Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-t5tsf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-08T13:24:35.921Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

12 - Teacher Preparation and Support for Task-Based Language Teaching

from Part VI - The Teacher in Task-Based Language Teaching

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 November 2021

By
Martin East
Edited by
Mohammad Javad Ahmadian  and
Michael H. Long
Mohammad Javad Ahmadian
Affiliation:
University of Leeds
Michael H. Long
Affiliation:
University of Maryland, College Park
Get access

Summary

Teachers are a crucial variable in the success (or otherwise) of the task-based language teaching (TBLT) endeavor. However, teachers, whether beginners or more established, can often be cautious about TBLT because it challenges more traditional and familiar communicative approaches to language pedagogy – in particular in relation to the shift from teacher-led and grammar-focused to learner-centered and experiential. This chapter considers the teacher variable, and presents some of the ways in which teachers’ knowledge of and expertise in TBLT can be enhanced through teacher preparation and support initiatives, alongside some of the challenges that persist.

Keywords

Teacher educationTeacher supportTeacher cognitionReflective practiceInnovationFocus on formTask construct
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook of Task-Based Language Teaching , pp. 447 - 462
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Further Reading

Andon, N. and Eckerth, J. (2009). Chacun à son goût? Task-based L2 pedagogy from the teacher’s point of view. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 19(3), 286–310.Google Scholar
Carless, D. (2009). Revisiting the TBLT versus P-P-P debate: Voices from Hong Kong. Asian Journal of English Language Teaching, 19, 49–66.Google Scholar
East, M. (2018). How do beginning teachers conceptualise and enact tasks in school foreign language classrooms? In Samuda, V., Bygate, M., and Van den Branden, K. eds. TBLT as a researched pedagogy. Amsterdam: John Benjamins, pp. 23–50.Google Scholar
East, M. (2017). “If it is all about tasks, will they learn anything?” Teachers’ perspectives on grammar instruction in the task-oriented classroom. In Ahmadian, M. J. and García Mayo, M. P., eds. Recent perspectives on task-based language learning and teaching. Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton, pp. 217–31.Google Scholar
Ellis, R. (2009). Task-based language teaching: Sorting out the misunderstandings. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 19(3), 221–46.Google Scholar
Erlam, R. (2016). ‘I’m still not sure what a task is’: Teachers designing language tasks. Language Teaching Research, 20(3), 279–99.Google Scholar

References

Andon, N. and Eckerth, J. (2009). Chacun à son goût? Task-based L2 pedagogy from the teacher’s point of view. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 19(3), 286–310.Google Scholar
Borg, S. (2003). Teacher cognition in language teaching: A review of research on what language teachers think, know, believe, and do. Language Teaching, 36, 81–109.Google Scholar
Borg, S. (2015). Teacher cognition and language education : Research and practice. London: Bloomsbury Academic.Google Scholar
Brandenberg, R. and Jones, M. (2017). Toward transformative reflective practice in teacher education. In Brandenberg, R., Glasswell, K., Jones, M., and Ryan, J., eds. Reflective theory and practice in teacher education. Singapore: Springer, pp. 259–73.Google Scholar
Bullock, K. and Muschamp, Y. (2004). Reflecting on pedagogy: Outcomes from a Beacon School Network. Teacher Development, 8(1), 29–44.Google Scholar
Cabaroglu, N. and Roberts, J. (2000). Development in student teachers’ pre-existing beliefs during a 1-year PGCE programme. System, 28, 387–402.Google Scholar
Calderhead, J. (1996). Teachers: Beliefs and knowledge. In Berliner, D. C. and Calfee, R. C., eds. Handbook of educational psychology. New York, NY: Macmillan, pp. 709–25.Google Scholar
Carless, D. (2003). Factors in the implementation of task-based teaching in primary schools. System, 31(485–500).Google Scholar
Carless, D. (2007). The suitability of task-based approaches for secondary schools: Perspectives from Hong Kong. System, 35(4), 595–608.Google Scholar
Chien, C.-W. (2013). Analysis of a language teacher’s journal of classroom practice as reflective practice. Reflective Practice: International and Multidisciplinary Perspectives, 14(1), 131–43.Google Scholar
Clark, C. M. and Peterson, P. L. (1986). Teachers’ thought processes. In Wittrock, M. C., ed. Handbook of research on teaching. 3rd ed. New York: Macmillan, pp. 255–96.Google Scholar
Coe, R., Aloisi, C., Higgins, S., and Elliot Major, L. (2014). What makes great teaching? Review of the underpinning research. London: The Sutton Trust.Google Scholar
Davis, S. (2005). Developing reflective practice in pre-service student teachers: What does art have to do with it? Teacher Development, 9(1), 9–19.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
East, M. (2014a). Encouraging innovation in a modern foreign language initial teacher education programme: What do beginning teachers make of task-based language teaching? The Language Learning Journal, 42(3), 261–74.Google Scholar
East, M. (2014b). Mediating pedagogical innovation via reflective practice: A comparison of pre-service and in-service teachers’ experiences. Reflective Practice: International and Multidisciplinary Perspectives, 15(5), 686–99.Google Scholar
East, M. (2017a). “If it is all about tasks, will they learn anything?” Teachers’ perspectives on grammar instruction in the task-oriented classroom. In Ahmadian, M. J. and García Mayo, M. P., eds. Recent perspectives on task-based language learning and teaching. Berlin, Germany: De Gruyter Mouton, pp. 217–31.Google Scholar
East, M. (2017b). Research into practice: The task-based approach to instructed second language acquisition. Language Teaching, 50(3), 412–24.Google Scholar
East, M. (2018). How do beginning teachers conceptualise and enact tasks in school foreign language classrooms? In Samuda, V., Bygate, M., and Van den Branden, K., eds. TBLT as a researched pedagogy. Amsterdam: John Benjamins, pp. 23–50.Google Scholar
Ellis, R. (2009). Task-based language teaching: Sorting out the misunderstandings. International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 19(3), 221–46.Google Scholar
Erlam, R. (2016). ‘I’m still not sure what a task is’: Teachers designing language tasks. Language Teaching Research, 20(3), 279–99.Google Scholar
Hall, G. (2011). Exploring English language teaching: Language in action. New York: Routledge.Google Scholar
Hamilton, M. L. and Pinnegar, S. (2014). Self-study of teacher education practices as a pedagogy for teacher educator professional development. In Craig, C. and Orland-Barak, L., eds. International teacher education: Promising pedagogies (part A). Advances in research on teaching. Bradford: Emerald Publishing, pp. 137–52.Google Scholar
Killion, J. and Todnem, G. (1991). A process of personal theory building. Educational Leadership, 48(6), 14–16.Google Scholar
Larsen-Freeman, D. (2015). Research into practice: Grammar learning and teaching. Language Teaching, 48(2), 263–80.Google Scholar
Lightbown, P. and Spada, N. (2013). How languages are learned. 4th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Long, M. (2000). Focus on form in task-based language teaching. In Lambert, R. D. and Shohamy, E., eds. Language policy and pedagogy: Essays in honor of A. Ronald Walton. Amsterdam: John Benjamins, pp. 179–92.Google Scholar
Long, M. (2016). In defense of tasks and TBLT: Nonissues and real issues. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 36, 5–33.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mitchell, R., Myles, F. and Marsden, E. (2013). Second language learning theories. 3rd ed. New York and London: Routledge.Google Scholar
Nunan, D. (2004). Task-based language teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Pajares, F. (1993). Teachers’ beliefs and educational research: Cleaning up a messy construct. Review of Educational Research, 62, 307–32.Google Scholar
Phipps, S. and Borg, S. (2007). Exploring the relationship between teachers’ beliefs and their classroom practice. The Teacher Trainer, 21(3), 17–19.Google Scholar
Richards, J. C. (2006). Communicative language teaching today. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Richards, J. C., Ho, B., and Giblin, K. (1996). Learning how to teach in the RSA Certificate. In Freeman, D. and Richards, J. C., eds. Teacher learning in language teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Samuda, V. and Bygate, M. (2008). Tasks in second language learning. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schön, D. A. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. New York: Basic Books.Google Scholar
Skehan, P. (1996). A framework for the implementation of task-based instruction. Applied Linguistics, 17(1), 38–61.Google Scholar
Too, W. K. (2013). Facilitating the development of pre-service teachers as reflective learners: A Malaysian experience. The Language Learning Journal, 41(2), 161–74.Google Scholar
Van den Branden, K. (2009). Diffusion and implementation of innovations. In Long, M. and Doughty, C., eds. The handbook of language teaching. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, pp. 659–72.Google Scholar
Widdowson, H. G. (1993). Innovation in teacher development. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 13, 260–75.Google Scholar
Williams, R. and Grudnoff, L. (2011). Making sense of reflection: A comparison of beginning and experienced teachers’ perceptions of reflection for practice. Reflective Practice: International and Multidisciplinary Perspectives, 12(3), 281–91.Google Scholar
Willis, D. and Willis, J. (2007). Doing task-based teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Willis, J. (1996). A framework for task-based learning. Harlow: Longman Pearson Education.Google Scholar
Xiongyong, C. and Samuel, S. (2011). Perceptions and implementation of task-based language teaching among secondary school EFL teachers in China. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 2(24), 292–302.Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×