A Reconsideration Of Task-based Language Teaching In College English Instruction

Originated from Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT) came into being in the 1980s. With the rise of CLT in the 1970s, the focus of language teaching and research has undertaken a shift from how to teach to how to learn, hence directing researchers'attention to the process of learning and the objective of teaching as well, and bringing about the emergence of TBLT, in which both the objective of teaching and the means to achieve the objective are specified.TBLT advocates'using language to do things', and requires that language teaching resemble the real world and be socialized, that a supporting condition favorable to language acquisition and internalization be created, and that language be used in a natural and meaningful way. To put it another way, the learners, with the guidance of task goals, and by means of communication, interaction, and meaning negotiation, try to make use of all kinds of resources and employ various means to accomplish tasks so as to cultivate their abilities to use the language in an all-round way.In the spring of 2004, the State Ministry of Education issued College English Curriculum Requirements which stipulated that the objective of College English is to develop the learners'ability to use English in an all-round way (2004:1). The publication of this document not merely confers new orientations on College English, but also poses great challenges to College English teachers, giving renewed impetus to their exploration of language teaching and teaching reform. As one of the most effective means currently available in developing the learners'ability to use the language in an all-round way (Skehan, 1998:8), TBLT has naturally become a buzz word and a focus of attention in the field of College English teaching.This dissertation is a study of TBLT in College English classroom which attempts an exploration of College English teachers'(CETs) beliefs and maxim in TBLT, their actual practice of TBLT, and their suggestions and expectations for in-service training before launching a new language program. With 40 CETs from 4 universities as subjects, and by means of questionnaire, classroom observation, and interview, this study aims at (1) an overall understanding of CETs'knowledge concerning TBLT; (2) a general view of the channels by which they acquire information concerning TBLT; (3) a close examination of their practice of TBLT, (4) a detailed probe of their difficulties and frustrations when implementing TBLT; and (5) an attentive investigation of their suggestions and expectations for in-service training.This paper is composed of five parts. The first part is INTRODUCTION which gives a brief...