Towards a version of task-based approaches suitable for schooling

Abstract

Task-based teaching has a high profile within contemporary ELT, yet there are few analyses of the appropriateness of task-based approaches for school contexts. This paper aims to analyse the suitability of task-based teaching for Hong Kong secondary schools; and to derive some suggestions for the development of a version of task-based approaches feasible for this and other comparable school contexts. The research method for the study involved semi-structured interviews with eleven secondary school teachers and ten teacher educators based on purposive sampling. An overarching finding is the need for adaptation and a flexible ‘situated version of task-based teaching’. The proposed adaptation includes: clarifying or enhancing the role of grammar instruction; integrating tasks with the requirements of examinations; and emphasising reading and writing tasks in addition to oral ones. The study suggests a weak version of task-based teaching is likely to be most suitable for schooling and reinforces claims for the desirability of context-sensitive approaches.