任务型教学在高中的运用.doc

中图分类号：G427
学号：12004110610

南阳师范学院

本科毕业论文

论文题目：
任务型教学在高中英语课堂教学中的运用
作 者：

指导教师：
副教授
学 院：
外 国 语 学 院
专 业：
英 语
班 级：

二〇一六 年 三 月

任务型教学在高中英语课堂
教学中的运用

南阳师范学院
外国语学院
英语专业
申请文学学士学位
毕业论文

作 者：

指导教师：

On Application of the Task-based Teaching in the English Class of High School

A Thesis Submitted to
English Department,
School of Foreign Languages,
Nanyang Normal University
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts

By

Supervisor：

Acknowledgements

On the accomplishment of my thesis, I would like to show my sincere gratitude to all those whose warmth and suggestions have made this thesis possible.
My deepest gratitude goes foremost to my tutor Professor Wang Jidong who gave me constant encouragement and useful instructions. He has walked me through all the stages during the writing of this thesis. Without his valuable advice and quick corrections, this thesis could not have kept the right direction.

摘 要

本论文的研究对象是河南省一所高级中学的高一学生。实验分成实验组和对照组，实验组采用任务型教学法，对照组则采用传统的教学方法，时间为一个学期，并且在实验后对实验组学生进行问卷调查。本研究的目的在于回答以下两个问题：与传统教学法相比，任务型教学法在高中英语课堂教学中的运用是否可以提高学生对英语的学习兴趣和学生的综合语言运用能力。通过对实验数据横向和纵向的对比和分析，得出结论：任务型教学法在高中英语课堂教学中的运用能够提高学生对英语的学习兴趣和学生的综合语言运用能力。

关键词：高中英语课堂教学；任务型教学法；运用与思考

Abstract

The students in one senior high school in Henan province were the research subjects of this thesis. The experiment was divided into two classes, experimental class and controlled class. The experimental class applied the Task-based Teaching Approach while the controlled class applied the traditional teaching method. The experiment time was one semester. After the experiment, the author conducted a questionnaire survey to the students in the experimental class. The aim of this research are as follows: compared with the traditional teaching method, whether the application of the Task-based Teaching Approach in the English class of high school can increase students’ English learning interests and improve their overall language ability. The author received the conclusion of the experiment by comparing and analyzing the data breadthwise and lengthwise. It is found that the application of the Task-based Teaching Approach in the English class of high school can increase students’ English learning interests and improve their overall language ability.

Key Words: senior high school English teaching; Task-based Teaching Approach; application and thinking

Contents

Acknowledgements I
摘要 II
Abstract III
Contents IV
1. Introduction 1
1.1 Background of the Research 1
1.2 Significance of the Research 2
2. The General Conception of the Task-based Teaching Approach 3
2.1 The Definition of Task 3
2.2 The Key Characteristics of the Task-based Teaching Approach 5
2.3 The Model of the Task-based Teaching Approach 6
3. Theoretical Foundation 8
3.1 Social Constructivism 8
3.2 The Second Language Acquisition 9
3.2.1 The Input Hypothesis 10
3.2.2 The Interactive Hypothesis 10
4. Experiment 11
4.1 Subjects 11
4.2 Instruments 12
4.3 Empirical Research 12
4.3.1 Application of the Task-based Teaching Approach in English Class 12
4.3.2 Procedure 14
5. Reflection 16
5.1 Data Analysis 16
5.2 Discussion 17
6. Conclusion 19
Appendix 21
Bibliography 22
V
On Application of the Task-based Teaching in the English Class of High School
1. Introduction
1.1 Background of the Research
Our nation and society propose higher and newer demand to personnel training because of the gradually increasing position of English. To improve the English level of the whole race, we should attach more importance to learners and English classroom teaching. The quality education of our country emphasizes the cultivation of students' innovative spirit and practical competence. New English Curriculum Standards particularly emphasizes that teachers should attach great importance to the behavior of each student, stimulate their learning enthusiasm, assist them experience the sense of success and gain self-confidence in learning, and develop their overall language competence and creative spirit. [1:2-4].
However, in our country, for quite some time, the traditional PPP (presentation, practice and production) is the most universal English teaching approach of senior high school. The mechanical practice of language form and teachers’ authority in the class are overemphasized in this teaching method, but the cultivation of learners’ overall language ability and the important role of learners in the classroom teaching process are neglected. It is always believed “learners are pulled by teachers” a normal teaching form by most teachers. They just pay attention to cultivate students’ exam ability. As a result, learners’ learning interests gradually disappear and they cannot grasp the overall language ability well. Learning English becomes a burden for most English learners and they are tired of learning English. Consequently, a new teaching method is needed to be applied to change this situation.
A different teaching method named The Task-based Teaching Approach can change this situation in the present English teaching in senior high school. First, it not only emphasizes the students’ main character in the class, but also further emphasizes the cultivation of students’ overall language ability. Second, tasks that are closely related to students’ life are designed to arouse their interests to take an active part in the teaching activities. Third, not only language accuracy and fluency are emphasized in this teaching method, but also language form and language meaning are emphasized. Besides, it can not only stimulate learners’ learning initiative and develop their learning enthusiasm, but also make them grasp language. Consequently, it can achieve an education aim that is to facilitate students’ integrated development.
1.2 Significance of the Research
There are so far numerous researches on the Task-based Teaching Approach at home and abroad. However, how to combine this teaching method with the high school teaching material and the practical classroom teaching activities have not been fully studied. Consequently, it is not been fully proved that whether this teaching method can change our present teaching situation or not and whether it is suit for the practical teaching process or not.
This research has two significances. First, there are contributions for teaching theory. The author proposes her special ideas about the concrete implement procedures of the Task-based Teaching Approach combining practical situation based on the former study. Second, there are contributions for practical English classroom teaching. Many teachers can have a general comprehension of the Task-based Teaching Approach in theory and practice and enhance their teaching competence through this research.

2. The General Conception of the Task-based Teaching Approach
The Task-based Teaching Approach was originally proposed by an Indian scholar named Prabhu and he was regarded as the founder of the Task-based Teaching Approach. Prabhu emphasizes learning by doing. He believes the way of learning language is through communication and do and say things now so that as a result you will learn English [2:19].
Britain, America and so on English linguistics research field, which gained great development in the 1990s, are the main representatives on the research of the Task-based Teaching Approach. The Task-based Teaching Approach is widely used in language teaching and other different courses in Britain and America. It makes learners become the real masters of the classroom teaching and learners change from passive learning to active learning.
2.1 The Definition of Task
The Task-based Teaching Approach is a concrete teaching approach. It is very important to understand the definition of task for teachers. The understanding of the definition of task can help teachers to design teaching activities reasonably and ensure the teaching objectives. Now, exact definition of task has not been proposed by scholars. Different experts hold different ideas on the definition of task.
Prabhu [3:24] believes that task is an activity which demands students to acquire the results through some process of thinking and students can regulate and control that process. In his opinion, students' thinking process is indispensable. They must think seriously when they communicate with others. As a result, the teaching content of stimulating students to think should be considered when teachers design tasks or implement tasks.
According to Breen [4:23], a task refers to a series of work plans that will contribute to the overall goal of promoting language learning. It has a specific purpose, appropriate content, a specific working steps and a series of results. This definition is proposed from the language learning perspective.
As far as Nunan [5:8] is concerned, the communicative task is a class assignment which includes students’ understanding, operating, producing or interacting in the target language. During that process, learners’ attention is mainly concentrated on meaning rather than form.
Willis [6:23] believes that tasks are activities in which the target language is used by the students for a communicative aim so as to achieve a result. This definition is put forward from an objective perspective.
There are still common points among these definitions even though different experts present the definition of task from different perspectives. First, a task should be designed and finished based on the students’ current language level. Second, a task should be a classroom activity which has the aim of enabling students to think and making them use target language to communicate and obtain a result. In addition, a task should be designed to stimulate the learning interests of students, make them learn how to cooperate with others and take an active part in the classroom activities.
2.2 The Key Characteristics of the Task-based Teaching Approach
In order to use the Task-based Teaching Approach in our classroom teaching well, we should learn the key characteristics of the Task-based Teaching Approach.
In our country, Cheng Xiao Tang [7:16] present his ideas in his book Task-Based Approach in Language Teaching. In his opinion, the Task-based Teaching Approach should have the following characteristics:
“(1) Learning language through finishing tasks
(2) Emphasizing the reality of study activities and materials
(3) Learning activities are mainly focused on expressing meanings
(4) Emphasizing student-center, but not teacher-center
(5) Encouraging students to use language creatively
(6) Encouraging the connection between the classroom activities”
In short, task is a classroom activity which is designed to promote language learning through meaningful language use. Both the role of teachers and the role of students will change respectively in such an activity. Usually, teachers are “facilitators”. Therefore, tasks should be designed in which students can play the main role. Then their job is to monitor these activities and to make changes and adjustments properly during that process. As a result, students will become the main role of the class and affluent chances will be provided for them to participate in the activities and to use the language. Just as Skehan [8:26] says, Task-based Teaching Approach centers on making learners accomplish tasks through using the language learned. In order to finish tasks, Students will use all or any language they have learned. Consequently, feedback will also be provided for both teachers and students. For teachers, they can see the actual effect in the class and students’ language problems. For students, they can see the easiness of accomplishing a particular task and the things that they need to do to enhance their language level. Completing a special task can make them feel confident and pleased. At the same time, they will be encouraged into further study by the teachers’ smart guidance.
2.3 The Model of the Task-based Teaching Approach
The Task-based Teaching Approach is different from the traditional teaching approach PPP. It has its distinctive model. It stresses students’ main role in the class, the combination of language form and language meaning and the process of completing tasks.
According to Willis [6:38], the model of the Task-based Teaching Approach are pre-task, task-cycle and language focus. This opinion is proposed in her book A Framework for Task-based Learning.
During the pre-task process, in order to help students understand the task and make preparation for the task, teachers will introduce the topic and teaching objectives to students. What teachers work here is to stimulate students’ learning interests and to ensure students know what they will do next.
Task-cycle includes three sections: task, plan and report.
(1) Task. After the students have known what and how they should do, they perform the task. Teachers may take charge of two roles. For one thing, they are monitors. They must ensure that students communicate with others as much as possible in English and complete the task following the requirements of them. For another thing, they are knowledge source. When students need help, teachers should give language support to them.
(2) Plan. Students will make preparation for the reports after they have grasped the main information about the task. They prepare the reports by talking with others in English or writing in the paper. After that, a representative will be appointed to do the reports. Others should attach importance to both accuracy and fluency when the representatives do the reports towards the whole class. During that process, teachers should give proper guidance.
(3) Report. Every group makes its own report and they can also communicate their writing reports with each other and compare the outcomes. Evaluations can be given by teachers according to the result referring to accuracy and fluency.
Language focus means that after accomplishing the task, students should learn principal language points conscientiously under the guidance of teachers and do relevant exercises.
The model of the Task-based Teaching Approach is also studied in our country. Three stages of the Task-based Teaching Approach are proposed in Gong Yafu and Luo Shaoqian’s [9:31] book Task-Based Language Teaching. They are pre-task preparation, while-task process and post-task activity. The pre-task preparation part and post-task activity are almost like Willis’ pre-task section and task-cycle, while-t