On Willis's Framework For TBLT:A Case Study Of English Teaching In A University

As a learner-centered approach,the task-based approach does not have only one fixed model in classroom teaching.Various models have been put forward in the past 30 years,but it is Willis's framework that is considered the most practical and is widely adopted and practiced in classroom teaching.This thesis makes an analysis of and comments on Willis's framework for task-based language teaching.Willis's framework consists of three phases:pre-task phase,task cycle,language focus.Compared with other frameworks from Prabhu,Skehan,Ellis and Nunan,it has two main features.Based on the literature review,this study is to investigate whether certain changes of Willis's framework can directly result in positive influence on language production in terms of language fluency and accuracy,which can make Willis's framework more suitable for the universities English teaching in China.Two questions are put forward.First,is pre-task planning in the pre-task phase a necessary step before task cycle?Second,does teacher-led pre-task planning have more positive influence on language fluency and accuracy than pre-task planning without teacher leading?The present study consisted of two experiments to study the effects of pre-task planning and teacher-led pre-task planning on language fluency and accuracy.The subjects for two experiments were 44 students from Grade Two in Fuzhou University,who are not English majors.The first experiment used two oral tasks to study the effect of pre-task planning.The second experiment used the same oral tasks to study the effect of teacher-led pre-task planning on language fluency and accuracy in the task stage.Comparing the results of the experiments,we can find some major findings of this study.First,the results of two oral tasks in the first experiment showed there was significant difference in language fluency but no significant difference in language accuracy.Although pre-task planning may not directly lead to an increase in language accuracy,it is certain to have positive influence on language fluency.Second,the results of two tasks in the second experiment showed that teacher-led pre-task planning may produce no effects on fluency and accuracy.Based on the research findings of this study,we can change certain step to make Willis's framework for task-based teaching and learning more suitable for university English teaching.The teacher should.give learners several minutes for pre-task planning before they do the task.Through analyzing Willis's framework for task-based language teaching,it can be found that it is the most practical framework.Based on the results of the experiments,this study suggests certain alternation of Willis's framework to make it more suitable for university English teaching and help learners to achieve language fluency and accuracy.