Task-Based Language Teaching as A Method of Instruction in

Teaching Speaking
Mita Nur Aflah

Sekolah Tinggi Bahasa Asing Pontianak, Indonesia

Email: [email protected]

Abstrak: This paper aims to explore the theory on

Available Online: classroom instruction particularly Task-Based
http://www.jurnal.unublitar.ac.id Language Teaching. It includes a short discussion of
/index.php/briliant the definition and benefits of TBLT to help engaging
students in a lesson by encouraging spoken
History of the Article: interactions. In addition, teachers are encouraged to
Received on 14 October 2020 explore and experiment with TBLT in order to
Accepted on 16 February 2021 promote students active participation as well as to
Published on 28 February 2021 maximize opportunities for students to explore the
Pages 41-49 target language. To strengthen the discussion, there
is a guided framework to apply in the classroom as
the subject matter for students to learn more
Keywords: effectively. Hopefully the paper could provide
Task-Based Language Teaching; educators and instructors a method to use and to lead
Speaking; Instruction further studies for helping students to explore
communicating in English. Moreover, this paper can
DOI: also serve as a research reference in the field of
http://dx.doi.org/10.28926/brilian classroom instruction, for instance in using TBLT to
t.v3i4.569 foster speaking skill.

INTRODUCTION
EFL learners need to have a lot of exposure in learning the target
language. Since practice is available only in the classroom, thus learners need to
speak while interact with their peers using the language. Teachers must encourage
and stimulate the learners to speak. A way to stimulate learners to talk is
providing extensive exposure to actual language through opportunities to explore
the language.
There are two main issues to be considered in teaching speaking activities
for an English class. The first issue is to decide what aspect of speaking skills to
focus on along with the appropriate activities required. The second one is to
identify technique or teaching strategy to teach. Thus, the teachers who are aiming
to improve their students’ ability to speak effectively need to find ways to provide
learners with various kinds of learning activities so that they can learn in the ways
which suit them best. The activities provide should help them gain the confidence
to face interactive opportunities, without allowing the fear of making mistakes and
appearing foolish to restrain them to communicate and develop speaking skills.
Taking those points above into considerations, there is an instruction that
can be a solution to address the problem above. Researchers and experts in the
field believed that a lesson or a syllable with Task-Based Language Teaching
orientation can activate learners’s potentials in order to boost their background
knowledge while approaching the target language (Ellis, 2000; Nunan, 2004;
Prabhu, 1992). Thus, this study was trying to focus on the theory on classroom

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instruction particularly Task-Based Language Teaching by using conceptual
approach. It includes a short discussion of the definition and benefits of TBLT to
help engaging students in a lesson by encouraging spoken interactions. There is a
guided framework to apply in the classroom as the subject matter for students to
learn more effectively. Hopefully the paper could provide educators and
instructors a method to use and to lead further studies for helping students to
explore communicating in English. Moreover, this paper can also serve as a
research reference in the field of classroom instruction, for instance in using
TBLT to foster speaking skill.

DISCUSSION
A. Task-Based Language Teaching Approach
Task Based Language Teaching (TBLT) has influenced the new trends in
language teaching methodology since it emerges. It has appealed the interest of
researchers, developers of curriculum, educationalist, teacher trainers and
language teachers around the world (Branden, 2006). This interest has been
motivated by the reality that ‘task’ is regarded as a build of equally importance to
language teachers and to second language acquisition researchers (Ellis, 2000).
The core concept of TBLT is a task. However, ‘task’ is viewed differently from
many experts. First, starting from Prabhu (1987) states that a task is an activity
that expect students to turn up a result from particular instruction through process
of thinking which empower teachers to hold and supervise the learning process.
Another definition derived from Skehan (1996). He provides the thorough
theoretical for task-based learning. He regards a task as an activity which belongs
to the these criteria: (1) meaning is the main content; (2) solving communication
problems; (3) comparing and adjusting to authentic activities; (4) completing a
task; and (5) assessing task as a main goal. (p. 38)
Littlejohn (1998) suggested another definition about “task” belongs to any
information or instruction for learners to be done, which has the primary aim of
learning the foreign language.” (p. 188)
The following is definition proposed by Richards and Renandya (2002), a
task is an activity which students do using their available language and seeking to
proper outcome. The types of tasks are educational game, solving a problem or
experiences sharing. During the tasks, students are required to get involved in a
processes of negotiating of meaning, paraphrasing and experimenting, in order to
achieve a successful language development.” (p. 94)
Later definition of task by Ellis (2005) as follow, a task is a work that
stipulates learners to pragmatically process language to accomplish a result which
will be assessed in terms of content. In sum, it requires learners to focus on
meaning and practice their own linguistic resources. A task is aimed to create a
resemblance language use, to the way language is applied in contextual situation.
Same with other language activities, a task can influence productive or receptive,
and oral or written skills and variety of cognitive processes. (p. 16)
Nunan (2006) makes a contrast between an authentic target of task (uses of
language in real life) and a pedagogic task (what the learners do in class).
Furthermore, he claims that tasks differentiate among other kinds of activities that
have a non-linguistic outcome. Nunan defines a task as “a piece of classroom
activity which provides students with comprehending, manipulating, producing or

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interacting in the target language, while their concentration is focused on
activating their accuracy to express meaning rather than to manipulate form. The
task should be outright, which can stand alone as a communicative act in its own
right with a beginning, middle and an end.” (p. 4)
Overall, these definitions underline the idea that each task covering the
three aspects of process, participation and content. The process means the activity
that the teachers and students carry out, participation concerns with learners’
colleague during the process of doing the task and content is something that
learners aimed. In sum, a task is a composition of instruction that expect learners
to achieve an outcome using particular working procedures. Therefore, all experts
underline the fact that communicative language use is involved in a task.
Ellis (2006, p. 20) asserts that the design of a task-based class involves the
procedures or stages of a lesson that has its principal. There are three common
principal stages have been proposed (Prabhu, 1987; Skehan, 1996; Willis, 1996).
These phases reflect the chronology of a task-based lesson.
The following is a framework proposed by Willis (1996, p. 52):

Figure 2.1. A Framework of Task-Based Instruction by Willis (1996)

Pre- Introduction to topic and task: Teacher has a duty to explore
Task the topic, mark useful words and phrases, help and guide
students to comprehend task instructions.
Task Task: Students carry out the task in pairs or small groups.
Cycle Teacher monitors the process.
Planning: Students making the report to the whole class (orally
or in writing) how they did the task, what they decided or
discovered.
Report: Some groups present their report to the class, or
exchange written reports and compare results. (E.g. receive
feedback on their level of success on completing the task).
Language Analysis: Students review and discuss specific features of the
Focus text or transcript of the recording.
Practice: Teacher creates practice of new words, phrases and
patterns occurring in the data, either during or after the analysis.

Another framework proposed by Ellis (2006, p. 20) as follow:

Figure 2.2 A Framework for Designing Task-Based Lesson

Phase Example of Options
Pre Task  Framing the activity (e.g. establishing the
outcome of the task)
 Planning time
 Doing a similar task
During Task  Time pressure
 Number of participants
Post Task  Learner report
 Consciousness-raising
 Repeat task

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 The Pre-Task Phase
Ellis (2006, p. 21) declares that the aim of the pre-task phase is to let
learners do a preparation before performing the task in order to promote
acquisition. It deals with variety of activities that teachers and learners can
implement before doing the main task. Ellis (2006) also elaborates Skehan (1996)
ideas about ‘general cognitive demand’ during pre-task phase into procedural
action that can be done in the following ways; (1) supporting learners in doing
similar task that they will do during the task stage of the lesson, (2) asking
learners to observe a guide of how to carry out the task, (3) involving learners in
non-task activities in order to let them practice before performing the task or (4)
planning a strategy of the main task performance (p. 21).
In line with Ellis, Prabhu (1987, p. 44) emphasises that the aim of pre-task
is to assure that a task is clearly perceived by learners and the strategies for
solving the task as well as the language needed for purpose is available for recall
and reapplication. Thus, it is clear that the pre-task acts as a tool for teacher to
measure performance of the learners with the expectancy that it can stululate
learners’ self-regulation to perform the main task (Ellis, 2006, p. 22). Therefore, it
is easier for learners to recognize and examine those features in the model texts
(Ellis, 2006, p. 23).
Furthermore, Nunan (2004, p. 31) also suggests that the teacher can create
a list of schema-building tasks that covers the topic, the task context, and provide
the key vocabularies and expressions that the learners will use to finish the task.
The During Task Phase
Prabhu (1987, p. 28) states that the second phase (read: during task, task
cycle or main task) is task-based interaction in the classroom that used activities
that are able to engaged learners with understanding meaning, and get on with
language forms as the requirement of the process.
Prabhu (1987, p. 25) further claims that such activities can be seek by
every student individually or in groups with guidance from the teacher if
necessary on specific points. The methodological option during-task phase
described by Ellis (2006) who proposed two basic kind ‘task-performance’ there
are a some of ‘process options’.
Time limitation of a task affects the meanings and the language that
learners will produce which focuses on fluency. When learners are working on
tasks, they will be aware of time limit. It makes learners became more focused
with conveying what they want to say under the time limit and less cautious with
language accuracy. In contrast, without the time limitation, learners will have
longer time to think about the language and the content that they produce. The
language and the content will be more accurate. Thus, it is good to approach this
task with degrees of time constraints.
From the descriptions above, it is clear that task-based teaching can be
useful approach due to the primary points in TBLT activities are students-centred,
including practices that stimulate learners to involve in forming and managing the
subject, and social practices as a resolve of social trouble (Ellis, 2006, p. 29).

The Post-Task Phase

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 In the post-task phase there are three major pedagogic goals; (1) giving an
exposure for doing same task, (2) promoting task reflection and (3) encouraging
the interest from the problematic learners (Ellis, 2006, p. 36). Ellis further
explains that, a repeat performance can improve students’ fluency. In addition,
triggering learners to do performance reflection may donate to the improvement of
the metacognitive strategy. Students might also foster their task performance by
asking students to review the task. The teacher will be able to determine whether
will use the same tasks or not by having that information. Furthermore, to prevent
the students developing fluency without paying attention to accuracy, the post-
task stage is necessary to apply. (Ellis, 2006, p. 38)
Based on the information above, learners should complete the task through
preparation that can reduce their anxiety. They can do their best by having more
time to think during the task. It is expected that learners will not be anxious in
speaking. Through TBLT, the focus on meaning is the main point instead of focus
on form. As a result, learners will not be afraid of making mistakes while carry
out the task which can improve their speaking ability.
Overall, a framework of a task-based lesson is necessary for both teachers
and students. It gives a clear guide for a lesson and in order to boost creativity and
variety in each phase. Using those frameworks to implement TBLT are not the
only way. Teachers should do explore the framework to create their own
framework that appropriate for their own teaching.

B. Task-Based Language Teaching for Teaching Speaking

In order to understand the context of the language and to use it in real life
situation, language teachers need to realize the significance of the student-centred
and the need for TBLT. Language is the vehicle for accomplishing the aim of the
task, but the meaning and communication is primary. In task-based language
instruction, there are some goals. Willis (1996, pp. 35-36) proposes eight goals:
a. improving learners’ confidence in exploring the language;
b. providing learners with spontaneous interaction;
c. giving chance for learners to learn from others;
d. giving chances for learners how to negotiate turns to speak;
e. engaging learners in using language purposefully and cooperatively;
f. encouraging learners to participate in a real interaction,
g. giving chances for learners to experience with communication
strategies; and
h. fostering confidence of learners to achieve the goal of communication.

Based on those purposes, the speaking activities provide by the teacher

should covers all of them. Creating exposure for students to speak the target
language can be done by giving collaborative work learning environment,
authentic tasks and materials, and shared knowledge (Kayi, 2006). Moreover, it is
well known that more negotiated interaction is produced than in teacher-fronted
classrooms when learners work in groups (Beglar & Hunt, 2002). If a task
forming greater negotiation of meaning, it becomes more advantageous for the
development of inter-language. Obviously, involving in negotiation will produce
higher degrees of comprehension and good input as a result of paraphrasing and
lexical substitution.

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 Nowadays, approaches to second language teaching methodology
prioritize student autonomy and student-centred instruction as effective ways of
learning. Due to the fact that (a) students are responsible for their own learning;
(b) they are responsible in shaping their learning style; (c) there is teacher-student
and student-student interaction; (d) there are many brainstorming activities, pair
work, and small-group work; and (e) the teacher’s role is more like a partner in
the learning process, an advisor, and a facilitator of learning than an instructor or
lecturer who spoon-feeds knowledge to learners (Shehadeh & Coombe, 2009).
Those points must be provided in the L2 classroom. Therefore, task-based
language instruction can be a suitable approach for applying those principles in
the second language classroom.
TBLT approach encounters the challenging task constantly faced by
language teachers to attract and stimulate motivation of students to learn. In task-
based teaching, tasks are activities where the students use target language for a
communicative purpose. Tasks are goal oriented; the underline is in understanding
and suggesting meanings to complete the task effectively. When students are
carrying out the tasks, they are using language in an effective way. However,
teacher must be aware of number of considerations on the type and design of the
communicative task.
In order to design the interactive task, the teacher may make use of Willis’
(1996, pp. 26-27) detailed list of activities that teachers can take into account
when creating tasks:
 Listing: brainstorming
 Ordering and sorting: sequencing and categorizing
 Comparing and matching: finding similarities
 Creative: project work
 Problem solving: analysing and decision making
 Sharing personal experiences: expressing opinions

From the list above, it can be seen that TBLT provides a construction
framework for both teaching and review. Thus, when a series of connected, a
variety of benefits occur when themed tasks are arranged in such a way that led
students to promote a real-world interaction and practise at an intensifying level of
complexity. These covers a purpose-driven vocabulary recycling and language
forms, an increased sense of motivation, a marked increase in communicative
confidence, scaffold autonomy-building and a truly student-centred classroom.
The challenge of task-based teaching and learning is providing learners in
a various tasks to stimulate acquisition. Learners have some pedagogical needs
which require a different teaching approach. For instance, learners need to involve
in psycholinguistic and metalinguistic processes such as repeating, noticing forms,
hypothesizing and conceptualizing rules, as being conducive to the language
acquisition process which have been found by research. Beglar & Hunt (2002, pp.
101-102) also claim that learners should be actively engaged in using
communicative strategies, such as clarification, confirmation, comprehension
checks, requests, repairing, reacting, and turn taking. Therefore, to guide learners
to move forward in their language development, variety of opportunities to
modify and restructure interaction until mutual comprehension should be
accomplished.

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 C. The Overview of Previous Study
There are some previous studies dealing with task-based application in the
ELF classroom are summarised in this section to give an overview of what
researcher had done so far in this new field.
Tindall (2015) conducted a study in UK. The study aimed to find out the
outcome of applying task-based learning to a group of 10 pupils in a secondary
school, which focus on motivation, student progress and perceptions. He found
that task-based learning can be an option, as an approach to more traditional
methods of second language teaching and had remained relatively unexplored in
the UK foreign language classroom. The findings showed that there was an
positive improvement in students’ motivation and perceptions. However, using
this approach can be a lot more time-consuming and the researcher still had to use
some control over the language use of the students during the task.
Achmad and Yusuf (2014) confirmed the findings that the task was
successfully implemented. The findings had supported the pair-work
implementation of in ELT classrooms. However, the outcomes can be generalized
to other settings due to the fact that the research focusing only on classroom
activity observation and presenting two excerpts from the observation. Due to
these limitations, it is suggested that more similar research is necessary to support
the findings from this study. It is also suggested that more observers are needed to
monitor the pair-work activity to gain more information and further consistency of
the results.
Tabrizi and Nasiri (2011) reported a study of Iranian EFL from
intermediate level found that the experimental group students, who experienced
teaching speaking through task-based principle, performed preferable than the
control group. It was also stated that in speaking development, gender was not a
determining factor in task-based approach. To recapitulate, task-based approach
had effect on the students’ speaking proficiency, while gender has an insignificant
effect on speaking ability development.
Kirkgoz (2011) investigated the principles of Task-Based Learning which
is combined with the use of technology for the first-year student teachers of
English in Turkish higher education. The data showed that students speaking
skills had improve, and they had positive attitude on the integration of technology
in the teaching process. The study also reported that the use technology (video
camera) had a noticeable impact on students’ perception and the assessment of
their speaking tasks.
Meas (2010) identified the effect of teaching English through TBLT. The
study claimed that using task-based might be more workable in the setting
situation. However, if a more task-based approach is adopted in this setting in the
future, some potential problem such as the teachers’ lack of comprehension of
TBLT, traditional examination, the nature of the course book and teaching
materials, etc. must be dealt with in advance.
Kim (2003) studied to find out that task-based test was very beneficial for
actual inferential demands in language classrooms as it employed complex,
integrative, and open-ended tasks. Moreover, authenticity was useful to fulfil the
assessment by bridging the gap between real-word situation and the way they

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were tested. However, scoring performance was not a simple task of copying a
real-world activity to a test. By its nature, task-based assessment involved a lot
more variables affecting test scores and the interpretation of those test scores.
Lee (2002) investigated the students got benefit from online task-based
activities due to the access of different functional skills to build and negotiate
meaning collaboratively. Online discussion using TBI have created a new arena
for Second Language Acquisition, that is, a place where learners can get input and
produce output by negotiating. Blending TBI with online chat can be a valuable
model of using online technologies to transform and enrich the Foreign Language
learning experience. This study proposed that the combination of online
interaction and TBI empowered communication skills of students by promoting an
environment which they responded to real-time conversation about topics relevant
to their interests.
In sum, Task-Based Language Teaching is a beneficial approach to use in
order to develop foreign learners’ performance and achievement in using English.
It is more learner-centred, allows more meaningful communication, and builds
extra linguistic skill. Moreover, learner will feel less anxiety because they are
familiar with the task. It helps them to be engaged fully in the classroom and
motivate them to better their performance in learning a language.

CONCLUSION
In conclusion, task-based framework promotes students active
participation in the activities and help teacher to manage classroom interaction as
well as to maximize opportunities for students to explore the target language
which later on can increased their positive attitude for language learning.

SUGGESTION
The result of this research can be used as a reference to do future studies
dealing with improving students‟ speaking competence through Task-based
language teaching approach. Moreover, it is expected to provide a model of the
task-based approach framework that will be applied in the classroom by the
researcher, other teachers and practitioners.

REFERENCES
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