Rod Ellis - Using tasks in language teaching

Tasks play a key role in both online and face-to-face teaching. In the first part of my talk, I will define what a task is and illustrate how tasks differ from exercises. In the second part, I provide a classification of tasks with examples to illustrate different task characteristics, and also suggest which types of tasks are best suited to different groups of learners. The third part will then consider how tasks can be incorporated into language lessons in terms of task-supported and task-based language teaching, the rationale for these two ways of using tasks, and the advantages and disadvantages of both approaches. The final part of the talk will then consider how teachers can tell if a task has worked. This involves defining what is meant by ‘worked’ and then evaluating whether a task has achieved what it was designed to achieve. The talk will conclude with an example of how a teacher can set about evaluating a task.

[CambridgeUPELT]

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[mariamarcelabarrueto]

I didn't have the chance to write my comments before but I can do it now. Mr. Rod Ellis this is a very interesting topic. Thanks for your time and for sharing your knowledge.

[drmariajustinagrey]

Thank you so much. I learnt many new and useful things here. It's great to have seen the resource person Rod Ellis whose work I've used for reference for my research. Thank you, Cambridge University, for this opportunity to see and learn from such a renowned person.

[aliahmedyacin]

This is really a very helpful video. As a teacher trainer and mentor, I have learned a lot from you, Sir.
Many thanks to you, both.
From Djibouti, Horn of Africa.

[suecheshire]

WOW! What a pace. It was great to focus on task based language teaching with an expert. Thank you!!

[ctskelly]

I'm absorbed in Rod's change from the early days to this idea in regard to the third criterion: “In task-based language teaching, you don’t teach learners the language that they will need in order to do the task. Rather, you leave it up to the learners, the students, to use whatever language they have"

[atchaehyunsservice]

Tasks must:
Focus on meaning (understand desc.)

Info or opinion gap (discuss the problem for best solution/do smtng to find out)

Use whatever lang. they have (gestute/facial)

Have the outcome (not only correct/grade, communicative outcome)

[mutemainah]

I really enjoy this session, thank you for sharing the knowledge :)

[ErmiasAlaye]

Thank you very much for providing such opportunity. I have learnt a lot from this video and it helps me to be effective on my thesis. Many thanks to you, Sir!
Ermias, from Ethiopia.

[abdolhamedsharef]

This is going to be my source for the TBLT presentation thank you sir for writing the wonderful book Understanding Second Language Acquisition.

[Bigkatzmusiq]

This was a very good session love it, am going to recommend it to all my colleagues.

[raquelgonzalezmaqueda]

I really liked this presentation. Thanks a lot

[rizkhadestianriridwan]

I wish I could see Mr. Ellis's full face. Please pay attention to the screen sharing here On YouTube. Thank You. The presentation is amazing. I get more insight into how I supposed to do in giving my students a task.

[frobikarday]

Thank you for explaining TBLT so clearly.

[blancagalindo]

Brilliant workshop, I enjoyed it very much and learned a lot! GRACIAS.

[suecheshire]

A good pre-task for a task based lesson about ' What will life be like in 100 years' would be for the teacher to model their answer which would include phrases, vocab etc to support communication. The pre-task is for the learner to listen to the teacher and maybe ask questions for clarity so they are excited and engaged to write /speak about their own interpretation of the task.

[oliverapetrovic]

Wow, I really liked his cathegorical NO for the first question in the comments section...the 38th min

[tsgixru]

thank you for clear understanding of Task-based teaching.

[beverlyvillalobos]

It is very interesting topic and analytical topic. Thanks a lot, Sir.
Watching from Italy.

[wissambenn]

Thanks a lot. Very beneficial topic from a great teacher and trainer ❤