Course 5: Task-Based syllabus
02 February 2022 01:51
TBA is a syllabus organized around tasks rather than terms of grammar or
vocabulary. It provides a purpose for the use of learning a language other than
simply learning language items for their own sake.
Eg:
Using the telephone to obtain information
Drawing maps based on oral instructions
Giving orders and instructions to other
Types of Tasks:
Prabhu (1987) suggested a typology of tasks in his Bangalore project, these are
under:
1. Information gap activities: transfer of a given information from one
person/form/place to another. Generally calling for the decoding and encoding
of information from and into language.
2. Reasoning gap activities: deriving some new information from given
information through processes of: inference, deduction, practical reasoning,
perception of relationship patterns.
3. Opinion gap activities: identifying or articulating personal preferences/
feelings/ attitudes in response to a given situation.
Components of Tasks:
1. Goal: exchanging personal information
2. Input: questionnaire on sleeping habits
3. Activity:
a. Reading a questionnaire
b. Asking and answering questions about sleeping habits
4. Teacher role: monitor and facilitator
5. Learner role: conversational partner
6. Setting: classroom/ pair work
Criticism:
- No specific guidance on the selection of tasks and problems/ how they relate
to real world language needs of the learners
- The focus is on learning processes and no focus on outcomes
S2 Page 1
, Course 5: Task Based Design:
19 January 2022 00:15
Task Based {The Bangalore Project by Prabhu (1987)}
The task based syllabus design is a process oriented syllabus that emphasises the
importance of tasks (tasks are the backbone of the syllabus). Instead of cantering it
around structures, it is focused on tasks.
Task = performance and practice
Activity = to test knowledge
Individualization = autonomy
Eg:
Task: use a telephone to make a doctor's appointment.
Typology of tasks (types): Typology of tasks (types): The Bangalore Project
Prabhu argues that there are three types of tasks:
Prabhu argues that there are three types of tasks:
1. Information-gap tasks: tasks whereby learners are required to transfer
information from one person, one place, one form to another one. Learners are not
required to store or memorise the information, they are simply asked to do
something with it.
Examples: Jigsaw tasks, decoding information (from a chart or a diagram to a text
or vice versa), from written to oral, ..etc
2. Reasoning-gap tasks: tasks whereby learners are expected to use their analytical
and problem solving skills to study the relationships and patterns, derive new
information from existing knowledge, deduce rules, inferring, perception.
Examples: find what each pronoun refers to, deduce the grammar rule, find the gist
of the text,…etc
3. Opinion-gap tasks: tasks whereby learners refer to their personal preferences or
attitudes towards certain issues.
Examples: argumentative essays, debate, class discussion,…etc
Components of tasks:
- Goal: exchanging information
- Input: questions/ dialogue
- Activity: what learners are expected to do (it is found in the instruction)
- Teacher/Learner's role & the setting: conversational pattern (learner), guide/
facilitate/ mentor (teacher)
Two Types of Tasks:
- Real world tasks: authentic tasks that are performed by the learners in the
classroom and that they are likely to encounter in the real world outside of the
classroom. (eg: to give directions, make an emergency call, make an appointment)
to develop autonomy.
- Classroom tasks: unlikely to happen outside the school setting, they are tasks
concerned with the mechanical aspect of the language (structures).
It is said that this is the best syllabus to teach a language (L1 or FL) because it is the
only syllabus that tells learners about the purpose of the tasks.
Criticism of the Bangalore project:
- Too much emphasis on the tasks at the expense of the outcomes
- There are no guidelines related to the selection of tasks
Real world needs of the learners are neglected
S2 Page 2
02 February 2022 01:51
TBA is a syllabus organized around tasks rather than terms of grammar or
vocabulary. It provides a purpose for the use of learning a language other than
simply learning language items for their own sake.
Eg:
Using the telephone to obtain information
Drawing maps based on oral instructions
Giving orders and instructions to other
Types of Tasks:
Prabhu (1987) suggested a typology of tasks in his Bangalore project, these are
under:
1. Information gap activities: transfer of a given information from one
person/form/place to another. Generally calling for the decoding and encoding
of information from and into language.
2. Reasoning gap activities: deriving some new information from given
information through processes of: inference, deduction, practical reasoning,
perception of relationship patterns.
3. Opinion gap activities: identifying or articulating personal preferences/
feelings/ attitudes in response to a given situation.
Components of Tasks:
1. Goal: exchanging personal information
2. Input: questionnaire on sleeping habits
3. Activity:
a. Reading a questionnaire
b. Asking and answering questions about sleeping habits
4. Teacher role: monitor and facilitator
5. Learner role: conversational partner
6. Setting: classroom/ pair work
Criticism:
- No specific guidance on the selection of tasks and problems/ how they relate
to real world language needs of the learners
- The focus is on learning processes and no focus on outcomes
S2 Page 1
, Course 5: Task Based Design:
19 January 2022 00:15
Task Based {The Bangalore Project by Prabhu (1987)}
The task based syllabus design is a process oriented syllabus that emphasises the
importance of tasks (tasks are the backbone of the syllabus). Instead of cantering it
around structures, it is focused on tasks.
Task = performance and practice
Activity = to test knowledge
Individualization = autonomy
Eg:
Task: use a telephone to make a doctor's appointment.
Typology of tasks (types): Typology of tasks (types): The Bangalore Project
Prabhu argues that there are three types of tasks:
Prabhu argues that there are three types of tasks:
1. Information-gap tasks: tasks whereby learners are required to transfer
information from one person, one place, one form to another one. Learners are not
required to store or memorise the information, they are simply asked to do
something with it.
Examples: Jigsaw tasks, decoding information (from a chart or a diagram to a text
or vice versa), from written to oral, ..etc
2. Reasoning-gap tasks: tasks whereby learners are expected to use their analytical
and problem solving skills to study the relationships and patterns, derive new
information from existing knowledge, deduce rules, inferring, perception.
Examples: find what each pronoun refers to, deduce the grammar rule, find the gist
of the text,…etc
3. Opinion-gap tasks: tasks whereby learners refer to their personal preferences or
attitudes towards certain issues.
Examples: argumentative essays, debate, class discussion,…etc
Components of tasks:
- Goal: exchanging information
- Input: questions/ dialogue
- Activity: what learners are expected to do (it is found in the instruction)
- Teacher/Learner's role & the setting: conversational pattern (learner), guide/
facilitate/ mentor (teacher)
Two Types of Tasks:
- Real world tasks: authentic tasks that are performed by the learners in the
classroom and that they are likely to encounter in the real world outside of the
classroom. (eg: to give directions, make an emergency call, make an appointment)
to develop autonomy.
- Classroom tasks: unlikely to happen outside the school setting, they are tasks
concerned with the mechanical aspect of the language (structures).
It is said that this is the best syllabus to teach a language (L1 or FL) because it is the
only syllabus that tells learners about the purpose of the tasks.
Criticism of the Bangalore project:
- Too much emphasis on the tasks at the expense of the outcomes
- There are no guidelines related to the selection of tasks
Real world needs of the learners are neglected
S2 Page 2
