TBL - English5th-10th grade: Workshop 1

Task design: Jane Willis

Jane Willis’ TBL model (1996) involves the basic 3 phases, but:

• She focuses more on the while and post phases and divides them into several stages

• Her focus is more on language awareness and making sure learners understand and process langauge points

• Her model is perhaps more relevant for more advanced/older learners, whereas Cameron’s model perhaps suits the needs of young learners better

Jane Willis: the Task Cycle

This is the WHILE-phase; ‘core activity’ in Cameron’s model. Willis divides it into 3:

Task: this is where the actual Task is made

Planning: this is where learners prepare presenting their task solution to others

Presentation: this is where learners present their task solution – can be in pairs, groups or class

An example: Map information gap

• Task: information gap. Partners A and B have the same map, but with different names of locations on it. Now, they have to find all locations on the map – and they can’t show the map to each other.

• Planning: when the locations have been found, the Task is solved. Now they have to go over the results to check them and draw lines on the map to check routes.

• Presentation: A and B partners are now put in groups. They compare results with other A or B partners. When they decide on the right route, the Task cycle is complete

Jane Willis: Language Focus

This is the POST-phase, which Willis divides into 2 parts:

• Analysis: here the teacher identifies language issues which have come up during the task cycle – and explains rules to learners

Example: learners have made written about ‘Me in 5 years’; many of them have experienced difficulties with expressing future. The teacher presents information about verbs and future time in English.

• Practice: Teacher helps learners choose exercises which suit their needs

Example: exercises with future forms/modals in English; e.g. write a letter to a friend in which you suggest plans for a trip (”we might go see…”, ”I would like to visit…”, ”we will be there at…”)

Demo: microfiction

• Pre-phase: intro to microfiction writing – what is that?

• While-phase:

- task: write a story in less than 100 words about a picture

- plan: read aloud, check language issues

- present: read your story to partners

• Post-phase: suggest activities for language work

Microfiction: what is that?

• A short fiction text, often under 100 words. Also known as ‘Flash Fiction’.

Genre criteria:

• With few words, you must start in media res

• The story should express mood/atmosphere within a short time span – it involves a specific situation, often told in 3rd person restricted narrative

• Often an open ending, leading up to a given frame – e.g. the situation in a picture/photo.

Write a story that explains this picture

in a 100 words

Who is this woman?

Who is she talking to?

Decsribe her facial expression: is she worried? Irritated? Sad?

Try to say: ”Ohh…Alright…” out loud: how many different ways can it sound – and what kinds of mood are there?

Language Focus

• Cohesion: ”he” who?

• Concord (kongruens):

• Adverb or adjective?

• Adverb position

• Commas(!) I like coffee, but I don’t like tea

• Initial adverbs: Furthermore, First of all,

• Tense (past-present) Aspect (udviddet tid – før-tid) Nutid er Utid

Discussion: language focus

• What kind of skills do you need to tackle language issues ‘on demand’?

• What kinds of resources do you need to address individual needs of learners?

• How can language awareness be integrated in activities in a meaningful way? (Focus on Form)

Extra: Modelling in the Teaching-Learning Cycle

• Genre writing/reading didactics – breaking down the genre becomes the main scaffolding for learners

• 4 stages:

Setting the context/explaining genre

Deconstructing and modelling: break down genre rules and show example

Joint construction: teacher creates a text with learners

Independent construction: learners now write/read on their own