The Application Of Task-based Language Teaching To College English Intensive Reading Class

Task-based language teaching (TBLT) is a newly developed teaching approach based on the second language acquisition theories and communicative ideology in the 1980s. TBLT stresses learning by doing and aims to facilitate learners'comprehensive language competence by creating an interactive context to enable learners to sense, explore and manipulate the target language, which is in contrast with the traditional PPP (presentation, practice and production) model.The present paper reports an empirical study on the effect of the application of TBLT to college English intensive reading class. It aims to explore the differences between the TBLT model and the PPP model in facilitating learner'language competence and the reasons why such differences exist. The research questions addressed in the thesis are: (1) What are the differences between the TBLT model and the PPP model in facilitating students'language competence? (2) Which group(s) of students, high, intermediate or low, are significantly affected by the TBLT model? (3) Why does the TBLT model differ from the PPP model in facilitating students'language competence?The study consists of two parts: quantitative and qualitative research.The quantitative research included a one-semester experiment and a questionnaire. The experiment involved 128 students of Grade 2006 from two classes in the Department of Business and Management of Yancheng Institute of Technology. The pre-test was conducted at the beginning of the experiment. The class with slightly higher mean was the control class (CC), in which the PPP model was employed. The other class was the experimental class (EC), where the TBLT model was used. After a semester of teaching, the post-test was held at the end of the experiment. The scores of both tests were computed and analyzed with the software of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) 13.0. The questionnaire was made up of 36 statements and covered four aspects concerning students'attitudes or beliefs about English teaching and learning, motivation, learning autonomy and cooperative learning, it was administered at nearly the end of the experiment and the data were also analyzed with SPSS 13.0 .The qualitative research was an interview with 12 students, half of whom came from EC and the other half from CC. The six students from each class represent the high, intermediate and low achievers in the post-test in their own class. The interview was conducted in two groups: group one is from EC and group two from CC. The interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed later. The transcriptions of the interviews were synthesized and categorized.Detailed analysis of quantitative and qualitative research yielded the final findings as follows:1. The TBLT model proves a proper and more effective way to implement in college English intensive reading class and helps to improve students'comprehensive language competence, especially reading and writing.2. The high and intermediate achievers are significantly affected by the TBLT model. These students, equipped with superior language foundation and competence, cherish more confidence and enthusiasm to learn English, thus contributing to their remarkable progress.3. The TBLT model, by providing a diet of tasks and allowing students to navigate their own paths to learning and to develop effective learning strategies, helps to motivate students, stimulate their interest and foster their autonomous learning.4. The TBLT model,by creating a relaxed and amicable climate through pair work or group work, helps to reduce students'anxiety, enhance their confidence and promote their collaborative learning. The implications from the findings of the study are as follows: (1) TBLT should be strongly advocated and widely enforced in the Chinese EFL context to improve students'communicative competence. (2) Much attention should be paid to task difficulty. Tasks should be carefully designed from easy to difficult, from simple to complex. (3) Good balance should be achieved between the roles of teachers and students in language teaching. (4) Proper teaching strategies should be employed in language teaching to develop students'learning ability. (5) Special concern, respect and encouragement should go to students at low level. Relatively simple tasks can be specifically designed for them. (6) The implementation of TBLT is still a gradual transition and should be adapted to local conditions.