The idea of enabling students to master English by completing tasks was first put forward and implemented by Indian prabhu in 1987, and has now developed into a teaching method generally recognized and accepted by linguists and foreign language teaching practitioners. Its theoretical basis is the research results of language acquisition. The interaction between teachers and students in the classroom helps students to use language in the process of completing tasks, and finally achieve the goal of mastering language.
Second, the characteristics of task-based language teaching method
In the article Communicative Task and Language Curriculum, Noonan summarized the characteristics of task-based language teaching method as follows:
1. Emphasize interaction and learn to communicate through the target language.
Task-based language teaching itself emphasizes the perception, experience and acquisition of the target language in the process of task. Herbert H Clark, a famous linguist, said, "Language is used for doing things." Language is used to do things. Both vocabulary and grammar serve "doing things" and "completing tasks", and task-based language teaching method just embodies the principle of "learning by doing". In the process of completing the task, we should give full play to learners' cognitive ability through participation, experience, interaction, communication and cooperation, mobilize their existing target language resources, perceive, recognize and apply the target language in practice, and thus improve their communicative competence.
2. Introduce the real text into the learning environment
The input materials, scenarios and specific activities used in the task should come from real life or be as close to real life as possible. Language situations and language forms should conform to the actual functions and laws, so that students can contact and process real language information as much as possible, and the language and skills they use in class can also be effectively applied in real life.
3. Provide opportunities for learners to pay attention to the language and the learning process itself.
Task-based language teaching method breaks the bottleneck of traditional teaching mode, fully embodies the transformation of language communication teaching concept and foreign language teaching objectives and functions, and makes foreign language teaching change from focusing on teaching methods to focusing on learning methods, from teacher-centered to student-centered, from focusing on language itself to focusing on language acquisition. It provides students with sufficient space and opportunities to use the language, so that they can pay more attention to and understand the language in the process of completing their tasks.
4. Increase learners' personal experience and provide important materials for classroom learning.
By completing various forms of tasks (tasks can be before, during or after class), learners not only enrich their own life experiences and personal experiences, but also accumulate more learning materials, which lays a good foundation for classroom learning and enables learners to fully participate in classroom activities.
5. Link classroom language learning with extracurricular language activation.
Task-based language teaching requires students to fully express their views and opinions on things through various language activities such as expression, communication and consultation on the basis of certain language input. Activities involve all aspects of life, and one topic is bound to be linked to another. In the process of language practice, students naturally link classroom language learning with extracurricular language activation, thus enriching the connotation and extension of language and making the effect of language acquisition better.
Third, the advantages of task-based language teaching method in higher vocational English teaching
Task-based language teaching method completely subverts the traditional teaching mode of "teacher-centered" and "knowledge instillation", and highlights the students' dominant position. Task-based language teaching method pays more attention to the cultivation of language communicative competence. It adopts task-oriented teaching method, which provides students with the opportunity to fully use the target language, stimulates students' learning enthusiasm, clarifies students' learning motivation, and makes students feel a sense of accomplishment in teamwork. This student-centered teaching method makes students become the protagonists in the classroom, enlivens the classroom atmosphere, and indirectly cultivates students' innovative spirit, team consciousness and collective sense of honor.
Fourthly, the specific application of task-based language teaching method in English teaching in higher vocational colleges.
Willis divides the teaching process into three stages: pre-task, task cycle and post-task. The pre-task stage includes introducing topics and tasks, the task ring stage includes tasks, plans and reports, and the post-task stage includes language focusing, critical analysis and practice.
According to the task-based teaching model designed by Willis, the author takes the fifth unit of New Horizon College English as the teaching content, and explores the specific application of task-based language teaching method in college English teaching combined with classroom teaching practice.
1. Task 1 Preparation before Task
The theme of this class is "Get rich quickly, get married in May", which is about the exquisite and customs of Chinese and western weddings. Before class, students are required to use books and internet to collect relevant information, arrange it into paragraphs or make slides, and representatives of each group will speak and introduce it in class.
(Design analysis: Students are no strangers to the wedding customs in China. Collecting some knowledge of western wedding customs, comparing the similarities and differences between the two cultures and stimulating students' interest are also the expansion of teaching in time, space and content. Feez believes that the focus of task-based teaching method is the process, not the result, and the process of students' preparation before class is the process of learning. )
2. Task 2 Group Work (Discussion)
(1). Ask the representatives of each group to introduce the contents, characteristics, similarities and differences of Chinese and Western wedding customs, such as presentation slides, and introduce and explain them. Teachers will comment, summarize and expand it to pave the way for the next study.
(Design and Analysis: This report task activity can enable students to fully exchange and discuss information, give full play to their subjective initiative, participate in teaching and feel the results, which fully embodies the "student-centered" task-based teaching concept. )
(2) Dialogue or interview. In this link, the teacher sets some questions around Chinese and western marriage customs according to the content of the text, giving students a certain time to read the text quickly, and then working in pairs to solve these problems in the form of dialogue or interview.
Design analysis: the starting point of language is language knowledge, and the end point is language ability. Classroom language teaching should realize the transformation from language form to language application. This kind of activity not only helps students understand the content of the text, but also improves their language communication ability. )
(3) Group discussion. In this session, four people discuss and summarize the similarities and differences between Chinese and western marriage customs and their significance. After that, each group chooses a student representative to speak, and the teacher makes comments and supplements.
Design analysis: This task helps students to have a deeper and more comprehensive understanding of the text, improve their oral English expression ability, and cultivate learners' sense of cooperation and team ability. )
3. Task 3 After the task
(1) language focus. Ask the students to find out the words, phrases, expressions or sentence patterns that are related to the theme or difficult to understand in the article. Students ask questions individually and the teacher explains them one by one. You can write the language on the blackboard and students can take notes. You can also set up some exercises such as filling in the blanks, connecting lines or rewriting sentences to further consolidate the knowledge points.
(Design analysis: This link enables learners to have a clearer understanding of the language points they have encountered and used in the text, which lays a more solid foundation for language communication and is also a summary and consolidation of previous studies. )
(2) homework after class. Briefly retell the content of the text, with complete structure and prominent focus. Use keywords and sentence patterns, and add your own opinions and opinions to make pronunciation accurate, smooth and natural. Ask the students to speak and show in the next class.
(Design analysis: This task is challenging and creative, which can fully mobilize students' intellectual and emotional factors, make learners feel successful in the activities, and effectively improve students' language expression ability and comprehensive application ability. )
Verb (abbreviation of verb) conclusion
The application of task-based language teaching method in English class in higher vocational colleges has greatly improved learners' interest and enthusiasm, subverted the "cramming" teaching mode, broken the boring classroom atmosphere, and highlighted the central position of students and the communicative function of language. In the process of completing the task, students not only exercised basic language skills such as listening, speaking, reading and writing, but also cultivated team consciousness and innovative ability. Most importantly, they learned to use English. Therefore, task-based language teaching method is worthy of English teachers' firm and long-term exploration.
(Author: Fengxiang Normal Branch of Baoji Vocational and Technical College)