Teachers Learning and Adaptation of TBLT in the ESL Context

1
Teachers Learning and Adaptation of TBLT in the
ESL Context

• Kangxian Zhao
• University of Toronto
• kangxian.zhao_at_utoronto.ca
• 09-14-2009, Lancaster, UK

2
Overview

• Recent Literature
• Current Study
• Discussion
• Limitations and Future Directions

3
Recent Literature

• Gatbonton Gu (1994) Chinese NNS EFL teachers
  in 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 Chaikitmongkol (2007) teachers and
  learners reactions to a TBLT course in Thailand

4
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?

5
Current Study

• Qualitative 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

6
Research Participants
7
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 study)

8
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. (David)

9
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

10
Bridgets Frustration

• I find some difficulty with itonce 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. 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 guidelines, or they dont
  have any language suggestion on how to accomplish
  a task?

11
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) Focus on Form Exercises
• (6) Evaluation (throughout)

12
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 list 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.

13
Franks Concern

• My concern is students interactions with each
  other. (I see myself) 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 think 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 task 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.

14
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-test 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)

15
Discussion Task Repetition

• Current Study

• Research literature

• Previous experience of a task 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)

• Well theyve already done it, they communicated.
  The communication might not have been pretty, it
  might not have been accurate, but it was
  accomplished. Why would they want to go and do it
  all over again? (Bridget)

16
Discussion Different versions of TBLT

• Research Literature

• Current Study

• 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 ... (Carless, 2007)

• A weak version of TBLT

17
Discussion Difficulty with TBLT

• Research Literature

• Current Study

• Classroom management
• Avoidance of English
• NNS Teachers English proficiency
• Teachers lack of knowledge of TBLT
• Conflict with educational values and traditions
• (Littlewood, 2009)

• Student interactions
• Students proficiency
• NS teachers
• Teacher beliefs

18
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 may 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

19
Limitations Future Directions

• Small sample
• Contextual factors
• Truth

• Bigger sample
• In-depth investigation
• In different provinces
• NNS in ESL Context
• NS in EFL Context

20
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). AmsterdamJohn Benjamins.
• Carless, D. (2003). Factors in the implementation
  of task-based teaching primary schools. System,
  31(4), 485-500.
• Carless, D. (2004). Issues in teacher's
  reinterpretation of a task-based innovation in
  primary schools. TESOL Quarterly, 38(4), 639-661.
• Carless, D. (2007). The suitability of 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. (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-journal.com
  /March_06_ijj.php
• Littlewood, W. (2009). Communicative and
  task-based language teaching in East Asia
  classrooms. 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.

21
Thank you!