Many of my blogs are born from conversations with teachers or trainers. This one is no different. I will start by saying that as much as I am no fan of absolutes, I feel quite strongly that the best way to get beginners operational is a Comprehensible Input driven methodology like TPRS (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling), but I detest the fact that the methodology is trademarked. I also think that once communication, even at a fairly basic level is possible, Task Based Language Teaching (TBLT or TBL) is the best way forward. That obviously means that I have fairly frequent discussions with teachers about TBL and we use it frequently in our Trinity CertTESOL and DipTESOL Courses. And that is where the problem starts.
Quite recently, I had a discussion with a teacher trainer from another organisation. I got a little frustrated by the questions he was asking about a TBL session he was planning for an organisation and asked him quite bluntly, ‘If you don’t count magazine articles and blogs, how much have you read about TBL?’ He asked, ‘Why are you phrasing it like that?’ I replied, ‘Have you read a book about TBL?’ And the shocking but not surprising answer was, ‘I refer to books when I plan sessions like these, but cover to cover, none.’ And that in short, is why TBL is dead.
I get the impression from many trainers that I have worked with that TBL was covered in an input session on a diploma course, or was part of a methodology course on an MA. An opinion on what it is was formed, and all the articles, or sessions, or Google searches were used to reaffirm a bias about what TBL is without any real critical thinking around it. I think the strength of TBL is such that even if you just do it partly right, there is still a lot of benefit, and I will argue later in this blog that we use that to revive TBLT. A final note before we delve into it is my admission that I cannot really do this topic justice in one blog, so consider this a start.
Tasks as jargon
As with many things TBLT, and actually ELT in general, the word task has become jargon. A fancy word thrown around in conversations around lesson planning without any critical push back on inaccurate use. For example, ‘The students read the text and then they complete this task.’ Trainer/observer/manager asks, ‘Do they do the task in pairs, groups, or alone?’ But stop! That thing they are doing is an activity. It is not a task. They are just answering reading comprehension questions. Even if you do it in pairs, or groups, it is still just an activity. To which you might the reply, ‘The questions provide an information gap that can only be solved by reading the text.’
How does this kill TBLT? If you don’t know what a task is and is not, TBLT is dead. I feel that for some of the sessions I have seen on TBLT the version is watered down that it feels like PPP (Presentation, Practice, and Production) in a new suit, with a little bit of authenticity in the freer practice. The nice thing about TBLT or TBL is that it rolls of the tongue quite nicely, and it sounds smart in teacher discussions, but too often, a lack of clarity in terms of which model is being referred to or what constitutes a task means it is reduced to jargon. Fancy sounding words with no meaning even.
Deciding to read a book because this blog has inspired you
So, where do we start reading then, to provide us with further clarity? There is the Willis model, Long, Prabhu, Ellis, but they are all the same, right? Well, no, they’re not. And actually, what I consider the weakest of the lot, the Willis model, is popular simply because it is ‘easy to adapt and work hand in hand with PPP.’ There is the task cycle, which consists of a pre-task, main task, and post task. Flexible and easy to use. My question often is, if you teach them the language they need for the task in the pre-task, then they do the task, and then you provide feedback and a bit of additional practice or drilling in the post task, how is that not just renaming the stages of a PPP lesson? Because, that extreme watering down of TBL is what kills it. And just to be clear, that is not what Willis and Willis suggests, but it does happen in practice.
On the other side of that (perhaps not polar opposites, but the one I consider the strongest) is Long’s model, but we have to keep in mind that Long had a team of very well-qualified and resourced people who could do hours of work on task analysis and needs analysis. Something most teachers simply do not have the time to do.
So, what do I suggest? Don’t disregard both because of my criticism. Read both. And I mean it very honestly. Then add Ellis, Prabhu, Nunan, etc. Make it a goal to understand TBL. To understand the language acquisition research behind it. How does it view the syllabus? What is the primary goal? What might it look like in a classroom?
CPR (yes, I mean CPR) for TBL
So, does TBL need to be revived? Does it need CPR? No. There are many excellent TBL teachers around the world, and actually some of the best lessons I have seen that employs elements of TBL or very good use of Comprehensible Input Methodologies have been in the Global South in under resourced environments. I have seen some excellent kids’ lessons, which are often the lessons where a bit more ‘creativity’ is allowed or required. However, in many other contexts I have noticed what I have called here the death of TBL, so what can be done?
If you are a trainer, please take the time to really learn TBL because a watered-down version of it does your trainees no favours.
If you are a teacher who is not using TBL, start. Learn it, and start doing it as soon as you can.
How and where to start
- To get started is very easy. Start with these two planning questions.
The thing you are asking them to do in the classroom, when is the last time you did this outside of the classroom in real life? Don’t get stuck in the classroom rut. - Will you ever do this in real life?
If you can answer those two questions clearly, identifying an actual time, and confirming there is some level of authenticity (real life application) do it. And do it in every lesson.
But, more importantly, read. As much as you can. And as you read and gain in confidence, start finding authentic materials that you can use in the classroom. Something as simple as travel brochures contain enough information that you can use them for beginners and for advanced learners, but for completely different purposes. And you can reuse them for a multitude of different tasks.
And as you experiment, and you read actual TBL books, you will find your understanding grows, your student’s engagement grows, and the only real negative? You will find it very difficult to return to where you might be now. And how do I know this? If I look at the many teachers I’ve worked with who teach in resource deprived or difficult environments, once the lesson start revolving around student communication needs and real life application, and they realise they don’t need tons of resources to make teaching work, you develop a new awe for the simplicity of ‘create a reason to communicate, communicate, learn by doing.’
And every little move towards that, breathes life back into something that feels like it has become more jargon that method.
Looking forward
So, when did TBL die? The day we mislabelled activities as tasks and stop showing a proper interest in what TBL actually is. How do we revive it? By doing it. And by reading with an understanding that while there are different models with different approaches to teaching, a deeper understanding will make you much more effective in the classroom, and as a trainer, and be vastly superior to most other activities in the classroom. What next? Later this year, I will do another blog, specifically focused on planning TBL and how to use technology resources.
