Abstract :Back from the 20th century, researches of the teaching approach for foreign language teaching have developed rapidly. Task-based Language Teaching was put forward in the 1980’s and widely spread. It’s a pattern which advocates “learning by doing”. The purpose of it is to help students learn a new language by accomplishing tasks through the proper use of the language. The Ministry of National Education一Basic Education promulgated new ”English Curriculum Standards” in2001, and it put forward “Task-Based Language Teaching”(TBTL). The request of TBLT in the new curriculum standards has been by more and more schools. It contributes to the implementation of this advanced teaching approach. However, with the rapid changing of the education environment, the teaching concept of teachers and their teaching competence, it’s important for us to know what’s the current situation of the implementation of TBLT in middle school? Is there any feasible ways to improve TBLT?

The thesis consists of three major parts. 

Part one is the literature review. It illustrates the contents of Task-based Language Teaching. Typical definitions and types of task are presented, and features as well as theoretical bases of task-based language teaching are discussed in this chapter. 

Part two is the specific analysis. An investigation on the implementation of Task-based language teaching in junior middle schools in Chengdu was conducted. After disposing and processing the data, an analysis of teacher’s attitudes, the specific characteristics of the implementation of TBLT and the difficulties in TBLT, along with relevant charts are presented in this part.   

Part three is the implication and suggestion part. It provide valuable suggestions for study of this theme in the future.

Key words:  junior middle school, TBLT, investigation

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1-Introduction-1

2-Literature Review-1

2.1-Review of related theories-2

2.1.1-the definition of “task”-2

2.1.2-Elements and types of a “task”-3

2.1.3-The definition of “Task-based Language Teaching”-5

2.1.4-The basic theory of “Task-based Language Teaching”-5

2.2-Review of related empirical studies home and abroad-8

2.2.1-Foreign research status-8

2.2.2-Domestic research status-10

3-Methodology-13

3.1-Research questions-13

3.2-Participants-13

3.3-Research methods-13

3.4-Methods of data analysis-14

4-Findings and discussions-14

4.1-EFL Teachers’ Attitudes and Ideas towards TBLT.-14

4.2-the Characteristics of EFL Teachers’ Application of TBLT in Teaching-16

4.3-Problems and difficulties in the implementation of TBLT-18

5-Conclusions-20

5.1-Implications-20

5.2-Limitations-20

5.3-Suggestions for future research-20

6-Bibliography-21

7-Acknowledgements-22