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CHAPTER 5

TASK BASED TEACHING MODULES AND POST TEST ANALYSIS

The results of the Pre-test show that the students are very weak in grammar.

The students have committed a lot of errors in the Pre-test. As the traditional method

of teaching grammar did not bring much impact to the students the researcher wants

to adopt a new method based on task based language teaching. This chapter describes

the application of task based teaching for classroom practice by elaborating the

various tasks employed to improve their grammar and thereby enhancing their writing

skills. It also includes the analysis of the post end test results and the comparison of

both pre-test and the post end test thus arriving at findings. The discussion of the

students’ feedback is also summarized.

5.1. Task based method

The entire world is under technological evolution and it is time for the

teachers and researchers to design or reset the existing approaches and look forward

to the new trends. The long travel of language teaching from conventional classroom

to virtual classroom has made the teachers reanalyze the methodologies being

implemented. So the researcher advocates task based method of language teaching in

order to help the learners. The basics and the entire framework of theory are

elaborated in the second chapter.

Tasks actually are activities in which the learners are asked to involve and do

something.. Incorporating activity or tasks in teaching make the learners active and

interested. Tasks assist them to gain language skills with ease. The pre test results

show that language learners have inadequate knowledge in grammar. Besides the rural

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students the urban learners also many fears about English. Their barriers are grammar

phobia, lack of grammar knowledge, lack of vocabulary, mother tongue interference,

minimum exposure to standard variety of English lack of confidence and inhibition

within themselves. Because of the above reasons the learners are unable to learn

English in a proper way.

Task based teaching: It creates a friendly positive atmosphere and generates

focused attention towards goal and makes the students participate in group activities

and which help them overcome their barriers. Hence in order to promote their

language skills, the tasks are examined and they are efficiently practised through the

following tasks.

The entire group of eighty students is taken for teaching through tasks. The

teaching modules based on tasks and activities were used to teach the same

grammatical items and continuous writing. The researcher acted as a guide and

facilitator, helping the students to learn the narrative writing skills.

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Table 5:1 Tasks adopted

S.NO TASK EXPECTED

OUTCOME

GRAMMATICAL

ITEMS

1. A family trip narration- a

role play by students

story telling - narrative

writing skill

Tenses

2. A mute visual

presentation

organizing the events -

focus on coherence

sentence structure

3. A triangle preposition

game

Understanding the usage

of prepositions

Prepositions

4 A poster of natural

disaster

converting the picture

into a continuous writing

- focus on content

preposition, tenses

5. A fictitious character

fabrication- through a

picture

Creating and structuring

the character

Tenses

6. Body verb and tense map Cognition and creativity- Tenses

7. Video of news and

documentary

Organizing information Narrative writing

8. Lightning poster activity Classifying verbs , nouns,

understanding to organize

Verbs

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9. Collage presentation with

many pictures and

diagrams

Understanding and

choosing the prepositions

Prepositions,

sentence formation

10. Ring a Ring a roses-

game

Collecting information

and transferring

Positive into

negative

11. Cartoon activity Understands the story

and sequencing

Narrative writing

12. Newspaper clippings Identifying Verbs and tenses,

prepositions,

negative verbs

13. Interviews- role play Usage of tenses and

transferring

Past tense and future

tense

14. Planting a seedling Sequencing, transferring Verbs and sentences

15. Railway time table

activity

Understanding and using

prepositions

Prepositions,

positive into

negative conversion

5.1.1 Task based activity

The Task based method intends to teach grammar to the students. This activity

will build the learner’s knowledge of grammar. This activity teaches Verb and Tense

form, present perfect form to the students. The researcher explains present perfect

form to the students.

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Table 5:2 Language Exercise

1. We have gone to Singapore

2. He has recently written some letters

3. They have seen the movie ‘The world is not enough’ four times.

4. My brother has been here for five years

5. I have learnt Dutch since 1999.

6. My daughter has broken that Chinese vase.

This task familiarizes the students with grammatical item in use. In this task

the researcher presents some exercises, checks students’ comprehension and

encourages active student involvement. This exercise is a correct verb form

completion problem. Students are required to fill the appropriate grammatical item in

the bracket based on the rule taught. This task trains the students to be more familiar

with the verb form.

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Table 5:3 Change the verbs in brackets with the appropriate form

1. She has not (attend) any meetings since she worked here.

2. Bill (be) here since four years age

3. I have never (see) snow before

4. Bill’s parents have (grow) rice crops since he was a child.

5. We have not (take) the TOEFL test.

6. Maria and Anna have (live) here for ten years.

7. I have (not see) you for a longtime.

8. He (not be)l here since Christmas.

Correct Answers

1) Attended 2) was 3) have never seen 4) have grown

5) have not taken 6) have lived 7) have not seen 8) was not.

The students answered the grammar exercises correctly. Their correct answers

were given below the table. This task based teaching was interesting to the students

and encouraged them to learn grammar. They learnt grammar verb and tense form,

easily.

Task 2 Newspaper clippings

Grammar: verbs, tenses, prepositions, negative expressions

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Level: medium

Material: different newspaper clippings

Learning: identifying

Procedure:

The learners are given an explanation of what are verbs, prepositions and

negative verbs. They are asked to go through the newspaper clippings they are

supplied. Individually, they have to identify the verbs and prepositions and negative

verbs.

They are asked to list 20 of them in a paper and the same should be underlined

or marked in the newspaper cutting also.

A lot of interaction with the teacher occurs as they have confusion about the

verb and noun. They participated with involvement and they want to continue this in

the next session too. This is a simple task which helps them to be sure about their

basics.

Task 3 Railway Timetable

Grammar: prepositions

Material: Railway timetable

Learning: identifying,

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Figure 5. 1 Railway Timetable

Procedure: The researcher explains the importance of railway timetable. The

timetable is given to them. Different questions focusing on usage of prepositions are

given to them. They are asked to write the answers in complete sentences.

All kind of prepositions of time and place and movement are focused here. It

is interesting for them to use the prepositions and later they are explained. Again

another timetable with questions is given so that they can improve on it gradually.

5.1.2 Teaching grammar through games

This method teaches grammar through games. The competitive and cognitive

games section focuses the students’ attention on the grammar. In this method students

concentrate on expressing real things about themselves and people around them. They

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do this by using the given structures. The students absorb grammar through peripheral

vision. Teaching grammar through games is much more effective than the direct focus

on the grammar.

Tasks using games

Task 1 Body Verb and Tense Map

Grammar : Tenses and their uses.

Level : Advanced level students

Time : 30-45 minutes

Material : Large Sheets of paper.

In class

1. The researcher brainstorms all the names of the tenses that the class knows

and their main uses with an example each. He writes them on the board. So for

present continuous e.g. We are having a look at the Verb and Tense uses. e.g. I

am living in London at the moment. Future reference e.g. I am moving house

next year. Students may want to name the tenses by giving examples e.g. ‘used

to’ rather than ‘habitual past’.

2. At a higher level, the students have come up with many tense uses, including

conditionals and the infinitive.

3. The researcher creates as much space as possible by moving furniture to the

side of the room. In the next step, the students are asked to represent a tense

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use with their bodies. The class is divided into two groups of fifteen students.

So each student has a tense use to represent. Each of the two groups takes half

the space available to prepare their tense tableaux.

4. The researcher asks the students in their groups to represent the relationships

but specially using their bodies. A past continuous student was standing with

arms outstretched behind the simple past student.

5. The researcher listens to the students discussions and intervenes as little as

possible.

6. If there are several groups in the room each group is asked to explain its

special organization. The researcher asks each group to explain the use of the

tense, why they are standing sitting and lying down.

7. The researcher hands over a large sheet to the students to record their spatial

representations of the Verb and tenses then takes a look at the tenses.

Figure 5.2 Body Map Task

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Verb and Tense learnt through games

1. She was lying on the ground stretching out her hands-past continuous.

2. She had been lying. past perfect-Continuous.

3. She stood on the ground – Simple past.

4. She had stood on the ground-Past perfect

5. She has Sent on the ground-Present perfect

6. She had Sent on the ground-past perfect.

Task 2 The Triangle preposition game

Grammar : Preposition-Time, place, movement

Level : Higher level students

Time : 40-50 minutes

Material : One large card triangle three strips of paper for nine students.

Preparation

The researcher cuts out one large card triangle and three strips of paper for

each group of nine students

The researcher dictates the list of prepositions to the class.

in from after

on by towards

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by among over

for around under etc.

of beyond

into between

to across

in through

with above

within about

without out of

2) The researcher arranges the students into groups of nine people around the

table and gives each group one of the cards triangles and three strips of paper. The

researcher asks them to write these words on the strips of paper and places them in the

angles of the triangle: place, time and movement.

3) Within each group of nine, three sit near the place angle, three near the time

angle and three near the movement angle.

4) The researcher tells them how the game works:

a) The first team chooses one of the dictated prepositions. They write it

on a slip of paper and place it in the most appropriate corner.

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b) The second team has to produce a correct sentence with in twenty

five seconds. If they write correct preposition they get a point. If they can not

write correct preposition they may ask the third team to write correct

preposition.

c) The third team of students has to write the correct preposition.

Thus the students play simultaneously in the table of nine. They close the

game when time closes.

Figure 5.3 Triangle Game

Courtesy: https://www.esl101.com

The sentence must show the place, time or movement meaning of the preposition.

The prepositions learned in the triangle game are listed below.

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1) They went ashore in the evening

2) The river Themes flows through London.

3) He came to our help

4) The child came running towards me.

5) Most cars run on petrol.

6) He has come from Patna.

Task 3 ‘Who is your friend?’ game

Grammar: Positive into negative conversion

Level : higher

Procedure;

Step. 1.

The learners are asked to form two groups and if possible they may be taken

outside the classroom where they can have more moving space. Both groups are asked

to stand in two concentric circles, one surrounded by another. One group that is in

outer circle is asked to move in circle clapping their hands. The inner circle should

stand in their positions. When the researcher asks them to stop, they have to stop

wherever they are.

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Step. 2.

Now the outer circle should ask questions like what are their three likes and

what are their three dislikes and the inner circle learners also should ask questions and

collect the information about their partners. They have to collect as much information

as possible and again they are asked to move on. When they meet three persons they

are asked to stop.

Step. 3. They have to transfer the collected information in paper as sentences.

It would be more interesting if they could introduce their friends narrating. As the task

is regarding writing, their writing is read out by the teacher and every one knows

about every one. In the process they would use sentences like

He does not like coffee

She liked to play in water

She has not tried pizza once

5.1.3 Teaching Writing through Videos

In this media explosive era students are more influenced by watching videos

and they form a remarkable source for teaching communication skills of young

learners.

Accessibility

There are now few countries without access to English language television

programmes and feature films. One can watch the TV news or buy video cassettes and

DVDs directly or by post. In many countries English language feature films with

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English subtitles are sold in new segments. The supply is enormous and the materials

are of very high quality, relatively cheaper and constantly renewed. Audio-visual

input is now as accessible as print. It is a resource a learner can not ignore, and the

students certainly will not ignore it.

Motivation

Many of the people will have experienced the compelling power of video in

the class room, a power that is even enhanced by concentration on short sequences.

Their attention is captured for a little moment and this creates a curiosity and it

initiates the interest to know the words and their meanings and videos really excite

youngsters. The eye is caught and this excites interest in the meaning of words.

Authenticity itself is an inducement. There is a special thrill in being able to

understand and enjoy the real thing. Though print medium is still existing the audio

visual medium is more powerful now a days.

Uses of Video in language teaching

Video stretches its boundaries to class-room teaching but it is not much appreciated.

1) For its own sake, people want to access the world of English-language media.

People view the news, get information from advertisements, see films in short,

and use these language products like normal consumers. This may be one of

the students’ major goals in learning English. If a teacher teaches reading

‘news papers’ or ‘conversation’ he should also teach the major audio-visual

genres.

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2) For comprehension of the spoken English language, video brings us all kinds

of voices in all kinds of situations, with full contextual backup.

Comprehending and understanding of the dialogues is the main advantage of

visual media. It is also important for the access to a variety of recognizable

genres and the long-term contextual and understanding built up as the

programme develops.

3) Always a model video supplies a lot of information regarding language

structure and linguistic structure which students do not know. They provide

different kinds of accents, vocabulary grammar and syntax. Authentic videos

can be models a for specific language items or a general pool for students to

pick up and choose. Each genre contributes its own particular discourse

structures and lexis. Drama video is particularly valuable because it illustrates

the kind of inter active language most foreign language students seldom

encounter.

4) Culture video is a window of English-language culture. This provides access

to many world wide cultural videos and feature films. A small amount of

showing is worth hours of telling from a teacher or a course work.

5) As a stimulus or input, video can be used for discussions, writing assignments,

projects or the study of other subjects.

6) As a moving picture book, and videos give access to things, places, people

events and behaviour, regardless of the language used and it is worth

thousands of picture dictionaries and magazines. Video brings the English-

language world to the learners.

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The researcher teaches writing to the students through video.

Tasks through videos

Table 5:4 Task through video

Aim : Awareness of the importance of coherence in writing an

incident.

Level : Higher level

Rationale : Fiction video programmes to think and connect the

incidents by writing. This can be used as a writing

model.

Materials : A video clipping of a short story

Preparation : Find words in the list and use them suitably

Procedure

1) The researcher explains that using connectives and the proper verbs for

various action.

2) Plays the clip without sound and asks what the story is about.

3) Ask the students to write what they saw choosing the right verb and

connective

4) Plays again with sound only and asks where they diverted from the story

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Task 2 Verb Phrase Tasks

The lesson might begin with a brief introduction to the topic of lightning -

perhaps with pictures, or a personal anecdote from the teacher. The pre-task phase

could then continue with some initial class room activities, like this:

Step 1

The learners each think of a lightning they remember, then they are asked to

write down five words and phrases that they associate with lightning in rainy

weather. The teacher collects these, talks about them, and writes them on the board,

electrostatic discharge, electrically charged regions,, clouds, prevailing wind,

lightning flashes and strikes, currents, relative humidity, near to warm and cold

bodies of water, heavy rain, strong wind, scary, dangerous, raining, pouring with rain,

dark, get wet. The students are asked to work in pair to find the types and categorize

them into words, adjectives, verbs and nouns.

Figure 5.4 Thunder

(for photo courtesy: A thunderstorm above Unna, in Germany. 21 July 2009 author:

smial (talk).

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Figure 5.5 Lightning

(for photo courtesy: Lightnings in Belfort. 7 August 2013, 04:23:26 Author: Thomas

Bresson)

Picture 1 shows the lightning with rainy clouds. And the Picture 2 shows the

lightning in the empty sky.

Step 2

Students are asked to replace the noun phrases with verb phrases to make the

sentences more informative. A collection of eight statements are given. An example

has been given to make the students understand the task first. The following is the

example:

Teaching can be improved by in-service training.

Teaching can be improved by asking teachers to attend a range of short courses

throughout their careers.

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The same task of showing pictures of the following can be used to the students to

make them imagine, or recollect the events from their livelihood and to transform

such events to the present situations.

Examples:

5.1.4 Teaching through aids and pictures

Task 1 Poster of natural disaster

Figure 5. 6. Natural Disaster - Tsunami

Picture 6. (for Photo courtesy) Shows the live scene of Tsunami hit areas.

Step 1

The students are divided into groups and each group is shown or given a

poster of a natural disaster for example, the recent devastation in tsunami in Japan.

They are asked to write about it.

The entire picture should be described and they can invent details like when it

happened. The students are asked to use the past tense as it was in the past.

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Step 2

After writing the sentences, they are turned into a short story like paragraph.

They use proper verbs in correct tenses and prepositions.

Tasks in Changing Prepositions

Step 1.

The students are provided with a collage full of pictures and diagrams and an

explanation regarding the meaning of the preposition is given.

Students are asked to work using prepositions with the linking statement. This

can be a little tricky. These will be used by the students before filling the blanks

with an appropriate preposition:

in as shown in Table 1…

by as predicted by the model…

on as described on the previous page…

TASK

Fill in the blanks with an appropriate preposition.

1. As can be seen …….. Figure 4, earnings have decreased.

2. As revealed …….. Figure 2, the lightweight materials outperformed traditional

metals.

3. As described……. the previous section, there are two common types of

abstracts.

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4. As defined……. section 1, fraud is a form of intentional deception resulting in

injury.

5. As described……. the previous unit, passives are common in process

descriptions.

6. As can be seen ….. a comparison of the two tables, household income is a

more reliable predictor than level of education.

7. As has been demonstrated previously…….Materials ……. This type, small

cracks pose a serious problem.

8. As has been demonstrated…… many experiments, these materials have

several advantage.

9. As shown ……. The line of best fit, there is no clear statistical relationship

between fiscal costs and crisis length.

10. As explained ….. the above discussion, international one-year migrants were

excluded from the sample.

Task 3 Fabrication of Character

Grammar: Use of vocabulary, verbs

Level: Higher

Learning: Continuous writing

Figure 5:7 Fabrication of Character – 1.

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Picture 7. (for Photo courtesy) shows funny photo of a man with who is operated

as machine.

Figure 5:8 Fabrication of Character – 2.

(for Photo courtesy) shows a group of dressed up ducks walking on the roadside.

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Step 1.

The students are asked to describe the character of their classmates.

The important words are written on the board. They are friendly, fun, cool, angry,

happy, good, bad, tough, sad, quiet, shy and brave etc.

Explanation about characters of different people is given by the researcher.

Step 2

A big image of one fictitious character is shown asking them to imagine the

person’s character through the image.

Step 3

A real personality’s (Abdul Kalam’s) image is shown and asked to describe him.

Task 4 Cartoon

Figure 5:9 Cartoon1

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(for Photo courtesy) shows the funny picture n routine of railway station

Figure 5.10: Short Story Cartoon

(for Photo courtesy) show the two sets of pictures to draw a story from each.

Step 1

The students are given instructions regarding the story writing. The cartoon

pictures are taken from a book and they are not in an order. They are asked to first

arrange the jumbled events in an order.

They are asked to answer the questions like:

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What happened first?

What was the end?

Next to this event, what happened?

In the meantime of waiting what happened?

All these questions make them understand the story in different stages of the story

Step 3

Making use of their answers, they are asked to write the story using the past

tense. Then the importance of events happening in sequence is explained. If they

make one sequence, how the whole story collapses is clearly shown to them.

5.1.5 Teaching through Communicative activities

Role plays

The role plays can also induce their motivation and improve their

comprehension ability and it would be useful in writing their skill of writing. For

this, two students from urban group who are already good at speaking are selected

and everyone is asked to observe the role play and identify the tenses of the verbs

they are using.

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Task 1 Interview

Step 1

The task is explained and two persons are asked to participate in the Interview

role play. One person has to act as an interviewee and another as an interviewer.

The interviewee can be of any well - known personality like Tendulkar.

Step 2.

The interviewer would ask questions regarding his past achievement and the

answers would be given in past tense.

In the next step, question is asked about his future plans in career, family life and

public life.

The answers would be in future tense and sometimes in present tense.

Step 3:

The students are asked to write the summary of the answers like ‘His past

achievement’ and ‘his future plans’. The teacher would give explanations before

they write.

Task 2 Family trip narration- Pair activity

Step 1

Exactly as in the previous task students are asked to do the role play. Everyone

is asked to participate in the role play. Both students in the pair have to narrate

any one of their family trips to any place.

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Step 2

They are asked to write what they had listened to. They are simply transferring

the incident in continuous writing.

They are asked to read their partners writing and they are asked to find out the

corrections. This way they realize their mistakes and it would be interesting.

Errors are explained to them to make them realize what they should have written.

Demonstrative task

These kinds of demonstrative tasks are much helpful in promoting the

comprehensive ability. They also have an understanding of sequence and

coherence. This activity would hold the interest of the students and they would not

forget the incidents. Sometimes when they do it practically they not only learn the

language aspects but also other technical aspects and presentation techniques. The

activities which involve simple procedures such as preparation of tea, typing a

letter, making a power point presentation, depositing the money in bank,

preparation of fruit juice and planting a seed are known as demonstrative

activities.

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Task 1 Planting a seedling

Table 5:5 Planting a seedling

Aim : Awareness of the importance of coherence in writing

an event or a process.

Level : Higher level

Rationale : Understanding the process and its sequence, connect

them using proper words

Materials : A pot with soil to plant, seedlings, water, small pick axe

Preparation : Find words in the list and use them suitably

Procedure:

Step 1: Ask a question what they know about the importance of trees and

plants. After the responses, the researcher motivates the learner by giving a talk on

importance of trees and plants.

Step 2: Give them instructions to observe carefully and they have to find out

the series of action in sequence. Then the entire planting of a seedling is demonstrated

step by step. They are encouraged to ask questions in between.

Step 3: From the list of words of connectives and coherence markers, they are

asked to choose the suitable ones and apply them in writing and they are asked to

write the process in steps. They write in a correct sequence and also they use only past

tense as it was mentioned earlier.

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5.2 Outcome of the tasks

The tasks provide an effective learning environment and it really motivates the

learner to have an active learning experience unlike regular classrooms. It removes

their fears, inferiority, shyness and hesitation to approach people and it equips them

with interactive skills. It arouses their curiosity to know the correct answer and

generates active participation. The task provides plenty of opportunities to the learners

to correct themselves, their peers, and helps them further till the learning is done.

Group works, pair activity, large group activities induce the learners’ team effort and

cooperation and enabled everyone to learn through peer learning. It makes demands

on every learner to contribute to the task and there is an active participation. It leads

them to improve to a great extent. Though they are in a new learning situation they

focus on the tasks. The socio, economic and cultural barriers are overcome to a certain

extent.

Though the tasks have an encouraging outcome it will not be complete if one

looks into a few limitations. The researcher has to face a lot of inconveniences while

arranging the environment for learning. When videos are played, arrangements have

to be made by the researcher. Some students from rural areas responded slowly.

Initially, they had difficulty in getting involved. Later, they improved. This is from

the researcher’s perspective and it is not complete without feedback from students.S

5.2.1. Learners’ Feedback

Learners are an excellent and reliable source of feedback on any method of

teaching. The information given by them is not an example but rather on the whole

process of learning. Usually, they are aware of what they are learning and how they

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are learning. The outcome defined by them would give us a clear picture of what .the

teacher or researcher predicts and assumes. Hence it is necessary to administer a

students’ feedback questionnaire and they appreciate when they are consulted and the

open approach of the teacher would motivate them further. The entire process would

enhance the learning process positively. At the end of posttest correction the

researcher’s feedback was given to them and in turn they were asked to give their

responses.

Feedback questionnaires collected from the students show that they are able to

learn better through tasks rather than audio lingual method. Majority of the students

(91%) said yes when they were asked whether they had improvement in grammar. It

also shows that tasks promote learning to a great extent. Out of 80 students 63 have

opted to a great extent (78.7%). The responses show that the tasks are not difficult

but moderate and easy. Very few students (12) responded that it is difficult .Among

the total 80 students, only 15% found it difficult and 37.5% (30) found the tasks

moderate and 47.5% (38) found it easy.55% of the students were happy to admit that

the tasks induced creativity and others found that it was easy to some extent. This is

because the students of rural areas are not exposed to such kind of creative activities

and they might think that they are new to this kind of education situation. The tasks

provided motivation and it is evident from the 87% of the students saying yes to the

question even if he provides adequate motivation to the learners or not. Almost most

of them agreed that this method is interesting and they (85%) would like to have such

tasks incorporated in their regular classrooms and they would be benefited from them.

The following table shows an idea of the learners feedback.

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Table 5:6 Analysis of learners’ feedback towards tasks

No Criteria to assess the

tasks

Yes No No

response

To a great

extent

Moderately

1 Provides Motivation 87% 11% 2%

2 Promote language

learning

2.5% 78.7% 18.7%

3 Relevant to

grammar

92% 2% 6%

4 Easy to understand 67% 33%

5 Variety in tasks 92% 8%

6 interesting 80% 16% 4%

7 Developed language

use in grammar

91% 7% 2%

8 Improved writing

skill

77.7% 17.5%

9 Creativity 55% 45%

10 Overall language

improvement

81% 12% 7%

11 Helpful to use

English in other

75% 15% 10%

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situations

12 Like to have tasks in

course work

90% 10%

Figure 5:11 Learners feedback on tasks.

Figure 5:12 Outcome of Tasks

87% 78.70%

92%

67%

92% 80%

91% 77.70%

55%

81% 75% 90%

0%

50%

100%

in percentage

Learners Feedback on Tasks

Motivation lang. learning

Relevant to gr. easy

variety interesting

improved in gr. improved writing skill

creativity lang. improvement

use lang. in other situations like to have tasks in courses

87% 78.70%

92%

67%

92% 80%

91%

77.70%

55%

81% 75%

90%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

100%

outcome of tasks

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5.3 POST TEST

Chapter V deals with the Post-test-1. A post-test was administered and four

types of tests were given to the students. The students answered all the questions. The

answer sheets were collected from the students and corrected. There is improvement

in the post-test. The errors have reduced. Errors were explained to the students and

correct answers were given to the students. Errors and error corrections are recorded.

The errors in that test are tabulated and analyzed to see their improvement in their

learning and performance.

5.3.1 Post test errors in Verb and tense

Table 5:7

No Students NO OF ERRORS

1 Urban male 63

2 Rural male 82

3 Urban female 21

4 Rural female 48

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Figure 5:13 Post test errors in Verb and tense

The post test results in verb and test are tabulated and the results show that the

errors have reduced considerably. The errors committed by the rural female students

reduced to 60% and it is remarkable to know the rural female students improved and

their learning capacity is significantly encouraging. Secondly, the urban male

students’ performance is better and the errors are reduced to 58.8% and the next

follows rural male (40%) and the last is the urban female students errors reduced to

32%. As they had already committed fewer errors in the pre test (65) their growth (21)

cannot be observed as a higher one. Rather the vast difference comes in rural female

students where their errors reduced from 80 to 48 (60%). The tasks gave them the

right motivation to learn better.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Urban male Rural male Urban female

Rural female

post test

post test

184

5.3.2 Post test errors in change positive into negative

Table 5: 8 Post test errors in positive and negative

Figure 5:14 Post test errors in positive and negative

The errors committed by the students in the category of conversion of positive into

negative have remarkably reduced. The urban male, rural male, urban female and

rural female students’ errors reduced from 313 to 41, 448 to 101, 95 to 30 and 131 to

36 respectively. In fact, the total errors in this category in pre test is higher than any

No Students No.of errors

1 Urban male 41

2 Rural male 101

3 Urban female 30

4 Rural female 56

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Urban male Rural male Urban female

Rural female

Series1

185

other category (987) which is reduced to 208, one fourth of the errors are reduced.

Among them the urban male students’ development is exceptionally higher. Their

86% of the errors are reduced from 313 to 41 and also rural male, urban female and

rural female student’s errors are reduced to 77%, 68% and 72% respectively. It is

evident that their comprehension and application of conversion of positive and

negative has improved a lot through the tasks they have done.

5.3.3 Post test errors in prepositions

Table 5:9 Post test errors in prepositions

No Students No.of errors

1 Urban male 57

2 Rural male 78

3 Urban female 27

4 Rural female 52

186

Figure 5:15 Post test errors in prepositions

The post test errors in prepositions when compared to the pre test are reduced

to 78% and it is surprisingly higher in the category of rural male students leading to

82% and the rural female students errors are reduced to less 67%. The total errors are

reduced from 985 to 214.

5.3.4 Post test errors in story writing

Table 5:10 Post test errors in story writing

No Students No.of errors

1 Urban male 12

2 Rural male 20

3 Urban female 8

4 Rural female 12

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Urban male Rural male Urban female

Rural female

post test

post test

187

Figure 5.16: Post test errors in story writing

The post module end test result shows that the story writing errors are reduced

to a great extent to an 80% from 264 to 52. Amazingly both the rural male and rural

female students errors reduced to 77% and the urban male students’ errors reduced to

a higher percentage 82% and the urban female students’ errors reduced to the least

67%.

5.3.5 Over all errors in post module end test

Table 5: 11 Over all errors in post module end test

Topic urban male rural male urban female rural female

Story Writing 12 20 8 12

Verb and tense 63 82 21 48

Positive and

negative 41

101 30 36

Prepositions 57 78 21 48

0

5

10

15

20

Urban male Rural male Urban female

Rural female

post test

post test

188

Among all the four categories in the post test, the story writing has remarkably

improved and the total errors committed by all the students reduced from 264 to52

and it is a significant percentage of 80%. Except verb and tense (53%) the errors are

reduced from 987 to 208 (76%) in positive and negative and 978 to 204 in

prepositions (79%).The overall analysis shows clearly that the students have

considerably improved in their learning through the adaptation of tasks methods in

teaching.

Figure 5:17 Over all errors in post module end test

5.4 Decrease of errors

The errors are reduced considerably and the total no of errors in the pre test

2683 is reduced to 678 in the post test. The decrease of errors is 40 % which suggests

that their pass percentage would also be changed and that too moving upward. It

results in a high percentage of pass thus leading to usage of language in other

situations.

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

urban male rural male urban female rural female

STORY WRITING

verb and tense

pos.neg.

prepositions

189

Figure 5.18: Decrease of Errors

RESULTS

The post module tests were conducted in different stages to observe their

growth and development and the post module end test results were tabulated and

analyzed to assess their final improvement. Both the results, the pass percentage in the

pre test and the post module end test were compared and assessed to derive the

findings.

1

2683

678

DECREASE OF ERRORS

pre test errors post test errors

190

Table 5:12 Comparison of pre test and post test results

NO Category of

Students

Pre test - pass

percentage

post test -pass

percentage

1

urban male 33.3

77.77

2

rural male 22.2

72.72

3

urban female 37.5

87.15

4

rural female 29.15

83.33

Figure 5.19: Comparison of Pre Test and Post Test Results.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

urban male rural male urban female

rural female

pre test

post test

191

5.4.1 Increase of total pass percentage

The post test results show that the learners have improved and there has been a

significant change in the results. The previous table shows how each and every

category has a higher percentage whereas the next table shows that average pass

percentage of 80 students has also increased from 30 to 80%. When the total average

pass percentage of all the 80 is observed it is clearly evident that the method adopted

to teach them the grammatical items and the writing skill is successful to a great

extent. Though few learners do not show great improvement, they too are exposed to

a new learning environment and they are also engaged in the learning process and

their growth might be gradual and slow in pace.

Figure 5:20 Increase of total pass percentage

total pass percentage

30.6

80.24

pre test post test

192

5.5 Findings of the study

In the pre module test, the rural students secured poor marks and they committed

more errors when compared to the urban students in all the four types of questions

whereas in the post module end test they committed fewer errors

Out of 22 rural male students only 22.2% cleared the test and out of 18 urban

male students only 33.33% cleared the test. Out of 24 rural female students

29.15% and out of16 urban female students 37.5% cleared the test.

The students learned the components of narrative writing skills easily through

the TBLT without any inhibition.

The average pass percentage of total 80 students has increased from 30 to 80%

The total errors committed by all the students in the post test is 2683 which is

reduced to 678 with a percentage of

In the post module end test the total errors of narrating a story decreased from

264 to 52 to 80%roughly. One fourth of the errors were reduced in their

writing.

The post module end test shows a remarkable improvement. Out of 22rural

male students 72.72% cleared it and out of 18 urban male students 77.7%

cleared the test. Out of 24 rural female students 83.33% and out of 16 urban

female students 87.5% cleared the test.

Though the male students both rural and urban shown an improvement of

72.72% and 77.77% it is less when compared to the female students whose

pass percentage is 83.33% and 87.5% respectively.

193

Surprisingly the increase of urban male students’ pass percentage is 44.4%

low, when compared to other categories.

The urban female and the rural male students increase in pass percentage is

almost equal with 49.6 and 50% respectively.

The rural female students’ pass percentage moves from 29.15% to 83.33% and

their improvement is higher when compared to all other categories of students.

The TBLT can be adopted to enhance the writing skill of students both urban

and rural.

5.5.1 Conclusion

Comparison of post test and the pre test provides evidence that the learners

writing skill could be improved to a considerable extent. This is mainly due to the task

based method which was adopted to give them writing practice. The students were

given opportunities to learn and competence and language forms and meaning are

learnt by the learners. Task based language teaching helped the learners to learn

grammar and writing skill. This application to the Arts college students has initiated a

new mindset among the learners and thereby enhanced the writing skill. The task

modules explored the possibilities of learning and involved strategies for improving

the writing skills.