A Study On Task-Based Approach And Development Of Teaching Materials

The thesis presents the overall review of the task-based approach and its implementation in language classes at home and abroad and deepens it by analyzing some currently used college English textbooks. Then it analyzes the current teaching materials through quantitative and qualitative approach and points out existing problems in the teaching materials. Finally, with the aid of the essence of the task-based approach, the thesis puts forward some feasible suggestions with the hope that according to the modern educational conception and the essence of the task-based approach, more practical teaching materials should be developed to improve students'linguistic competence, communicative competence and cross-cultural competence for the purpose of meeting the demand of the development of our society.With further development of globalization and of China's reform, English is becoming an important tool in everyday life and international communication, and the task-based approach is paid special attention to by the educators and linguists. The monotony of teaching methods does not inspire students'enthusiasm and autonomous learning. In regard to the teaching materials, there exist imbalance in the proportion between professional knowledge and linguistic knowledge, which results in the shortage of integrative talents. The study on the development of teaching materials aims to design diversified tasks to meet the demand of different-leveled students based on the principle of task-based approach. Therefore, students can achieve the purpose of autonomous learning and improve their integrative ability of language to the utmost, which makes English education adapt to the policy of opening and reform.By theoretical analysis and empirical survey, after reviewing the definition, significance and background of the task-based approach, the thesis points out that teaching materials developed on the basis of task-based approach will enable learners to use English more flexibly, which will help complete their learning tasks and gradually, obtain gradually the comprehensive ability to apply language. Such development will lead to an effective and challengeable way to learn English. The survey shows that current teaching materials include a lot of professional knowledge, or "language knowledge plus professional knowledge", which can't satisfy the students' need of obtaining more cultural knowledge. The current teaching materials focus too much on specially written or prepared materials instead of adopting authentic materials. Moreover, the survey shows that a great majority of students request extending their knowledge. They think what is to be taught in class shouldn't be limited to the teaching materials. Instead, a lot of supplementary materials should be adopted to reach the purpose of helping them become integrative talents.The value of the thesis lies in such points as taking the essence of task-based approach in the process of research and development of task-based approach, paying attention to the modern educational conception of autonomous learning, individualized learning and classified teaching method to design the materials matching the characteristics and trend of task-based approach and help students improve their language competence, communicative competence, cross-culturalcompetence. In this sense it is hopeful to bring up more talents with higher qualities for the society.Because of a variety of reasons, there still exist several drawbacks like limitations in subject size and lack of linear research. These drawbacks will be solved in the further study afterwards.