Implementing Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT) through Giving a Task to Activate Students’ Participation in Speaking English

 ORIGIN

Among four English skills, the mastery of speaking skill in English is an ultimate skill for foreign language learners. Consequently, learners often evaluate their success in language learning as well as the effectiveness of their English course on the basis of how much they feel the improvement of their spoken language proficiency.

Speaking is considered as a core skill for communication. English is the international language today for surviving in this globalization era. Moreover, based on the newly introduced curriculum “Kurikulum 2013”, students should be prepared for Open Trading in Asia Zone, especially by mastering English speaking competence.

However, it is still found that many students are reluctant to speak during the learning process in the class. There are several reasons such as the students’ lack of English speaking exposure from their environment. Moreover, English is not used outside the classroom. According to Murcia (2001:110), mostly in large classes, students tend to have little or no opportunity to speak English in the class. Students use their first language and tend to discuss outside the subject they are learning for. Based on www.teachingenglish.org.uk (2002), students who are not provided opportunity to speak in the classroom will directly lack of motivation as well as their interest in learning English. Therefore, teacher should find an appropriate approach to built students’ motivation and give more opportunity to speak.  

One of the approaches to stimulate students to speak in the class is Task-Based Language Teaching. According to Richards, et.al (2001:223), Task-Based Language Teaching refers to an approach using tasks as the ultimate aspect of all activities in learning process. In this approach, all the activities will be involved in a real communication. Teacher gives a task to lead students in a real communication, to provide student-centered learning model, and to encourage students to use language creatively. By giving an interesting task, Task-Based Language Teaching gives abundant opportunity to communicate while students are working to complete the task. By interacting to each other, students are facilitated to speak more. At the end, students will get accustomed to speak English in the class (Freeman, 2000:144).

This article gives explanation how to activate students’ participation in class by giving a task. Consequently, this article discusses the benefits of TBLT in teaching speaking, teaching procedures of TBLT and the reflection of TBLT.

The benefits of TBLT

Different from old-teaching style in which teacher as the source of knowledge, in this method teacher has a role only as a facilitator while students will be the actors and work together to achieve the learning outcomes and improve their speaking skill. Based on Freeman (2000:144), this method will give some benefits as follows: (1) students will be stimulated to speak and have abundant opportunity to speak, (2) Students comprehend and practice the knowledge through doing the task in their own way, (3) Students will feel enjoy the class since it provides an interesting media, (4) Students will get a lot of exposure while they are interacting and listening each other and (5) Students are able to practice negotiation (connecting between their background knowledge and new information) through solving the problem or task given.

In order to create an effective method, teacher needs to decide the interesting topic that can built students’ motivation to learn. Moreover, teacher has to find out the appropriate media for supporting Task-based Learning in the class. The task that will be given to the students belongs to interchange activities. Based on Nunan (2004: 103), Interchange activities are working with group in which it involves information sharing to promote real communication among the students.

As a result, a task, along with its media and activities, is a great and successful method for improving students’ participation. Through giving a task, students are required to collect and share different information to reach a decision. Students will gain or practice knowledge in their own way. Finally, the class will be immensely dynamic and interesting.

TBLT Teaching Procedures

Teaching speaking through Task-Based Leaning Teaching involves three teaching activities: (1) pre-teaching activities, (2) whilst-teaching activities, and (4) post-teaching activities. This method will be suitable for first grade students at Senior High School.

Pre – Teaching Activities

1. Giving brainstorming (What will you do if you have a holiday?)                 
2. Stating the learning outcomes. Giving explanation what the activities that the students are going to do.
3. Inviting the students to imagine that they are going to have much money, and they have a plan to visit some countries in the world.
4. Showing a video about “The World’s Top 10 Most Beautiful Country”

Whilst – Teaching

1. Grouping students. Students will find their own group by doing the task. In part 1, students are asked to find their friend who has the same destination. Then, they will be in a group with a same destination.
2. Asking students to work with group. Students discuss and decide which country they are going to visit, the living cost, the hotel, and places by seeing the Travel brochure first. (teacher has already provide some brochure, or students are permitted to seek other resources) 
3. Asking students to present their work in front of the class.
4. Giving the students opportunity to ask some questions.       

Post – Teaching Activities     

1. Asking students to tell what they have already known by giving some questions orally. 
2. Distribute self-assessment.

           

The Reflection of TBLT Teaching Procedures

In the teaching practice, this method will be an effective and interesting method to activate students’ participation in a class by doing the task. This method provides worksheet, media and self-assessment. Seeing the pre-teaching activities, students unconsciously speak with their friend by going around the class and asking their friends. In this process, it is used to lead students to the lesson by having brainstorming. Besides, the topic chosen tells about “Holiday”, this topic will be interesting enough to discuss for students. Teacher provides not only interesting topic but also creative media such as video. In the whilst-teaching, it is beneficial for getting students’ attention as well as giving a real description by showing a video. Students are expected to have concrete understanding what country or places that they are going to visit. Additionally, after making a group, students will work with their group to discuss their destination, book a hotel, book a ticket and places. This activity will promote students’ participation in a group. Moreover, students will present their work in front of the class as well as they will have question and answer section. In the post-teaching, it is important to evaluate students’ understanding. Teacher will give a self-assessment for each student to know the learning reflection in which teacher can assess how successful the method given is.

Conclusion

Since English is a foreign language for student, it is immensely important for teacher to develop innovative method especially for teaching speaking. Students will tend to be passive in class if the teacher is not able to provide an attractive media or even an interesting task. In this case, by implementing Task-based Learning Teaching in a class, it can stimulate students to speak in a real communication. Students will speak unconsciously through doing a task. Moreover, students have much time to speak with their friend through group discussion. As a result, a well-prepared media and technique through implementing Task-based Learning Teaching will enhance students’ participation in speaking English.

References

Nunan, David. 2004. Task-Based Language Teaching, A Comprehensively Revised Edition of Designing Task for the Communicative Classroom. (1^st ed.) (pp.4). Newyork: Cambridge University Press.

Freeman,  Diane L. 2000. Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. (2^nd ed.) (pp.144-155). Newyork: Cambridge University Press.

Murcia, Celce M. 2001. Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Langauge. (3^rd ed.) (pp.110). Newyork: Heinle & Heinle.

Richards, Jack.C and Rodgers, Theodore S. 2001. Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching. (1^st ed.) (pp. 223-243) Newyork: Cambridge University Press.

Teaching English British Council. 2002. Teaching speaking skills 2 - overcoming classroom problems. Availabale at http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/task-based-speaking (Accessed on 9 April 2014).

Wednesday, May 20, 2020