Reflecting on task-based language teaching from an Instructed SLA perspective

Abstract

Task-based language teaching (TBLT) and instructed second language acquisition (ISLA) have much in common in terms of theory, research, and educational relevance. The distinguishing characteristic between the two is that TBLT adopts communicative tasks as the central unit for instruction and assessment, whereas ISLA comprises a broader range of instructional activities and assessment practices. In this presentation, I focus on two of the conference themes: Instruction and Outcomes. With respect to Instruction, I draw attention to the pedagogical timing of form-focused instruction (FFI) and corrective feedback. I discuss relevant studies within ISLA and TBLT and argue that TBLT is particularly well-suited to investigating questions about the timing of FFI. In discussing Outcomes, I consider differences in how outcomes are measured in TBLT (i.e. performance) and ISLA (i.e. development) and the different aspects of language examined within each, for example, accuracy, implicit/explicit knowledge in ISLA and complexity, accuracy and fluency in TBLT. I discuss underlying similarities between fluency and implicit knowledge, how they are measured, and propose research to investigate the pedagogical timing of FFI in relation to fluency development. I conclude with a brief discussion of the need for a balance between theoretically and pedagogically motivated research within ISLA and TBLT.

Explicit Instruction within a Task: Before, During, or After?

“…This issue of timing of instruction was raised in the late 1990s (Lightbown, 1998), but very little empirical work has been conducted since to address a research question that is of great relevance to both researchers and teachers. Spada (2019) raised this concern recently when arguing that more must be known about the impact of timing on teaching and learning. Recently, Ellis (2018) explored the timing of EI within the three phases of a task and acknowledged that "it is perhaps disappointing to conclude a chapter whose purpose is to examine the research that has investigated the impact of EI in the different stages of a task-based lesson by just pointing out the need for such research" (p. 126).…”

A feladatközpontú nyelvtanítás (TBLT) elmélete és gyakorlata

“…Melyek a kapcsolódási pontok a TBLT és a tartalomközpontú nyelvoktatás (content-based language teaching, a továbbiakban: CBLT) között (vö. García Mayo, 2015;Spada, 2022)? (Ennek más, esetleg ismertebb angol elnevezései -content and language integrated learning [CLIL] és content-based instruction [CBI] -nagyjából ugyanezt takarják (l. Lyster, 2017).)…”

A Study on the Multidimensional Expression Form of Ancient Chinese Teaching in Universities Based on Multidimensional Analysis Model

“…Therefore, one of the goals of front-line teachers and experts who teach Chinese as a foreign language at home and abroad is to research an efficient teaching model suitable for language classes and improve the quality and efficiency of oral classroom teaching. The literature [8] reflects on task-based language teaching from the perspective of Instructed SLA theory and explores the connection between it and Instructed SLA. The literature [9] used a multimodal analysis tool to explore the interaction behavior between this student and the teacher and how the task instructions were understood and executed for the context of an English as a second language learner completing a task in a video conference.…”