The Application Of TBLT To EFL Reading Instruction In The Senior High School Context

Task-based language teaching (TBLT) is the latest development within the framework of communicative language teaching. Centering upon tasks, it emphasizes learning through doing and aims to facilitate learners'language acquisition through the process of participating, experiencing, interacting, communicating and cooperating. Task-based learning (TBL) model is a framework for the practical implementation of TBLT, which is put forward in contrast with the traditional 3Ps (presentation, practice and production) model.The present study was undertaken to examine the effect the TBL model has on senior high school students'reading comprehension. The research questions to be addressed in the thesis are: 1) Is the TBL model more effective than the 3Ps model in developing students'reading comprehension? 2) Can TBL model help to arouse students'learning interest and increase their learning motivation? If so, how does it achieve the effect?The study consists of both quantitative and qualitative researches. The quantitative research was a semester-long experiment involving 102 subjects from two parallel science classes of Senior 2 of the Affiliated High School to Yangzhou University. The TBL model was employed in the experimental class (N=50), while the 3Ps model was followed in the control class (N=52). The pre-test and post-test were administered at the beginning and the end of the experiment respectively. The total scores as well as those of each section were then put to the t-tests by using SPSS 12.0.The qualitative research included group and individual interviews on their learning interest and motivation. The subjects in this research were eight students: five made significant progress in the post-test, one got high scores in the two tests and two failed in both. The interviews were tape-recorded and later transcribed. The transcription was then synthesized and categorized.The study results yielded the following findings:1. The TBL model plays a more effective role than the 3Ps model in promoting learners'reading comprehension. Focused tasks get learners involved in communicative tasks and elicit specific linguistic features at the same time, which balances both accuracy and fluency. In addition, the implementation of communicative tasks optimizes the process of input, output and interaction2. The TBL model can help to arouse students'learning interest and increase their learning motivation.3. The TBL model has a positive effect on the enhancement of the students'learning interest and motivation in that it helps the students to gain the sense of achievement, to overcome anxiety and to develop the intrinsic motivation.4. Focus on forms still weighs in the implementation of the TBL model. The explanations of language forms are supposed to come before and after the task cycle. Therefore, the focuses on both forms and meanings should be integrated and balanced.Findings from this study imply that an intermediate approach should be adopted in the implementation of the TBL model. Tasks are supposed to be interesting, practical and operative, catering to learners'needs and strengthening their feelings of success and enjoyment. Besides, the conceptions of both teachers and learners are expected to be updated so as to be facilitative to the successful implementation of TBLT. Moreover, the implementation and promotion of TBLT should be carried out step by step suited to local conditions...