Transcript Learning about Global Issues Through Task-Based Activities: Mixing and Matching the Four Skills Melvin R.

Learning about Global Issues
Through Task-Based Activities:
Mixing and Matching the Four
Skills
Melvin R. Andrade, Ed.D.
Sophia Junior College &
Aoyama Gakuin University (Japan)
[email protected]
TBLT 2007, Univ. of Hawaii, Sept. 20-22.
(28 PPT slides + 4 tables in MS Word format)
Outline







Background
Aim & scope of the research
Definition of “task” in this study
Data collection and analysis
Typology of “tasks” in this study
Sample analysis
Preliminary findings
Introduction (1)

Content-based and theme-based learning
are becoming increasing evident in college
and university English programs in Japan
as ways to increase motivation and
stimulate learning.
Introduction (2)

It is common to see emphasis being put
on global trends and issues such as
consumption, energy, environment, food
and water, population and migration, richpoor gap, and world health.
Introduction (3)

Along with these changes in approach and
content, has there been a corresponding
change in the way the material is
presented and practiced?
Introduction (4)

This ongoing research is investigating the
extent to which EFL textbooks on global
issues and current events for universitylevel students in Japan reflect the
principles of task-based learning in their
lesson formats and practice activities.
Introduction (5)

In addition, it considers whether the tasks
put emphasis on spoken language
(listening and speaking), written language
(reading and writing), comprehension
(listening and reading), or expression
(speaking and writing).
Introduction (6)

The findings of this research not only
provide a sample of the current state of
task-based teaching as reflected in
textbooks published in Japan but can also
serve as guidelines for teachers and
materials writers who would like to make
their lessons and materials more
compatible with the task-based approach.
Scope (1)

Textbooks published in Japan for
Japanese learners of English at the
college/university level.

Textbooks devoted to “global issues” as
their organizing theme or textbooks
devoted to “current topic in the news,” or
textbooks (primarily reading
comprehension) that deal with global
issues in many of their units.
Scope (2)


Limited to textbooks from about 2000 to the
present
Covers 30-40 textbooks from 15-20
Japanese publishers:
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~gj7handr/index.files/japanesepublisher_efl.htm
Some Constraints & Specifications Set by
Japanese Publishers for English textbooks





For use by Japanese teachers of English
Easy-to-understand format (for student
and teacher)
Minimize teacher preparation time
Easy-to-score exercises for evaluating
students (one-right-answer)
Do well on TOEIC
Definition of “Task” (1)

“A language learning task is an activity
that has a non-linguistic purpose or
goal with a clear outcome and that uses
any or all of the four language skills in its
accomplishment by conveying meaning
in a way that reflects real-world
language use” (Shehadeh, 2005, pp. 1819, emphasis added).
Jan Willis (2005, p. 3, emphasis added):

“In carrying out a task the learners’ principle
focus is on exchanging and understanding
meanings, rather than on practice of form or
prespecified forms or patterns.”

“There is some kind of purpose or goal set for
the task, so that learners know what they are
expected to achieve by the end of the task, for
example…to report a solution to a problem.”

“The outcome of the completed task can be
shared in some way with others.”
Task typology (Willis, 2004, p. 21)
Gap Principle:
 Information: complete a table
 Reasoning: work out a course of action based on
variables
 Opinion: complete a story; give one’s point of view
Reaching a Decision or Solution through
interaction:
 Decision-making (convergent), debate (divergent)
Task typology (2)
Cognitive Processes:
 Listing, ordering and sorting, comparing and
contrasting, problem solving, sharing
 personal experiences, creative tasks and
projects (survey, interview, etc.)
Other types:
 Predication, jigsaw/split information,
jumbles/sequencing, restoration, memory
challenge,
Other Task Parameters
Open vs. closed
 One-way vs. two-way
 Focus vs. unfocused (linguistic)
 Real-world vs. pedagogic task

Task Cycle (Willis, 2004, p. 37)



“pretask phase, where teachers set up relevant
topic schemata, explain the task and clarify the
intended outcome…”
“task itself, where learners, on their own, or in
pairs or groups, work toward the task outcome.
Here the focus is principally on meaning…”
“posttask phase, drafting, finalizing, and
presenting the outcome or finished product to
others.”
Analysis
Content analysis:
 What kind of exercises are there?
 Is there a variety of exercises?
 Which exercises are “tasks”?
 What kind of tasks are they?
 Is there a variety of tasks?
Sample Analysis (four textbooks)




Ｔａｂｌｅ 1: Topics for Global Citizenship
Table 2: Topics in International Society
Table 3: It’s Your World Get Involved!
Table 4: What’s Going on Around the
World?
Preliminary Findings &
Observations




Very little variety of exercise types in this
genre of textbook (global issues)
Restricted use of task types, mainly
“What’s your opinion?
Focus mainly on literal comprehension
and vocabulary study
Neglect of listening and writing tasks
(exceptions)
Observations (2)

Other genres of recent English textbooks
in Japan (e.g., four-skills integrated
textbooks, conversational English) appear
to include more task-based exercises (e.g.,
surveys, interviews)
Conclusion & Recommendations

Despite the shift to authentic, meaningful
content, textbooks in this study (global
issues) do not reflect the principles of
task-based language teaching.

Teachers using textbooks favoring taskbased language teaching need to spend
some time adapting and supplementing
these books to make them more TBLT
friendly.
Limitations of the Study


Have not reviewed all the teacher’s guides
Only one evaluator
References
Balance, T. (2002). It's your world, get
involved: Reading and talking about NGOs.
Tokyo: Eichosha
Ito, T., Ichikawa, Y., Ishizuka, M., & Maeda, T.
(2001). What's going on around the world?
Tokyo: Ikubundo.
Lander, J. S. (2005). Topics in international
society. Tokyo: Asahi Shuppansha.
Peaty, D. (2005). You, me, and the world: A
course in communicative English for global
citizenship. Kinseido.
Shehadeh, A. (2005).Task-based language
learning and teaching: Theories and
applications. In C. Edwards & J. Willis
(Eds.), Teachers exploring tasks in English
language teaching (pp. 13-30). New York:
Palgrave Macmillan.
Willis, J.. (n.d.). Task-based language
learning. Retrieved Sept. 17, 2007, from
http://www.languages.dk/methods/docum
ents/TBL_presentation.pdf
Willis, J. (2004). Perspectives on task-based
instruction: Understanding our practices,
acknowledging our different practioners. In
B. L. Leaver & J. Willis (Eds.), Task-based
instruction in foreign language education
(pp. 3-44). Washington, D.C.: Georgetown
University Press.
Willis, J. (2005). Introduction: Aims and
explorations into tasks and task-based
teaching. In C. Edwards & J. Willis (Eds.),
Teachers exploring tasks in English
language teaching (pp. 1-12). New York:
Palgrave Macmillan.
Presenter’s home pages:


http://www.ne.jp/asahi/m/and/
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/m/and/agu