Language, Literature and Education: Research Updates Vol. 7

Task-based language teaching (TBLT) is one of the widely discussed student-centred approaches to language teaching. Teaching a lesson under a task-based framework requires careful consideration of the learners' ages and interests, as well as the task itself. This study provides an overview and characteristics of TBLT, and the advantages of employing it; highlights teacher and student roles; and explores teachers’ perceptions and practices of this approach. The study explores two purposively selected secondary-level English language teachers’ perceptions and practices of using language tasks in their classrooms. Applying an ethnographic research design, the data were collected through in-depth interviews and class observation. The findings suggest that the teachers hold positive attitudes toward TBLT as a current English as a foreign language (EFL) teaching approach and perform task-based classes to some extent; however, they are not well aware of the methods and techniques of implementing tasks appropriately. The study suggests that language educators require proper training to be equipped with the knowledge and skills required for task-based instruction.