A Study The Work-related Task-based Teachin Model In Higher Vocational English Class

The employability of college graduates is a concern in higher vocational education as labor markets change more and more rapidly in response to fast technological changes and increased globalization. The results of not a few surveys issued publicly indicate that the traditional curricula did not necessarily prepare the graduates adequately for their jobs. The graduates possess more knowledge than required but lack important competences and transferable skills that the job market demands. Besides, the work-oriented change in the didactics of vocational education identifies "significant" vocational work situations and the associated work process knowledge as the pivotal factor in the design of vocational curricula and processes. This may be partly remedied by the introduction of work-related task-based language teaching to HVE English classes. This thesis is trying to set up a work-related task-based language teaching model in automobile English class in a higher vocational college.The foundation of constructing the work-related TBLT model is analyzed to present how to compose qualification framework for daily English and professional English in the working posts related to automobile industry on the basis of the survey for the social demands. And the series of task designing in automobile English class is fulfilled accordingly. A specific "4T"model is introduced with four stages as "Taste, Task-based language teaching, Tackle and Test" in automobile class. And in order to guarantee a satisfactory teaching consequence, a well-organized teaching framework is displayed to implement the work-related TBLT model. The teaching framework falls into two phases. The first phase is the design of work-related tasks which includes five steps:needs analysis, goal setting, input searching, activity design and the task chains. The second phase is implementing the work-related tasks, which composes three steps:post-task, task cycle and post-task. A case study of automobile marketing is designed in detail to illustrate the specific implementation procedures of the work-related TBLT model. The basic elements of the work-related TBLT model in automobile English class are constructed based on Nunan’s task components, which include guideline and goals, teaching framework, teacher and student’s role, teaching strategy and settings.A questionnaire among students and an interview among teachers concerned are conducted with a view to make an evaluation of the work-related TBLT model. The analysis of mean, standard derivation and rank from two kinds of students with different English learning situations covers the situations of the general situation of the course, the task in TBLT and its implementation, students’performance, teachers’performance and the settings. From the survey, it can be concluded that students highly recognize the work-related task-based language teaching model in Automobile English course, which helps them increase interest in English learning and enhance occupational competence. We also observe the key factor in work-related TBLT is language ability, which is partly confirmed by the comparison between Class P and Class S. And from teacher’s interview, we can sense how teacher’s attitude toward the work-related TBLT changes, the efforts they make and the pitfalls they are in.Finally, the merits and drawbacks of work-related TBLT model are discussed to reveal the rooms for improvement. And many important issues, such as the assessment to students’ performance in task completion, the design of task cycles and the compilation of the teaching material are still under exploration.