The Role of the Teacher in Task Based Languague Learning and Teaching

The role of the teacher in TBLT can be examined in light of Willis’ (1996) framework for task-based teaching and learning. During each phase of the task framework, the teacher also has a particular role to play, which keeps changing based on the different goals of each phase. During the pre-task stage, a teacher introduce the task and primes the learners. At this stage, he/she can also provide important background information to scaffold the students’ learning. New vocabulary or phrases may be introduced, but the main purpose of the pre-task stage is to prepare the students and draw their attention to the task and subject at hand (Willis, 1996). This pre-task stage occurs at the beginning or during introduction of the lesson, or even during the previous lesson. In the TBLT lesson, it is important for a teacher to scaffold the material for L2 learners.

Scaffolding refers to providing assistance to the learner to accomplish a task that they could not accomplish individually (Ellis, 2003). In TBLT, scaffolding often involves providing information that the learners may need in order to successfully complete the task. During the introduction or pre-task phase of the lesson, the teacher may need to provide the students with additional information beyond the task directions to lead to a successful completion of the lesson.

According to Aliakbari and Jamalvandi (2012), this pre-task stage can also consist of small activities that prepare learners for the main task. This phase can be a balancing act for the teacher as he/she attempts to avoid overloading the students and negatively affecting the beginning of the task (Van Avermaet, et al., 2006).

At this point in planning, the teacher should be aware of the students and ...

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...e role of the teacher is dynamic and ever-changing across the task cycle and this stage is no exception.

Willis (1996) recognizes that teachers are faced with a twofold responsibility: providing learners with opportunities to use the target language for real communicative purposes, while ensuring that they pay attention to language form. Thus, the main goal that teachers are faced with is increasing the focus on both form and meaning. In the final stage, the report cycle, learners execute their oral/written presentation and the teacher is responsible for acting as a chairperson, summarizing each presentation. Focus on meaning rather than form was a fundamental element of beginnings of TBLT, yet recent SLA research supports the importance of the teaching of form to lead to more more effective instruction and thus, improved L2 learning (Van den Branden,

2006).