Foreign Language Task-based Teaching And Research

TBLT (task-based language teaching) refers to a type of language teaching approach which takes 'tasks' as its key units for the designing and implementation of second language instruction. A 'task' here is not a language problem, but one which demands learners to solve by using the target language in communication. This approach designs the classroom from the learner's perspective, claims that the essential conditions that promote second language acquisition are: an environment similar to natural language acquisition, abundant exposure to the target language, plentiful chances to use it in communication, interaction and meaning negotiation between learners. It is the 'task' that is regarded as a vehicle generating such conditions. TBLT approach suggests that effective language learning is experiential rather than instructional. Therefore, it emphasizes 'learning by doing', leaves learners to experience the target language and construct the language system by themselves. What's more, the demand for the tasks to be similar to those in daily life ensures that the tasks possess the features of real communication. All this is supposed to be helpful in training learners' communicative competence..TBLT approach is a new model developed within the framework of communicative language teaching. Compared with the classical communicative language teaching approach, what is this new model trying to carry forward, to develop, and to reform? A language teaching model is the embodiment of certain theory. It serves as a bridge linking theory and practice. Then what's the theoretical basis of this new model? In what background was it formed? What teaching principles and procedures does it follow? What educational and language teaching ideology do the principles and procedures suggest? Can the approach be combined with traditional language teaching methods? These will be the key issues dealt with in this thesis.The thesis is composed of seven chapters.Chapter One offers a brief review of foreign language teaching development in the 20th century, sums up the four characteristics of this period, and suggests that the combination of linguistic studies with sociology, psychology, anthropology, neurology, etc, has brought into being many new subjects. They provide with a more profound and comprehensive understanding of the nature of language and language learning, which has resulted in two major changes in foreignlanguage teaching _from thinking much of 'how to teaching' to 'how to learn' and from an emphasis on knowing about the language to knowing how to use it in communication.Chapter Two deals with three issues: to explain why TBLT approach has come into being by tracing back to its original form; to define what task-based language teaching approach is; to generalize the fundamental principles followed by the approach, and to dig out the educational and language teaching ideology underlying the principles.Chapter Three explores the theoretical foundation of TBLT approach. Systemic-functional linguistics, as one of the most important linguistic schools of the 20th century, differs from structural linguistics and T-G grammar in that it holds a social perspective in linguistic research. It regards language as social semiotic, and offers the social interpretation of language and meaning. Therefore, it pays much attention to the function and meaning carried by language rather than its forms or structures. This changed view towards language has promoted foreign language teaching to shift from teaching about the language to equipping learners with communicative competence. General learning theory provides revelation to language learning and teaching. Such theory includes cognitive-development theory, discovery learning theory, meaningful learning and social constructive learning theory. They give theoretical explanations for why TBLT insists on making primary learning process, learners' experience, their active participation, and hypothesis-testing by learners themselves.Chapter Four analyzes the internal relations...