3/17/24, 10:17 PM Task-Based Learning (TBL) Introduction, Examples & advantages

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Introduction to Task-Based Learning (TBL)

31 OCTOBER 2022

What is a task and what is the best way to define and describe Task-Based Learning?

Do you think that incorporating meaningful tasks is a good way to motivate your learners?

Written by Sheila Corwin

Teacher Trainer in Florence

Task-Based Learning: what it is?

Task-Based Learning (TBL) is all about your students creating, producing, or designing
something in class… it could be anything… anything at all. TBL includes the 21st
Century skills of Communication, Collaboration, Creativity, and Critical Thinking (4C’s)
and can also be described as a short interactive assignment that results in a finished
product.

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3/17/24, 10:17 PM Task-Based Learning (TBL) Introduction, Examples & advantages

The Task part of Task-Based Learning has been (more or less) defined by linguistic
scholars as:

things people do in everyday life (Long, 1985).

a goal-oriented activity that leads to an outcome or result (Willis, 1996).
a completed work plan which can be assessed (Ellis, 2003).

What kind of activity is a task?

In 2007, Jane Willis and her husband Dave Willis came up with the following criteria in
their book Doing Task-Based Teaching (pp. 12-14) which can be used to discern a task:

Will the activity engage learners’ interest?

Is there a primary focus on meaning?
Is there a goal or an outcome?
Is success judged in terms of the result?
Is completion a priority?
Does the activity relate to real-world activities?

If your answer is yes to all the questions, you can be sure that the classroom activity
you have in mind is task-like.

Task-Based Learning and Task-Based Language Teaching

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TBL is an approach to teaching that was originally used by second or foreign-language

teachers. It is an approach that stems from Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) –
a language teacher methodology – which emerged in the 1970s.

Language teachers originally adopted Task-Based Learning for a variety of reasons with
the most important being the desire to make their classrooms more student-centered,
communicative, and collaborative by incorporating more interactive tasks.

Task-Based Learning (TBL) is also known as Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT)

and Task-Based Instruction (TBI). Its principal focus is on the completion of meaningful
tasks. Such tasks can include creating a poster, producing a newsletter, video, or
pamphlet, or designing a map of the school or neighborhood.

The Task Cycle > Task / Plan / Report

The TBL formula includes the following stages:

Pre-task

The teacher introduces the topic and gives students clear instructions and guidelines
on what they will be doing during the three-part task cycle (below). This phase will give

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3/17/24, 10:17 PM Task-Based Learning (TBL) Introduction, Examples & advantages

students a clear understanding of what will be expected of them and include any
important knowledge or details they need to know.

This is also a good time to lead into the task by brainstorming or asking questions about
the topic. Teachers can also get students ready for the task by presenting an example
of the task or introducing a picture, audio, or video which will be useful in completing
the task.

Task
Students get ready to do the task. Students are given what they need to complete the
task (handouts and written instructions) and are assigned to work in pairs or small
groups while the teacher monitors and offers encouragement when necessary. The
teacher’s role is typically limited to one of a coach, guide, and facilitator.

Plan
Students work on the task in pairs or small groups and prepare to report or present their
results or product. They make important decisions about their presentation and assign
each person in the group with a part of the task to present, so everyone takes
responsibility during the report stage. The group rehearses its presentation. The
teacher walks around, helps if needed, and takes notes on anything that needs to be
addressed after the presentations.

Report/Present

Students present their findings to the class in the form of a presentation. The rest of the
class listens to the reports and writes down feedback which will be given to the
presenters after all reports have been heard. The class can also ask questions or
provide some quick oral feedback after each presentation. The teacher also gives
feedback on the content as well. Students vote on the best presentation, report, or
product.

Feedback

After presenting their completed task, others in the class can offer constructive
feedback.

Several ways to do so include:

Two stars and a wish – two positive things about the presentation and one
suggestion,
The 3, 2, 1, Formula – Three likes, Two suggestions, and One question.

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Finally, feedback can be given based on things like the content of the presentation,
use of visuals, eye contact, etc.

How to create your own TBL lesson

Here is a template for creating your own Task-Based Learning lesson or activity:

Design a ……………………………………
Create a …………………………………….
Produce a …………………………………..

1. Task: What would you like your students to design, create, or produce?
2. Plan: What specific instructions will you give your students for doing this task and
what guidelines should they follow during their planning stage?
3. Report/Present: What do you want your students to report or present and how much
time will you give them to explain or present their ideas?

There are many different TBL interpretations so don’t hesitate to make it your own.

An example of Task-Based Learning Activity

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Jane Willis (1996) came up with A Framework for Task-Based Learning that includes
coming up with tasks that revolve around a certain topic. This can be very useful for
teachers looking for task ideas to engage their students during a lesson.

See the example to follow:

Topic: Travel

Listing: List three reasons why people love to travel.

Ordering, Sorting, and Classifying: Put pictures of different travel destinations in
order from the most desired to the least desired destination. Sort travel destinations
from the northern to the southern hemisphere. Classify destinations by languages
people speak.
Comparing or Matching: Compare different countries. Match people to their country
of origin.
Problem Solving: Think of three low-budget travel destinations.
Creative Task: Create a travel poster or find out about different countries and
become an expert on a country that you would like to travel to in the future.
Share Personal Experiences: Share stories about past travel destinations. Write a
poem about your favorite place and share it with the class.

6 Advantages of Task-Based Learning

1. Students are at the center of learning.
2. Students are working on something that is personal and relevant to them.
3. Students gain practice in collaborating with others and making group decisions.
4. Students spend a lot of time communicating.
5. Students take on responsibility for engaged learning.
6. TBL is enjoyable, motivating, and a great place to start for teachers thinking about
incorporating more Project Based Learning at their schools or classrooms.

Conclusion

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Task-Based Learning has many interpretations and you, the teacher, can adapt and
make anything your own. Although TBL was originally developed with language
teachers in mind, the core of every Task-Based Learning lesson, as the name suggests,
is the task.

A Task-Based approach offers an alternative for teachers who are interested in creating
a more student-centered environment in their classroom. In a task-based class, the
lesson is based on the completion of a central task and its presentation.

TBL incorporates all 4C’s and is a great way to get students used to working on Project
Based Learning (PBL) because it includes many of the same skills but, in a smaller, more
digestible way.

Whereas PBL requires working on a project for an extended period, TBL can be done in
one or two lessons and can be a good starting point for teaching students how to
communicate, collaborate and work on presentations with others.

Resources

Willis D. and J. Willis (2007) Doing Task-based Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University
Press
Willis J. (1996) A Framework for Task-based Learning. Harlow: Longman Pearson
Education
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3/17/24, 10:17 PM Task-Based Learning (TBL) Introduction, Examples & advantages

in Teaching Strategies and Methods

About: 4Cs, Differentiated Instruction

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