1、Teachers Learning and Adaptation of TBLT in the ESL Context,Kangxian Zhao University of Toronto kangxian.zhaoutoronto.ca 09-14-2009, Lancaster, UK,Overview,Recent Literature Current Study Discussion Limitations and Future Directions,Recent Literature,Gatbonton & Gu (1994): Chinese NNS EFL teachers i
2、n Beijing Carless (2003, 2004): Hong Kong teachers difficulties involved in implementing TBLT in primary schools Carless (2007): Suitability of TBLT for secondary schools in Hong Kong Jeon & Hahn (2006): Korean teachers perceptions of TBLT Watson Todd, R. (2006): NNS teachers in Thailand McDonough &
3、 Chaikitmongkol (2007): teachers and learners reactions to a TBLT course in Thailand,Recent Literature,Lack of comparable studies on NS teachers Impression: Avoiding or adapting or not comprehending TBLT = professional trait of NNS teachers? All is well with NS teachers & TBLT?,Current Study,Qualita
4、tive study Six NS & 1 NNS Canadian ESL teachers & teacher educators Narrative inquiry Approach Semi-structured Interviews Classroom Observations Follow-up Interviews Native Speaker (NS) English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers learning and teaching experiences of TBLT in the Canadian context,Rese
5、arch Participants,Learning TBLT,Bridget: I kind of ran into task-based (14 years ago). Task-based was one of the principles of the TESL training program. My first hands on experience with TBLT was after I came back to Canada (3 years ago)Ive done a little bit of research on Task-based (in my Masters
6、 study),Learning TBLT,I was introduced to Task-Based when I was in New Zealand (5 years ago). (Cynthia)I learned TBLT in a diploma course in PolandAnd I was at the network of the schools, international high school organization, so there are 140 schools, in 40 countriesEverything I know is from them.
7、 (David),Learning TBLT,Franks experience with TBLT Teaching EFL for seven years No training before teaching Started teaching with a textbook and a “teachers book” Returned to Canada for Family reason TESL training after teaching for 10 years: TBLT,Bridgets Frustration,I find some difficulty with ito
8、nce the task is finished, and then you do the language work, what do you do next? Okay, you are supposed to give themwell, have they finish the task? Well theyve already done it. They communicated. The communication might not have been pretty, it might not have been accurate, but it was accomplished
9、. Why would they want to go and do it all over again? So it is great to focus on the language afterwards, but my feeling is and my experience has beenthey do want to know at the beginning how they are supposed to say something, and there is a higher level of frustration with students who dont have g
10、uidelines, or they dont have any language suggestion on how to accomplish a task?,One Framework of TBLT,Adapted from Willis (1996) (1) Pre-Task Language Activities (2) Task (or tasks) (3) Planning (the representation of task completion or process) (4) Report / Presentation / Performance / etc. (5) F
11、ocus on Form Exercises (6) Evaluation (throughout),Bridgets Adaptation,First I stuck with task-based. Give it a try, do it this way. But you know what? Why am I putting them through that? Why am I putting me through that? You know, I just say, okay, I try it in a different way. I will give you a lis
12、t of phrases before we try the task. I am not going to tell them that this isI just thought okay, this is what I am going to do. And it is part of my lesson plan. To elicit before hand. And then have them work on the task.,Franks Concern,My concern is students interactions with each other. (I see my
13、self) as a model for their language useI remember in university, always, there is a reliance on the professor. All questions are directed at the professors. the students arent supposed to be doing like this. Not this way. And it has taken me a long time to and I still fight against it because I thin
14、k I like to be involved with it. But my director of study at the school, shes often said, in the last couple years, yeah, just leave the room, if they are doing something, a task. And you trust them if they are mature enough, leave the room, and let them complete the task. And then you assess the ta
15、sk later. And that seems to be like a foreign thing to me. Because I am thinking that the students pay money, then they expect to see the teacher.,Observation Notes,Bridget gave a list of words and phrases before “task” Cynthia changed her lesson plan because of my visit. She did a “a test-teach-tes
16、t lesson.”Cynthia liked to give detailed explanation and clear instruction of grammar during and after task. David demonstrated a TBLT lesson In addition to TBLT, Frank taught according to his own beliefs (e.g., dictation),Discussion: Task Repetition,Research literature,Previous experience of a task
17、 can have effect on subsequent performance (more complex, more fluent) and task repetition might enable students to shift their attention from meaning to form (Bygate, 2009),Current Study,Well theyve already done it, they communicated. The communication might not have been pretty, it might not have
18、been accurate, but it was accomplished. Why would they want to go and do it all over again? (Bridget),Discussion: Different versions of TBLT,Research Literature,A strong version of TBLT & a weak version of TBLT (Skehan, 2003)“a weak version of task-based teaching is likely to be most suitable .” (Ca
19、rless, 2007),Current Study,A weak version of TBLT,Discussion: Difficulty with TBLT,Research Literature,Classroom management Avoidance of English NNS Teachers English proficiency Teachers lack of knowledge of TBLT Conflict with educational values and traditions (Littlewood, 2009),Current Study,Studen
20、t interactions Students proficiency NS teachers Teacher beliefs,Conclusion,Teachers learn TBLT during TESL training and ESL teaching Some NS teachers struggle with, resist, or adapt TBLT in ways that are similar to those of NNS teachers, as reported in research literature Both NS and NNS teachers ma
21、y adapt TBLT in ways that might not be congruent with the theoretical underpinnings of a certain version of TBLT Downplaying language or speaker identity as a factor Research v.s. Classroom practice,Limitations & Future Directions,Small sample Contextual factors “Truth”,Bigger sample In-depth invest
22、igation In different provinces NNS in ESL Context NS in EFL Context,Reference,Bygate, M. (2009). “Chapter 12. Effects of task repetition on the structure and control of oral language”. In K. Van den Branden, M. Bygate & J. Norris (eds.), Task-based language teaching: A reader (249274). Amsterdam:Joh
23、n Benjamins. Carless, D. (2003). Factors in the implementation of task-based teaching primary schools. System, 31(4), 485-500. Carless, D. (2004). Issues in teachers reinterpretation of a task-based innovation in primary schools. TESOL Quarterly, 38(4), 639-661. Carless, D. (2007). The suitability o
24、f task-based approaches for secondary schools: perspectives from Hong Kong. System, 35, 595-608. Gatbonton, E., & Gu, G. (1994). Preparing and implementing a task-based ESL curriculum in an EFL setting: Implications for theory and practice. TESL Canada Journal, 11(2), 9-29. Jeon, I. J., & Hahn, J. W
25、. (2006). Exploring EFL teachers perceptions of task-based language teaching: A case study of Korean secondary school classroom practice. Asian EFL Journal. Retrieved May 3, 2006, from http:/www.asian-efl- Littlewood, W. (2009). Communicative and task-based language teaching in East Asia classrooms.
26、 Language Teaching, 40, 243-249. McDonough, K., & Chaikitmongkol, W. (2007). Teachers and learners reactions to a task-based EFL course in Thailand. TESOL Quarterly, 41(1), 107-132. Skehan, P. (2003). Task-based instruction. Language Teaching, 36, 1-14. Watson Todd, R. (2006). Continuing change after the innovation. System, 34, 1-14. Willis, J. (1996) A Framework for Task-Based Learning, Harlow, UK: Longman Addison- Wesley.,Thank you!,
