The 5th APISA CongressRegional Integration in Asia and Europe in the 21st

Century

The feasibility of task-based language teaching in a university

setting in Cambodia

Sopheak MeasInstitute of Foreign Languages, Cambodia

Email: iflsopheak@yahoo.com

Overseas Chinese University, Taichung, Taiwan

24-25 November 2011

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ELT in the Cambodian Context

The teaching of English in Cambodia was considered ‘illegal’ until 1988 (Moore & Bounchan, 2010; Pit & Roth, 2004)

GTM and PPP have both been of paramount dominance (Neau, 2003; Suon, 1990)

Introduction

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MoEYS has introduced a number of alternative approaches: CLT is strongly recommended (Neau, 2003)

TBLT: effective an approach, but no or little research on how it could be adopted or adapted in the contemporary context in Cambodia

Introduction (con’t)

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Purposes of the Study

Investigating principles and practices in the current English language program and gauging the feasibility of adopting a task-based approach in the context

The findings: as a reference for the target university, whether task-based learning can be adopted, and how this adoption could be done appropriately

Introduction (con’t)

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D. Research Questions

1. What principles and practices underlie the current university’s English language program?

2. What are the teachers’ perceptions of the current university’s English language program, and what do they think could be done to improve it?

Introduction (con’t)

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3. How do the students feel about the approach already being adopted in the current university’s English language program, and what do they think could be done to improve it?

4. How can task-based approaches be most appropriately integrated into the current university’s English language program?

Introduction (con’t)

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Literature Review

A. TBLT in Language TeachingDefinitions of Task

- Skehan (1998): four main criteria: Meaning is primary; it is goal-directed; the activity is evaluated through outcome; and there is a real world relationship.

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Aspects of Task: a) Task-supported Language

Teaching (TSLT)

TSLT: Facilitates communicative language practice and also follows the form-based language teaching (R. Ellis, 2003).

Uses traditional presentation, practice and production model (P-P-P) (ibid.).

Literature Review (con’t)

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b) Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT)

TBLT: Uses tasks as a way of providing the basis for the whole language curriculum where language is learnt apparently mainly through communication (R. Ellis, 2003).

Learners: Free to choose whatever language forms (Willis, 1996, p. 24).

Literature Review (con’t)

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B. TBLT in Asian Context & Issues Relating to Adopting It

1. Support for TBLT

- Mid-1990s in Hong Kong (Littlewood, 2007) and South Korea (KICE, 2008)

- 2001 in China (Deng & Carless, 2009; Hu, 2005c)

- 1997 in the Philippines (Vilches, 2003) - 2001 in Thailand (Todd, 2006)

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2. Challenges for adopting for TBLT

- Implementing communicative approaches (CLT & TBLT) worldwide has often been proved difficult and challenging on a number of accounts (e.g., Adams & Newton, 2009; Adamson, 2006; Anderson, 1993; Brindley & Hood, 1990; Carless, 2007, 2009; Chick, 1996; Cortazzi & Jin, 1996; G. Ellis, 1996; Hu, 2002, 2005a, 2005b, 2005d; Hui, 1997; Li, 1998; Littlewood, 2007; Sakui, 2004; Taguchi, 2002)

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These problems include:

Ss’ & Ts avoidance of using English Minimal target language production Incompatibility with assessment

demands Classroom related issues Ts’ insufficient understanding of TBLT Cultural issues

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1. Research settings & Participants

The research was conducted in university in Cambodia

143/328 third-year students from six different classes out of the total 11 classes & six lecturers (male) participated in the study.

Methodology

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2. Research Design

- Case study: According to Yin (2003, p. 23), case

study enables an investigation of “a contemporary phenomenon within its real-life context”.

Methodology (con’t)

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4. Methods of Data Collection & Analysis

i. Questionnaire survey with 143 Ss

ii. Semi-structured Interview with 6 teachers

iii. Document Analysis: Analyzing a sample unit of lesson from the course book “New Headway Advanced Student’s Book (3rd ed)”

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Findings

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Ss’ preferences for grammar teaching and language task (n = 143)

Note: *1 = strongly agree; 2 = agree; 3 = neutral; 4 = disagree; and 5 = strongly disagree

StatementsStudents’ responses in

percentages1* 2 3 4 5

You prefer your teacher to explain the

content (grammar) explicitly/in details by

giving you examples.

62.2 27.3

5.6

2.1 2.8

(89.5) (4.9)

You don’t feel that your teacher is competent

enough if s/he doesn’t explain grammar to

you in details.

15.4 32.9

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17.5 4.2

(48.3) (21.7)

You are not satisfied if your teacher does not

correct your grammatical errors.

37.6 41.210.6

7.8 2.8

(78.78) (10.6)

Your teacher should spend a lot of time on

language tasks such as role play, debate,

game, group and pair work, personal

information sharing task, etc.

42 31.4

20.3

2.8 3.5

(73.4) (6.3)

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Ss’ perceptions of their own roles & their teachers’ (n = 143)

Note: *1 = strongly agree; 2 = agree; 3 = neutral; 4 = disagree; and 5 = strongly disagree

StatementsStudents’ responses in

percentages1* 2 3 4 5

You don’t believe it is polite to

disagree with your teacher about a

certain topic even if you have a good

reason to do so.

4.2 14

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39.219.

6

(18.2) (58.8)

You believe that your teacher is a

facilitator or monitor in the

classroom, and students are active

learners.

33.6 43.4

15.4

6.2 1.4

(77) (7.6)

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• The six teachers = Presentation, Practice and Production (PPP)

• Individual work, pair work, or group work, or a combination of two of them to carry classroom tasks.

Ts’ Actual Approaches to Teaching English

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An analysis of the sample unit suggested that it conformed more to a task-supported language curriculum, than to a pure task-based language syllabus.

The materials the six teachers used also matched R. Ellis’s (2003) focused tasks.

Task-supported language syllabus

Material Evaluation

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Ss’ Readiness for TBLT

Note: *1 = strongly agree; 2 = agree; 3 = neutral; 4 = disagree; and 5 = strongly disagree

Ss’ feelings about speaking in English (n=143)

Statements

Students’ responses in percentages

*1 2 3 4 5

You usually like to speak in English in

your classroom.

20.4 39.433.2

7 0

(59.8) (7)

You feel embarrassed if you make a

mistake when speaking in the

classroom.

9.8 19.6

29.4

32.1 9.1

(29.4) (41.2)

You don’t feel comfortable to speak in

English outside of the classroom.

7.9 25.226.7

27.312.

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(33.1) (40.2)

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5/6 Ts felt very comfortable and confident in using communicative English

5/6 Ts had relatively low understanding of TBLT

2 Ts feared that TBLT would not fit in well with the university being investigated

4 Ts strongly supported the idea of introducing TBLT in the context

Ts’ Readiness for TBLT

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1. The suitability of task-based approaches in the university setting under study

- A genuine task-based approach might not be suitable in the context.

- An alternative approach would fit in better.

Discussion & Analysis

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1.1 Supporting Factors for TBLT

Students’ using communicative English

Teachers’ confidence in using communicative English

A new culture of teaching and learning English

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1.2 Constraints for TBLT

Teachers’ lack of awareness of TBLT

Demands for direct grammar instruction

Washback effect of examinations

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2. An alternative approach

Task-supported language teaching, or what Carless (2007) terms ‘situated task-based approaches’ seem viable (Carless, 2004).

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1. Pedagogical implications

Assessment reform Changing or adapting the textbook

to a local task-based one Focusing on both forms and form Building teachers’ knowledge of TBLT

Implications & Conclusion

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2. Limitations of the study

Lack of classroom observations Lack of interviews with students Small number of participants

Implications

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3. Research implications

A larger scale study should be adopted by including more Ts and Ss (from different levels Y2-3) at the university level

Included classroom observations as the data collection methods

Interview with both Ts and Ss

Implications

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The findings of this study has provided useful information on how TBLT could be adapted and adopted in this targeted university as well as in other similar contexts.

The study also has filled the gap of very limited research into TBLT in Cambodian context.

Conclusion

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