Tasked Based Learning TASK For DVD
Tasked Based Learning TASK For DVD
12 Task-Based Learning
The films are accompanied by detailed lesson plans and copies of all
materials used. A variety of worksheets guide the viewer through different
aspects of ELT methodology, lesson planning, class management, and
language analysis. Comprehensive notes and answer keys are also
included. All of the worksheets and most of the materials are
photocopiable and are designed for individual use or for use in seminars.
David Carr
Series Editor
This publication may be copied under the terms of a licence granted by the
Copyright Licensing Agency.
The first purchaser of this book is hereby granted a licence to copy extracts from the
book for use by those training to teach languages. This licence is not transferable.
Limitation on Liability
While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book,
they make no representations and warranties with respect to the accuracy or
completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied
warranties of fitness for any purpose. Teaching depends on those individuals involved
with the teaching and learning process and not all teaching methods will work in all
circumstances. Neither the publisher nor the authors shall be liable for any loss of
profit or any other commercial damages including but not limited to special,
incidental, consequential or other damages.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to:
Jim Blackman, Fran Linley, and Susie Abell for the original filming
Belinda Cerda and Frances Eales for writing the viewing tasks and answer keys
twenty seven 27
films in the series
help with…
analysing form dvd 2, 5, 9, 11 large groups dvd 15
General English
Low Intermediate (B1)
Task-Based Learning Frances Eales
Introduction page 5
Task 1 page 6
Task 2 page 7
Task 3 page 8
Materials page 16
General English
Low Intermediate (B1)
Task-Based Learning
In this lesson Frances enables her students to give a short talk
recommending a tour of their country. She does this by providing students
with a model talk, introducing some useful language and giving students
enough preparation time and guidance before they attempt the task
themselves. There are nine students in this multilingual class.
Task Two
This task is designed to help trainees with checking understanding. It
reviews concept questions (also examined in Lesson 11) and extends the
discussion further to look at and evaluate other useful ways teachers can
check understanding with their students.
Task Three
This task focusses on feedback and correction. It examines the role of
feedback, principles behind the language you select for correction, and how
to successfully manage a correction stage after a freer speaking activity.
Help with
Staging a Task-Based
Learning (TBL) Lesson
The aim of the lesson you are about to see is for the students to be
‘better able to give a short talk recommending a five day tour of their
country.’ How could you stage a lesson to achieve this aim? Discuss
with a partner.
e Lead-in
Now watch the film and re-order the stages if necessary. Discuss your
answers with a partner and then look at the answer key to check.
What is the purpose of each stage? Discuss with a partner and then look
at the commentary in the answer key to check.
Help with
Checking Understanding
Look at the two dialogues below. What are the problems with both these
responses. Discuss with a partner.
Classroom Scenario
Teacher: Did you understand that?
Teacher: OK, let’s move on. Teacher: Oh, what part didn’t
you understand?
In Frances‘ lesson she wants to check her students have understood the language
below. Look at the different ways a teacher can check understanding in the box
below and choose the most effective methods to use with these language items.
Then watch the lesson and circle the ones she uses.
Look at the language items below and decide the best way to check
understanding. Then try it out with a partner to see if it could work. Finally check
your answers with your tutor or look at the answer key.
a To shake hands.
b He tried to get out of doing his homework.
c When I got there, the concert had started.
d Do you fancy going to the cinema?
e She dropped out of school when she was sixteen.
f My sister’s isn’t as tall as my father.
g She was described in the article as being ‘skinny’.
© 2006 International House Trust Limited PHOTOCOPIABLE seven 7
lesson12 task3
Help with
Feedback and Correction
After each stage in a lesson there is feedback. Think about the feedback
you have observed and experienced after a speaking activity. Write four
reasons why feedback is useful for students and four reasons why it is
useful for teachers.
Students Teachers
1 1
2 2
3 3
4 4
If you think back to Frances’ lesson she gives students feedback on the content of
their talk, commenting on the places the students talked about and asking students to
choose which tour they would most like to go on. She also gives them feedback on
language (a correction stage).
Look at the language she selects for correction and answer these questions (try
taking each sentence individually and answering the questions)
7 There are a lot of bars where you can hear Latin music
a lot of beaches swim
a lot of restaurants eat French food
Aim
By the end of the two sessions, the students will be better able to give a
short talk recommending a tour of their country. This will be achieved by:
a listening to a native speaker model
b focussing on and practising some useful phrases for this kind of talk
c allowing plenty of preparation time, in class with the teacher as a
resource, and out of class producing a poster as an aid to their talk
d focussing on useful language emerging as a result of the task.
Subsidiary Aims
To give students the opportunity for extended speaking practice.
To practise listening for general comprehension.
Assumptions
Students have now had several task-based lessons and are accustomed
to the idea of using the teacher as a resource in the preparation stage.
Much lexis used in the initial listening has recently been covered, e.g.
cathedral, famous, architecture, tourist, recommend. Also should for
giving advice.
Materials
visuals, handout.
The teacher talks through a five-day tour of England (unscripted) using map and guidebook pictures.
Students confer on questions then answer
Language Focus: (10 mins) To introduce and give controlled practice of seven
Demo on board: ‘Which is correct?’ expressions which will be useful for giving the talk.
‘Match the yellow and red cards’ (in pairs):
1 Oxford is famous for its university
2 It takes about 1 hour by car from London
3 You should definitely stop at Stonehenge
4 You really must look around the Cathedral
5 It’s well worth seeing
6 It’s one of the most beautiful cities in England
7 It’s a famous tourist attraction
The students turn over the red cards and try to remember the phrases and test each other.
The teacher gives out a handout with a record of the language.
To give students the opportunity and time to
Task Preparation: (10-15 mins) marshal their ideas and to improve their ability to
The students read the task on the handout. The teacher checks they understand. express these ideas by using the teacher as a
The students work in groups, pairs and separately, mapping out a five-day tour and calling on the language resource.
teacher for language help as needed.
The teacher sets up poster work for homework and shows some done by a previous class.
Next Lesson
Lead-in: (2 mins) To warm the students up.
Posters are up around the walls. The students walk around and have a look. Music playing.
Useful phrases:
Oxford is famous for its university
.eqHsr.
■ ■ ■
You should definitely stop at Stonehenge
.RTcdemHskH.
■ ■
You really must look around the cathedral
.lUr.
Materials adapted from Cutting Edge by Cunningham and Moor: 1998 Longman.
1e Lead-in
Stages
A Model for TBL Lessons
Follow-up work
Stages and Purposes with commentary on features of TBL in relation to this specific lesson
2 Students listen to To provide a model This will help give students ideas for the content
the teacher giving for students and organisation of their talk. It can be given ‘live’
an example of the by the teacher or using recorded material. Use of
task, recommending a model is characteristic of TBL lessons. To help
a five-day tour of students listen, the teacher can give some simple
part of Britain. listening questions beforehand.
3 Language Focus: To introduce and give One characteristic of TBL is to help students ‘raise
the teacher inputs brief controlled practice their game,’ i.e. to improve their speaking, instead
some phrases for of useful expressions of relying on what they can already produce. This
the talk. These are for the task means improving the accuracy, fluency or
pre-selected items complexity of how they speak. One way to do this
chosen for their is to input some language (often phrases) which
general usefulness could naturally be used by any person doing this
for this task. task (hence the term ‘useful language’). It is then
up to the students whether they actually use some
or all of these phrases when giving their talk. Note,
in other versions of TBL, it is possible that no
language is inputted at this stage but students work
entirely with the language they want to express
4 Students prepare To give students the Preparation time is a very important feature of TBL:
a talk individually opportunity and time students need sufficient preparation time where
or in pairs/small to marshal their ideas they can make notes or write out part of their talks
groups; the and to improve their and focus on careful, accurate and more complex
teacher monitors, ability to express use of their English. They can ask the teacher for
providing any these ideas by using individual phrases and words to express what they
particular the teacher as a want to say. The teacher’s role is to respond to the
language items language resource language needs of the students both in terms of
needed. providing new phrases and in reformulating existing
language so that students sound more natural.
6 Students ‘perform’ To practise speaking One principle behind TBL is the idea that a more
the task ‘publicly’, at some length and ‘public’ performance will challenge students to
recommending communicating ideas produce more accurate, careful and complex
their tour to a effectively. The language, which really stretches them in a way that
larger group listeners are also smaller, more informal pairwork may not.
encouraged to
practise responding
and clarifying
7 There is some To focus on This is the third place in this particular TBL lesson
follow-up work on successful language where there is some language input; in this case
content and use and on further based entirely on what students are struggling to say
language language or language which they have used well. Some
improvement in students may have chosen to use phrases they
response to what studied earlier in stage 3, and others not, which is
students have fine. There may be interesting items learnt in stage
produced 4, which individuals could share with the whole group.
a To shake hands
Mime. Ask them to shake hands with the person next to you then
move on (or not).
Why she has chosen the language and what she does with
the language
Generally speaking it is:
a Language related to the subject of the lesson.
b Suitable for the level – neither too easy nor too difficult.
c Examples of their language output. She does not take all their mistakes
and single people out nor does she only praise good language (this can
be patronising). So the stage provides corrective feedback by asking
students specific questions related to the form and pronunciation and
also praises the students for correct use of language.
d Examples of language she can use to encourage reformulation and
develop their future language use. She encourages students to think
of alternatives.
7 There are a lot of bars where you can hear Latin music
a lot of beaches swim
a lot of restaurants eat French food
This is a useful construction for the students and she uses it to
generate different examples. The examples come from the students.
£75.00
International House London
www.ihlondon.com