Pedagogic Tasks
In task based language teaching, tasks need to be selected according to some reasonable logic. As per definitions of Willis and Willis (2007), any real-life task can be used in the classroom to teach language. Such tasks used in the classroom to teach language are called 'Pedagogic Tasks'.
How are Pedagogic Tasks selected?
Long (2014, p.234) proposes a step by step procedure to design a syllabus based on the principles of Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT). As per this procedure, a Needs Analysis sets of this process. Once the linguistic needs the learner has to perform in the real-world are identified, Target Tasks are defined. Target tasks are the tasks the learner has to perform in the real-world. Then these target tasks are classified at a more abstract level to as target task types, so that they form a kind of generic task-types to be used in classroom. This is important as the learners within classrooms may not always be homogeneous in their needs and/or abilities. It is after this stage, that Pedagogic Tasks are derived. Pedagogic tasks are simpler versions or parts of the larger target tasks. Gradually the complexity of pedagogic tasks are increased. In the final stage, the pedagogic task complexity will reach he level of complexity of target tasks.
How Pedagogic Tasks are Simplified
Pedagogic tasks are simplified versions of target tasks. They can be simplified using multiple ways. One is by limiting the content/language required for task completion. For example, if the target task is 'making online reservations', one can start with a simpler task of 'filling personal details in a form'. Another way is to divide the target task into many sub-tasks and doing them one by one. The final task or the 'exit task' in the module must be the most complex task, or a task that is on par with the target task in terms of task complexity.
References
Long, M. (2014). Second Language Acquisition and Task-Based Language Teaching. Wiley Blackwell. Chichester.
Willis, D. & Willis, J., (2007). Doing Task Based Teaching. Oxford University Press. Oxford
In task based language teaching, tasks need to be selected according to some reasonable logic. As per definitions of Willis and Willis (2007), any real-life task can be used in the classroom to teach language. Such tasks used in the classroom to teach language are called 'Pedagogic Tasks'.
How are Pedagogic Tasks selected?
Long (2014, p.234) proposes a step by step procedure to design a syllabus based on the principles of Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT). As per this procedure, a Needs Analysis sets of this process. Once the linguistic needs the learner has to perform in the real-world are identified, Target Tasks are defined. Target tasks are the tasks the learner has to perform in the real-world. Then these target tasks are classified at a more abstract level to as target task types, so that they form a kind of generic task-types to be used in classroom. This is important as the learners within classrooms may not always be homogeneous in their needs and/or abilities. It is after this stage, that Pedagogic Tasks are derived. Pedagogic tasks are simpler versions or parts of the larger target tasks. Gradually the complexity of pedagogic tasks are increased. In the final stage, the pedagogic task complexity will reach he level of complexity of target tasks.
How Pedagogic Tasks are Simplified
Pedagogic tasks are simplified versions of target tasks. They can be simplified using multiple ways. One is by limiting the content/language required for task completion. For example, if the target task is 'making online reservations', one can start with a simpler task of 'filling personal details in a form'. Another way is to divide the target task into many sub-tasks and doing them one by one. The final task or the 'exit task' in the module must be the most complex task, or a task that is on par with the target task in terms of task complexity.
References
Long, M. (2014). Second Language Acquisition and Task-Based Language Teaching. Wiley Blackwell. Chichester.
Willis, D. & Willis, J., (2007). Doing Task Based Teaching. Oxford University Press. Oxford
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