The
Communicative Language Teaching and the Task-based Language Teaching
Both the Communicative Language Teaching and the Task-based Language
Teaching have in common some years of the decade of 1970s. Also, they have a
similar goal, which is communication, yet they have different ways to
accomplish it. The CLT points out that students need
knowledge of the linguistic forms, meanings and functions. On the contrary, the
TBLT focuses
on facilitating students language learning by engaging them a variety of tasks.
It means that a CLT teacher will act as an advisor and
other times as a co-communicator, and a TBLT teacher will be the input provider. In
spite of the differences about the teachers´ roles, the students ‘roles are
similar because they work together to solve problems.
The activities of both methods could be
tasks. The difference is that tasks in the CLT are designed with a
communicative intent and tasks in the TBLT are designed to be completed. In
fact, activities in the CLT have to present an information gap, a choice and
feedback. On the other hand, TBLT activities are divided in tasks, pre-tasks and task
follow-up phases that are appropriate to the students’ level and in line with
the abilities and needs of them. Even though the different structure of the activities,
both methods group students to work together.
In regard to the emphasized areas of each method, it is necessary to
mention that the CLT emphasizes language functions (Predicting, sequencing, summarizing,
etc.) Also, they work on the four skills from the beginning. Similarly, the TBLT
could utilize any of the four skills but also emphasizing the meaning dimension
of the language.
In addition to the areas of the language, the evaluation in each method
shows importance to different aspects. Whereas the CLT teacher would evaluate
accuracy and fluency, the TBLT would evaluate students in light of task
outcomes and the language they use. Finally, each teacher would correct
students´ errors differently; while a CLT teacher would tolerate errors and correct them with an accuracy-based activity, a
TBLT would give a brief grammar explanation to students.
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Aspects
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The
Communicative Language Teaching
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The
Task-based Language Teaching
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History
(Difference)
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It
shifted in the field from a linguistic structure-centered approach to a
Communicative Approach in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
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In
1976, Wilkins distinguished between two types of syllabi: Synthetic syllabi
and Analytic syllabi.
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Goal
(Difference)
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To
enable the students to communicate in the target language.
To
teach students linguistics forms, meanings and functions.
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The
goal of the teacher is to facilitate students language learning by engaging
them a variety of tasks that have a clear outcome
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Role
of the teacher
(Difference)
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The
teacher facilitates communication in the classroom.
Sometimes
the teacher acts as an advisor and other times as a co-communicator.
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The
teacher has to choose tasks, pre-tasks and task follow-up phases that are
appropriate to the students’ level.
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Role
of students
(Similarity)
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Students
are communicators; they learn to negotiate meaning in order to understand
even if they do not know something.
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Students
have to communicate with their peers to complete a task.
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Characteristics
(Difference)
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Activities
must present information gap, choice and feedback.
True
communication is purposeful.
Authentic
materials.
Small
groups.
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The activities of this method follow this
order: pre-task, task and post task. The tasks must be meaningful and
relevant. Every task must have clear outcomes.
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Nature
of teacher´s interaction
(Difference)
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The
teacher presents part of the lesson. At other times, he is a facilitator of
the activities.
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During
the initial phase of the lesson the teacher is the input provider. The teacher also monitors students’
performance and intervenes as necessary.
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Nature
of student´s interaction
(Similarity)
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Students
interact in pairs, triads and small groups.
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They
often work together to help each other.
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Feeling
(Similarity)
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Communication
is so useful, that promotes motivation.
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Students
get motivated by doing tasks that prepare them for the real world.
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View
of Language and Culture
(Similarity)
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Language
is for communication.
The
use of the language depends on the context.
Culture is the everyday lifestyle of people who use the language.
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Language
is for communication and for “doing”. Culture is not always dealt with.
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Areas
and Skills
(Difference)
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Language
functions.
Cohesion
and coherence.
Fours
skills.
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The
meaning dimension of the language is emphasized. Any of the four skills can
be utilized.
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Role
of the native language (Difference)
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Judicious
use of the student´s native language.
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No
role for that.
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Evaluation
(Difference)
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Informal
evaluation; teachers is an advisor or co-communicator. Formal Evaluation: an
integrative test which demands real communication.
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The
teacher constantly evaluates students in light of task outcomes and the
language they use.
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Students
Errors
(Difference)
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They
are tolerated and corrected with an accuracy-based activity.
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Error
correction is done through recasts or by giving brief grammar explanations.
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Techniques
(Similarity)
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Authentic
Materials (newspapers articles, weather forecast)
Scrambled
Sentences: to unscramble sentences.
Language
Games: they make learning enjoyable.
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Information-gap
Task.
Opinion-gap
Task.
Reasoning-gap
Task.
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