Assalamualaikum and Hi!
1. The
title of the journal article that I shall be making a review on is- Technology and Task-Based Language
Teaching: A Critical Review. This was taken from the CALICO Journal 2011, volume 28 No. 2 from page 498-521. This article was
written by Chun Lai and Guofang Li both from the University of Hong kong and
Michigan State University respectively.
Dr
Chun Lai received her master from the University of Illinois while her Ph.D
from Michigan State University. She is now an Assistant Professor in the
division of Chinese Language and Literature at the University of Hong Kong. Her
areas of expertise include- teaching
Chinese as a second/foreign language; foreign language curriculum design;
technology and second/foreign language teaching and learning; and educational
research methodology. She has produced a number of outstanding projects and
research papers, one being rewarded as the ‘Outstanding Paper of the Year
(2010)’ by Calico Journal, Computer Assisted Language Learning Consortium,
U.S.A.
Dr Guofang Li too is exceptional in her own ways. She is
an associate professor of second language and literacy education in the
Department of Teacher Education, Michigan State University. She received her
Ph.D. from the University of Saskatchewan in 2000 and was a post-doctoral
fellow (SSHRC) at the University of British Columbia during 2000-2001. Prior to
joining MSU, she was an assistant professor at the University at Buffalo, where
she was a recipient of the 2004 Outstanding Young Investigator Award. Most of her
work focuses on the following areas; Asian immigrant children's home literacy
practices; cultural conflicts and educational dissensions between Asian
immigrant parents and mainstream schools/teachers regarding literacy learning
and instruction; and Asian children's social processes of learning, especially
the impact of the "model minority" myth, social class, and cultural
identity on language and literacy development.
2. This
journal article was written to see the relationship between technology and
Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT), of how they provide mutual benefits for
one and another. It also attempts to discuss the challenges in implementing
TBLT in technology-mediated environments. It poses questions that tested on the
credibility of technology in providing the benefits for task-based language
teaching particularly looking at the demands of the groups of people who are
highly involved in the process; the teachers, the students and the researchers.
Task-based language teaching is an
approach used to provide more authentic learning experiences to the students.
One of the main concerns that have been ‘actively’ debated recently in the area
of second language acquisition is the communicative aspect of the teaching and
learning of second language in classrooms. TBLT demands for more ‘real world’
activities to be conducted in class. Teachers however are confronted with a
number of challenges in devising ways to meet the needs of TBLT. Some of the
challenges that were discussed in this journal article are; students’ high dependency
on the teachers; cramped classrooms; students avoiding to use the targeted
language; and mixed proficiency level in the classrooms. The use of technology
however is seen to be capable of handling and tackling all the challenges
listed.
From several of studies that have
been cross-referenced in this journal article, it has been proven that both
technology and TBLT share a mutual reciprocity. Technology benefits TBLT in
such ways that learning from tasks are enhanced and improved at an impressive
rate. For example, it helps to increase the quantity of language production
among the students through computer-mediated communication (CMC). Text-based
CMC for instance is found to be motivating to students as they are less anxious
and that they could actually track their own progress. Other sources of CMC such
as audios and videos too have been found to be able to boost students’
motivation and performance at the same time.
TBLT on the other hand serves as
pedagogical framework to advance the field of technology-enhanced language learning.
Students enjoyed the implementation of TBLT through technology in which the
activities, the worksheets, the games are based on the principles and the
concepts of TBLT. Several studies have reported on the positive feedbacks from
both the teachers and the students on online tutorials that adopted a TBLT
approach. Students too have significantly improved in terms of fluency and
accuracy in the language production. Hence, it shows how technology and TBLT
benefits one and another. This mutual relationship however as mentioned earlier
is not as ‘smooth’ as we might think of as it too posses several challenges-
from the demands of the teachers, the students and the researchers.
Some of the challenges that were
discussed in relation to the demands of the teachers, the students and the
researchers are; the lacking of digital literacy and the skills to the use of various
technologies among students; teachers not believing the value of technology and
do not have the skills to implement technology-enhanced TBLT; and the questions
raised by the researchers on the feasibility of adopting the conventional analytical
framework for online interaction. The lack of understanding of both TBLT and
the incorporation of technology into it from the teachers and the various skills
that need to be mastered by the students make it hard for technology and
task-based teaching and learning. These are some of the issues which according
to the researchers need to be ‘worked on’.
3. This
journal article to me has been written well as it is able to provide clear
insights of what TBLT really is and how it is interconnected with the
technology. The approach where it first describes what TBLT is has helped me to
understand how it is later connected with technology and why they are connected
and are discussed together. By understanding the concept of TBLT, it gives me
clearer view of how the education system is right now- the policies, the
shifts, the focus, the needs and the demands that need to be met.
In the later part of this journal
article, readers were presented with evidences on how both technology and TBLT
share a mutual relationship. Here, we understand that technology has served to
be the medium where all the needs and the requirements of today’s education
system are fulfilled. The approach which is to focus on communicative aspects sees
technology removing and reducing some challenges that have arose before. For
example, lowering students’ level of anxiety and ultimately providing a better
classroom environment.
This journal article was then ‘wrapped
up’ with several questions and challenges that can be looked into and hopefully
can be improved in implementing technology and task based language teaching. I like
the way how the writers include this part as readers are not left with nothing
but to think more about the topic being discussed. It is in a way calling for
the readers to participate and contribute to the area of the research. As for
myself, it makes me think more of how this is viewed in Malaysian setting.
Malaysia too is now focusing on the
communicative approach where we can see the changes made in the curriculum,
from KBSR to KBSM and KSSR to KSSM. The teaching of English as a second
language especially is no longer of those memorizing grammar rules instead it
focuses more on the use of language- of how it can be used in the real world. Apart
from that, we can also see that Malaysia is now more open to the use of
technology in classroom setting where now more schools have installed computers
and projectors in their classrooms. I too have once experienced this in which
the school that I went to for my practicum provide a computer and a projector for
each classroom and not to forget the stable internet connection they have at
school. I was beyond thrilled to have all these things! Personally, I do agree
that the use of technology in classroom aids the teaching process better
especially in teaching English as a second language. It provides ease to both
the teachers and the students. The teachers can have easier teaching
preparations while students can learn better from online tutorials.
Text Reference: Technology and Task-Based Language Teaching: A Critical Review
