Task Based Language Teaching - TBLT

One of the methods I discussed in the Language Teaching Methods post is Task Based Language Teaching (TBLT). TBLT is about using a purposeful task and asking the students to work towards that goal in the target language.

I think this is one of the effective ways in language teaching. The advantages are this is close to natural way we all learned our first language, the kids are motivated to work on this if we can also make this task interesting, and there is no language drill. The language will be acquired naturally and the grammar is acquired inductively.

As discussed in the above post (Language Teaching Methods), there are several language teaching methods. However, there seems to be primarily two major approaches. Interestingly, these are two opposing views that look at language teaching from two different directions and go in the opposite direction to each other.

One approach says "learn the language elements and use them in your communication." The second approach says, "use the language in real life and develop language skill." The obvious question is how can we use the language without learning. Let us look at how we acquired our first language. Did we "learn and use" or "use and then learn"? So, the second view makes lots of sense.

Most language programs are focused on the first approach. That might explain why most students don't learn much language even after spending several years in the language school.  But, if we change our goal to help them use the language from beginning, at least the students would have acquired some basic language skill on which they can enhance their language skill.

Why task based teaching makes sense.

"Tasks are meaningful, and in doing them the students need to communicate. The task has a clear outcome so that the teachers and students know whether or not the communication is successful" - Diane Larsen-Freeman.

What is TBLT?

TBLT is about teaching a language through purposeful task with a well defined end result. The students will work on the task in the target language. During this process, they will communicate with each other and with the teacher in the target language. They will also demonstrate the process, the plan, and the actions they took, all in target language. They will use the target language for communication.

What problem does it solve?

The traditional approach teaches the language element by element and hopes (or expects) that the learners will make sense of what they learned and use it in real life communication. Unfortunately, the languages are too complex to learn in such sequential and structured manner, as Dr. Kumar said.

When the kids learn their first language, they have a motivation to communicate something to others. They will use what all they heard, understood, and internalized. The TBLT takes advantage of just that.

How do we do this?

Steven Covey's Habit 2 is Begin with end in mind. Define a task such as "make a travel plan to go to Europe" for example. Provide the students all the necessary information required to make this plan. All the directions, materials, and final product must be in the target language. As a teacher facilitate discussion and guide them to work towards the end result.

Principles behind TBLT.

• The class activities have a perceived purpose and a clear outcome.
• Teacher provides good model of the target language.
• Students receive feedback on their level of success.
• Students have input into the design and the way they carry out the task. This gives them more opportunity for interaction.
• Listen and do tasks that promote acquisition of new vocabulary and provide a good model for grammatical form. This task can enhance the learning that has taken place earlier.

Types of tasks

The following task types can be used in the class.

• Information gap task
• Opinion gap task
• Reasoning gap task
• Unfocused tasks
• Focused tasks
• Input providing tasks
• Output prompting tasks

Conclusion

Explore TBLT and experiment in the class. I am positive the students will enjoy the class, and acquire more language. This will sure enhance the efficiency of our language teaching program.

Thanks

Logu

Language Teaching Methods

What language teaching method shall I use to teach Tamil to our next generation in the diaspora?
 
There are several methods to teach a language. Depending on the belief one tend to support one method over the other. There does not seem to exist one best method. Each method has pros and cons. A teacher will select a method depending on the suitability of the method to meet their objective.

Let us look at different methods out there.

To make use of these methods, we must first understand the long term goal, that is, what we are trying to accomplish, what our beliefs about language teaching and language acquisition are, and then decide which method will help reach the goal effectively. There is no one size fits all method and hence there is no one best method that can be used in all circumstances.

Use the right tool for the right job.

Language teaching methods:

• The Grammar Translation Method
• The Direct Method
• The Audio-Lingual Method
• The Silent Way
• Desuggestopedia
• Community Language Learning
• Total Physical Response
• Communicative Language Teaching
• Content-based Instruction
• Task-Based Language Teaching

Which method do I pick to teach Tamil to the kids in the diaspora? Let us first look at the goals.

• Acquire Tamil and retain for long time.
• Develop communication competency.
• Develop reading and writing proficiency.

What method from the above list will help us teach Tamil language to the kids in diaspora to reach the above goals?

Here is an idea.

• Help them acquire 100 to 150 words using Total Physical Response (TPR)
• Help them acquire language elements using Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS)
• Honor the silent period and wait until the speech emerges; that is, wait until the learner is ready to talk. Do not force them to talk.
• Help them develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills involving them in purpose and meaningful activities; we will use Task Based Language Teaching (TBLT) method.

For more information on these methods please refer to the book

 

As Dr. Kumar says a language teacher can not afford to become a slave to one single method. So, let us go Beyond Methods.

அயலகத்தில் தமிழ்க் கல்வி - நமது நோக்கம்

புலம்பெயர்ந்த நாடுகளில் எந்த மாதிரியான தமிழ் சமுதாயத்தை எதிர்காலத்தில் உருவாக்க உள்ளோம்.

தமிழ் மொழியைப் பற்றி அறிந்தவர்கள் கொண்ட சமுதாயமா? அல்லது நம்மைப் போலவே தமிழில் பேசுபவர்களாக, அவர்களது அடுத்த தலைமுறையினரையும் தமிழ்க் கற்க ஊக்குவிப்பவர்களாக இருப்பவர்களாக இருப்பவர்களா?

Hey, I went to Tamil school, I know about Tamil, I can read, write, and speak little bit என்று சொல்பவர்களா? அல்லது

நான் தமிழன். தமிழ் என் தாய் மொழி. என் மொழியில் சிறப்பான இலக்கிய வளம் உள்ளது. என்னைப் போலவே என் பிள்ளைகளும் தமிழர்களாக வாழவேண்டும் என்று சொல்பவர்களா?

ஏற்கெனவே 100 ஆண்டுகளுக்கும் மேலாக புலம்பெயர்ந்து வாழும் தமிழர்களின் வரலாற்றிலிருந்து நாம் கற்பது என்ன?

தமிழினி என்று ஒரு படம் உள்ளது. அந்த படம் சொல்லும் செய்தி என்ன? பிற்காலத்தில் 2 அல்லது 3 தலைமுறைகளுக்குப் பின் தமிழ் பிள்ளைகள் எப்படி இருக்கப் போகிறார்கள் என்று சொல்கிறது. இது வெறும் கற்பனை மட்டுமல்ல. பல புலம்பெயர்ந்த நாடுகளில் நடந்ததுதான்.

மொழித்திறன்களில் எது முக்கியம்

மொழித்திறன்களான புரிதல், பேசுதல், படித்தல், எழுதுதல் போன்றவற்றில் எது முக்கியம்? இரண்டு கண்களில் எந்த கண் முக்கியம் என்று கேட்டால் எப்படி பதில் சொல்வது. இரண்டுமே முக்கியம்தான். அதுபோல மொழித்திறன்களில் நான்கு திறன்களும் முக்கியம்தான்..

ஆனால்

தமிழ்மொழியல்லாத சூழலில் வாழும் பிள்ளைகள், வீட்டிலும் அதிகம் தமிழ் கேட்கவும் பேசவும் வாய்ப்பு இல்லாத பிள்ளைகள், தமிழ்ப் பள்ளிகளில் வாரம் ஒரு முறை மட்டுமே தமிழ் கேட்கவும் பேசவும் வாய்ப்புள்ள பிள்ளைகள், வருங்காலத்தில் நீண்ட காலங்களுக்கு தமிழை பயன்படுத்த வேண்டுமென்றால், அவர்களோடு தமிழ் சேர்ந்து இருக்க வேண்டுமென்றால், எந்த திறன் முதலில் முக்கியம் என்பது சரியான கேள்வியாக இருக்கும்.

மொழி எதற்காக உருவாக்கப்பட்டது? மொழி மற்றவர்கள் பேசுவதை புரிந்துக்கொள்ளவும், நாம் சொல்ல நினைத்ததை மற்றவர்களோடு பகிர்ந்துக்கொள்ளவே மொழி உருவாக்கப்பட்டது. ஒரு மொழியின் முக்கிய நோக்கம் இதுதானே. மொழிக்கான தொடர்புகளாக இரண்டு வகைகள் உள்ளன; வாய்வழி, எழுத்துவழி. எந்த ,மொழியைப் பயன்படுத்துபவர்களை எடுத்துக்கொண்டாலும் வாய்வழி தொடர்பு எவ்வளவு சதவீதம் பயன்படுத்துகிறோம், எழுத்துவழியாக தொடர்புக்கு எத்தனை சதவீதம் பயன்படுத்துகிறோம். சந்தேகத்துக்கிடமின்றி வாய்வழி தொடர்புக்குத்தான் நாம் மொழியை அதிகம் பயன்படுத்துகிறோம்.

மேலும், தமிழல்லாத சூழலில் வாழும் பிள்ளைகள் எழுத்துவழி தொடர்புக்கு தமிழை பயன்படுத்த எத்தனை சதவீதம் பேர் முயல்வார்கள்? எனவே வாய்வழி தொடர்புக்கு தமிழை பயன்படுத்தவில்லையென்றால், எந்த அளவுக்கு தமிழ் அவர்கள் மனதில் நிற்கும் என்கிற கேள்வி நம் முன் எழுகிறது. அதற்கு நம் பதில் என்ன?

ஒரு மொழியை நீண்ட நாட்களுக்கு பயன்படுத்த ஒரு சிறந்த வழி அம்மொழியை தினமும் பயன்படுத்துவது. மொழித்திறன்களில் நாம் அதிக அளவில் பயன்படுத்துவது மற்றவர்கள் சொல்வதை கேட்டு புரிந்துக்கொள்ள உதவும் புரிதல் திறன், மற்றும் நாம் சொல்ல நினைத்ததை மற்றவர்களுக்கு தெளிவாக தெரியப்படுத்த உதவும் பேசுதல் திறன். உலகில் பல மக்கள் அவர்கள் மொழியில் எழுதப் படிக்க தெரியாதவர்களாகவும் இருக்கலாம். ஆனால், பேசாமல் இருப்பவர்கள் வெகு வெகு சிலரே.

எனவே புலம்பெயர்ந்த நாடுகளில் உள்ள தமிழ்ப் பிள்ளைகள் தமிழை நீண்ட நாட்களுக்கு பயன்படுத்த வேண்டுமென்றால், அவர்களை முதலில் நாம் பேச வைக்க வேண்டும். அதற்கான பயிற்சியை முதலில் கொடுக்க வேண்டும். பிறகு எழுதப் படிக்க கற்றுக்கொடுக்கலாம். இப்படி பேச்சுத்திறன் கொடுத்து வகுப்புக்கு வெளியில் அவர்கள் மொழியை பயன்படுத்த தேவையான பயிற்சி கொடுக்கவில்லையென்றால், நூறாண்டுகளுக்கும் மேலாக புலம்பெயர்ந்து வாழும் தமிழர்களின் சந்ததிகள் இன்றுள்ள நிலைக்கு இவர்களும் வருவதை எப்படி தடுக்கப் போகிறோம்?

Translation Method - pros and cons

In second language classes, the students are asked to translate to and fro the first language and the target language. This exercise is one of the several forms of exercises used in the language classes. Is this a good idea? What are the pros and cons. This post analyzes the pros and cons of the translation exercise using Six Thinking Hats method.

White Hat - The facts

The translation method was first introduced in England in early 1900s to train their students to translate documents and books from other other languages to English and vice-versa. This approach helped meet the goal of the British government. The goal was not to train the students to learn a language; it was just to help with translation. The schools focused on vocabulary and grammar rules necessary to do the translation job. Hence this method is called Translation Method.

Translation Method is one of the several language teaching methods used today. There are so many approaches with each having pros and cons. There is no one size fits all method out there. It is hard to say a particular method will meet the needs of all language learners. It is up to the language teachers to adopt a method that helps them to reach their language teaching goal.

Like many other methods, the translation method also adds some value.


Yellow Hat - the Pros

The objectives of the translation exercises in the language class are language exposure, and vocabulary practice, and also serves as validation of language understanding. It helps with vocabulary practice.

Black Hat  -  the Cons

It is a learning activity; that is, it is a conscious drill. What is learned during conscious drill is forgotten soon It is not that interesting. Consumes the scarce resource; student's time. Designed to focus on the form, not meaning. The kids should know the grammar of both the language; it puts too much pressure on them. It is not meant for helping them with conversation with native speakers. It results in very low amount of acquired competence.

Green Hat - the Alternatives

Involve the kids in the language acquisition activities. Use the language in contexts. Practice language for communication. Help them read an interesting stories. Help them use the language. Tell stories. Ask them do Free voluntary reading (FVR).


Blue Hat - Conclusion

It is not completely wrong to do translation exercise. But, looks like this exercise gives less value for more effort. Since the time is little, it will be good to use that time for language acquisition activities.


நன்றி
லோகு

Six Thinking Hats - A tool to analyze a proposal and take informed decision.

Traditional thinking

Traditional thinking is done through argument and debate, where each point is challenged as they arise. Ego, emotions, bias, animosity etc invariably intrude on this thinking with the consequence that the progress grinds to a halt as time is wasted. We all experienced the horror of sitting through many hours of time wasted, with very little concrete progress. Proposals are taken one by one and debated ad nauseam rather than explored objectively.

Traditional thinking involves an initial reaction to a statement or action. Most of the times the discussion will be like 'I like/don't like that because....', 'I agree/don't agree because ....' This is mostly reactive and opportunity to proactively look at the strength and weakness of the proposal is missed.

A better approach

Facts	Positives SIX THINKING HATS	Negatives
Alternatives	Emotions	Decision making

I am in charge of training at California Tamil Academy, a community organization that teaches Tamil to over 4000 students on the weekends. We arrange training by professional trainers to our teachers. Last year we had an opportunity to be trained by a professional trainer from Singapore who taught us several teaching strategies. She introduced a strategy called “Six Thinking Hats” which will help us encourage conversation in the class. Of all the strategies she taught us, the Six Thinking Hats strategy caught my attention and I could see the potential of the strategy beyond classroom situation. I explored further reading about it in the wiki and books on the topic. I present here what I learned.

The strategy was first introduced and copyrighted in 1985 by Edward DeBono as a tool to openly discuss any situation and take informed decision. The book “Six Thinking Hats for Schools” by James O’Sullivan explains the strategy and application details in a classroom situation.

The Six Thinking Hats

	White Hat - represents blank white paper where we record information. Only facts are discussed during white hat thinking. Further information on the facts can be requested.
	Yellow Hat - represents Sun which is warm and good. Look only at the benefits or good points; the advantages, why it will work, etc.
	Black Hat - represents color worn by a judge. We look only at the faults; the disadvantages, weakness, why it will not work etc.
	Green Hat - represents growth and new life. Creative hat. We come up with alternatives, fresh ideas or possibilities.
	Red Hat - represents blood and heart, the seat of emotions. We look only at the feelings. We state how we feel about the proposal.
	Blue Hat - represents sky which oversees everything. We discuss further, summarise, and decide. We also explore need for further thinking.

During one colored thinking, the other thinking is not allowed. This encourages the entire team to focus on the merits and demerits of the proposal individually one at a time.

The approach

When you have a situation use the time as follows focusing on one aspect of the proposal at a time. The entire team will explore one aspect of the proposal at a time.

1. Spend 3 minutes doing white hat thinking. Look at the available information on the issue.
   
2. Spend 3 minutes doing yellow hat thinking. Look only at the advantages of the issue.
   
3. Spend 3 minutes doing Black Hat thinking. Look at why it is a bad idea, what the difficulties, what are the disadvantages.
   
4. Spend 3 minutes doing green Hat thinking. What alternative do we have? Is there a better way?
   
5. Spend a few minutes using both Yellow and then Black Hat to assess some of the alternatives.
   
6. Make a decision using Red Hat to vote on who likes the idea and who does not.

Time is spent more productively and the pros and cons are analysed as a group.

The Six Thinking Hats is parallel thinking, and puts all participants on an equal footing without any individual need to win. Everyone looks in the same direction at the same time without any judgement, argument or debate.

Conclusion

Meeting times can be reduced to a quarter. Avoids combating during the discussion. Avoids argument and debate. It is extremely useful, in group thinking situations, to enable focus and facilitate parallel thinking. Using the Six thinking hats causes an amazing transformation in meetings by shortening the time while greatly increasing productive outcome.

நன்றி

லோகு

Teaching Tamil in Contexts

We cannot really teach a language; we can only create conditions under which it will  develop in the mind in it's own way - Noam Chomsky.

What is a condition? It is a context. Teach using contexts. Many experts say this.

Dr. Pimsluer's 4th Principle says:

Organic Learning

Every new item introduced in a Pimsleur course is given within the context of a conversation or exchange. This helps learning and retention in a multitude of ways, from allowing your brain to automatically integrate intonation, rhythm, melody, and pronunciation, to embedding prompts for your memory. When you need a word, it’s there – seamlessly on the tip of your tongue.


Dr. Krashen's Comprehensible Input hypothesis is about context

Dr. Ray's TPRStorytelling is about contexts:

From Fluency through TPR Storytelling book by, Dr. Blaine Ray. This the very first paragraph in chapter 1.

All small children virtually learn languages in contexts.

Involve the kids in language acquisition activities. Help them master vocabularies in an interesting ways using stories. They should comprehend the vocabulary in the beginning and retrieve and use in their output (speech and writing) later in their own way.
 
Dr. Kumar dedicated one full chapter for Contexts in this book Beyond Methods.

This all means teaching language using contexts is a valuable technique.

What is a context?
Why to create contexts?
How to create contexts?

I will try to answer these questions in this post.


What is a context?

When talking about classroom and outside environment for language acquisition, Dr. Krashen says we must give the learners interesting and comprehensible input. Comprehensible Input makes acquiring a language easy. Interesting input helps to lower the affective filter and thereby increasing their motivation to learn the language.
He further says we can structure the class to give comprehensible input, but, giving interesting input is a challenge. Whereas the outside environment provides interesting and relevant input, but it is not comprehensible for beginners. The class can give comprehensible input, but it may not be very interesting. A context helps us to make the class interesting and comprehensible.

A language is developed for the purpose of real life communication. These real life situations are contexts. It only makes sense we structure our class to practice the kids in using the language in real life situations. That is the context.

Example: Let us says you want to teach the words  எழுந்திரு, உட்கார், நில், கை, கால், இடது, வலது...
Some ways to teach this are:

• Translation method
• show and tell
• sentence forming exercise

A better way to reach this would be to create a context and use the language in the situation. In this context, the kids hear the word, understand the meaning on their own, and do something with it.
Let us teach them how to do தோப்புக்கரணம்.

Teacher models a word or phrase. To model a word or phrase: say the word, show the meaning, and do the action. We can do the following.

• எல்லோரும் எழுந்திருங்க.
  Say the words, show எழுந்திருங்க with hands, and also get up.
• இந்த (வலது) கையை தூக்குங்க
• இந்த (இடது) காதை பிடிங்க
• உட்காருங்க
• எழுந்திருங்க
• மறுபடியும் உட்காருங்க
• repeat this few times.

Now the kids heard the word, understood the meaning (without any translation of explanation), and also followed the direction. This method is called Total Physical Response (TPR) system.

This is the context.  May not be that interesting. But, more effective than learning thru other methods. How do we make it interesting? TPRS can help.

Why to create context?

In our schools, the kids learn the language through whatever method the teacher uses. But, living in a diaspora world, they have very limited opportunity to use the language outside the classroom. Hence it is important that we bring that outside to the classrooms.

The kids do not care about the language; they do not care of learning another language; they do not care about identity thingy... It is the parents who want them to learn the language. Then how do we put the ownership of learning Tamil in the kids' minds? It is by making learning Tamil interesting.

Making the class interesting does not mean playing some games. It has to be more than that. We have to create situations that will make them think "I want to know what it is", "I want to do that" ... When the kids reach this level, they are ready to acquire the language for long term retention.


How do we create contexts?

• Shopping
• Travel
• Get something from the office
• Sell something to others
• Pretend "go to a movie"

Conclusion

Creating contexts and teaching thru contexts increases learners motivation and also helps them to acquire language easily and for long term retention.

நன்றி
லோகு