任务型教学法在阅读教学中的应用.doc

闽江学院
本科毕业论文
题 目The Application of Task-Based Language
Teaching Method in Reading Class
学生姓名 李 晶
学 号 120090201215
系 别 外语系
年 级 09 级
专 业 英语(师范)本科
指导教师 李旭清
职 称 副教授
完成日期 2013年5月31日

闽江学院毕业论文诚信声明书

本人郑重声明：
兹提交的毕业论文 “The Application of Task-Based Language Teaching Method in Reading Class”，是本人在指导老师 李旭清 的指导下独立研究、撰写的成果；论文未剽窃、抄袭他人的学术观点、思想和成果，未篡改研究数据，论文中所引用的文字、研究成果均已在论文中以明确的方式标明；在毕业论文工作过程中，本人恪守学术规范，遵守学校有关规定，依法享有和承担由此论文产生的权利和责任。

声明人（签名）：
2013年5月 31 日

摘 要

任务型教学法在现今的英语阅读教学中的运用十分广泛，它强调以学生为中心，鼓励学生在课堂上充分的发挥主观能动性，这种以学生为主，教师为辅，将各种任务贯穿于教学过程当中的新兴阅读课堂有效地弥补了传统阅读教学当中的一些不足之处。有些学生惧怕阅读课，因为在阅读过程中，太多的难词生词使他们望而却步，从而丧失了阅读的耐心与信心。任务型教学法不倡导“灌输式”的学习方法，它强调让学生在实践当中获取知识，因此在阅读过程中，教师不仅仅只是让学生看完一篇文章，而是通过让学生完成一系列任务来帮助阅读理解，这种获取知识的途径有时候是潜移默化的，但是却能有效帮助学生记忆枯燥的语言知识点，从而大大提高了学生学习的积极性、主动性与参与性，使得原本枯燥无味的阅读课变得生动有趣。

关键词：任务型教学法；英语阅读教学 ；主动性与参与性

Abstract

Task-Based Language Teaching Method is widely used in the present English reading teaching. It emphasizes the student-centered principle, which encourages students to make full use of the subjective initiative in class. Task-Based Language Teaching Method is given priority to students and teachers play subsidiary roles. There will be a variety of tasks throughout the teaching process of creative reading class, which effectively compensate for the disadvantages of traditional reading teaching .Meanwhile, some students are afraid of reading class, because in the process of reading ,too many new words and difficult language issues make them lost patience and confidence. Task-Based Language Teaching Method does not advocate the “force-feeding” learning method, but it emphasizes that students should obtain knowledge from practice. So in the process of reading, teachers not only let students read an article and explain the meaning, but also let them complete a series of tasks to help in reading comprehension. This way to acquire knowledge is sometimes subtle ,but it can effectively help students memorize boring language points ,thus greatly improve the students’ learning enthusiasm, initiative and participation, which makes originally dull reading class lively and interesting.

Key words: Task-Based Language Teaching Method; English reading teaching; initiative and participation

Contents
1. Introduction 1
2. Task-Based Language Teaching Method 1
2.1 The Definition of Task-Based Language Teaching Method 1
2.2 The Differences between Traditional Teaching Methods And Task-Based Language Teaching Method in Reading Class 2
2.2.1 Different Teaching Purpose 2
2.2.2 Different Teaching Process 2
2.2.3 Different Teaching Achievements 2
2.3 Task Design 3
2.3.1 The Definition of A Task 3
2.3.2 Components of A Task in Reading Class 3
2.4 The Principles of Applying Task-Based Language Teaching Method in Reading Class 4
2.4.1 Clear Goal And Systematic Process 4
2.4.2 Correlation And Step by Step 4
2.4.3 Flexibility 5
2.4.4 All-Round Abilities 5
2.4.5 “The Student-Centered Principle” 5
3. The Application of Task-Based Language Teaching Method in Reading class 5
3.1 Preparation Stage 5
3.2 Implementation Stage 6
3.3Consolidation Stage 7
4. Teaching Plan Design 8
5. Conclusion 13
References 14
Acknowledgements 15

The Application of Task-Based Language Teaching Method in Reading Class

1. Introduction
Reading teaching is a focus of English language teaching. Teachers as well as their appropriate teaching methodologies play very important roles in English reading teaching, which makes it possible for learners to form proper reading habits and master superior reading skills. However, the traditional reading teaching method cannot always adapt to the current teaching situation and sometimes cannot follow the developments of the students’ comprehensive qualities. “With the direction of new curriculum standard, teachers should bear in mind that both teaching methodologies and processes must emphasize the principles of “learner-centered” and “learning-centered” to promote students’ self-realization and active development. ”[1](P.29) Thus, in order to fulfill the goal, Task-Based Language Teaching Method is proposed.

2. Task-Based Language Teaching Method
2.1 The Definition of Task-Based Language Teaching Method
Task-Based Language Teaching Method is a teaching method that aims to make learners accomplish a series of given tasks in the process of language teaching. “Forster (1999) considers TBLT as a methodology in which teachers give students tasks to complete instead of teaching them language items, and provide them with a natural language learning environment to achieve better outcomes.”[2] (P.1) According to John Dewey (1859), Task-Based Language Teaching Method is actually a process of “learning by doing”, which means students should obtain knowledge through practice. However, Task-Based Language Teaching Method must be promoted under teachers’ guidance to cultivate students' comprehensive language using abilities through their perception, experience, practice, participation and cooperation so as to enhance students’ comprehensive abilities.
.
2.2 The Differences between Traditional Teaching Methods And Task-Based Language Teaching Method in Reading Class
2.2.1 Different Teaching Purpose
In traditional English reading class, the major target is to make students familiar with language items such as new words and grammatical structures .However, “one of the basic ideas of new curriculum standard emphasizes that “It is important to enhance students’ abilities of collecting and processing information , improve their analysis and problem solving skills according to their cognitive characteristics and learning development needs ,and create necessary conditions for students’ further learning and development.” [3] (P.22) Therefore, Task-Based Language Teaching Method not only requires students to understand the basic language knowledge, but also needs teachers to exercise students’ reading abilities and strategies to foster their superior all-round abilities.
2.2.2 Different Teaching Process
In traditional English reading class, teachers usually explain meaning of the new words, analyze the grammatical structures ,and translate the whole text and students are demanded to recite all knowledge automatically .In this process, teachers always play a leading role. But if teachers adopt Task-Based Language Teaching Method in reading class ,the teaching procedure is distinct .Teacher may ask students to do some researches or teachers may organize some relative activities so as to let students know the background information about the passage. Then students read the passage and finish a series of relative tasks independently so in this process teachers are just organizers but students play a leading role.
2.2.3 Different Teaching Achievements
In traditional English reading class, students may only learn basic language knowledge, but it’s much more difficult for them to remember all of the language knowledge by rote learning because English is not their mother tongue and they may lack motivation gradually. But with Task-Based Language Teaching Method, an independent learning environment is created, which to a great extent stimulate students learning initiative, intensify the sense of participation and also make it easier to understand and master language knowledge.
In conclusion, presenting or explaining takes a large proportion in traditional methods of reading teaching. “But a potential problem with explanations is that they can be highly intellectually challenging, thus making them inaccessible to many learners. This inaccessibility can be heightened by the use of linguistic words like noun, adverb, noun phrase-which some learners will simply not have come across before.” [4] (P.237) So it is necessary to promote Task-Based Language Teaching Method in reading class to solve this problem.
2.3 Task Design
Task design is a key part of Task-Based Language Teaching Method. Whether the tasks designed by teachers are practicable and effective or not will directly affect the schedules and the outcomes of the reading class. Therefore, teachers should take students’ characters and differences into consideration and then design proper tasks carefully.
2.3.1 The Definition of A Task
“According to Long (1985:89) a task is a piece of work undertaken for oneself or for others, freely or for some reward.” [5](P.27)
“Willis (1996:23) defined that tasks are activities where the target language is used by the learner for a communicative purpose (goal) in order to achieve an outcome.” [5](P.27)
Actually, a task is something that learners are required to do a series of things which is arranged in advance in order to fulfill some goals.
2.3.2 Components of A Task in Reading Class
“Clark, Scarino and Brownell (1994:40) believe that a task has four main components: a purpose, a context, a process and a product.” [4](P.28)
a. “A Purpose” [5](P.28): before reading class, students should know what they are hoped to achieve. For example, they should know some new words through reading passage or get the main point of the passage rather than just do some activities without learning anything.
b. “A Context” [5](P.28): it means that the tasks should be carried out under some special setting. For example, the passage is talking about a story that happened in a restaurant. Then the teacher may ask students to hold a roll playing games and to simulate customers and waiters to act a drama. In this way, we can say the teacher organize the task with a context.
c. “A Process” [5](P.28):it means the stage of the tasks which should be arranged by teachers in advance .Under teachers guidance , students can know when and what they should do in every stage of a reading class.
d. “A Product” [5](P.28) : it means the outcome or achievements .Teachers should examine what students learn from the tasks and judge whether more explainations or tasks should be done to consolidate the teaching results.
2.4 The Principles of Applying Task-Based Language Teaching Method in Reading Class
There are several principles which are related to effective reading teaching by using Task-Based Language Teaching Method .Teachers must pay attention to the principles and make sure the reading teaching can go on smoothly and efficiently.
2.4.1 Clear Goal And Systematic Process
Teachers should make sure the teaching goal, be familiar with the content of reading materials, distinguish the difficult and important issues, and thus set up a systematic teaching arrangement of tasks and teaching process to insure an organized teaching process. “Today’s education trend emphasize on personalized education.” [6](P74)So, when design the teaching goals and teaching process, teachers should take students’ personalized education into consideration and teach them according to their aptitude.
2.4.2 Correlation And Step by Step
Class tasks cannot be out of teaching materials and should be designed on the basis of teaching materials as extension .Therefore, correlation requires the tasks designed by teachers should be related to the context of the reading materials. At the same time, according to “The Task-Dependency and The Task Chain Principle,” [7] (P.125) teachers should respect the differences of students’ development and follow the rules of development of students’ ability when they design the tasks. The tasks should be from easy to difficult, which can offer different level students opportunities to practice and develop.

2.4.3 Flexibility
Under the situation of Task-Based Language Teaching Method, we regard teachers as “managers” [8](P.89) whose duty is “manage or administrate students’ learning activities effectively.” [8](P.89)Although we advocate the Task-Based Language Teaching Method in reading class, it doesn’t mean that any other teaching methods are prohibited. So, teachers should be flexible enough to adjust the teaching strategies if the Task-Based Language Teaching Method is inappropriate on some occasions in order to get better outcomes.
2.4.4 All-Round Abilities
“Teachers should pay equal attention to both knowledge and skills to develop students’ comprehensive skills.” [9] (P.182) For one thing, teachers should pass on language knowledge to students. For another, teachers should enlighten their imagination, creation and effective reading strategies to cultivate their all-round abilities.

2.4.5 “The Student-Centered Principle” [10](P174)
Teaching activities should focus on students’ requirement and development. “Long (1998) has argued that the tasks should be chosen according to learner needs.”[11] (P.54) The content of the task should be chosen according to the levels of knowledge of students and the rules of tasks should be simple. In addition, more opportunities of language practice should be given to students and the student-centered principle should be followed.

3. The Application of Task-Based Language Teaching Method in Reading class
I divided it into three stages: preparation stage, implementation stage and consolidation stage.
3.1 Preparation Stage
Different from the traditional reading class, Task-Based Language Teaching Method requires “teachers to change teaching ideas and try their best to change their roles from those who passively accept curriculum objectives and fixed teaching methods to the designers of the class activities”. [12] (P.224) So, in this stage, it’s important for teachers to know teaching goals and make full use of appropriate ways to stimulate students’ learning enthusiasm. Teachers must do the following :
(1) Teachers must study teaching materials carefully, set up the teaching goals and make sure the teaching props are available in order to keep teaching process going on smoothly.
(2) Let students to do some research which is interrelated to target materials to let them understand the background information and stimulate their learning interest. In this stage, tasks should be simple enough to enhance the self-confidence of students.
(3) Before reading the target passage, teachers can guide students to review some learned knowledge or lead in new lessons by using some activities to draw their attention rather than let them read the passage directly. For example, it is generally used to ask some questions to draw students’ attention, like “What did you