Chinese College EFL Teachers’ Perceptions And Implementation Of Task-based Language Teaching

This paper is to investigate perceptions of Task-based Language teaching(TBLT) of Chinese college teachers teaching English as a foreign language(EFL), to find out how well they understand and implement TBLT, and how their perceptions impact their methodologies in teaching English, and to identify challenges and possibilities in the implementation of TBLT. Therefore, the present study aims to find answers to the following three research questions: 1) What are Chinese college EFL teachers’ understandings of task-based language teaching? 2) What is Chinese college EFL teachers’ implementation of task-based language teaching? 3) What are the differences between their understandings and implementation of task-based language teaching in the classroom?The theoretical framework of the present study is Ellis’(2003) four criteria of task. In order to explore teachers’ perceptions and implementation of the four criteria, 163 Chinese college teachers from more than 20 cities participated in the quantitative data collection by completing an on-line questionnaire, in which they were invited to answer Likert-type questions on task and TBLT definition, as well as multiple choices of reasons to choose or avoid TBLT in their classes. Two teachers(a male and a female) from Guangdong University of Foreign Studies participated in the qualitative data collection by having their natural classes recorded of a whole unit of Communicative English for Chinese Learners.The major findings of the study are as follows: 1) On the whole Chinese college EFL teachers had profound understandings of the linguistic features of task and TBLT and most of the teachers showed much confidence in answering questions of task and TBLT concepts. The only weakness in perception of current Chinese college EFL teachers might go to focus on ‘meaning’ and ‘a defined outcome’, as well as relationship between TBLT and CLT. 2) Both teachers implemented successful TBLT lessons. They followed the criteria of primary focus on ‘meaning’, information ‘gap’, and ‘a defined outcome. Relatively they only showed slight inefficiency in providing context for students’ using language. 3) Some discrepancies exist between teachers’ understanding and implementation in the definition of task.The conclusion of the study is that, like discoveries made by most previous studies, perceptions might not equal implementation of TBLT, as it did in the case of Chinese college EFL teachers. This yields for open attitudes towards latest SLA theories among teachers and trainers. Typical textbooks and effective evaluation methods of TBLT are also in great need in the process of making TBLT popular with Chinese college EFL teachers.