The results of the study are helpful to the teaching and learning practice of oral English, and hope to arouse the interest and concern of English teachers in higher vocational colleges in TBLT, and can apply TBLT in the practice of oral English teaching.
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Chapter Two Literature Review
2.1 Task-based Language Teaching
Task-based Language Teaching refers to the teaching that language learners complete tasks guided by teacher in the classroom. As an extension of communicative teaching methods, task-based teaching methods appeared in the 1980s, stressing learning while doing.
Nunan (1999: 24) explained TBLT as follows: “Task-based language teaching is a method of language curriculum design, whose starting point is not an ordered list of language items, but a group of task collection.”
The task in the task pedagogy is not a sequence of language projects, which have already been pre-selected or pre-planned, but is related to a series of tasks communicated and performed in the target language. (Willis, 2001:91).
2.1.1 Definitions of Task
The most critical concept in task-based teaching is “task”. In the 1980s, it was Prabhu N.S. (1987) who brought out TBLT to second language teaching for the first time. Prabhu defines a task as “the activity of a learner to draw a conclusion or result based on the information given.” Learners are able to control and adjust their thought processes when completing tasks. (Prabhu, 1987:17).
Since then, a lot of researches on TBLT have been conducted by many linguists and researchers and give different definitions of the task.
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2.2 Comparison between TBLT and Traditional Teaching Method
Here is a brief comparison in order to demonstrate the validity of TBLT in theory.
2.2.1 Framework of TBLT
Peter Skehan (1998) put forward the three-stage framework for TBLT, so did Jane Willis (1996). They are considered the most representative and influential framework in the world and both of them are very popular in oral English teaching.
2.2.1.1 Willis’ Framework of TBLT
The first stage is Pre-task phase.
The teacher’s main task is to inform subjects and tasks, and introduce relevant vocabulary and expressions. This stage is to prepare for the task. Task-based classroom teaching is a task-driven learning. First of all, tasks should be clearly put forward to ensure that students have clear learning objectives in their activities. It is helpful to stimulate and cultivate students’ interest and motivation (Willis, 1996). In this phase, students’ language knowledge and social experiences are switched on and students’ learning interest and initiative are increased.
The next is Task cycle stage.
In this stage, the task is accomplished and executed in the target language. It consists of three sub-stages to complete. Under the supervision of teachers, students complete tasks by themselves, in pairs or in groups. If necessary, teachers are ready to help students as an assistant so that students can speak themselves out well in the free and easy atmosphere.
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Chapter Three Theoretical Foundations of TBLT .................................... 20
3.1 Psycholinguistics Rationale ..................................... 20
3.2 Constructivism Learning Theory ............................................ 20
3.3 Pragmatism Rationale ..................................... 22
Chapter Four Methodology ................................. 24
4.1 Research Questions ....................... 24
4.2 Participants .................................. 24
4.3 Instruments ................................... 26
Chapter Five Results and
