Mediation Theory and TBLTMediation Theory and TBLT中介理论和任务型语言教学中介理论和任务型语言教学

罗少茜罗少茜北京师范大学外语系北京师范大学外语系

sheilabj99@yahoo.comsheilabj99@yahoo.com

Agenda Agenda Humanistic approachHumanistic approach Mediation theoryMediation theory Task-based language teaching and Task-based language teaching and

learninglearning Comprehension knowledge Comprehension knowledge TBLT dimensions TBLT dimensions Three generations of tasksThree generations of tasks Task-based approach teaching cycleTask-based approach teaching cycle

Humanistic language Humanistic language teachingteaching

Humanistic principles of education: Humanistic principles of education: Emphasize the achievement of Emphasize the achievement of students’ full potential for growth by students’ full potential for growth by acknowledging the importance of the acknowledging the importance of the affective dimension in learning as well affective dimension in learning as well as the cognitive dimension.as the cognitive dimension.

Encourage learners to recognize their Encourage learners to recognize their feelings and put them to use by caring feelings and put them to use by caring for and sharing with others, thereby for and sharing with others, thereby increasing their own self-esteem and increasing their own self-esteem and their motivation to learn. (Ellis)their motivation to learn. (Ellis)

- respect for - respect for authority of authority of teachersteachers

- teachers should - teachers should not be not be questionedquestioned

- positive value - positive value placed on silenceplaced on silence

- emphasis on - emphasis on group orientation group orientation to learningto learning (Flowerd(Flowerdrew, 1995:14)rew, 1995:14)

- teachers valued as - teachers valued as guide and facilitatorguide and facilitator

- teachers are opened - teachers are opened to challengeto challenge

- positive value - positive value placed on self-placed on self-expression of ideasexpression of ideas

- emphasis on - emphasis on individual individual development development

Traditional Task-based

自我概念自我概念

W-A-Y (Who Are You)W-A-Y (Who Are You) 20 Sentences:20 Sentences:

I am a girl.I am a girl. I’m 14.I’m 14. I’m from Beijing.I’m from Beijing. ……

Questions:Questions:

think of some course that you took as think of some course that you took as a student: were you having some a student: were you having some problems in understanding the problems in understanding the material?material?

how did you overcome the difficulties how did you overcome the difficulties and make it easier to learn? What and make it easier to learn? What strategies did you use? strategies did you use?

identify the course: what made that identify the course: what made that course difficult? Which part?course difficult? Which part?

what was the challenge?what was the challenge?

A social constructivist model of A social constructivist model of the teaching-learning processthe teaching-learning process

TeachersTeachers

LearnersLearners

TasksTasks

ContextsContexts

1212 种中介特征种中介特征

适用于所有学习情境：适用于所有学习情境：

1 1 重要性 重要性 SignificanceSignificance

2 2 超越当前的目的 超越当前的目的 Purpose beyond the here and nowPurpose beyond the here and now

3 3 让对方明白意图 让对方明白意图 Shared intentionShared intention

Questions to considerQuestions to consider

1.1. What are my reasons for selecting a particular What are my reasons for selecting a particular activity for my students?activity for my students?

2.2. What significance (or value)does that activity What significance (or value)does that activity hold for these students personally or in a hold for these students personally or in a wider cultural sense?wider cultural sense?

3.3. How might the activity lead to learning that How might the activity lead to learning that will be useful to the students in the future?will be useful to the students in the future?

4.4. How can I introduce the activity to the How can I introduce the activity to the students in a manner that conveys clearly students in a manner that conveys clearly what I want them to do and why?what I want them to do and why?

5.5. How can I ensure that the students are ready, How can I ensure that the students are ready, willing and able to attempt the task?willing and able to attempt the task?

学会学习的自我控制学会学习的自我控制

4 4 胜任感 胜任感 A sense of competenceA sense of competence5 5 对自己行为的控制 对自己行为的控制 Control of own behaviorControl of own behavior6 6 确立目标 确立目标 Goal-settingGoal-setting7 7 挑战使学生需要挑战、寻求挑战 挑战使学生需要挑战、寻求挑战 ChallengeChallenge8 8 认识变化 认识变化 Awareness of changeAwareness of change9 9 相信积极的结果 相信积极的结果 A belief in positive outcomeA belief in positive outcome

ss

Long-term goalsLong-term goals

by the end of this course/term I by the end of this course/term I want towant to

my plan to achieve this ismy plan to achieve this is

Short-term goalsShort-term goals

this week I shallthis week I shall

ActivityActivity

---- what I learned---- what I learned

---- how I performed---- how I performed

---- difficulties I still have---- difficulties I still have

促进学生的社会化发展促进学生的社会化发展

1010 共享 共享 SharingSharing

1111 个性 个性 IndividualityIndividuality

1212 归属感 归属感 A sense of belongingA sense of belonging

（（ Feuerstein, 1991)Feuerstein, 1991)

Theme-centered interactionTheme-centered interaction

ThemeTheme

I WeI We

(Legutke and Thomas 1991)(Legutke and Thomas 1991)

Task-based Language Teaching & Task-based Language Teaching & LearningLearning

Purpose: based on needsPurpose: based on needs Content: knowledge & skillsContent: knowledge & skills Use: use of the knowledge and Use: use of the knowledge and

skillsskills

--ability--ability AssessmentAssessment

Task-based Language Teaching & Task-based Language Teaching & LearningLearning

Nunan (1993) Nunan (1993) MeaningMeaningIInvolvement of learners' participationnvolvement of learners' participation

Willis (1996)Willis (1996) An An outcomeoutcome and and a final producta final product

SkehanSkehan (1998) (1998)A pA problem to solveroblem to solveRRelatelateded with real-world with real-world

Comprehension strategiesComprehension strategies

Three main sources of knowledge:Three main sources of knowledge:

1.1. Schematic knowledgeSchematic knowledgebackground knowledgebackground knowledge

--- factual--- factual--- sociocultural--- sociocultural

procedural knowledgeprocedural knowledge--- --- how knowledge is used in discoursehow knowledge is used in discourse

Comprehension StrategiesComprehension Strategies22 Contextual knowledgeContextual knowledge

knowledge of situationknowledge of situation---physical setting, participants, etc.---physical setting, participants, etc.

knowledge of co-textknowledge of co-text--- what has been, will be said--- what has been, will be said

33 Systemic knowledgeSystemic knowledgesyntactic, semantic, morphologicalsyntactic, semantic, morphological

(Andersen and Lynch, (Andersen and Lynch, 1988:13)1988:13)

Four dimensions of teaching Four dimensions of teaching and learning tasks and learning tasks

represented by the “four represented by the “four eyes”eyes”

involvement involvement 参与参与inquiry inquiry 探究探究induction induction 归纳归纳incorporation incorporation 合作合作

Three generations of tasksThree generations of tasks(Littlewood, 2004; Ribe & Vidal, 1993)(Littlewood, 2004; Ribe & Vidal, 1993) First generation tasks: to develop First generation tasks: to develop

students’ communicative ability in specific students’ communicative ability in specific type of situation or area of language. (e.g. type of situation or area of language. (e.g. information gap.)information gap.)

Problem-solving: the students have a map Problem-solving: the students have a map of Beijing with bus and subway routes. of Beijing with bus and subway routes. They discuss and select the best route for They discuss and select the best route for going from one point to another according going from one point to another according to a set of given variables (price, time, to a set of given variables (price, time, distance, comfort, etc.)distance, comfort, etc.)

Second Generation TasksSecond Generation Tasks

Pose challenges of a broader nature. To dPose challenges of a broader nature. To develop not only communication skills but evelop not only communication skills but also general cognitive strategies of handlialso general cognitive strategies of handling and organising information. E.g.ng and organising information. E.g.

Analysing what info. needed in order to coAnalysing what info. needed in order to complete the task -- Deciding on procedures mplete the task -- Deciding on procedures -- Collecting information –Selecting releva-- Collecting information –Selecting relevant data – Presenting data in a organised wnt data – Presenting data in a organised way – analysing processand resultsay – analysing processand results

Third Generation TasksThird Generation Tasks

The scope widens further: communicative The scope widens further: communicative skills + cognitive strategies + global skills + cognitive strategies + global personality development (students’ personality development (students’ personality through the experience of personality through the experience of learning a foreign language).learning a foreign language).

Designing an alternative world: brainstorm Designing an alternative world: brainstorm aspects of environment –identify the needed aspects of environment –identify the needed language and information –carry out language and information –carry out individual and group research – discuss and individual and group research – discuss and decide the ways to change –present the decide the ways to change –present the topic and evaluate the activity.topic and evaluate the activity.

The task-based approach teaching The task-based approach teaching cycle:cycle:

Task-selectionTask-selection

Task-settingTask-setting

Task-monitoringTask-monitoring

Task-checkingTask-checking

Tasks in which the students Tasks in which the students in the classroom interactin the classroom interact

There is a tangible end productThere is a tangible end product: : posters, letters to pen-friends, pool information posters, letters to pen-friends, pool information

on everybody’s birthdays and produce a poster on everybody’s birthdays and produce a poster to be kept in the classroom.to be kept in the classroom.

Make a plan for a school outing and carry out Make a plan for a school outing and carry out plans and go on an outing.plans and go on an outing.

Carry out a class survey on ‘who does the Carry out a class survey on ‘who does the housework at home?’ housework at home?’

A Task A Task

A settingA setting A problemA problem Problem-solveingProblem-solveing EvaluationEvaluation

An unforgettable eventAn unforgettable event

Student AStudent A

Tell your partner an Tell your partner an unforgettable even in your life. unforgettable even in your life. Describe in detail.Describe in detail.

An unforgettable eventAn unforgettable event

Student BStudent B Listen to your partner tell you Listen to your partner tell you

about the unforgettable about the unforgettable experience in his/her life. Draw a experience in his/her life. Draw a picture to show what happened to picture to show what happened to your partner. Show him/her your your partner. Show him/her your picture when youpicture when you have finished it.have finished it.

SummarySummary

Effective performance assessment always Effective performance assessment always has:has:

- - a clear purpose in minda clear purpose in mind a suitable learning environmenta suitable learning environment involve student behaviors that can involve student behaviors that can

be easily observed and evaluatedbe easily observed and evaluated meaningful tasksmeaningful tasks assessment tools that are assessment tools that are

practical, reliable, and validpractical, reliable, and valid

现代外语教学理念现代外语教学理念

不仅仅传授技巧，而是提供思想和方法；不仅仅传授技巧，而是提供思想和方法； 不是提供对问题的现成答案，而是告诉你不是提供对问题的现成答案，而是告诉你

各种理论观点和看法；各种理论观点和看法； 不是要知道一篇课文如何来教，而是要知不是要知道一篇课文如何来教，而是要知

道如何进行创造性思维；道如何进行创造性思维； 不是培训教书匠；而是培训善于思考的教不是培训教书匠；而是培训善于思考的教

师和研究者。师和研究者。

Tell me, I forget it;Tell me, I forget it;

Teach me, I remember it; (short term Teach me, I remember it; (short term memory)memory)

Involve me, I learn it. (long term Involve me, I learn it. (long term memory)memory)

Thank you!Thank you!