Abstract

The study aims to investigate English teachers’ local understanding of Task-Based Language Teaching in junior middle schools and to know the current application of the Task-based Language Teaching in English teaching in China. To be specific, the main research questions are: (1) what is English teachers’ local understanding of Task-based Language Teaching in junior middle schools? (2) what are the influential factors that contribute to English teachers’ understanding of Task-based Language Teaching? 

Lesson plans of Task-based Language Teaching are collected as the data for the research to know English teachers’ local understanding of Task-based Language Teaching in junior middle schools. The major findings are as follows according to data analysis and discussion:

(1) Most of English teachers’ understanding of Task-based Language Teaching in junior middle schools are superficial. They misunderstand the definition of a task and have vague understanding of the framework of Task-based Language Teaching. Even if they know the basic theories of Task-based Language Teaching to some degree, they will not directly apply Task-based Language Teaching to their English teaching practice according to the specific teaching situations and contents.

(2) The heavy workload of English teachers in junior middle schools, English teachers’ inadequate knowledge of Task-based Language Teaching, the current score-oriented examination system and teachers’ evaluation system in China are all the factors that influence the English teachers’ local understanding of Task-based Language Teaching in junior middle schools.

On the one hand, these findings are of great use to enrich the theories of Task-based Language Teaching. On the other hand, they can guide English teachers in junior middle schools to apply Task-based Language Teaching to their English teaching practice more efficiently.

Key words: English teachers; TBL; local understanding

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1 Introduction-1

1.1 Background of the study-1

1.2 Research objectives and structure of this thesis-2

2 Literature review-3

2.1 Historical development of the study of Task-based Language Teaching-3

2.2 Theoretical bases of Task-based Language Teaching-4

2.2.1 Input and interaction hypothesis-4

2.2.2 Constructivism theory-5

2.3 Task and Task-based Language Teaching-6

2.3.1 Features of Task-based Language Teaching-6

2.3.2 Definitions of task-7

2.3.3 Framework of Task-Based Language Teaching-9

3 Research methodologies-10

3.1 Research questions-10

3.2 Research instruments-10

3.3 Data collection and research phases-10

4 Data analysis and discussion-11

4.1 Data analysis-11

4.1.1 Personal understanding of task-11

4.1.2  Personal understanding of teaching procedure of TBLT-13

4.2 Discussion-17

5 Findings and Suggestions-17

5.1 Findings-17

5.2 Suggestions-19

References-21

Appendix I: Lesson Plans-22

Appendix II:Interview outline-30