Skip to main content
UploadLanguage (EN)Support
BusinessMobileSocial MediaMarketingTechnologyArt & PhotosCareerDesignEducationPresentations & Public SpeakingGovernment & NonprofitHealthcareInternetLawLeadership & ManagementAutomotiveEngineeringSoftwareRecruiting & HRRetailSalesServicesScienceSmall Business & EntrepreneurshipFoodEnvironmentEconomy & FinanceData & AnalyticsInvestor RelationsSportsSpiritualNews & PoliticsTravelSelf ImprovementReal EstateEntertainment & HumorHealth & MedicineDevices & HardwareLifestyle
m nagaRAJU, profile picture
Uploaded bym nagaRAJU
PPTX, PDF5,555 views

Activity Based Language Teaching

The document discusses designing a short-term course based on Activity Based Language Teaching (ABLT). It provides guidance on various aspects of course design including defining the rationale and expected outcomes, assessing needs, developing materials, integrating communication skills, choosing a methodology, and designing assessments. Sample activities are proposed such as information gap exercises, opinion exchanges, and problem-solving tasks to promote learner interaction and language use in meaningful contexts.

Education◦
Related topics:
Language Teaching Insights•
Downloaded 88 times
Designing a short-term course for Activity Based Language Teaching m nagaRAJU
Icebreaker  Reflect 1. your best academic strength 2. your best academic achievement 3. your major academic goal  List questions you ask someone to find these answers  Pair  Share with each other (2+2 minutes)  Present highlights to the class nagaRAJU
Discuss  Was it an activity/task?  Was it meaningful?  Was it related to real-life language use?  Did it involve communication?  Was there a pre-defined outcome?  Was the outcome measurable? nagaRAJU
Right or Wrong? 1. Activities that involve real communication are essential for language learning. 2. Activities in which language is used for carrying out meaningful tasks promote learning. 3. Language that is meaningful to the learner supports the learning process. 4. Fluency is a greater priority than accuracy in seond language learning situations. 5. Meaning is more imporant than form in second language learning situations. 6. Language cannot be learned by interacting communicatively. 7. Sequencing tasks according to their difficulty is a good pedagogic idea. nagaRAJU
Reflect!  Does instruction have an effect on second language learning?  Does syllabus have a bearing on learning a second language?  Is learner activity necessary for learning a second language?  Does one method allow more learner activity than another?  Should a course design include the choice of one language teaching method over another? nagaRAJU
Course Design Who does what with whom, with what resources, when, how long, how and why? (The way language competences are taught, learned, used and assessed) nagaRAJU
Who Designs a Course? • Who decides the expected outcomes? • Who designs a course?  the state / the university  professional materials developers  pre-published works adopted  the classroom teacher  the learner nagaRAJU
Designing a Course nagaRAJU Defining Course rationale Assessing needs Defining expected outcomes Formulating goals Developing pedagogic materials Integrating communication skills Sequencing contents Deciding methodology Designing assessmen t
Defining Course rationale Assessing needs Defining expected outcomes Formulating goals Developing pedagogic materials Integrating communication skills Sequencing contents Deciding methodology Designing assessmen t Course Rationale 1. Why a new course? 2. Pragmatic efficiency  economy of time and money  practical constraints in the situation 3.. Pedagogical efficiency • economy in the management of learning process • structured method of dealing with learning • how much and what kind of instruction nagaRAJU
Course Rationale MAPS 1. Measurable 2. Achievable 3. Personalized 4. Specific nagaRAJU
Defining Course rationale Assessing needs Defining expected outcomes Formulating goals Developing pedagogic materials Integrating communication skills Sequencing contents Deciding methodology Designing assessmen t Needs Assessment nagaRAJU  Communication Skills  Presentation Skills  Interpersonal Skills  Critical Thinking Skills  Personality Development  Leadership skills  Numeric Skills  IT Skills  Writing a CV or Résumé  Writing a Covering Letter  Writing an Effective LinkedIn Profile  Applying for a Job  Interview Skills A Course in Enhancing Employability Skills of Engineering Students:
Defining Course rationale Assessing needs Defining expected outcomes Formulating goals Developing pedagogic materials Integrating communication skills Sequencing contents Deciding methodology Designing assessmen t Expected Outcomes nagaRAJU  Upon completing the course, the students will be able to describe their career objective in a grammatically accurate English sentence  At the end of the course, the students will be able to give confident and frank answers to questions at job interviews  The students’ will effectively participate in career development workshops/seminars A Course in Enhancing Employability Skills of Engineering Students:
Defining Course rationale Assessing needs Defining expected outcomes Formulating goals Developing pedagogic materials Integrating communication skills Sequencing contents Deciding methodology Designing assessmen t Formulating Goals nagaRAJU  The course will identify and bridge the skill gaps and improve the student’s overall language competences  The communication and presentation skills of students will improve to meet the needs in their chosen fields  At least 75% students taking the Course will be more prepared to effectively compete and secure placements A Course in Enhancing Employability Skills of Engineering Students:
Defining Course rationale Assessing needs Defining expected outcomes Formulating goals Developing pedagogic materials Integrating communication skills Sequencing contents Deciding methodology Designing assessmen t Choice of Pedagogic Materials nagaRAJU  Learner proficiency & need  Learner interest  Frequency of occurrence  Teachability  Classroom usability  Coherence
Course Contents – Sample 1 1. My Strengths 2. Self Confidence 3. Team Work 4. SMART Goals 5. Time Management 6. Decision Making 7. e-learning 8. Body Language 9. Social Responsibility 10. Leadership nagaRAJU
Course Contents – Sample 2 1. Greetings 2. Questions 3. Enquiries 4. Directions 5. Instructions 6. Descriptions 7. Narrations 8. Suggestions 9. Agreements 10. Opinions nagaRAJU
Course Contents – Sample 3 Your English text book that is already in use nagaRAJU
Instructional Materials nagaRAJU - Books - Newspapers - Magazines - Worksheets - Radio programs - AV materials - TV - Internet
Sample Tools on the Web  www.calendar.google.com / www.facebook.com  www.audio-lingua.eu (personalized mp3 resources to listen online or download in order to practice the oral comprehension skill)  www.maps.google.com (to practice reading, writing and speaking skills as well as to develop visual literacy, and technical skills, easily adaptable for project based learning tasks)  www.verbling.com (classes for students to join and practice their English with other English speakers from different parts of the world)  www.film-english.com (innovative lesson plans revolving around the use of video and film to teach English language and promoting critical thinking)  www.ed.ted.com  www.teflvideos.com nagaRAJU
Exercise Choose a digital tool from the previous slide and incorporate it in the task that you have designed. nagaRAJU
Types of Classroom Tasks nagaRAJU Task Language activity Listing Brainstorming, fact-finding Ordering / sorting Sequencing, ranking, categorizing, classifying Comparing Matching, finding similarities / differences Problem solving Analysing real or hypothetical situations, reasoning, and decision making, advising, planning Sharing experiences Narrating, describing, exploring and explaining attitudes, opinions, reactions Creative tasks Discovering, analysing, problem solving, solving language puzzles
Defining Course rationale Assessing needs Defining expected outcomes Formulating goals Developing pedagogic materials Integrating communication skills Sequencing contents Deciding methodology Designing assessmen t Integrating Communication Skills  Pair/group/collaborative work  Information gaps  Opinion exchanges  Preference lines  Decision making tasks  Problem solving tasks  Collaborative jigsaws nagaRAJU
Information Gap Activities nagaRAJU Card A There are many different ways a teacher can be bad. Even an overall effective teacher may be ineffective in certain areas. A major part of a principal’s job is to identify which teachers are effective, which teachers need to improve, and which ones are ineffective and need to be dismissed. This process begins with an accurate teacher evaluation. Card B A principal has to identify 3 categories of teachers: Category One ………………………………. ………………………………. Category Two ……………………………….. ……………………………….. Category Three ……………………………….. ……………………………….. What is the initial step? ……………………………….. Think of another activity like this, using a grid. Choose a topic that students would find interesting. Brainstorm with your group and list your ideas. Practise in pairs. One student looks at Card A and the other at Card B.
Opinion Exchange Activities nagaRAJU  Opening discussion on what makes great people.  Ss look at a list of celebrities.  Who do you think is the most successful and why?  Describe your choice to your partner and explain your reasons.  After listening to partners, Ss may either hold on to their view or may change their choice.  Each pair justifies its choice to another pair.  Feedback and language review.
Preference Line Activities nagaRAJU Individual work; group work Promoting fluency; insisting on accuracy Assigning homework; avoiding homework Parents supporting children until they grow up; children becoming independent as soon as possible Extended families living together; generations living apart Love marriages; arranged marriages Living in a big city; living in the country Having a large family; not having children
Decision Making Activities nagaRAJU A nuclear war has just taken place! Soon, most of the world will be destroyed by radiation. However, you, delegates to the United Nations, have learned that due to unusual wind patterns, one small, uninhabited island 1000 miles off the coast of the Andamans will not be affected and is safe. Unfortunately, there is only time enough for one small plane at the Hyderabad airport to make it to the island. Aside from the pilot, the plane can carry only 6 people. But there are 10 people at the airport who want to get on board the airplane. You have fifteen minutes to decide which 6 of the following people will you carry and which 4 will die. Remember while you decide that the 6 people you choose will have to start a new civilization. 1. As a group, think of reasons for and against each person. 1. male, religious pujari, age unknown 2. male, homosexual doctor, age 46 3. female, beautiful ventriloquist, age 30 4. male, warrior with a gun, age unknown 5. male, valiant chief of a tribe, age unknown 6. female, the tribal chief’s pregnant wife, age unknown 7. male, scholarly juror, age 41 8. female, university professor, atheist, age 34 9. female, handicapped meteorologist, age unknown 10.female, agronomist, alcoholic, age unknown 2. Discuss and agree upon one unanimous list of six survivors. Be prepared to justify your choice. 3. Present your list to the class and justify each choice.
Problem Solving Activities nagaRAJU  Have you had any classroom problems?  Identify the most pressing one of them.  Discuss in groups, invite solutions, choose the best  Share your ideas. What is the best solution? Why?  Review language use (you could, you should, you may, you need to, why don’t you?, this worked for me, try this) I have a classroom problem, what should I do?
Jigsaw Activities A Task-Based Approach Task-based Learning offers an alternative for language teachers. In a task-based lesson the teacher doesn't pre- determine what language will be studied, the lesson is based around the completion of a central task and the language studied is determined by what happens as the students complete it. The lesson follows certain stages. Pre-task The teacher introduces the topic and gives the students clear instructions on what they will have to do at the task stage and might help the students to recall some language that may be useful for the task. The pre-task stage can also often include playing a recording of people doing the task. This gives the students a clear model of what will be expected of them. The students can take notes and spend time preparing for the task. Task The students complete a task in pairs or groups using the language resources that they have as the teacher monitors and offers encouragement. Planning Students prepare a short oral or written report to tell the class what happened during their task. They then practice what they are going to say in their groups. Meanwhile the teacher is available for the students to ask for advice to clear up any language questions they may have. Report Students then report back to the class orally or read the written report. The teacher chooses the order of when students will present their reports and may give the students some quick feedback on the content. At this stage the teacher may also play a recording of others doing the same task for the students to compare. Analysis The teacher then highlights relevant parts from the text of the recording for the students to analyze. They may ask students to notice interesting features within this text. The teacher can also highlight the language that the students used during the report phase for analysis. Practice Finally, the teacher selects language areas to practise based upon the needs of the students and what emerged from the task and report phases. The students then do practice activities to increase their confidence and make a note of useful language. nagaRAJU
Sharing Experiences Activities nagaRAJU  Find a conversation partner  Narrate your experience during your first day as a language teacher  Listen to each other  Ask any question you might have  Describe your partner’s experience to the whole class
Picture Clue Activities nagaRAJU A task taken from a task- based syllabus for beginners.
Exercise nagaRAJU • elicit typical problems to set context • give guidelines, parameters, time frame • form groups • groups discuss problems, solutions and alternatives • groups design their utopia • monitor and take notes • report to another group/class • review, analyze and assess Creating a perfect English classroom
Reflect What language skills were involved in performing the activity? What linguistic forms are essential and useful while performing the activity? How do you know if the task has worked? nagaRAJU
Defining Course rationale Assessing needs Defining expected outcomes Formulating goals Developing pedagogic materials Integrating communication skills Sequencing contents Deciding methodology Designing assessmen t Sequencing Contents Language units are neither totally independent nor dependent on other items, but are a network of interrelated items.  Complexity of form  Frequency of occurrence  Coverage  Learnability  Teachability  Priority of need nagaRAJU
Defining Course rationale Assessing needs Defining expected outcomes Formulating goals Developing pedagogic materials Integrating communication skills Sequencing contents Deciding methodology Designing assessmen t  Direct Method (English only)  Grammar-Translation Method  Bilingual Method  Structural Method  Situational Method  Functional Notional Method  Immersion Method  Communicative Language Teaching Method  Task Based Language Teaching Method Choice of Teaching Method nagaRAJU
How to Choose a Method?  What are expected learner competences?  What type of content is selected?  What role is given to grammar?  How do we engage students?  How do we assess outcomes? nagaRAJU
Tasks Real World Tasks Pedagogical Tasks Rehearsal rationale Pedagogical rationale Classroom Language Tasks nagaRAJU The goal of the language teacher is to develop meaningful and relevant pedagogical activities that are as close to real-world tasks as possible.
Why ABLT?  natural learning inside classroom  tasks- related to real-life language needs  classroom activities - clear language outcome  contexts - facilitate language acquisition  meaning gains emphasis over form  intrinsically motivating & higher interest  learner-centered classroom facilitation  more STT and less TTT  non-interventional monitoring, supportive environment  continuous assessment possible, tolerant to mistakes  can be used alongside traditional approaches nagaRAJU
What is ABLT? (TBLT, TBLL, TBL, TBI) nagaRAJU ABLT involves comprehending, manipulating, producing or interacting in target L authentic communication for performing meaningful tasks focus on meaning; freedom with form has a sense of completeness and has clearly defined outcome allows teacher guidance and limited control assessment based on task outcome
ABLT Activities  involve a plan for learning  primary focus on making meaning  offer real-world two-way language use  focus on language skills after task completion  engage learners in cognitive skills to accomplish tasks  have a pre-defined communicative learning outcome nagaRAJU “A task is an activity which requires learners to use language with emphasis on meaning, to attain an objective.”
Components of ABLT nagaRAJU Post Task Ss repeat, reflect, analyze L use T conducts practice Closer study of L features Optional follow-up Pre Task Awareness raising Pre Task warmer Introduce topic and task; supply language Use recordings, demonstrations Task Cycle (Task, Planning, Report) Work with and use target L Pair and group work activities Opinion gap, information gap, reasoning gap techniques T monitors Ss plan, report and present Which components provide most exposure to the target language? Think of three things the teacher might do during the pre-task. At which stages in the task cycle might students benefit most from correction? Why do you think the language focus phase always comes after the task cycle?
Pr.1 T arouses awareness about the topic Pr.2 T offers some ideas on how to do things Pr.3 T shows a model / demonstration, if necessary Pr.4 T gives the topic that is going to be treated Cy.1 Ss collect information and materials Cy.2 Ss work in groups , with T’s guidance Cy.3 S groups plan their presentations Cy.4 Ss report on their projects to the rest of the class Po.1 Ss repeat / analyze the entire activity and their role po.2 T discusses language features Po.3 T assigns homework Arrange the strips in logical sequence Activity Structure Jumble nagaRAJU
Pre Task Phase  motivational, linguistic, cognitive  brainstorming, comparing, sharing experiences  materials to lead into the topic (picture/text/song/video)  activities to elicit vocabulary  provide a model or role-play  allow the students time to plan nagaRAJU
While Task Phase  Detailed instructions  Set time for completing the task  Allow enough planning time  Pair / group work / the whole class  Introduce a surprise element  Vary group members  Minimum teacher control  Ss have to report to the whole class nagaRAJU
Post Task Phase  Summarize the outcome  Repeat / reflect / analyze  Watch a quality sample to compare  Feedback / issues / communication problems  Evaluate the task success / language use  Relevant homework / critique nagaRAJU
Phases of an ABLT Lesson nagaRAJU  Pre-task: T introduces the topic and gives clear instructions  Task: Ss complete the task in pairs or groups using the language resources that they have  Planning: Ss prepare a short report to tell the class what happened during their task  Report: Ss report back to the class orally or read the written report  Analysis: T highlights relevant observations for the Ss to analyze  Practice: T facilitates relevant language practice
Exercise Develop a task about a topic of your choice. Test your task on these yardsticks:  Is there a well defined outcome?  Does the activity relate to real world activities?  Will the activity engage learners' interest?  Is there a primary focus on meaning?  Is there scope to judge outcome?  Is completion of task a priority?  Can the outcomes be assessed? nagaRAJU
Review Activity Discuss in groups and decide a few effective means to implement in your class one new technique you have learned at this workshop. Group Spokesperson to make one recommendation to the other groups. nagaRAJU
References “A Framework for Task-Based Learning," by Jane Willis "Designing Language Courses," by Kathleen Graves "A Course in Language Teaching,“ by Penny Ur “A Framework for the Implementation of Task Based Instruction,” by Shekhani, Peter “The Task Based Approach: Some Questions and Suggestions,” by Littlewood William nagaRAJU
Question s nagaRAJU
Thanks nagaRAJU this slideshow is available at www.authorstream.com/tag/lionnagaraju www.slideshare.net/lionnagaraju write to me at lionnagaraju@gmail.com