Types of Tasks for Learning

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1. real-world tasks

Designed to emphasize those skills that learners need to have so they can function in the real world; such tasks simulate authentic task behavior and focus on end product. These are tasks which use authentic materials and situations. Learners are required to approximate, in class, the sorts of behaviors required of them in the world beyond the classroom (Nunan, 2004).

1.1. Rehearsal Task: helps learner to practice something they are going to need to do outside the classroom. These tasks are not like real world task or target task, but they are adapted to classroom conditions for teaching purposes. For Example: Write your resume and exchange it with a partner, Study the positions available advertisements in the newspaper and find three that would be suitable for your partner. Then compare your choices and decide on the best option (Nunan, 2004).

1.2 Activation Tasks: are not connected to real world tasks. They simply activate all language skills. In performing this type of tasks, learners create and manipulate language that is not available in textbooks. Here is a good example of activation tasks: Work with three other students. You are on a ship that is sinking. You have to swim to a nearby island. You have a waterproof container, but can only carry 20 kilos of items in it. Decide which of the following items you will take (Nunan, 2004).

• Axe (8 kilos)

• Cans of food (500 grams each)

• Bottles of water (1.5 kilos each)

• Short-wave radio (12 kilos)

• Firelighting kits (500 grams each)

• Notebook computer (3.5 kilos)

2. pedagogical tasks

Acts like a bridge between the classroom and the real world in that they serve to prepare students for real-life language usage. In pedag...

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...ir courses by traditional approaches. This article investigate the effects of Task based teaching two different methods of teaching, communicational method and non-communicational method, on the success of students. The findings of the research show that Task-based way of teaching has a significant effect on the success of students like the communicational method. The research also revealed that the sense of responsibility in treatment group was developed. (Abdolrahimzadeh J.A., 1998)

Sabzavi (2005) as an experimental method, investigated the effect of Task-based teaching in vocabulary learning between Girl`s students in an English institute in Tehran during one term. The results show that the treatment group had a better performance than the control group (Sabzavi, 2005).the treatment group is taught by Task based teaching and control group by traditional approach.

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