2020-06PRibeiroRSantos_FP011-TP

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FP011 – Tasks and projects
Subject assignment
General information:
This assignment must be done in groups and has to fulfil the following conditions:
Length: 6 and 8 pages (without including cover, index or appendices –if there are any-).
Type of font: Arial or Times New Roman.
Font Size: 11.
Spacing: 1.5.
Alignment: Justified.
The assignment has to be done in this Word document and has to fulfil the rules of presentation and edition, as for quotes and bibliographical references which are detailed in the Study Guide.
Also, it has to be submitted following the procedure specified in the Study Guide. Sending it to the teacher’s e-mail is not permitted. All the members of the group have to send the assignment.
In addition to this, it is very important to read the assessment criteria, which can be found in the Study Guide.
Assignment:
Look at the task-based lesson “Lesson 2: Which is colder: the North Pole or the South Pole?” proposed by Jane Willis and available in the webpage: 
http://willis-elt.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/2NorthPoleSouthPole.pdf
 
Analyse the task lesson following Ellis criteria on task-based projects and Willis criteria on task-based projects. Complete the task with any information that would be missing. 
How would you need to adapt this lesson for use with a group of learners with which you are familiar? (You need to clearly specify the teaching context, and rationale for the adaptations you would make, as well as specifying the adaptations themselves).
Important: you have to write your personal details and the subject name on the cover (see the next page). The assignment that does not fulfil these conditions will not be corrected. You have to include the assignment index below the cover.
Name and surname(s): Paula Almeida Ribeiro, Rodrigo Fraga dos Santos, 
Group: FP_TEFL_2020-06
Date: October 31st, 2021
INTRODUCTION
	The goal of this paper is to analyse the task-based lesson “Lesson 2: Which is colder: The North Pole or the South Pole?” which was proposed by Jane Willis and is available: on the website: http://willis-elt.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/2NorthPoleSouthPole.pdf
	It is important to remember and clarify what a task is before the development of task-based lessons. A task can be anything that learners are given to in the language they are being taught to further process their learning. 
	The main goal of tasks is to create context for new language to be practice so that later on students can use that new language at other new texts/contexts. Here, we are exposing the opinions of Jane Willis and Rod Ellis and their criteria on task-based lessons. 
	For an article in the British Council website, Jane Willis said “Learners doing tasks will be making free use of whatever English they can recall to express the things that they really want to say or write in the process of achieving the task goal”.
	For Ellis, before the task-based lesson should be discussed, the differences between task and exercises should be clear. For that, in his article, he pointed that “provide learners with the materials they need to achieve an outcome specified in communicative rather than linguistic terms”. He goes even further and says that language learning comes when interaction is generated by a task, whether this interaction was authentic or created for pedagogic purposes. 
DEVELOPMENT
a) Analyse the task lesson following Ellis criteria on task-based projects and Willis criteria on task-based projects. Complete the task with any information that would be missing. 
	On a 2014 interview, Prof. Ellis made clear that tasks have four main criteria to be considered tasks: 
· Focus on meaning (a task in which learners would have to create, convey and understand communicative messages);
· A ‘kind’ of gap (e.g. information or opinion gap, through where the learners can activate previous knowledge);
· Use of their own linguistic sources (structurally or not – body language, drawings);
· Communicative outcome (not only the display of the language being taught, especially not by the teacher).
	Willis supports that when it comes to task-based and believes it is important do have three stages of framework to follow: pre-task, task cycle and language focus. To make it clear, the stages will be divided and better explained below:
	Pre-task: The purpose of the pre-task phase is to prepare students to perform the task in ways that will promote acquisition. It sets the tone of the class, introducing the topic and contextualizing students. It is the moment where students' previous knowledge is activated and lexical items start to be related. This stage is extremely important since it works as a base for the teaching to happen. Students need to be familiarized and engaged into the topic so they can participate better when the time comes.
The use of a 'pre-task' was a key feature of the Prabhu Communication Teaching Project 1987. It was carried out as a whole-class activity with the teacher and required students to complete a task of the same type and content similar to the main task. So it served as a preparation for performing the main task individually. For example, if the main task involved is to prepare a class schedule based on each teacher's schedule, the pre-task should be the same, but with different information in the teachers' schedules. Prabhu explains that the pre-task was conducted through a question-and-answer interaction. The teacher was expected to lead the class step by step towards the expected result, break a step into smaller steps if students find it difficult and offer one or more parallels with a step of the thinking process to ensure that students with mixed abilities can understand what is needed.
	Task cycle: time to put language into practice, whether is language they already know or attempting to use new language in order to communicate. Activities can be done in pairs or small groups (teacher monitoring from distance). 
	Language focus: by this phase, students have already grasped the meaning of the new language and new to focus on form, they have a closer look at the language structures, which have naturally turned up during the task cycle – all types of practices are presented at this point.
	She also offers, on that same article for the British council (see References below), some questions to help teachers on the process of planning classes to guide whether the activity is task-based or not. According to her, the more ‘yes’ are present on the answer, the more task-based the activity planned is. Here are the questions Willis offers:
1. Will the activity engage learners' interest?
2. Is there a primary focus on meaning?
3. Is there a goal or an outcome?
4. Is success judged in terms of outcome?
5. Is completion a priority?
6. Does the activity relate to real world activities?'
            When it comes to adding the task, we tend to think that another communicative task might be useful after, and only after, the use of the grammar book. That way, students would have the last exercise as a communicative/spoken one. 
	Let's not forget the importance of the affective factors when teaching, especially if planning to apply a task-based project at beginner levels.
	The affective factor is key when teaching beginners since it values what learners can accomplish no matter how little is the language they can produce. The teacher has to keep in mind that his/her priorities, in this scenario, are to establish the most relaxing environment possible, provide a lot of exposure so learners can make approximate sense of and build a class on what they know – without expecting perfection, not force any kind of participation (especially oral and especially not at first) and reassure their progress with words of reinforcement to boost their confidence.
	When it comes to adding the task, we tend to think that another communicative task might be useful after, and only after, the use of the grammar book. That way, students would have the last exercise as a communicative/spoken one.Class Design
Designing a task-based class involves considering the stages or components of a class. Which has a task as its main component. Various projects have been proposed by various theorists (e. g. bed and Zanon 1994; Lee 2000; Prabhu 1987; Skehan 1996; Willis 1996), however, they all perform in three common main phases, which are shown in the table below. These phases reflect the chronology of a task-based lesson. 
Thus, the first phase is known as "pre-task" and concerns the various activities that teachers and students can perform before starting the task. The second phase, the ‘during the task’ phase, focuses on the task itself and offers several instructional options, including whether students are required to operate under time pressure or not. 
The final phase is 'post-task' and involves procedures for monitoring the performance of the task. Only the 'during task' phase is mandatory in task-based teaching. So, at a minimum, a task-based class consists of the students just running a task. The options selected in the "pre-task" or "post-task" phases are not mandatory, but, as we'll see, can serve a crucial role in ensuring that task performance is most effective for language development.
	PHASE
	EXAMPLES OF OPTIONS
	A. Pre-task
	* Framing the activity （e. g. establishing the out come of the task)
* Planning time
* Doing a similar task
	B. During task
	* Time pressure
	C. Post-task
	* Number of participants 
* Learner report 
* Consciousness-raising 
* Repeat task
Richards and Rodgers (2004) say that Task-Based Learning is an approach that uses tasks as the main unit for planning and instruction. Language is meaningful so that learners engage in tasks and thus learning takes place. The previous models show that a lesson could be a series of tasks or a task may be developed in more than one lesson, which means there may be multiple tasks or mini-tasks within the main one. Goals and objectives will be stated in terms of language use (functions) rather than linguistic forms. Lessons will be a sequence of different tasks, one related to the other, reaching a goal or outcome (Willis & Willis, 2007) - all the communicative tasks are the vehicle of communication.
The best way to integrate a task-based approach is by going from topics to tasks. Topics are relevant to the students' lives and make a sequence of different tasks feasible. In order to raise awareness, teachers can not merely choose a topic from the textbook, examination papers, or social contexts but can also ask pupils to suggest their own topics from a list given by the teacher. When the topic has been chosen, teachers can set up different types of tasks which are classified according to cognitive processes.
Willis and Willis (2007) say that "a good task not only generates interest and creates an acceptable degree of challenge, but also generates opportunities for learners to experience and activate as much language as possible" (p. 70). At this point it is necessary to distinguish among focus on meaning, focus on language and focus on form. The teacher begins by choosing a topic, narrows it down and designs the different kinds of tasks; while developing the tasks there will be different language needs. Focus on language and form depends on how tasks are graded. Pupils begin with a simple task and during the task cycle perform more challenging cognitive and linguistic tasks. There will be different instances to focus on language and form; however, the main focus is on meaning since students want to achieve an outcome. Focus on language occurs when learners "pause their process for meaning and switch to thinking about the language itself" (Willis & Willis, 2007, p. 113).
Learners are working independently with meaning and highlight any language they need to draw upon. For example, students look up a word, choose the best expression or word, check sentences for accuracy or improve the main idea. Focus on form occurs when the teacher isolates a specific structure and explains it outside the context of the communicative activity (Willis & Willis, 2007, p. 114).  
b) How would you need to adapt this lesson for use with a group of learners with which you are familiar? (You need to clearly specify the teaching context, and rationale for the adaptations you would make, as well as specifying the adaptations themselves).
As said before, choosing, sequencing and implementing tasks will combine a focus on meaning and a focus on form. The lesson proposed shows how learners go through a series of tasks in order to attain a final goal, which is to have a class celebration. Each one of the stages prepares learners for the next. The pre-task stage is the shortest in the cycle. The teacher introduces the topic of celebrations and learners must activate previous and meaningful experiences. This stage creates interest since learners will share life experiences about celebrations. During the task phase students will make decisions based on their likes and needs. They need to choose what celebration they want to organize and how to present it to the class. Each learner will be responsible for one aspect to make this celebration a success. Students may use their knowledge of the topic and language structures to accomplish the task; the teacher will act as a facilitator by providing feedback as needed.
LESSON TOPIC: CELEBRATIONS
This is an example of task-based lesson focused on speaking development, planned for undergraduate students.
Pre-task
Introduction to topic and tasks (about 10 min)
Aim: To introduce the topic of celebrations and to give the class exposure to language related to them. It is important to highlight new words and phrases.
Preparation: Show students pictures of a celebration. For example, photographs of the family celebrating Christmas or someone’s birthday.
Tell them how celebration was. Use the pictures to provide as many details as possible. After sharing this personal experience, distribute a card with the following questions to students answer:
When was your last family celebration?
Which are some of the special occasions you celebrate with family or friends?
What is your favorite celebration with friends?
What was the last celebration you had with family or friends? How was it?
Task Cycle
Task (10 min)
Put students in groups of three or four and tell them to plan a celebration including all aspects of it like invitation, theme, number of guests, drinks and foods. It’s important, at that point, that the students try to communicate only in English and the teacher must monitors the groups.
Planning (30 min)
Students must plan the chosen celebration. Can be Christmas, Halloween, someone’s birthday. It’s important to check how roles are distributed in groups. Everybody needs to be involved. Instruction needs to be clear and ICQ’s are a must. 
Report (10 minutes)
The classroom is divided. Students, in group, must present the celebrate chosen, the other groups must listen and participate in their celebration.
CONCLUSION
As a way of conclusion, Task-Based Learning offers more advantages than disadvantages. A TBL framework focuses on language acquisition and learning through different tasks that pursue a goal. When carrying out the tasks, learners do not concentrate on language features, but on reaching their goal. Learners are engaged in each one of the tasks since life experiences and previous knowledge support learning. Language is used in everyday life and accounts for students' interests.
Students are autonomous and teachers monitor and facilitate learning and/or language acquisition. Learners are given clear guidelines and make decisions on roles and how to present the final result. After the task completion, language should be analyzed. This analysis is done by using examples from the tasks performed. Students will be required to do some kind of practice in or outside the classroom. Since there are many kinds of tasks, classes are varied, which increases students' motivation. Finally, language is used for communication.However, the difficulties of following a Task-Based Learning approach lay in teachers' and students' attitudes. Practitioners need to be prepared to use language as a means not as an end. Also, teachers have to differentiate real tasks from mere class activities. This differentiation may take time, especially if one considers the fact that many class activities look like tasks; for instance, role plays. A role play is a task only if students have a clear goal and during the interaction there is a kind of negotiation of meaning. A role play is not a task if students only recite a part of a conversation. There is only language learning if students are using language to reach their communicative purposes. The last criticism of a Task-Based approach is the apparent lack of focus on grammar. As has been stated and seen in the lesson plan provided, there is a focus on form; it is just not the main point and it is influenced by the students' needs. 
Task-Based Learning is a new style of having students perform goal-oriented activities which demand real purpose, sequence and grading. Task-Based Learning (TBL) is a new way of having students use the language according to their communication needs.
References
Ellis, R. (2003). Task based language learning and teaching. New York: Oxford University Press.
Long, M. (1983). Native speaker/non-native speaker conversation and the negotiation of comprehensible input. Applied Linguistics, 4, 126-141.
Nunan, D. (1989). Designing tasks for the communicative classroom. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Nunan, D. (2004). Task based language teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Richards, J., & Rodgers, T. (2004). Approaches and methods in language teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Skehan, P. (1996). A framework for the implementation of task-based learning. Applied Linguistics, 17, 38-62.
Van den Branden, K. (2006). Task based language education. From theory to practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Willis, D., & Willis, J. (2007). Doing task based teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Willis, J. (1996). A framework for task based learning. Harlow: Longman.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1037&v=zdRibzXW2TI&feature=emb_logo
https://faculty.edfac.usyd.edu.au/projects/usp_in_tesol/pdf/volume08/Article01.pdf
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/criteria-identifying-tasks-tbl
FUNIBER (2019) “Tasks and Projects” Chapter 1. Tasks and Projects.
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