the previous ones in a progression.

4. From reproduction to creation: students should progress from reproduction in L2 to creation in L2.

5. Scaffolding: support learning, understanding, production

6. Linguistic recycling: linguistic elements must appear in several tasks to be learned.

7. Reflection: students should reflect on their learning and results.

Foreign Language Teaching Methodologies: Task-Based Learning

Time frame: 2000
CECRL (Cadre européen commun de référence pour les langues)

Aim: perform significant tasks in order to acquire language skills.
Baseline theories: Canale and Swain (80s), Bachnan (90s).

Students:
learn how to learn + responsible for their own learning + self-reliant and aware of their own learning
the student is the centre of the learning process

Teacher:
a guide who supports and encourages learning (motivation) + provides feedback

Teaching-learning process:
acquisition of skills and strategies + prioritization of oral language + discovery of vocabulary and grammar + authentic or pedagogized materials + group learning (socioconstructivism)

work levels: micro-tasks + meaningful activities (games, simulations...) + final task (genealogical tree, recipe book...)

Phases of the teaching and learning process:
1) Reception (input) phase: listening, reading...
2) Production phase (output): repetition of dialogues, questions/answers...
3) Interactive phase: resolution of the task.

Activities:
1) Pedagogical classification: drawing up lists, sorting and classifying, comparing and finding differences, solving problems, sharing personal experiences, performing creative tasks...
2) Psycholinguistic classification: puzzles, drills, problem solving, decision making, exchange of opinions...

Foreign Language Teaching Methodologies: Communicative

Early 1970s
Aim: learn how to communicate in everyday situations

Baseline theories:
1) Linguistics: sociolinguistics (Hymes) and pragmatics.

2) Psychology: cognitivism (Austin, Searle).

Approaches:
1) English situational methodology:
behaviouralism -> automatisms
oral approach + explicit grammar

2) Communicative approach:
communicative situations (70s-80s)
priority of oral language + quick introduction to writing + teacher as animator + audio and video (pedagogized) + dialogues in situation (vocabulary, structures, simulation) + explicit grammar

3) Functional-notional approach:
70s-90s
aim pedagogy + focused on the needs of the students + teacher as animator, designer and evaluator

Foreign Language Teaching Methodologies: MAO-MAV

1960s MAO in the United States
Aim: learn to understand, speak, read and write.

Baseline theories: 
1) Structuralism (linguistics): Bloomfield (language as system/structure).
2) Behavioralism (psychology): Skinner (stimulation - response - reinforcement).

Teacher:
Linguistic knowledge.
Runs the classrooms.
Possesses technical knowledge and skills.

Materials: CDs, cassettes, slides and transparencies.

Oral language learning + foreign language + learning of linguistic structures
Memorization and repetition of structures + structured exercises -> Grammar
Gradual progression (meaning is not the most important thing).
Pedagogical dialogues (audios) and structural exercises (drills).

1950s-60s SGAV in Europe

Reformulation of the Mao-Mav methodology -> Chomsky (linguistics) + Gestalt (psychology).

Communication situations (situational context)

Image and sound: Decryption images (semantic content) + Situational images (communication situations).

Foreign Language Teaching Methodologies: Active

Is born out of the crisis of direct methodology (1920-1960).

Middle ground between the traditional and the modern:

L1 and written texts and explicit grammar + oral language and dialogue

Foreign Language Teaching Methodologies: Direct

Emerges at the end of the 19th century - beginning of the 20th century (1902- pedagogical coup d'état in France).
Main target/aim: learn to speak in an active and global way.
Theory based: François Gouin + learning theories (psychology).
Teacher: leads the class, possesses all the knowledge.
Priority to oral language learning and exclusive use of the foreign language.
Phonetics and pronunciation.
Dialogues + written materials.

Foreign Language Teaching Methodologies: Traditional

Its main aim was to facilitate access to literary texts.

Elitist conception of teaching (high social classes).

Learning was teacher-centred (vertical transmission of linguistic knowledge).

Predominance of written language learning.

Grammar and translation activities (explicit and traditional grammar).

L1 was predominantly used.

Materials: grammars, dictionaries, literary texts.