a slidesshow to highlight the stages of designing a course based on activity based language teaching

1. Designing
a short-term course for
Activity Based
Language Teaching
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2. Icebreaker
 Reflect
1. your best academic strength
2. your best academic achievement
3. your major academic goal
 List questions you ask someone to find
these answers
 Pair
 Share with each other (2+2 minutes)
 Present highlights to the class
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3. Discuss
 Was it an activity/task?
 Was it meaningful?
 Was it related to real-life language use?
 Did it involve communication?
 Was there a pre-defined outcome?
 Was the outcome measurable?
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4. Right or Wrong?
1. Activities that involve real communication are essential for
language learning.
2. Activities in which language is used for carrying out
meaningful tasks promote learning.
3. Language that is meaningful to the learner supports the
learning process.
4. Fluency is a greater priority than accuracy in seond
language learning situations.
5. Meaning is more imporant than form in second language
learning situations.
6. Language cannot be learned by interacting communicatively.
7. Sequencing tasks according to their difficulty is a good
pedagogic idea.
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5. Reflect!
 Does instruction have an effect on second language
learning?
 Does syllabus have a bearing on learning a second
language?
 Is learner activity necessary for learning a second
language?
 Does one method allow more learner activity than
another?
 Should a course design include the choice of one
language teaching method over another?
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6. Course Design
Who does what with whom,
with what resources, when,
how long, how and why?
(The way language competences are
taught, learned, used and assessed)
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7. Who Designs a Course?
• Who decides the expected outcomes?
• Who designs a course?
 the state / the university
 professional materials developers
 pre-published works adopted
 the classroom teacher
 the learner
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8. Designing a Course
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Defining
Course
rationale
Assessing
needs
Defining
expected
outcomes
Formulating
goals
Developing
pedagogic
materials
Integrating
communication
skills
Sequencing
contents
Deciding
methodology
Designing
assessmen
t

9. Defining
Course
rationale
Assessing
needs
Defining
expected
outcomes
Formulating
goals
Developing
pedagogic
materials
Integrating
communication
skills
Sequencing
contents
Deciding
methodology
Designing
assessmen
t
Course Rationale
1. Why a new course?
2. Pragmatic efficiency
 economy of time and money
 practical constraints in the situation
3.. Pedagogical efficiency
• economy in the management of learning process
• structured method of dealing with learning
• how much and what kind of instruction
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10. Course Rationale MAPS
1. Measurable
2. Achievable
3. Personalized
4. Specific
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11. Defining
Course
rationale
Assessing
needs
Defining
expected
outcomes
Formulating
goals
Developing
pedagogic
materials
Integrating
communication
skills
Sequencing
contents
Deciding
methodology
Designing
assessmen
t
Needs Assessment
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 Communication Skills
 Presentation Skills
 Interpersonal Skills
 Critical Thinking Skills
 Personality Development
 Leadership skills
 Numeric Skills
 IT Skills
 Writing a CV or Résumé
 Writing a Covering Letter
 Writing an Effective LinkedIn Profile
 Applying for a Job
 Interview Skills
A Course in Enhancing Employability Skills of
Engineering Students:

12. Defining
Course
rationale
Assessing
needs
Defining
expected
outcomes
Formulating
goals
Developing
pedagogic
materials
Integrating
communication
skills
Sequencing
contents
Deciding
methodology
Designing
assessmen
t
Expected Outcomes
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 Upon completing the course, the students will be able to
describe their career objective in a grammatically accurate
English sentence
 At the end of the course, the students will be able to give
confident and frank answers to questions at job interviews
 The students’ will effectively participate in career
development workshops/seminars
A Course in Enhancing Employability Skills of
Engineering Students:

13. Defining
Course
rationale
Assessing
needs
Defining
expected
outcomes
Formulating
goals
Developing
pedagogic
materials
Integrating
communication
skills
Sequencing
contents
Deciding
methodology
Designing
assessmen
t
Formulating Goals
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 The course will identify and bridge the skill gaps and
improve the student’s overall language competences
 The communication and presentation skills of students
will improve to meet the needs in their chosen fields
 At least 75% students taking the Course will be more
prepared to effectively compete and secure
placements
A Course in Enhancing Employability Skills of
Engineering Students:

14. Defining
Course
rationale
Assessing
needs
Defining
expected
outcomes
Formulating
goals
Developing
pedagogic
materials
Integrating
communication
skills
Sequencing
contents
Deciding
methodology
Designing
assessmen
t
Choice of Pedagogic Materials
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 Learner proficiency & need
 Learner interest
 Frequency of occurrence
 Teachability
 Classroom usability
 Coherence

15. Course Contents – Sample 1
1. My Strengths
2. Self Confidence
3. Team Work
4. SMART Goals
5. Time Management
6. Decision Making
7. e-learning
8. Body Language
9. Social Responsibility
10. Leadership
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16. Course Contents – Sample 2
1. Greetings
2. Questions
3. Enquiries
4. Directions
5. Instructions
6. Descriptions
7. Narrations
8. Suggestions
9. Agreements
10. Opinions
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17. Course Contents – Sample 3
Your English text book
that is already in use
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18. Instructional Materials
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- Books
- Newspapers
- Magazines
- Worksheets
- Radio programs
- AV materials
- TV
- Internet

19. Sample Tools on the Web
 www.calendar.google.com /
www.facebook.com
 www.audio-lingua.eu
(personalized mp3 resources to listen online or download in order to practice the oral comprehension skill)
 www.maps.google.com
(to practice reading, writing and speaking skills as well as to develop visual literacy, and technical skills, easily adaptable for
project based learning tasks)
 www.verbling.com
(classes for students to join and practice their English with other English speakers from different parts of the world)
 www.film-english.com
(innovative lesson plans revolving around the use of video and film to teach English language and promoting critical
thinking)
 www.ed.ted.com
 www.teflvideos.com
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20. Exercise
Choose a digital tool from the
previous slide and incorporate
it in the task that you have
designed.
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21. Types of Classroom Tasks
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Task Language activity
Listing Brainstorming, fact-finding
Ordering / sorting Sequencing, ranking, categorizing, classifying
Comparing Matching, finding similarities / differences
Problem solving
Analysing real or hypothetical situations, reasoning, and
decision making, advising, planning
Sharing
experiences
Narrating, describing, exploring and explaining attitudes,
opinions, reactions
Creative tasks
Discovering, analysing, problem solving, solving
language puzzles

22. Defining
Course
rationale
Assessing
needs
Defining
expected
outcomes
Formulating
goals
Developing
pedagogic
materials
Integrating
communication
skills
Sequencing
contents
Deciding
methodology
Designing
assessmen
t
Integrating Communication Skills
 Pair/group/collaborative work
 Information gaps
 Opinion exchanges
 Preference lines
 Decision making tasks
 Problem solving tasks
 Collaborative jigsaws
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23. Information Gap Activities
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Card A
There are many different ways a
teacher can be bad. Even an
overall effective teacher may be
ineffective in certain areas. A
major part of a principal’s job is to
identify which teachers are
effective, which teachers need to
improve, and which ones are
ineffective and need to be
dismissed. This process begins
with an accurate teacher
evaluation.
Card B
A principal has to identify 3
categories of teachers:
Category One
……………………………….
……………………………….
Category Two
………………………………..
………………………………..
Category Three
………………………………..
………………………………..
What is the initial step?
………………………………..
Think of another activity like this, using a grid. Choose a topic that students
would find interesting. Brainstorm with your group and list your ideas.
Practise in pairs. One student looks at Card A and the other at Card B.

24. Opinion Exchange Activities
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 Opening discussion on what makes great people.
 Ss look at a list of celebrities.
 Who do you think is the most successful and
why?
 Describe your choice to your partner and explain
your reasons.
 After listening to partners, Ss may either hold on
to their view or may change their choice.
 Each pair justifies its choice to another pair.
 Feedback and language review.

25. Preference Line Activities
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Individual work; group work
Promoting fluency; insisting on accuracy
Assigning homework; avoiding homework
Parents supporting children until they grow up; children
becoming independent as soon as possible
Extended families living together; generations living apart
Love marriages; arranged marriages
Living in a big city; living in the country
Having a large family; not having children

26. Decision Making Activities
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A nuclear war has just taken place!
Soon, most of the world will be
destroyed by radiation. However, you,
delegates to the United Nations, have
learned that due to unusual wind
patterns, one small, uninhabited island
1000 miles off the coast of the
Andamans will not be affected and is
safe.
Unfortunately, there is only time
enough for one small plane at the
Hyderabad airport to make it to the
island. Aside from the pilot, the plane
can carry only 6 people. But there are
10 people at the airport who want to
get on board the airplane. You have
fifteen minutes to decide which 6 of
the following people will you carry and
which 4 will die.
Remember while you decide that the 6
people you choose will have to start a
new civilization.
1. As a group, think of reasons for and
against each person.
1. male, religious pujari, age unknown
2. male, homosexual doctor, age 46
3. female, beautiful ventriloquist, age 30
4. male, warrior with a gun, age unknown
5. male, valiant chief of a tribe, age unknown
6. female, the tribal chief’s pregnant wife, age unknown
7. male, scholarly juror, age 41
8. female, university professor, atheist, age 34
9. female, handicapped meteorologist, age unknown
10.female, agronomist, alcoholic, age unknown
2. Discuss and agree upon one
unanimous list of six survivors. Be
prepared to justify your choice.
3. Present your list to the class and
justify each choice.

27. Problem Solving Activities
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 Have you had any classroom problems?
 Identify the most pressing one of them.
 Discuss in groups, invite solutions, choose the best
 Share your ideas. What is the best solution? Why?
 Review language use
(you could, you should, you may, you need to, why
don’t you?, this worked for me, try this)
I have a classroom problem, what should I do?

28. Jigsaw Activities
A Task-Based Approach
Task-based Learning offers an alternative for language teachers. In a task-based lesson the teacher doesn't pre-
determine what language will be studied, the lesson is based around the completion of a central task and the
language studied is determined by what happens as the students complete it. The lesson follows certain stages.
Pre-task
The teacher introduces the topic and gives the students clear instructions on what they will have to do at the task
stage and might help the students to recall some language that may be useful for the task. The pre-task stage can
also often include playing a recording of people doing the task. This gives the students a clear model of what will be
expected of them. The students can take notes and spend time preparing for the task.
Task
The students complete a task in pairs or groups using the language resources that they have as the teacher monitors
and offers encouragement.
Planning
Students prepare a short oral or written report to tell the class what happened during their task. They then practice
what they are going to say in their groups. Meanwhile the teacher is available for the students to ask for advice to
clear up any language questions they may have.
Report
Students then report back to the class orally or read the written report. The teacher chooses the order of when
students will present their reports and may give the students some quick feedback on the content. At this stage the
teacher may also play a recording of others doing the same task for the students to compare.
Analysis
The teacher then highlights relevant parts from the text of the recording for the students to analyze. They may ask
students to notice interesting features within this text. The teacher can also highlight the language that the students
used during the report phase for analysis.
Practice
Finally, the teacher selects language areas to practise based upon the needs of the students and what emerged from
the task and report phases. The students then do practice activities to increase their confidence and make a note of useful
language.
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29. Sharing Experiences Activities
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 Find a conversation partner
 Narrate your experience during your first day as a
language teacher
 Listen to each other
 Ask any question you might have
 Describe your partner’s experience to the whole
class

30. Picture Clue Activities
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A task taken from a task-
based syllabus for
beginners.

31. Exercise
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• elicit typical problems to set context
• give guidelines, parameters, time frame
• form groups
• groups discuss problems, solutions and
alternatives
• groups design their utopia
• monitor and take notes
• report to another group/class
• review, analyze and assess
Creating a perfect English classroom

32. Reflect
What language skills were involved in
performing the activity?
What linguistic forms are essential and
useful while performing the activity?
How do you know if the task has worked?
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33. Defining
Course
rationale
Assessing
needs
Defining
expected
outcomes
Formulating
goals
Developing
pedagogic
materials
Integrating
communication
skills
Sequencing
contents
Deciding
methodology
Designing
assessmen
t
Sequencing Contents
Language units are neither totally independent nor
dependent on other items, but are a network of
interrelated items.
 Complexity of form
 Frequency of occurrence
 Coverage
 Learnability
 Teachability
 Priority of need
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34. Defining
Course
rationale
Assessing
needs
Defining
expected
outcomes
Formulating
goals
Developing
pedagogic
materials
Integrating
communication
skills
Sequencing
contents
Deciding
methodology
Designing
assessmen
t
 Direct Method (English only)
 Grammar-Translation Method
 Bilingual Method
 Structural Method
 Situational Method
 Functional Notional Method
 Immersion Method
 Communicative Language Teaching Method
 Task Based Language Teaching Method
Choice of Teaching Method
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35. How to Choose a Method?
 What are expected learner competences?
 What type of content is selected?
 What role is given to grammar?
 How do we engage students?
 How do we assess outcomes?
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36. Tasks
Real World
Tasks
Pedagogical
Tasks
Rehearsal
rationale
Pedagogical
rationale
Classroom Language Tasks
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The goal of the language
teacher is to develop
meaningful and relevant
pedagogical activities
that are as close to
real-world tasks
as possible.

37. Why ABLT?
 natural learning inside classroom
 tasks- related to real-life language needs
 classroom activities - clear language outcome
 contexts - facilitate language acquisition
 meaning gains emphasis over form
 intrinsically motivating & higher interest
 learner-centered classroom facilitation
 more STT and less TTT
 non-interventional monitoring, supportive environment
 continuous assessment possible, tolerant to mistakes
 can be used alongside traditional
approaches
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38. What is ABLT?
(TBLT, TBLL, TBL, TBI)
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ABLT
involves comprehending, manipulating,
producing or interacting in target L
authentic communication for performing
meaningful tasks
focus on meaning; freedom with form
has a sense of completeness and has clearly
defined outcome
allows teacher guidance and limited control
assessment based on task outcome

39. ABLT Activities
 involve a plan for learning
 primary focus on making meaning
 offer real-world two-way language use
 focus on language skills after task
completion
 engage learners in cognitive skills to
accomplish tasks
 have a pre-defined communicative
learning outcome
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“A task is an activity which requires learners to use language
with emphasis on meaning, to attain an objective.”

40. Components of ABLT
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Post Task
Ss repeat, reflect, analyze L use
T conducts practice
Closer study of L features
Optional follow-up
Pre Task
Awareness raising
Pre Task warmer
Introduce topic and task; supply language
Use recordings, demonstrations
Task Cycle
(Task, Planning, Report)
Work with and use target L
Pair and group work activities
Opinion gap, information gap, reasoning gap techniques
T monitors
Ss plan, report and present
Which components
provide most exposure to
the target language?
Think of three things the
teacher might do during
the pre-task.
At which stages in the task
cycle might students
benefit most from
correction?
Why do you think the
language focus phase
always comes after the
task cycle?

41. Pr.1 T arouses awareness about the topic
Pr.2 T offers some ideas on how to do things
Pr.3 T shows a model / demonstration, if necessary
Pr.4 T gives the topic that is going to be treated
Cy.1 Ss collect information and materials
Cy.2 Ss work in groups , with T’s guidance
Cy.3 S groups plan their presentations
Cy.4 Ss report on their projects to the rest of the class
Po.1 Ss repeat / analyze the entire activity and their role
po.2 T discusses language features
Po.3 T assigns homework
Arrange the strips in logical sequence
Activity Structure Jumble
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42. Pre Task Phase
 motivational, linguistic, cognitive
 brainstorming, comparing, sharing experiences
 materials to lead into the topic
(picture/text/song/video)
 activities to elicit vocabulary
 provide a model or role-play
 allow the students time to plan
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43. While Task Phase
 Detailed instructions
 Set time for completing the task
 Allow enough planning time
 Pair / group work / the whole class
 Introduce a surprise element
 Vary group members
 Minimum teacher control
 Ss have to report to the whole class
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44. Post Task Phase
 Summarize the outcome
 Repeat / reflect / analyze
 Watch a quality sample to compare
 Feedback / issues / communication problems
 Evaluate the task success / language use
 Relevant homework / critique
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45. Phases of an ABLT Lesson
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 Pre-task: T introduces the topic and gives clear
instructions
 Task: Ss complete the task in pairs or groups using the
language resources that they have
 Planning: Ss prepare a short report to tell the class
what happened during their task
 Report: Ss report back to the class orally or read the
written report
 Analysis: T highlights relevant observations for the Ss
to analyze
 Practice: T facilitates relevant language practice

46. Exercise
Develop a task about a topic of your choice.
Test your task on these yardsticks:
 Is there a well defined outcome?
 Does the activity relate to real world activities?
 Will the activity engage learners' interest?
 Is there a primary focus on meaning?
 Is there scope to judge outcome?
 Is completion of task a priority?
 Can the outcomes be assessed?
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47. Review Activity
Discuss in groups and decide a few effective
means to implement in your class one new
technique you have learned at this workshop.
Group Spokesperson to make one
recommendation to the other groups.
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48. References
“A Framework for Task-Based Learning," by Jane Willis
"Designing Language Courses," by Kathleen Graves
"A Course in Language Teaching,“ by Penny Ur
“A Framework for the Implementation of Task Based
Instruction,” by Shekhani, Peter
“The Task Based Approach: Some Questions and
Suggestions,” by Littlewood William
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49. Question
s
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50. Thanks
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this slideshow is available at
www.authorstream.com/tag/lionnagaraju
www.slideshare.net/lionnagaraju
write to me at
lionnagaraju@gmail.com