1. CUTM 4012: Methods of Teaching English
Week 1: Task-Based Learning

2. Coming in Activity
Think about these questions and write down your thoughts:
What age group do you hope to teach?
Why are you interested in teaching this group?

3. Objectives
Upon completion of your studies for Week 1, you should be able to:
Show awareness of expectations for the semester.
Show awareness of the rationale for task-based language learning.
Define a task.
Distinguish between a task and an exercise or a drill.
Analyze a task to identify its components: givens, procedure, outcomes.
Identify characteristics of student-centred learning.
Explain how task-based learning is student-centred.

4. Overview of Today’s Class
Orientation to CUTM 4012
Task 1: Wiki team building
Establish team membership
Establish ground rules for working together
Mini-lecture and class discussion
Rationale for task-based learning
Definition of a task
Task 2: Developing a task
Task 3: Principles of student-centred learning
Reflection: How is task-based learning student-centred?

5. Task 1: Wiki Team Building
After your group has been formed:
Exchange names and your reasons for wanting to teach a certain grade level.
Read the story about Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.
a. What is the main message of the story?
Establish some ground rules for working together as a group.
Rules during discussion
Expectations for others about getting work done
Establish a plan for how you will share the work load each week.
Who will do the writing?
Will you take turns?
Remember: Wiki reports are part of your grade.
Write down your rules and your plan.

6. Post-Task Reflection

7. Task 2: Developing a Task
In Wiki teams:
Discuss why the given exercise is not a task.
Convert the exercise to a task. Write a description that includes:
Givens
Learner procedure
Outcomes

8. Post-Task Reflection

9. Task 3: Principles of Student-Centred Learning
Watch the videos to identify principles of student-centred learning.
Add the principles to your list.
Meet with your Wiki team.
Take turns sharing observations. Explain why and how a principle was applied.
Compile a group list of your observations.

10. Post-Task Reflection

11. End-of-Class Reflection
Think about this question and write down your answer:
How is task-based learning student-centred?
2. Meet with your Wiki team and share your reflection.

12. Wiki Assignment Your team’s Wiki should include: Team ground rules
Team plan for distributing weekly work
Write-up of an exercise converted to task, including a description of the givens, learner procedures, and outcomes
Compiled list of student-centred observations as they relate to the principles
Reflection responses from each team member