Norazmi Hamin Ahmad Sis Mubarak

Task-based syllabus

Task-based syllabuses are concerned with the classroom processes which stimulate learning than with the language knowledge or skills that students are supposed to master. These syllabuses consist of a list of specification of the tasks and activities that the learners will engage in in class in the target language.

Task-based
Task Components 1. the goals, the input (linguistic or otherwise), the activities derived from this input, and finally the roles implied for teacher and learners (Nunan 1989, p. 47)

The components

Content the subject matter to be taught

Materials the things that learners can observe/manipulate Activities the things the learners and teacher will be doing during the lesson Goals the teacher's general aim for the task (these are much more general and vague than objectives) Students their abilities, needs and interests are important

Social community the class as a whole and it s sense of groupness'

The characteristics
(1) (2) (3) (4)

(5)

(6)

The positive characteristics task-based instruction is potentially very powerful and widely applicable Suitable for learners of all ages and backgrounds. Addresses the crucial problem-directly, by using active and real tasks as learning activities. Ability to perform the instructional task is equivalent to the ability to use the language, so functional ability should be a natural outcome of the instructional experience. Task-based learning can be very effective when the learners are engaged in relatively similar out-of-class activities (social or academic). Task-based learning can be especially useful for learners who are not accustomed to more traditional type of classroom learning or who need to learn cognitive, cultural, and life skills along with the language.

The negative characteristics

(1) (2) (3)

(4)

problems can easily arise with teachers, the instructional setting, or the students. Task-based learning requires resources beyond the text books. Because TBL is not what many students expected and want from a language, they may resist or object to this type of instruction. Evaluation of TBL can be difficult, however, it is easy to measure the language proficiency.