Research On English Task-based Language Teaching In Secondary Vocational Schools

Since the1980s, foreign language teaching researchers and second languageacquisition researchers have proposed a more advanced classroom teaching method,namely task-based language teaching approach, which focuses on transforming thebasic theory of language use into practice and real life. Task-based language teaching(TBLT) emphasizes the interactivity and cooperation among learners, encouragingstudents to learn languages and master languages by doing; thus teacher-centered ischanged into student-centered. English is the most widely used language in the world,which is also an important tool of international communication. How to improveEnglish level and competence in occupational situations is a project for vocationaleducators to think and study.The New Syllabus for Vocational School submits explicitly that the aim ofEnglish courses in vocational schools is to arouse and cultivate students’ learninginterests on the basis of compulsory education, to build students’ confidence, tocultivate the language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing, and to formapplication ability in occupational situations. However, the present situation ofEnglish teaching in vocational schools is not as good as we wish. Many vocationalschool students whose English is quite poor have no interests in English learning anddon’t have good learning habits. Traditional teaching methods can’t change thepresent situation, then what is the more effective approach to implement in vocationalschools? In resent years, TBLT has been given more and more attention byresearchers and teachers in vocational schools. TBLT mainly advocates that learnersmaster languages through communicative and interactive activities in the process oftaking part in activities and finishing tasks. It means that the learners learn and masterlanguages in the process of doing, which combine language learning with language use. In the thesis, the author tries to implement TBLT into English teaching at thesecondary vocational school on the basis of researching on the theories of TBLT,hoping to improve English competence of vocational school students.The researcher chose the students of two accounting classes in Yunnan BusinessInformation and Engineering School(YBIE School) as the research subjects. ClassOne (experimental class) was taught by TBLT approach, while Class Two(controlclass) was taught by the traditional teaching method. The experiment lasted for asemester (about sixteen weeks). Class One and Class Two were tested and givenquestionnaires before and after the experiment respectively. The results of the pre-testand the post-test were collected and analyzed. The result showed that the performanceof the experimental class is distinctly better than the control class. And most studentsin the experimental class have stronger interests in English learning and hold a morepositive attitude. Therefore, the researcher can conclude that TBLT contributes to theimprovement of vocational school students’ English learning interests and Englishapplication ability.