Teachers' Perceptions of Task‐Based Language Teaching in English Classrooms in Taiwanese Junior High Schools

Abstract

After introducing new curriculum guidelines during education reform, the Taiwan Ministry of Education has taken the lead in integrating a communicative approach into the new English language curriculum. Task-based language teaching (TBLT) is viewed as a realisation of communicative language teaching and is one of the most popular English language teaching (ELT) methods. In East Asian contexts, only a limited number of case studies focus on TBLT. This article applies a mixed methods approach to explore junior high school English teachers' perceptions of TBLT in central Taiwan. The themes to be addressed are teachers' perceptions and understandings of TBLT and teachers' views on the feasibility of TBLT in the Taiwanese context, with a special focus on ELT in junior high schools. The main source of data is a survey with 136 respondents from 30 junior high schools in four counties in central Taiwan. The article also draws on supplementary qualitative data from semistructured interviews with four teachers who have various teaching experiences. The article offers insights into the feasibility of TBLT in Taiwan and enriches the current literature on TBLT-or in a broader sense the communicative approach-in the East Asian context.

Exploring Iranian EFL Teachers’ Perspectives on Task-based Language Teaching

“…Accordingly, the first hypothesis of the study is rejected. overall findings of this section of the questionnaire are in line with the previous findings which indicated that teachers have shown good grasp of task and its aspects (Jeon, 2005;Lin & Wu, 2012;Tabatabaei & Hadi, 2011;Zare, 2007). For example, Lin and Wu (2012) found that teachers had both positive attitudes and understanding of tasks and taskrelated issues.…”

“…overall findings of this section of the questionnaire are in line with the previous findings which indicated that teachers have shown good grasp of task and its aspects (Jeon, 2005;Lin & Wu, 2012;Tabatabaei & Hadi, 2011;Zare, 2007). For example, Lin and Wu (2012) found that teachers had both positive attitudes and understanding of tasks and taskrelated issues. This might be due to the fact that the Asian EFL context has witnessed a move toward the use of a taskbased and activity oriented type of learning a language (Jeon, 2005).…”

“…In the context of public school, Lin and Wu (2012) studied 136 high school teachers in Taiwan to determine their attitudes and understandings of TBLT. The study indicated that teachers had both positive attitudes and understanding of tasks and task-related issues.…”

Understanding EFL Learner Agency in Collaborative Activities : A Case Study in a Taiwanese English Course

“…Collaborative tasks in language classrooms promote students-centered learning as learners achieve a sense of accomplishment when they perform task successfully (Little et al, 2017;Prabhu, 1987;Yuan, 2016). Many researchers have noted that one of key benefits of using tasks or activities in language classrooms is the production of authentic communication (see Cutrone & Beh, 2018;Lin & Wu, 2012;Little et al, 2017). Based on their study on Danish learners of English at lower secondary level, Little et al argued that collaborative tasks require learner interaction and idea sharing, which can generate authentic communication that ultimately promotes "collaborative construction of knowledge" (p. 68).…”

“…However, the concept of language learner agency remains predominantly theoretical based and empirical studies in EFL classroom settings centering on this topic, particularly at the postsecondary level, are understudied. Furthermore, even though task-based teaching in language classrooms has gained popularity including East Asian countries (Lin & Wu 2012;Littlewood, 2007), studies on how tasks are designed and implemented and in which students exert learner agency are quite scarce. In light of what has been discussed, this present study aimed to provide some theoretical underpinnings of agency and to give a practical account of student interactions that shed light on language learner agency.…”