Enhancing Lessons Using Enhancing Lessons Using Task-Based Language TeachingTask-Based Language Teaching

District 6District 6

English Learner SummitEnglish Learner Summit

June 6, 2008June 6, 2008

District 6Four Pillars

Professional Learning

Communities(PLCs)

Authentic Literacy

Leadership

Guaranteed Viable

Curriculum(GVC)

Session ObjectivesSession Objectives

1. To gain an awareness of the Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) approach.

2. To identify areas of the curriculum where TBLT principles can be applied to lessons.

3. To practice enhancing lessons following the TBLT model.

Task-Based Language TeachingTask-Based Language Teaching

“TBLT is an approach which offers students material which they have to actively engage in the processing of in order to achieve a goal or complete a task. TBLT seeks to develop a students’ interlanguage through providing a task and using language to solve it.”

Peter Skehan,A Cognitive Approach to Language Learning (1998)

TBLT Lesson SequenceTBLT Lesson Sequence

1. Set behavior and lesson objectives.

6. Practice acquired forms and functions outside the ELD block.

5. Self-evaluate and reflect.

4. Practice communicatively through structured oral and written tasks.

3. Use task-based activity to explicitly teach language forms & functions.

2. Access prior knowledge and link to new comprehensible input.

TBLT Goals

Applying TBLT Applying TBLT Across the CurriculumAcross the Curriculum

Tools to Use for Enhancing Lessons:Tools to Use for Enhancing Lessons:

TBLT Elements to Add:TBLT Elements to Add:

Lesson Objectives (Language vs. Content)

Thinking Maps® (consider 8 Thought Processes)

ELD Strategies (Direct & Indirect)

Student Talk Opportunities (Input/Output)

Differentiation (consider ELD Levels)

Additional Resources (materials, realia)

Lesson ObjectivesLesson Objectives

• What are the language objectives of the lesson?

• Should be generated from content standards (ELD, ELA)

• Written in student-friendly language

Thinking MapsThinking MapsWhat thought process will students use in the lesson?• Brainstorming, Prior Knowledge• Classifying• Describing• Comparing/Contrasting• Sequencing• Cause & Effect• Whole-Part Relationships• Seeing Analogies

ELD StrategiesELD Strategies

• Backward Buildup• Corrective Recasting• RASP• Think-Pair-Share• Pull Out & Talk/Write• Vocalized Reading

• Visuals/Realia• Communication Guides• Sentence Starters• Affective/Memory

Strategies, etc.• TPR• Etc., etc., etc.

What strategies can be incorporated into the lesson?

Student TalkStudent Talk

• Is there ample opportunity for student voice in the lesson?

• What differentiated questions will the teacher ask the students? (Input)

• What differentiated language forms will students use to answer those questions? (Output)

• How will the practice of these oral language forms transfer to student’s writing?

• Is there differentiation based on student’s ELD Levels? In what domains?

DifferentiationDifferentiation

• Simple (B)

• Elaborated (EI, I)

• Complex (EA, A)

Let’s Enhance!Let’s Enhance!

35- 40 35- 40 minutesminutes

Session ObjectivesSession Objectives

1. Did I gain an awareness of the Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT)

approach?

2. Did I identify areas of the curriculum where TBLT principles can be

applied to lessons?

3. Did I practice enhancing lessons following the TBLT model?

Reflection/Next StepsReflection/Next Steps

What are the benefits of teachers learning how to enhance lessons and apply strategies beyond the ELD block?

What was challenging/helpful in the lesson enhancement process?

What steps could your school take in order to facilitate/support lesson enhancement?

Professional ReadingsProfessional Readings

• Jack Richards and Theodore Rodgers (2001), Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching, 2nd Ed.

• Rod Ellis (2003), Task-Based Language Learning and Teaching

• Peter Skehan (1998), A Cognitive Approach to Language Learning

• Kris van den Branden (2006), Task-Based Language Education: From Theory to Practice

• David Nunan (1989), Designing Tasks for the Communicative Classroom

• Dave & Jane Willis (2007), Doing Task-Based Teaching

• Rebecca Oxford (1990), Language Learning Strategies: What Every Teacher Should Know

Contact InformationContact Information

Lenore MedinaLenore MedinaElementary ELD ExpertElementary ELD Expert

(323) 278-3949(323) 278-3949

lenore.medina@lausd.net