VIDEO Presentation: Task-Based Teaching

(1) Professor Rod Ellis 50 minutes. "Principles of Task Based Teaching."

(2) Dr. Francis Mangubhai. 50 minutes. "What do we know about learning and teaching second languages: Implications for teaching."

(3) Drs. Yafu Gong and Shaoqian Luo. 30 minutes. "Exploring cultural factors in task difficulty in task-based assessment"

(4) Professor Elza Tang. 30 minutes. "Do we hear what they say: Reflective practice in pronunciation learning"

VIDEO PRESENTATION (Click)

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Video: See Professor Rod Ellis introduced and begin his Task Based Learning speech. Video (you will need Flash installed to view this)
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You may see the Full speech by clicking this link.

Professor. Rod Ellis
University of Auckland

This talk is in three parts. The first part will present the rationale for task-based language teaching (TBLT). It will argue the development of the implicit knowledge of a second language that is required for effective communication is best achieved by engaging learners in performing tasks. That is, learners can develop their communicative competence (including linguistic competence) through performing tasks.

The second part will outline the methodology of task-based lessons by describing options for the three phases of such a lesson. The first phase is 'pre-task' and concerns the various activities that teachers and students can undertake before they start the task, such as whether students are given time to plan the performance of the task. The second phase, the 'during task' phase, centres around the task itself and affords various instructional options, including whether students are required to operate under time-pressure or not. The final phase is 'post-task' and involves procedures for following up on the task performance. Only the 'during task' phase is obligatory in task-based teaching. Thus, minimally, a task-based lesson consists of the students just performing a task. Options selected from the 'pre-task' or 'post-task' phases are non-obligatory but, as we will see, can serve a crucial role in ensuring that the task performance is maximally effective for language.

The final part of the talk will examine a number of objections that have been levelled against TBLT and argue that these are based on fundamental misunderstandings of its principles and methodology. In particular, I will argue that, contrary to the views expressed by opponents of TBLT, this method of teaching does not just allow but in fact requires attention to form as well as meaning.

View the Conference Power Point Demonstration by Professor Ellis.

April 28-29th 2006, Pusan, South Korea,
at Dongseo University

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