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...