Taking Teacher Education to Task TBLT Conference 2007 Greg Ogilvie & Bill Dunn University of Alberta

“ Teacher education still has the honour of being simultaneously the worst problem and the best solution in education. ” (Fullan, 1993, p. 105)

Overview of Presentation  A brief look at TBLT  Issues in implementation  The role of teacher education  Adopting a constructivist approach  Structure of the Study  Results

Defining TBLT Task-based language teaching is an instructional model that addresses educational processes in a second language classroom at a philosophical (why), structural (what) and methodological (how) level. At the philosophical level TBLT assumes a view of second language acquisition as an organic process that is not directly influenced by formal instruction, but may be fostered through cognitively challenging, meaningful use of language.

Defining TBLT – cont’d To this end, TBLT invites students to act as language users rather than learners, with the explicit analysis of language structures and forms emerging from difficulties experienced during the completion of tasks. Implied in this role is a more active responsibility for learners in determining the progression of lessons and the course.

Defining TBLT – cont’d In the planning and implementation process, TBLT upholds the task as the centre-piece from which all other activities are based. The task becomes both the syllabus and methodology of instruction. Completion of the task is used to evaluate the lesson, thus the focal point of TBLT is the provision of learning opportunities that reflect real world language usage, rather than pre-determined teaching points.

Controversial Role of Theory in Informing Practice  Research-driven theory is based on an individualist conception of learning (Freeman & Johnson, 1998)  Theory ignores socio-cultural factors from educational contexts (Markee, 1997)  Perceptual knowledge needed rather than conceptual knowledge (Kessels & Korthagen, 1996)

Rationale for Theoretical Guidance  SLA research focuses on specific elements of learning out of necessity  Theory guides teachers at a macro level  SLA research provides an additional angle from which to evaluate classroom practices (Cook, 2001; Saville-Troika, 2006)

Issues in Implementing TBLT  Lack of resources (Ellis, 2003)  Incompatibility with testing practices (Richards & Rodgers, 2001)  Student expectations (Willis, 1996)  Pedagogical beliefs of teachers (Carless, 2003; McDonough & Chaikitmongkol, 2007)

The Role of Teacher Education  Teacher education practices largely based on tradition (Freeman, 1996)  Most common approach involves ‘telling, showing and guided practice’ (Myers, 2002)

The Role of Teacher Education  Tell, show, guide approach:  Ignores constructivist nature of learning (Fosnot, 2005)  Doesn’t provide opportunities to address tacit understandings developed during the ‘apprenticeship of observation’ (Richardson, 1997)

Research Questions  How does a constructivist inspired approach to teacher education that is based on personal inquiry affect student teachers’ disposition towards and utilization of TBLT?  What factors influenced pre-service teachers’ instructional decisions?

Inquiry Based Course  Premised on altering subjectivity:  Change focus from content to investigation of professional philosophy  Expand students’ view of second language pedagogy

Data Collection Methods  Analysis of experiences as a language learner  Lesson analyses  Concept map  Explication of teaching philosophy  Interview  Pedagogical Beliefs Scale

Low Coherence High Coherence TBLT Disposition Scale *TDS is based on responses to the Pedagogical Beliefs Scale *Provides a quantitative means to measure the influence of the course

Influence of Course on Disposition Towards TBLT  Average at beginning = 62.8  Average at end = 70.1  Average increase = 17%  Only one student decreased from 86 to 81

Early Perspectives on TBLT  “Horrible! More of a social studies class than a language [class]. Too much culture, no grammatical learning.”  “There is very little focus on language acquisition. I think the lesson fails to teach the grammatical concept at hand.”  “I don’t see the point of the lesson. It seems to be more of a discussion session than learning session. Nothing seems to be related to a second language.”

Later Perspectives on TBLT  “TBLT was the one I found to be that I would want to use the most. I believe mostly, while you are doing a task that is the best way to learn a language.”  “I like TBLT because the students can work individually and they can work in groups but I like the idea... [that] they can be creative in a TBLT lesson. And I just think that this is where they can mostly put their background knowledge to use.”

Reflection on the Course  The course had “a particularly catalytic effect. I did not realize how much of an impact my experiences as a learner would have on my beliefs until this year. Until recently, I might have been inclined to believe that the way I was taught was the right way to teach.”

Utilization of TBLT  Although students demonstrated a disposition that was more coherent with the principles of TBLT, tasks were used sparingly during the five-week practicum

Identified Issues  Absence of materials  Time constraints  Curricular demands  Practices of the mentor teacher

Underlying Issues  Epistemological frame of pre-service teachers  Pressure to conform to cultural norms of teaching and the ‘good teacher’

Conclusion  Constructivist approach promoted critical reflection and professional growth  Individual nature of inquiry neglected social component of subjectivity  Logistical issues are an impediment to the implementation of TBLT and must be addressed  Social issues also must be addressed to promote meaningful change

Strategies for Teacher Educators  Critically analyze the principles of teacher education programs  Expand students’ subjectivity  Develop historical consciousness  Promote reflexivity

References Carless, D. (2003). Factors in the implementation of task-based teaching in primary schools. System, 31, Cook, V. (2001). Second language learning and language teaching (3 rd Edition). London: Arnold. Ellis, R. (2003). Task-based language learning and teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Fosnot, C.T. (2005). Constructivism revisited: Implications and reflections. In C.T. Fosnot (Ed.), Constructivism: Theory, perspectives, and practice (pp ). New York: Teachers College Press.

References – cont’d Freeman, D. (1996). The “unstudied problem”: Research on teacher learning in language teaching. In D. Freeman, & J.C. Richards (Eds.), Teacher learning in language teaching (pp ). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Freeman, D., & Johnson, K.E. (1998). Reconceptualizing the knowledge-base of language teacher education. TESOL Quarterly, 32, Fullan, M. (1993). Change forces. London: Falmer Press. Kessels, J.P.A.M., & Korthagen, F.A.J. (1996). The relationship between theory and practice: Back to the classics. Educational Researcher, 25(3),

References – cont’d Markee, N. (1997). Second language acquisition research: A resource for changing teachers’ professional cultures? Modern Language Journal, 81, McDonough, K., & Chaikitmongkol, W. (2007). Teachers’ and learners’ reactions to a task-based EFL course in Thailand. TESOL Quarterly, 41, Myers, C.B. (2002). Can self-study challenge the belief that telling, showing, and guided practice constitute adequate teacher education? In J. Loughran, & T. Russell(Eds.), Improving teacher education practices through self-study (pp ). London: Routledge Falmer.

References – cont’d Richards, J.C., & Rodgers, T.S. (2001). Approaches and methods in language teaching(2nd Edition). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Richardson, V. (1997). Constructivist teaching and teacher education: Theory and practice. In V. Richardson (Ed.), Constructivist teacher education (pp. 3-14). London: Falmer. Saville-Troike, M. (2006). Introducing Second Language Acquisition. Cambridge:Cambridge University Press. Willis, J. (1996). A framework for task-based learning. Harlow, UK: Addison Wesley Longman.

Contact Information Greg Ogilvie Bill Dunn