Abstract:

The purpose of this paper is to consider the methodology of task-based approaches to Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) classes. Task-based language teaching (TBLT) has been a buzz phrase during recent decades. It replaced the long established traditional teaching methodology based on the presentation-practice-production (PPP).
Different linguists give different definitions of a task, and different approaches to TBLT are described in the theoretical literature. This paper is favour of Bygate, Skehan and Swain’s core definition of a task: a task is an activity which requires learners to use language, with emphasis on meaning, to attain an objective (2001, p. 11).
The paper also considers the utilization of task-based language teaching, which is a logical development of communicative language teaching (Willis, 1996) from the pedagogical perspective. Many researchers and English practitioners within the task-based area have made very considerable methodological progress within the last fifteen years or so.
In addition, this paper presents a useful way of applying a practical model of TBLT (the Willis: 1996 model) in TEFL classes. Part one gives the theoretical background; part two describes the basic steps used in this model for teaching language; and part three discusses the strong form and weak forms of the TBLT practical model in the academic context.

Keywords:

Teaching English as a foreign language, task-based language teaching, task-based approach, practical model, communicative activity.