HANOI UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES
ASSIGNMENT COVER
Unit: TESOL METHODOLOGY Unit Code: 5113
Lecturer: DR. DANG XUAN THU
Student: NGUYEN THI HOA
Class: 1PGN-27
Student ID:
Tel: 0977670186
Essay Title:
TASK-BASED LEARNING APPROACH – A CLEAR REFLECTION IN
SIMULATION PROJECT FOR THIRD-YEAR STUDENTS
AT FAST-TRACK GROUP, ULIS
Due date: November 7, 2014 Date of submission: November 7, 2014
Student declaration: I declare that this is my own work except where clearly
acknowledged.
Signature of student:
Hà Nội - 2014
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Lecturer’s feedback:
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Lecturer’s signature (& full name): ...............................................................
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Contents
Essay ...................................................................................................................................... 2
References .............................................................................................................................. 8
Appendix ................................................................................................................................ 9
Essay
TASK-BASED LEARNING APPROACH – A CLEAR REFLECTION IN
SIMULATION PROJECT FOR THIRD-YEAR STUDENTS
AT FAST-TRACK GROUP, ULIS
For the past three decades, task-based language learning (TBLL), task-based language teaching
(TBLT) or task-based instruction (TBI) have been captivating the attention of researchers,
teacher trainers and material developers (Sanchez, 2004). They have provided an advancing
assortment of examination proving the effectiveness of TBL in various real teaching situations,
thus along with communicative language teaching approach, task-based learning has increasingly
become a favorable approach of several curriculum designers and textbook writers. In order to
maximize learners’ autonomy, realize learner-centered objectives and learning-by-doing approach
of Fast-track Program at ULIS, VNU (Nguyen, 2010), lecturers there have chosen Simulation
Project, a typical illustration of task-based application. As a young lecturer and a former student
having accomplished one project, I am composing this short text with the aim to brief some
prominent features of TBL and the sound results that the real tasks included in the project can
benefit students.
1. Definition of task and task-based learning
There have been many different definitions of “task” and Willis (1996, p.23) provided one of the
most popular one “Tasks are activities where the target language is used by the learners for
communicative purpose (goal) in order to achieve an outcome.” Skehan (1996b:20 as cited in
Rodgers, 2001) also emphasizes result-oriented incline and genuine language utilization of tasks.
Nunan (2004) makes it clearer by giving the fundamental disparity between real-world or target
tasks, and pedagogical tasks: “target tasks, as the name implies, refer to the uses of language in the
world beyond the classroom, pedagogical tasks are those that occur in the classroom”.
Task-based language teaching is mentioned by Rodgers (2001) to be an approach focusing on
tasks to propose the plan in language teaching.
2. Key features of Simulation Project
Simulation is a speaking project targeted at third-year students of Fast track group at ULIS. The
final outcome of the project is that each group of four or five students playing the role of
employers have to carry out a 45-minute interview just like in the real life and the rest of the class
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become the employees actively participating in the interview, longing for becoming brilliant
candidates for the needed jobs. In order to have that final round, both the interviewers and
interviewees have to experience several other preparatory steps. Firstly, the host group (employers)
agree on their business and job vacancies with teachers’ approval. Then they have to think of all
the information related to the company/corporation and the interview, which is followed by
designing logo, website, introductory video clips, recruitment poster and PR project. Once the
recruitment has been released, the other class members have to decide which positions to apply,
prepare themselves carefully to role-play for those positions and send the CV to the host group.
After that, the employers finalize the marking criteria, categorize the CVs, prepare
certificates/cards and other necessities of the official interviews. Normally, the preparation stage
lasts for seven to eight weeks. On the official session, all class members dress appropriately for the
interview and there are usually four sequences: introduction, interview, tea-break time and wrap-
up (or result announcement). The teacher often plays the role of an honored guess to observe the
whole interview and give feedback in the end.
It can be seen that the whole project can be considered a big task which covers several other small
tasks. Because a job interview is a real-life situation, English is used as the means of
communication throughout the process and learners have to produce meaningful written work (all
written materials for the host group and CVs for others) and spoken language (the final interview).
Both the preparation and the official sessions brings learners certain results as listed in the table:
Stage Task/
Outcome
Interviewers Interviewees Teacher
Pre-task Big task 1 Decide business and job
vacancies
Give comments
and approval
Big outcome 1 The company name and available jobs are announced
Task
cycle
Prep
aration
Big task
2
design logo, website,
recruitment poster and PR
project
Search for related
information about
the company/
corporation
Observe and
give comments
to the host group
Big
outcome
2
A set of tools to introduce
the company or
corporation and connect
with the interviewees
Decisions about their
chosen jobs and
contact with
interviewers to
clarify the
requirements
Comments that
helps the host
group to
complete their
product
Big task
3
finalize the marking
criteria, categorizing the
CVs, prepare
certificates/cards, slides
and tea-break food
decide which
positions to apply,
prepare themselves
carefully to role-play
for those positions
and send the CV to
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the host groups
Big
outcome
3
A set of marking criteria,
CV categorization,
certificates, final objects
or arrangements.
Information on the
chosen application
position
Big task
4
Make a video clip to
introduce the corporation
with creative and fun
content
Big
outcome
4
A video clip to be shown
during the tea break for
the teacher and other
class members to see
while the host group give
marks to candidates.
Official in
terview
Big task
5
Arrange the classroom,
divide the task among
group members to lead
the whole interview
Play the role of
interviewees by
answering the
questions and
showing themselves
Observe the
whole session or
role-play as an
honor guess if
required
Big
outcome
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A full interview whose
final outcome is a
selection of the best
candidates for each
position
Results decided by
the interviewers
Feedback about
the pros and cons
of both
interviewers and
interviewees.
Language
focus
- writing (CV, announcement, report)
- communication skills, especially advanced skills of
speaking English fluently, giving critical questions and
answers and negotiating.
Table 1: Tasks and outcomes of Simulation
It is also important to note that the whole project consists of three main phrases of a task which are
pre-task, task-cycle and language focus (Ruso, 2007). Moreover, each big task can be scrutinized
into various smaller tasks and task elements but due to the limit of this essay, I will make it as
concisely as possible.
3. Task types
As Nunan (2004) claimed “There are as many different task types as there are people who have
written on task-based language teaching”, this essay bases on only one most popular classification
of Willis (2008) to analyze the Speaking Project.
Willis (2008) assumes that six types of task to advocate successful language learning are listing,
ordering and sorting, problem solving, sharing personal experience and creative tasks, each task
type has its own components and outcomes. All those tasks are covered in the Simulation Project.
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The first task type is listing which involves brainstorming and fact finding. At the very beginning
of the project, host-group students’ duty is to determine the field to invest on, which then leads to
finding information about the related real organizations. Other aspects of recruitment such as job
description or criteria also requires some lists of facts. As a result, the lists of requirements in
commencing announcement, job description and job requirement are created [see Appendix 2 part
1,3,4]. Those elements are not only relevant to the task requirement, but also consistent with each
other and close to reality. As for the candidates, listing is essential to them when they come to find
out information about the company and the field or position to apply, some knowledge about their
unreal characteristics or qualities is also needed to promote themselves in the CVs or in the official
interview.
The second task type is ordering and sorting in which the learners have to sequence, categorise,
rank and classify. The utmost function of this task is evidently shown when interview board
accomplishes the task of categorize the CVs once they are sent to the company email. Those CVs
are then put into different position categories. Another stage to perform this task type is when the
managers evaluate their candidates according to specified criteria [see Appendix 2 part 8 for
example]. Interviewers’ final outcomes are their decisions about which candidates are more well-
qualified and which ones are not.
The third task type is comparing which occurs when learners have to search for similarities,
differences and at the same time, information is matched accordingly. This task offers the chance
for interviewers to compare and take their candidates’ performances into consideration. Just like
the sorting task, final decision of this task relates to the announcement about more suitable
candidates.
The fourth task type is problem solving which is generally considered one of indispensible parts
[see Appendix 2 part 8 for example] and the most challenging question for every candidate. Some
typical, arduous situations or even hypothetical scenarios are selected to challenge the job seekers,
thus they have to reason and make decisions. Even the interviewers have to prepare the solutions to
those cases thoroughly beforehand in order to give fair evaluation to the candidates’ responses.
The results from these tasks are solutions to such problems which are then evaluated by
interviewers.
The fifth task type is sharing personal experiences, the most common strategy to start an interview
[see Appendix 2 part 8 for example]. The interviewers have to narrate, describe and explain
attitudes, reactions and opinions, which can help show their own ways of life. The outcomes
should be individuals’ experiences shown in a way the benefit them most in the interview.
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The sixth and last task type is creative tasks, which is the most valuable feature of this speaking
assessment form as compared to other speaking lessons. The students are free to utilize their
creativity in designing their own logo, poster [see Appendix 1 for example], websites or even
introductory clips of high quality, just as these products are made by professional designers.
Students are also inventive in giving the teachers active roles like honored guests, counselors or
president of the corporation, so that they can observe the whole class in a natural way. In my
opinion, this task type is unique in the way it combines many other activities that other types need
such as brainstorming, fact-finding, ordering, comparing and problem solving.
4. Procedures/ activities with learners’ roles and teachers’ roles
Throughout the long process for the whole class to carry out the project, it is seen that both
teachers and students play various roles.
To begin with, the teachers are task instructors, who guide the learners at the start of the course on
how to make the whole project happen, at the same time they begin the role of course planner.
During the course, their counseling role proves to be helpful when students need advice. When it
comes to official class, teachers do not interfere in students’ performance but their roles are to
observe, analyze students’ performances and give comments.
Learners in this case are the center of the classroom and the lesson as Van den Branden (2006)
agrees, meaning students play the great role in the learning process. Typical roles of a student are
an explorer of the topic, a performer of different tasks and a reporter of the whole session. The role
of an innovator that Rodgers (2001) mentions is also shown in this project when a lot of creative
ideas are developed. More importantly, the special feature of this project is that although creating
resource materials is teachers’ duty, the host students in this project are given the chance to be a
resource to provide essential information for other class members and other students, as
candidates, also a resource of themselves when they find out relevant information to promote
themselves in their CVs and in the interview. This feature is practical in that it prepares these
students, who major in English teacher education, not only resource skills but also many other
communication and management skills that they need in their future career and life.
5. Advantages and disadvantages of task-based language teaching
Kavaliauskien (2005) has analysed six advantages of TBL and they can be well applied in this
speaking project. Firstly, “there is no language control in production stage”, which means that
when students participate in the task, they are free to produce their responses naturally without any
control of teachers or the host group. Secondly, “learners use their language knowledge and
resources”. As mentioned in the previous part, students both have to combine their present
knowledge and self-generated resources to complete their roles in the interview. Thirdly, “learners
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experiment with language during task completion”, as the whole project lasts for a long period of
time, the whole class of students, especially the host group, have experience with both written and
spoken language. Furthermore, “learners’ communicate and collaborate during activities”, it is not
just in the official interview, but a high level of collaboration and a great deal of communication
are required during the process of preparing for a successful project. Moreover, the fact that “target
language emerges from students’ needs” is crucial as English is the only means of communication
if the students wish to complete this multi-task activity. Last but not least, “TBL offers reflection
on language usage” is shown when the host group evaluate their candidates, when students give
peer comments and teachers provides learners with feedback.
In addition to Kavaliauskien’s idea, another good point of this task-based activity is that it is the
challenge and also the motivation for teachers to think of creative ideas to apply in the classroom.
Willis (1996: 23) claims that tasks that the teacher should prepare must have “a suitable degree of
intellectual and linguistic challenge and promote learners’ language development as efficiently as
possible”. As students from fast-track group are required to meet high requirements of the course
and their drive to face challenges is huge, a well-constructed task can enhance language learning
motivation and engagement of both students and teachers.
Despite those benefits, it can not be denied that the project takes quite long time and enormous
effort from the students. Sometimes with the huge workload, learners’ tension and depression for
lack of time or creative ideas are unavoidable. However, this is also a good chance for students to
be trained to face stress and manage their time well. Besides, as this multi-task activity requests
abundant group work, some uncooperative students do cause trouble and make their peers
troubled, in these cases, it is pivotal that group members report constantly and refer to their
teacher’s help so that his or her interference or adjustment can be worthwhile.
6. Final thought
As a practical approach in applying authentic materials in the classroom, TBLT in this speaking
project has proved to be very helpful for upper-intermediate and advanced students of Fast-track
group at ULIS. In fact, according to Acar (2006), “The most important characteristic of a task is its
communicative purpose in which the focus in on meaning rather than form”, in case of Simulation,
various meaningful tasks have been performed and have explored self generation of knowledge,
skills and creativity from students. The benefits that this project brings far outweighs its
drawbacks, thus this activity continues to be developed by both teachers and students at Fast-track
Group and have been applied to second-year mainstream students for one year now. As a teacher at
ULIS, I do hope to be able to smartly apply TBLT in similar situations for the effectiveness of my
students’ learning process and for my own motivation in teaching. (2536 words)
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References
Acar, A. (2006). ‘Models, Norms and Goals for English as an International Language
Pedagogy and Task Based Language Teaching and Learning’. Asian EFL Journal,
8 (3). Retrieved from www.asian-efl-journal.com/September_2006_EBook_editions.pdf
Kavaliauskiene, G. (2005). Task-based learning and learning outcomes in the ESP classroom.
Kalbų Studijos, (7), 66-70.
Nguyen, T.L.H. (2010). Đảm bảo chất lượng trọng việc sửa đổi chương trình khung để phát triển
bốn kỹ năng tại bộ môn CLC. Retrieved October 20th
, 2014 from
data.ulis.vnu.edu.vn/.../1/15%20HANG%20Nguyen%20Thu%20Le.pdf
Nunan, D.( 2004). Task- Based Language Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Rodgers, T. S. (2001). Approaches and methods in language teaching. Cambridge University
Press.
Ruso, N. (2007). The Influence of Task Based Learning on EFL Classrooms. The Asian EFL
Journal, 17.
Sanchez, A. (2004). The Task-based Approach in Language Teaching. International Journal of
English Studies, 4(1), 39-39. Retrieved from
dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/articulo/919479.pdf
Van den Branden, K. (2006). Task based language education. From theory to practice.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Willis, D., & Willis, J. (2008). Doing task-based teaching. Oxford University Press.
Willis, J. (1996). A Framework for Tasked-Based Learning. London: Longman.