Speaker
Description
Abstract
Task-based approach or task-based language teaching encourages language learners to use the target language to fulfill communicative tasks related to real-life activities. Although many studies have been done regarding effects of task-based approach on learners’ grammar performance, few studies have explored learners’ perceptions towards using task-based approach in teaching grammar. This research focuses on the students’ challenges relevant to learning grammar through this method, and some potential solutions are suggested as a first step to improve the positive effects of task-based approach in teaching grammar. Through questionnaires with 61 respondents and semi-structured interviews with 8 participants who are first-year English majored students at a university, this study finds that majority of the students acknowledge the merits of this method in giving them a chance to use the grammar point through a meaningful task and an opportunity to revise their work after the teacher’s review, which helps enhance the grammar knowledge. The study reports challenges associated with insufficient explicit instructions and task complication. It is recommended that explicit instructions and other methods or more activities should be integrated within task-based frameworks. This paper also suggests that grammar tasks should be well-designed so that the students can find the tasks more interesting and fairer. These findings contribute to further research on designing tasks for grammar classes to enhance the effectiveness of task-based approach in teaching and learning grammar at the university first.
Keywords: Task-based approach; grammar; perceptions; challenges; solutions
Biography
Mr. Trương Phú Sỹ is currently a lecturer of English at Faculty of Foreign Languages, Van Lang University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; he mainly teaches 4 English language skills and business English. He holds an M.A in TESOL from Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia. He has over 20 years of teaching English to Vietnamese learners of many levels, including English-majored students. His research interests include teaching language skills, discourse analysis and business English.
