The Application of Task-based Approach to Oral English Teaching in Senior High School

The Application of Task-based Approach to Oral English Teaching in Senior High School
任务型教学在高中英语口语教学中的运用

Abstract
English Language Education English Education

Since the twentieth century, English has become an essential tool for communication with the development of communication among the nations in the world. The modern society needs people who have the capability of speaking good English, but the average level of oral English among Chinese students is very low. So it is important to cultivate students’ ability to use English for communication.
Since the issuance of the National English Curriculum Standard (NECS), it has brought about a series reforms in our English education. The NESC calls for carrying on the Task-based Approach (TBA) in English education to cultivate the students’ comprehensive mastering of the English language.
The TBA was put forward in 1980s, with the start of respecting the language as a communicative tool, which advocates the simulation of a communication scene in the class to facilitate the students’ language practices under concrete targets.
There has been a boom in literatures concerning the TBA. This thesis emphasizes the practice of TBA in senior high school oral English course and intends to explore the employment of TBA with the comprehension of its essence, problems to be solved in this thesis included: the essential theory of TBA, the employment of TBA in English education practice, the merit contained and problems raised in the process of practice.
The thesis comprises of five parts excluded.
Part one is the instruction of the thesis which mainly is background, construct and survey of research developments on TBA.
Part two is the theoretical background of TBA which introduces the “Task”, the meaning of TBA and
Part three is the Application of TBA to Oral English Teaching in Senior High Schools, which is the main body of the thesis. This part excluded Goals of TBA, principles of Task Designing and the roles of teachers in TBA, processes of TBA.
Part four devises a case of TBA in oral course in senior high school to illustrate the frame work of TBA practice and points out problems raised in TBA practice and delivers solutions and suggestions accordingly in an attempt to provide theoretical supports and practical suggestions to facilitate the TBA practice.
Part five is the conclusion of the thesis.

Key words: task task-based approach oral English

CONTENTS
Abstract I
Introduction 1
1.1 Background 1
1.2Construct of the study 2
1.3 TBA Researches at Home and Abroad. 3
Chapter One Rationale Relative to Task-based language teaching 6
1.1 Definition of the basic concept 6
1.1.1 Definition of task 6
1.1.2 Definition of TBA 7
1.2 Types of TBA 9
1.3 Advantages and weakness of TBA 10
1.3.1 Advantages of TBA 10
1.3.2 weakness of TBA 12
1.4Theoretical foundations of TBA 12
1.4.1 Language Acquisition Theory 12
1.4.2 Social Constructive Learning Theory 14
1.4.3 Curriculum Theory 17
Chapter Two The Application of TBA to Oral English Teaching in Senior High Schools 18
2.1 Goals of a task-based oral class 18
2.1.1 Accuracy 18
2.1.2 Comprehensive level 18
2.1.3 Fluency 19
2.2 Principles of Task Designing 20
2.2.1 The authenticity principle 20
2.2.2The form-function principle 21
2.2.3 The task dependency principle 21
2.2.4 Learning by doing 21
2.2.5 Scaffolding 22
2.3 The roles of teachers in TBA 22
2.2.1 Teachers’ roles as task designers 22
2.2.2 Teachers’ roles as participants 23
2.2.3 Teachers’ roles as evaluators 24
2.4 Processes of TBA 24
2.4.1 Pre-task 25
2.4.2 Task-cycle 25
2.4.3 Language focus 26
Chapter Two An Experimental Study on TBA in Senior High School 27
3.1 Aims and Hypothesis of the Experiment 27
3.1.1 Aim of the Experiment 27
3.1.2 Hypothesis of the Experiment 27
3.2 Case Organizations 27
3.2.1 Subjects of the Case 27
3.2.2Topic: Friendship (Unit 1 SEFC 1B) 27
3.2.3 Aims and Modes of Task Completion 28
3.2.4 Modes of Task Completion 28
3.2.5 Teaching procedure 29
3.2.6 Self-Evaluation 34
3. 3 Problems Existed 34
3.3.1 Lack of Specific Teaching Material 35
3.3.2 Socially Inactive Obstacles of students 35
3.3.3 Lack of various modes and being over-emphasized the oral aspect 35
3.3.4 The process and essence of tasks being mistaken. 36
3.3.5 Examination-oriented Education System 36
3.4 Measures to improve TBA 37
3.4.1 Notice of individual differences 37
3.4.2 The teachers play an active leading role 37
3.4.3 A perfect way of correction 37
3.4.3 Actively to create a good environment 38
3.4.4 create Specific Teaching Material 38
Conclusion 39
References 42
Appendices 46
Acknowledgement 48