EFL Teachers’ Perceptions Of Task-based Language Teaching At Primary Schools In Shanghai

In recent years, task-based language teaching (TBLT) which derives fromcommunicative language instruction has attracted increased attention of manyresearchers toward itself. However, there have been few systematic studies in regardto the teachers’ perception of TBLT concept and principles in this field. The aim ofthis study is to analyze English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers’ view on thisinstructional pedagogy and tasks applied in the foreign language classroom practice atprimary schools in Shanghai. Additionally, it attempts to search for the reasons whichmake EFL teachers choose or avoid the implementation of TBLT. For both purposes, aquestionnaire was employed to investigate the perception toward TBLT. The data forthis survey, which was conducted from October through November of the2012academic year, were collected through questionnaires from a total of52teachers at30different primary schools in Shanghai. And then it was analyzed quantitatively andqualitatively. The results of the survey indicated that the vast majority of respondentshave a good understanding of the TBLT definition and principles, while there existjust a few negative views on implementing this instructional approach concerning theclassroom practice. Besides, some practical implications are proposed on the basis ofoverall findings of the study so as to assist teachers and teacher instructors to performand implement the TBLT approach more effectively.