TASK BASED LEARNING METHODOLOGY IN TEACHING ENGLISH TO YOUNG

CHILDREN
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TASK BASED LEARNING METHODOLOGY IN TEACHING ENGLISH TO
YOUNG CHILDREN
Abstract
Recently, Task based learning (TBL) has become in one of the most useful approach these days
,because TBL has increased the development of communication skills and the creation of an attractive environment
of contextualized learning for the students The teachers should apply tasks, based on an analysis of student!s
needs ,that are appropriate to the level of the students and to produce pretask and task follo" #up phrases that are in
line "ith the abilities The purpose of this paper revie" is to describe the role of teacher education in promoting the
use of task$based learning Teachers "ill be able to create a real purpose for language and provide a natural context
for language study The article argues that "hile teacher education programs have the potential to promote
innovation in educational practices, several factors remain to be addressed, including cultural norms in education and
the lack of support for student teachers Task Based Learning can help to encourage students to use the target
language actively and meaningfully The goal teacher is to facilitate student!s language learning by engaging them in
a variety of tasks that have a clear outcome
Key words
Teacher, tasks, environment, motivation and learners.
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Introduction
%o"adays learning &nglish in 'olombia has become a necessity, it allo"s people to
communicate "ith the "hole "orld (or this reason since school are making great efforts in
order students learn and master this language, many methods and approaches has been arose to
teach this language in a natural "ay, one of them is the T)*+ B)*&, L&)R%-%.
(TBL)"hich is a good choice to teach another language Because this is an innovative approach
to &nglish language teaching This approach also intends the students to understand and
communicate in the target language Task based integrates different areas of study in "hich the
teacher does not determine the activities that the student "ill learn, but he or she "ill lead tasks or
activities in "hich students "ill develop their o"n skill in the target language
Taking into account the above mentioned The ob/ective of this study is to examine the
role of teachers that use TBL "hen teaching &nglish as a foreign language (&nglish) in
'olombian classrooms That is "hy this document "ill consider the techni0ue teachers apply,
ho" they design the activities, and ho" they engage young children to think and communicate
in &nglish, through the task based approachThe fundamental purpose in TBL is to develop the
student1s communicative activity through tasks that in turn tends into account the role of the
teacher and student in the classroom "here the teacher is an accompanying of the process
Therefore, the role of the teacher proposes an approach, "hich is to focus on the student and
"here the student is an active participant in the activities
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Metodo!o"#
The information "as obtained through some papers, articles or papers institutes,
departments, universities, several sources documentaries, thesis of interesting authors like2 ,avid
%unan (3445) in his book $Task based language teaching6
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Today, the educational process in teaching &nglish re0uires an effective and efficient
approach to teach &nglish as a foreign language Task Based Learning has become one of the
main approaches applied to the teaching of &nglish as a foreign language for the development of
communication skills and the creation of an attractive environment of contextualized learning for
the students7 "ith TBL students develop skills that help them to have a meaningful learning
Besides 8rabhu, %unan (9:;:) uses the "ord <task= instead of <activity= >e defines a task as ?a
piece of classroom work which involves learners in comprehending, manipulating, producing or
interacting in the target language while their attention is 3 principally focused on meaning
rather than form@ (p94)
Task$based learning is a different "ay of teaching languages7 the teachers can help
students through real situations to understand the language Aral communication is an important
axis in this type of learning because through this the student is able to interact and share "ith
others, "here language becomes an essential tool, thus making the use of a language a necessity
)ccording to Billis (9::C) tasks are always activities where the target language is used
by the learner for a communicative purpose (goal) in order to achieve an outcome (p.3).&ach
task "ill provide the learner "ith ne" personal experience "ith the foreign language and at this
position7 the teacher has a very important part to participate The applications of different tasks
have caught the attention of students and their motivation is again focused on the development of
the class TBL allo"s students to manipulate various materials and develop their creativity,
creating in them a "illingness and enthusiasm to learn and speak foreign language
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This vie" is supported by ,avid %unan (3449) "ho "rites distinguishes bet"een
the !real world or target tasks, which are communicative acts are achieved through
language in the world outside the classroom and teaching tasks that are performed in
the classroom. "edagogical tasks # subdivided in those test with a ratio and having a
pedagogical rationale !.
)nother perspective "as presenting by Dane Billis "ho argued a task is an activity "here
the target language is used by the learned for a communicative purpose in order to archive an
outcome )ccording Dane Billis (344E)$The fundamental purpose in T$% is to develop the
student&s communicative skills through tasks, when student learn developing a task they have the
chance to learn in a real conte't and so that , interacted with real life situation 6
Bygate, *kehan, and *"ain define a task as an activity which re(uires learners to use
language, with emphasis on meaning, to attain an ob)ective (**+, p. ++).
)lso it is necessary recognize that Task plays a very important role in the process of
learners because each task involves communicative language use in "hich the user=s attention is
focused on meaning rather than linguistics structure ,ichards, "latt - .eber (+/01) offered a
more pedagogically oriented definition2 task is an activity or action which is carried out as the
result of processing or understanding the language (p.0/). (or example, dra"ing a map "hile
listening to a tape, listening to an instruction and performing a command, may be referred to as
tasks6
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There are three basic structures of TBL2 8re Task ,-n these first stage the teacher
introduce the topic or the task, using different kind of resources or strategies like pictures,
poter, role play ,brainstorms
The second stage is the Task 'ycle in "hich the students have to complete a task in pairs
or groups using the language resources that they have learn )lso the students prepare a short
oral or "ritten report to sho" the class "hat they have been doing7 mean"hile the teacher can ask
for advice to clear up the 0uestions they ought to have
The last stage is Language focus and feedback, during this, the students sho"s to the
"hole class a final orally report about the task, and the teacher help the student to select,
identify and classify common "ords and phrases to practice in a classroom -n this point, Rob
&llis (344E), said2 ?a task involves a primary focus on (pragmatic) meaning. 3lso the
participants choose the linguistic resources needed to complete the task. 3nd a task has a clearly
defined, non4linguistic outcome.
*peaking is something students do "hen they drill particular language patterns, but the oral
skill is much more than this -t involves speaking and listening as a t"o$"ay process "here
responding is expected )ccording to Byrne (9::9) ?oral tasks involve the productive skill of
speaking and the receptive skill of understanding. #t means that learners have to be taught to
speak as well as to list. Both listening and speaking are such common activities in the daily
routine that "e seem to confuse ourselves as being experts "hen "e are only users
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-n addition, ,avid %unan (3449) distinguishes bet"een the !real world or target tasks,
which are communicative acts are achieved through language in the world outside the classroom
and teaching tasks that are performed in the classroom.
This usually had a role in "hich the teacher uses the board and only your voice to teach
his due, thus achieving "hat is commonly kno"n as the transmission of kno"ledge rather than
learning, resulting in a lo" level of assimilation and "hat "as learned only temporary and tends
to forget easily An the other the student hand is a recipient of the transmission performed by the
teacher, learning is often limited to "hat can be saved as a result of listening and playing
The goal of the language teacher is trying to develop teaching tasks that are as close to
real$life tasks as possible, creating activities that are meaningful and relevant to studentsThis
leads the teacher to take on a role of a guide The teacher has a more passive position and often
listens rather than speaks -t is the teacher1s responsibility to monitor and help the students "hen
needed There=s no denying that teachers should use TBL as much as they can because it provides
practical linguistic skill building, and the student "ould be more engaged and motivated
'onsidering that tasks of sharing personal experiences encourage learners to talk more freely
about themselves and share their experiences "ith others (or example, after reading a selected
material about one=s childhood, learners can be encouraged to tell their o"n childhood The
resulting interaction is closer to casual social conversation in that it is not as directly goal$
oriented as in other tasks (or that very reason, ho"ever, these open tasks may be more difficult
to get going in the classroom
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Fan den Branden (344C) argues2 a grees with the fact that task based lessons are student4
centered, which means students take the main part in the learning process Learners are
autonomous to negotiate course content or to choose linguistic forms "hen performing a task
%egotiation is done by providing options for the learners7 for example, the teacher may suggest a
series of topics and students decide "hich one to begin "ith Learners are also group participants
Gany of the tasks are done in pairs or groups "hich "ill re0uire adaptation for those students
used to "orking individually or those used to "hole class instruction )nother role for learners is
the one of risk takers *tudents constantly face challenges that involve the use of the target
language *tudents need to make the most of every opportunity to develop language "hile
performing the task Bhile, Richards and Rodgers (3445) say ?that both teachers and learners in
Task4$ased %earning are responsible for the development of classroom interaction.
)s Billis (9::C) suggests, most of the opportunities for language use are taken by the
teacher (p.+0). Teacher directed lessons students cannot find the chance to experience the target
language *tudents complained that the number of exercises "ere not ade0uate for them to
improve their &nglish adding that they could not learn much from their teacher at the beginning
This author points out that self$assessment fosters students= autonomy, and ?can serve as a
means of developing a reflective attitude in the learner and can stimulate goal setting6 (-bid p
H43))lso our author Iu (344E) states2 the main role of the teacher is to select and prepare
tasks. #n doing this, the teacher needs to be aware of the student5s linguistic and cognitive needs
and therefore needs to adapt tasks, or create tasks in order to address these needs Teachers are
also responsible for creating a pre$task, so that the class can develop the theme surrounding the
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task This "ill help students to identify and use key vocabulary as "ell as activate higher thinking
skills
.ibbs (9::J) notes that educational development is to do with the intention of improving the
instructor5s classroom practice >e also adds that carrying out an action research pro/ect
contributes much to a lecturer=s understanding of her students= and their achievement as a result
of changing hisKher conceptions of teaching and he states that this change is @a change essential
for sustained pedagogical development@ (p9;)
The &nglish has al"ays had a role in the lives of people many studies have been done on
the sub/ect )nd taking into account the global challenges that "e have today, many teachers are
a"are of the problems in teaching this language for this reason the task$based learning gives
students several advantages because they can use language to "hile communicating. Taking
everything into account use the task based learning means the teachers assign their students a task
to engage them to use the language as an instrument to develop a specify or particular task
&llis (344H) suggests that the task4based approach brings a variety of benefits to
learners6 one of the most important is motivation. 7otivation is therefore likely to be seen as
the key to all learning. 8nce students are motivated, they can complete the given tasks or desired
goals.Brophy (344J%&
The student should no" be split into groups of t"o$three people &ach group must no"
produce their o"n ?Bhat=s this device6 exercise They have to choose a tool from the memory
game The teacher should leave help$sentences and phrases on the blackboard for students to use
if they need to The teacher monitors the process of the production in the different groups and
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helps only "hen it is really needed The student exercise should be "ritten do"n, so that it can be
used as either an oral exercise or a reading exercise Bhen all groups have finished an exercise
and are satisfied "ith the result, the groups must test the exercise "ith other groups
*tudents should already be ?familiar with the meanings e'pressed since they now have
the chance to study the forms which reali9e those meanings6 (-bid p 943) The teacher is advised
to use this part of the lesson to allo" learners to notice ne" forms of language and then practice
using them in various activities *o, *tudents constantly face challenges that involve the use of
the target language *tudents need to make the most of every opportunity to develop language
"hile performing the task Richards and Rodgers (3445) say that both teachers and learners in
Task4$ased %earning are responsible for the development of classroom interaction
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Conc!usion
To sum up, task based learning (TBL) -s Ane of the greatest types of learning for people
to start to learn a foreign language ,)ccording to the material it is very important to take the
focus a"ay from grammar and structures so that, student might develop betters abilities to do
things in &nglish and they "ould have a significative process, "ith this, teacher are able to
promote a real communication in "here learners are "ith less anxiety, and they "ill learn so
much better
*tudents should keep in mind that their goal is to challenge themselves for the pleasure of
practicing their learning That is "hat really counts for their lives since school should not be the
place for doing "hat others command, but for trying under the auspices of their teacher their
habit of acting autonomously and talking about their ideas according to the task life poses them
8araphrasing (reire L Gacedo (9:;E), learners in the language class should speak about
their "orld in their o"n "ords so that they can avoid unnatural utterances occurring during a
task Therefore, it is important to provide the students "ith a confident learning environment to
speak This "as the key to making classmates act in a sympathizing "ay This meant that oral
activities, both transactional and interactional, created less anxiety (inally, Task$Based Learning
offers more advantages than disadvantages, teachers "ould use this approach as much as they can
because students spend a lot of time communicating, and they must use all their language
resources in order to learn the language
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Re'erences
Baker, 8 (9::;) The impact of teaching on student motivation, -n * Bro"n, *
)rmstrong, and . Thompson (&ds), Gotivating students (pp E$95) London2 +ogan
'arroll, G (9::5) Dournal "riting as a learning and research tool in the adult classroom
T:;8% <ournal, =(9), 9:$33
>su, Tsu$'hia (344E)'ooperative task$based learning approach to motivating lo"
achieving readers of &nglish in a Tai"anese Mniversity (thesis) Mniversity, ,urham theses,
,urham Mniversity )vailable at ,urham &$Theses Anline2 http2KKethesesduracukK9;:CK
8eNa, Gireya L 3 Anatra, )mparo (344:) 8romoting Aral 8roduction through the Task$
Based Learning )pproach2 ) *tudy in a 8ublic *econdary *chool in 'olombia (thesis) (rancisco
de 8aula *antander *chool, 'olombia
8ongs .a"ang, .esorn (3493)Msing task Based Language Learning activities enhance
speaking abilities of 8rathomsuksa( thesis) *rinakharin"irot Mniversity
RodrOguez, GPnica L RodrOguez, Deisson Task$Based Language Learning2 Ald
)pproach, %e" *tyle ) %e" Lesson to Learn (ro'i!e vol 93, %o 3 -**% 9CJE$4E:4 BogotQ,
'olombia 8ages 9CJ$9E;
*parks, 'andice (344C) Teacher reaction to and understanding of a task # based,
embedded syllabus (thesis) Rueensland Mniversity of Technology, Rueensland
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