A Study On The Task Design In Business English Writing Materials: From The Perspective Of Authentic Learning

With the wide spread of task-based learning approach, task design in materials has attracted some attentions, while beyond business English (BE) writing materials. Taking authentic learning theory as the theoretical basis, this thesis tries to obtain a clear understanding of the status of task design in BE writing materials by answering the following three questions:1. What are the general features of task design from the perspective of authentic learning in BE writing materials at different development stages respectively? What are the development features of task design? Why?2. What are the features of the designs of different categories of tasks respectively from the perspective of authentic learning in BE writing materials at the current development stage? What are their problems respectively? Why?3. What are the pedagogical implications of this study for BE education and the future development of task design in BE writing materials?Authentic learning standard (Wehlage et al., 1996) works as the analytical framework of this study. After analysis based on the results of matching between task design in representative BE writing materials (altogether 33 materials) at different development stages and authentic learning standard, major findings have been concluded: 1. Due to development of syllabus for business English, updating of language teaching theories and methodologies, amelioration of teaching condition and improvement of material writers’theory accomplishment, task design in BE writing materials presents three development features: from disciplined knowledge consolidation to application, from pure pedagogical value to real value added, and the tendency from partial indication of authentic learning to all-round indication. 2. For status of current stage, open ended tasks indicate authentic learning better; close ended tasks implies the nature of writing courses to some degree; semi-close ended tasks highlight disciplined characteristics of BE and practicality of business English; open ended tasks design realizes the importance of tasks’real-world values, and attaches importance to the fulfillment of interdisciplinary talent cultivation goal and disciplined characteristics of BE; while because of the influence of the nature of different task categories and traditional teaching concepts, the restriction of teaching resources and constraint of material writers’theory accomplishment, the designs of all the three categories of tasks ignore the development of students’open way of thinking ability, and close ended and semi-close ended tasks which are lack of value beyond school fail in the fulfillment of interdisciplinary talent cultivation goal.Based on the research findings, this thesis believes that future BE education is suggested to attach importance to the career development of business English teachers, to better teaching conditions and resources, to improve material writers’theory accomplishments. And task design in BE writing materials is supposed to be based on the syllabus of business English teaching, remove the influence of traditional teaching concepts and examinations, put the authentic learning as a guideline and finally meet the needs of teaching practice and talent cultivation at the same time.