The Communicative Language Teaching and the Task-based Language Teaching

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. 

Aspects	The Communicative Language Teaching	The Task-based Language Teaching
History (Difference)	It shifted in the field from a linguistic structure-centered approach to a Communicative Approach in the late 1970s and early 1980s.	In 1976, Wilkins distinguished between two types of syllabi: Synthetic syllabi and Analytic syllabi.
Goal (Difference)	To enable the students to communicate in the target language. To teach students linguistics forms, meanings and functions.	The goal of the teacher is to facilitate students language learning by engaging them a variety of tasks that have a clear outcome
Role of the teacher (Difference)	The teacher facilitates communication in the classroom. Sometimes the teacher acts as an advisor and other times as a co-communicator.	The teacher has to choose tasks, pre-tasks and task follow-up phases that are appropriate to the students’ level.
Role of students (Similarity)	Students are communicators; they learn to negotiate meaning in order to understand even if they do not know something.	Students have to communicate with their peers to complete a task.
Characteristics (Difference)	Activities must present information gap, choice and feedback. True communication is purposeful. Authentic materials. Small groups.	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.
Nature of teacher´s interaction (Difference)	The teacher presents part of the lesson. At other times, he is a facilitator of the activities.	During the initial phase of the lesson the teacher is the input provider.  The teacher also monitors students’ performance and intervenes as necessary.
Nature of student´s interaction (Similarity)	Students interact in pairs, triads and small groups.	They often work together to help each other.
Feeling (Similarity)	Communication is so useful, that promotes motivation.	Students get motivated by doing tasks that prepare them for the real world.
View of Language and Culture (Similarity)	Language is for communication. The use of the language depends on the context.  Culture is the everyday lifestyle of people who use the language.	Language is for communication and for “doing”. Culture is not always dealt with.
Areas and Skills (Difference)	Language functions. Cohesion and coherence. Fours skills.	The meaning dimension of the language is emphasized. Any of the four skills can be utilized.
Role of the native language (Difference)	Judicious use of the student´s native language.	No role for that.
Evaluation (Difference)	Informal evaluation; teachers is an advisor or co-communicator. Formal Evaluation: an integrative test which demands real communication.	The teacher constantly evaluates students in light of task outcomes and the language they use.
Students Errors (Difference)	They are tolerated and corrected with an accuracy-based activity.	Error correction is done through recasts or by giving brief grammar explanations.
Techniques (Similarity)	Authentic Materials (newspapers articles, weather forecast) Scrambled Sentences: to unscramble sentences. Language Games: they make learning enjoyable.	Information-gap Task. Opinion-gap Task. Reasoning-gap Task.