Grammar , vocabulary and language skills are just the vehicles that enable students to achieve their final outcomes .
According to N . Prahbu , the father of this technique , the following may be types of class activities to be used in task-based teaching and learning : information gap activities , which allow students to exchange information or learn things about each other , reasoning gap activities , during which students are asked to convey meaning from something the teacher has given to them ( e . g . finding solutions to a problem ) or opinion gap activities , for more creative students who would prefer to share their own opinions or feelings about a specific situation . Essentially , the task is the big-picture assignment that students are trying to complete or solve , and the activities are the individual steps or exercises they take to achieve the task .
Examples of tasks include : creating a presentation , making a video or short movie , writing a piece of text , such as a newsletter article , acting out a skit , creating an original game that includes writing down the game rules , playing the game , and evaluating the game , working out the solution to a practical problem , such as planning an upcoming trip or gathering missing information , like working out who started a rumor at school , participating in a group debate or discussion , like arguing for a favorite competitor in a TV show , making a story from the very beginning by starting from one character .
When it comes to managing this technique , a key aspect to remember is that learners use the language skills that they already have to complete the task and work through three distinct phases – a pre-task ( introducing the task and motivating the students , setting the expectations ), the task itself ( assisting the students throughout the process ) and post-task ( follow-up activities ). High school students ( level B2 +) might , for example , be asked to deliver a presentation about an important environmental issue or any other topic of interest . In order to complete it , they will need to read / listen to source material , conduct internet research , as well as to write and then deliver the presentation itself .
This approach has its advantages as well as its downsides . While students get to improve their communication skills and boost their motivation and confidence , they may easily lose sight of the final outcome of the activity , get side-tracked and treat the task lightly . Similarly , the technique offers the opportunity to simulate life-like , meaningful situations , thus enabling learners to go deeper into the language and its functions , but it may still be very time consuming and need careful preparation and planning . One more relevant aspect , and definitely a plus given the latest developments in language teaching and the context set by the pandemic situation , is the fact that task-based language teaching and task-based activities can be used in the online classroom in the same way as one would utilize it in face-to-face teaching and learning . Online tools such as Canvaor Padletand many others offer the option for collaborative work and can thus be of great help for students in creating and sharing the final product with the others .
In order for this method to work , teachers must understand their students ’ needs and expectations in order to design lessons that help their students succeed . The key to this language teaching and learning methodology is not the correct and strict use of the language taught but the emphasis is given to the task outcome and to the steps followed for its completion . During task-based learning , students solve tasks that are
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