So sánh 3 phương pháp: GMT, ALM và TPR

Aspects/Methods GMT ALM TPR

Theoretical - Not based on any - Based on - Built on the premise that students
Background theory. It is a method linguistic and should develop listening
inherited from the psychological comprehension before they speak.
teaching of classical theory. It draws on - Supported by the Trace Theory of
languages such as behaviorist memory in psychology, which
Latin and Greek. psychology and holds that the more intensively a
- Viewed as a process structural memory connection is traced, the
of learning rules and linguistics. stronger it becomes.
facts to be applied in - A system of - Modeled upon the way children
translating sentences habits. The more learn their first language.
and texts. often something is
repeated, the
stronger the habit
and the greater the
learning.
- Errors are to be
avoided because
they lead to the
formation of bad
habits.
Goals
- To help students - Develop oral - Build strong listening
read and understand practice through comprehension.
literature in the target habit formation.
language. - Make language learning
→ Help students enjoyable and stress-free.
- Master the grammar use the target
rules and vocabulary language
of the target communicatively
language. and automatically.
Role of teacher
and students - Teacher: the - Teacher: director - Teacher: director who gives
authoritative or “orchestra commands and demonstrates
transmitters leader” actions

→ explain rules and → provides a model - Students: imitators who respond

give correct for imitation physically, are active but not
translation pressured to speak.
- Students: imitators
- Students: passive who repeat and
learners mimic patterns

→ memorize and
follow instructions
Student-teacher - Most of the - There is student- - The teacher interacts with the
and student- interaction in the to-student whole class and individual
student classroom is from the interaction in chain students; at first, the teacher speaks
Interactions teacher to the drills or when and students respond nonverbally,
students. students take then students start speaking while
- There is different roles in the teacher responds nonverbally.
little student dialogues, but this - Students perform actions together
initiation and little interaction is and learn by observing, but
student–student teacher-directed. eventually they need to
interaction. - Most of the demonstrate the commands to
interaction is remember them.
between teacher and - As students begin speaking, they
students and is give commands to each other and
initiated by the to the teacher.
teacher.

Characteristics of - Students are taught - New vocabulary - The lesson begins with modeling:
teaching/learning to translate from one and structures are the teacher gives commands and
process language into another. introduced through performs them with a few students.
- Students study dialogues with - These same students then perform
grammar deductively imitation and the commands to show
(that means rules are repetition. understanding and the observers
explained first and - Various drills are can demonstrate their
then apply them to conducted based on understanding.
examples). the dialogue - The teacher recombines
- Students learn patterns. commands to build
grammar paradigms -Students’successful students’flexibility.
such as verb responses are - After responding orally, students
conjugation. positively learn to read and write the
- Students memorize reinforced. commands.
native language - Grammar is - When ready, students give
equivalents for target induced from commands themselves, then move
language vocabulary examples, not on to skits and games.
words. taught through
explicit rules.
- Cultural
information is
contextualized in
the dialogues or
presented by the
teacher.
- Reading and
writing activities are
based on the oral
work previously
 practiced.
Dealing with No principles relate to No principles relate Students’ feelings are handled by
feelings of this area to this area reducing the stress often associated
student with language learning. Learners
are allowed to speak only when
they feel ready, since forcing them
to speak too early can create
anxiety, and when they do begin
speaking, they are not expected to
be perfect. Anxiety is also lowered
by making learning enjoyable
through zany commands and
humorous skits, which show that
language learning can be fun. In
addition, teachers should avoid
both excessive modeling and
rushing students, as feelings of
success and low anxiety facilitate
learning.
Views of Literary language is The view of Just as with the acquisition of the
language and considered superior to language is native language, the oral modality
culture spoken language and influenced by is primary.
is therefore the descriptive linguists. Culture is the lifestyle of people
language that students Each language is who speak the language natively
study. - Culture is seen as having its
viewed as consisting own unique system.
of literature and the This system
fine arts includes several
levels:
phonological,
morphological, and
syntactic, and each
level has its own
distinctive patterns.
Everyday speech is
emphasized, but its
complexity is
graded so that
beginning students
are exposed only to
simple patterns.
Culture is
understood as the
everyday behavior
and lifestyle of the
 speakers of the
target language.

areas and skills - Strong focus on - Primary focus on - Emphasis on listening

are emphasized reading and writing. listening and comprehension, especially in the
- Minimal attention to speaking through initial phase.
listening and pattern drills and - Speaking emerges naturally after
speaking skills. mimicry. learners become comfortable
- Grammar is taught - Reading and responding to commands.
explicitly; vocabulary writing are - Reading and writing are not
is learned through introduced at a later prioritized in early stages.
word lists. stage.
- Structural patterns
are reinforced
through repetitive
practice.
Role of native - The native language - The native - The use of the native language is
language plays a central and language is kept to a minimum.
dominant role. minimized as much - L1 may be used only for initial
- Teachers rely as possible. orientation or essential
heavily on L1 to - Instruction is explanations.
explain grammatical conducted almost - The target language is used for
rules, clarify entirely in the target commands to elicit physical
vocabulary, and language. responses.
provide instructions. - L1 may be used
- Students frequently only when
translate between L1 absolutely necessary
and L2. for brief
clarification.
Evaluation - Written tests: - Discrete-point in - Teachers check understanding by
Students are asked to nature: each observing students’ actions.
translate from their question focuses on - Formal evaluation: Teacher
native language into one point (e.g., commands individual students to
the language or vice minimal pairs, verb perform a series of actions.
versa are often used. forms). - For advanced students:
- Questions about the Performance of skits they have
target culture or created can become the basis for
applying grammar evaluation.
rules.
Error response - Getting the correct - Student errors are - Beginners: Teachers should be
answer is crucial. to be avoided if at tolerant and only correct major
- The teacher all possible (through errors.
supplies the correct the teacher’s - Advanced students: Teachers
answer if students awareness of where can “fine tune” (correct more
make errors or do not the students will minor errors).
 know. have difficulty, and
restriction of what
they are taught to
say).
Activities - Grammar drills and - Dialog drills and - Activities involve body
memorization of pattern practice to movement to help internalize
vocabulary lists. internalize language.
- Translating grammatical - Includes games, role-playing
sentences and texts structures. actions, and real-life action
from the native - Mimicry drills to simulations.
language to the target replicate native - Minimal use of the native
language and vice speaker language; focus on comprehension
versa. pronunciation. and physical response.
- Little emphasis on - Limited use of the
spoken language native language in
practice. the classroom.
Techniques - Translation of - Dialogue - Command (Students perform
literary passages (L2 - Memorization actions based on teacher's
> L1). - Repetition Drill instructions).
- Memorization of (Repeating a model - Role Reversal (Students give
grammar rules and sentence/phrase). commands).
vocabulary lists. - Substitution Drill - Action Sequence (Performing a
- Deductive (Replacing a word series of linked commands).
application of rules. in a model - Observation/ Listening (Silent
- Fill-in-the-blanks sentence). period).
exercises. - Transformation - Using Action-Based Stories.
- Finding Drill (Changing the
Antonyms/Synonym sentence structure,
s. e.g., affirmative to
negative).
- Backward Build-
up Drill (Repeating
a long sentence
from the end to the
beginning).
- Chain Drill
(Students ask and
answer each other in
a sequence).
- Question and
Answer Drill.
Advantages
- Builds a strong - Focuses on oral - Fun and engaging, helping boost
foundation in proficiency, helping class energy and motivation.
grammar, suitable students become - Highly memorable, making it
 for analytical fluent and confident easier for students to remember
learners. speakers. vocabulary and phrases.
- Develops reading - Uses repetition - Ideal for kinaesthetic learners
and writing skills, and memorization who learn best through movement.
especially in to internalize - Suitable for large or small
understanding and language patterns classes with mixed ability levels.
translating formal and effectively. - Don’t require lots of preparation
literary language. - Incorporates audio and materials.
- Easy to apply in materials that - Very effective for young
large classes with enhance listening learners and teenagers.
limited resources due comprehension. - Supports both left-brain and
to its structured - Emphasizes right-brain learning through
nature. accurate physical and linguistic activities.
- Appeals to learners pronunciation
who prefer through mimicry
memorization, rules, and drilling.
and logical analysis. - Provides
structured practice
for mastering
grammar, sentence
patterns, and
vocabulary.
- Develops real-life
communication
skills through
situational
dialogues.
- Adaptable to
different learning
styles (visual,
auditory,
kinesthetic).
- Supports effective
classroom
management with
clear routines and
structured activities.
Disadvantages
- No oral practice or - Little room for - Difficulty to apply to abstract
fluency as the method creativity due to the concepts, feelings, complex
focuses almost strict adherence to grammatical structures (like
exclusively on drills and conditional sentences), or non-
reading and writing. memorized action-based vocabulary.
dialogues,
- Reliance on preventing learners - Limited utility for advanced
memorization as from using the learners when excellent for
 learners are required language creatively beginners to build listening
to memorize rules and or spontaneously. comprehension and initial
vocabulary lists rather vocabulary, not for intermediate or
than acquiring the - Inability to advanced students who need to
language naturally. handle and engage in complex discourse,
transfer learning reading, and academic writing.
- Hinders natural that students had
thinking in the mastered in the - Limited skill development as
target language classroom into focus is mainly on listening
since the instruction communicative use comprehension, leading to learners
heavily relies on outside the understanding commands but
constant translation classroom struggling to express
which establishes the situations, leading independently.
practice that leads to to the lack of
the translation habit. ability to
manipulate the
language flexibly
or spontaneously to
create new, original
sentences.

- Writing/reading
skills are not
emphasized but in
favor of oral skills.

COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TEACHING

A. Fluency Activities
1) Definition
- Fluency refers to the natural, smooth, and continuous use of language during meaningful
interaction. It is demonstrated when learners can keep communication going—negotiating meaning,
using communication strategies, managing misunderstandings and working to avoid communication
breakdowns.
- Fluency activities are meaning-focused tasks that prioritize successful communication over
grammatical accuracy. They require learners to use language naturally and spontaneously to convey
ideas and achieve communicative goals, even if some mistakes are made.
2) Nature (Characteristics)
- The teacher acts mainly as a facilitator and monitor, not the primary language model; creates
conditions for meaning-focused pair and group work and intervenes minimally to keep communication
flowing.
- Learners take a greater degree of responsibility and autonomy for their own learning, sustaining
communication and negotiating meaning with peers, rather than relying on the teacher for a model.
- Language use is natural, spontaneous, and context-based, rather than controlled, form-focused
output.
- Instead of a predominance of teacher-fronted teaching, small-group interaction is central, providing
extended opportunities for real-time communication and developing fluency.
- Errors are tolerated as natural and acceptable during communication, as long as the message remains
clear and the focus is on successful communication rather than error-free production.
3) Types of Fluency Activities

TYPES FEATURES EXAMPLE

Role-play - Students improvise language Students act as driver–witness–police officer after
based on roles; spontaneous a car accident, improvising the entire exchange
interaction. based on cue cards.
- Teacher facilitates and
monitors.
- Pair/group work encourages
extended talk.
Information- - Learners exchange missing One student has a map; the other asks questions
Gap Task information to complete a task; to find the location of a café or describe an
negotiation of meaning; focus unknown object.
on message, not accuracy.
- Teacher provides minimal
intervention.
Problem- -Students collaborate to reach a Groups decide which items to bring on a desert
Solving Task solution. island and justify choices to reach a group
- Requires real-time reasoning consensus.
and negotiation; high learner
autonomy.
- Language use is
unpredictable.
Opinion- - Learners express and defend Students debate whether school uniforms should
Sharing / viewpoints; spontaneous, be mandatory, agreeing, disagreeing, and
Discussion / extended turns. supporting arguments.
Debate - Teacher organizes topics but
steps back to allow free
interaction.
Storytelling / - Students produce continuous, Students receive a 4-picture sequence and create
Picture-Strip creative discourse; focus on a spontaneous story, then retell it to another
Story narrative flow. group.
- Peers listen and respond.
- Teacher monitors for
communication breakdowns.
Interview Students ask and answer Learners interview classmates about weekend
unpredictable questions; routines or personal experiences, then report
 authentic conversational turns; findings.
promotes fluency through rapid
question–response cycles.
Jigsaw Task Each learner holds part of the “Expert groups” learn different parts of a topic
information; interaction is (e.g., environmental issues), then regroup to teach
required to complete the whole; one another and assemble the full information.
fosters cooperation and
sustained communication.

4) Purposes of Fluency Activities

- Bridge the gap between classroom language and real-world communication, helping learners transfer
what they know into authentic use and develop their ability to communicate spontaneously and
smoothly in real-time interactions.
- Provide meaning-focused practice where learners sustain discourse, negotiate meaning, and manage
conversational flow.
- Promote the use of communication strategies that help learners cope with gaps in knowledge and
prevent breakdowns.
- Create a low-anxiety environment that encourages risk-taking and tolerates non-critical errors.
- Support learners’ transition toward autonomous communication, integrating skills and using language
in unpredictable contexts.
- Increase interaction, motivation, and confidence through pair and group work that maximizes output.
B. Accuracy Activities
1) Definition
- Accuracy: Refers to the ability to produce language correctly in terms of grammar, vocabulary,
pronunciation, and sentence structure. It focuses on: Correct forms, error-free sentences, clear and
precise meaning. The goal is to help learners build a solid linguistic [Link] includes correct:
+) phonology (pronunciation)
+) grammar
+) morphosyntax
+) discourse organization
=> ACCURACY ACTIVITIES = Pedagogical tasks in which learners produce language with a strong
emphasis on correctness of form. These activities correspond to controlled techniques, where the
teacher limits students’ output, monitors responses carefully, and expects specific correct answers.
2) Nature (Characteristics)
1 - Highly controlled by the teacher: The teacher determines the structure, vocabulary, response
patterns.
2 - Students are restricted to certain forms → Very little freedom in answers.
3 - There is often only ONE correct answer → No creativity required.
4 - Teacher closely monitors and corrects errors.
3) Types of Accuracy Activities

TYPES BRIEF INFORMATION FEATURES EXAMPLE

Mechanical - The most controlled, least - No real meaning is (+) Repetition drill:
Drills meaningful, and purest required. Repeat exactly what the
(pure accuracy) form of accuracy practice. - Students practice a teacher says.
- Students only need to minimal number of => Goals: Pronunciation
follow the linguistic language forms and Accuracy
pattern provided. repeatedly. E.g.: Teacher asks
- There is only one students to repeat the
correct response. word “restaurant” until
they can enunciate
fluently and correctly.

(+) Transformation
drill: Change the form
(tense, question,
passive,..) => Goal:
Structural accuracy
E.g.: Teacher asks a
student to change this
sentence “She cooks the
dinner.” into the passive
voice.
Meaningful - Meaningful drills are - Students must Wh_question with
Drills practice activities where understand meaning to controlled grammar:
(accuracy- students must understand respond correctly. - The teacher ask:
oriented) the meaning of the prompt, - The teacher still “ What time do you get
but their response is still controls the grammar up?”
controlled by a required form. -> Student answers: “I
grammatical structure. - There is limited get up at ______.”
freedom. => Students can choose
- The purpose is still the time (meaning) but
accuracy, not fluency. the structure is restricted.
- Usually only have one
acceptable grammatical
pattern/ multiple true
answers sometimes.
Form- - The most communicative +) Students - Teacher requires
focused type of accuracy activity, communicate meaning students to describe their
Communicative sitting between controlled (think about real personal experiences of
Practice practice and free information). travelling, using past
(semi- communication. +) Grammar is still simple tense to speak.
controlled - Students use language to controlled. + Students might speak:
accuracy) communicate real or semi- +) Students have partial “ I went to Ha Long Bay
real meaning, BUT they are freedom: They can last year.”
required to use a specific choose WHAT to say “ I took a flight to Ho Chi
target structure. but not HOW to say. Minh last week.”
+) Teacher monitors => Students can speak
form but does not out their own ideas;
 control every word. however, they only speak
+) Form-focused in one grammatical
communicative practice structure: Past simple
prepares learners to use tense, as well as teacher
structures meaningfully; can’t restrict students’
communicate with thinking.
accuracy and transit to
free communicative
tasks (fluency)

4) Purposes of Accuracy Activities

- Accuracy activities emphasize the formal correctness of production and are an essential complement
to fluency activities.
- Help learners internalize patterns through controlled practice: let learners repeat and produce forms
enough times that the structure becomes automatic.
- Increase learners’ awareness of form (form-focused instruction): Accuracy activities force attention
on linguistic form—a major principle in grammar teaching.
- Bridge from controlled practice to semi-controlled communicative practice ( = moves learners from
strict, teacher-directed practice toward activities where they can express some meaning with targeted
language forms): Accuracy practice supports later communicative tasks by pushing learners to use a
target form meaningfully.
Conclusion: Overall, it is suggested that teachers should balance fluency and accuracy activities,
integrating both types of tasks enhances learners’ overall communicative competence. Accuracy-
focused practice helps learners notice and correct language forms, while fluency tasks provide
opportunities to use language spontaneously, promoting confidence, interactional skills, and
meaningful communication. The key lesson is that neither fluency nor accuracy alone is sufficient;
accuracy work could either come before or after fluency work and support each other, and a
complementary approach maximizes language development.
C. Communicative Competence
C.A. GRAMMATICAL COMPETENCE AND DISCOURSE COMPETENCE (as known as
ORGANIZATIONAL COMPETENCE)
1. Grammatical Competence
- Grammatical competence is that aspect of CC that encompasses "knowledge of lexical items and of
rules of morphology, syntax, sentence-grammar semantics and phonology". It is the competence that is
associated with mastering the linguistic code of a language, the"linguistic" competence of Hymes and
Paulston
This competence deals with the sentence-level and word-level accuracy of language and is divided into
several key areas:
+ Syntax: The rules governing the order of words in a sentence to form grammatically acceptable
structures (e.g., placing the subject before the verb in English declarative sentences).
+ Morphology: The rules governing the internal structure of words, including the use of prefixes,
suffixes, and inflections to indicate tense, number, gender, etc. (e.g., forming the past tense by adding -
ed).
+ Vocabulary (Lexicon): Knowledge of a sufficient range of words and idioms, including their literal
meanings.
+ Phonology/Graphology: The sound system (pronunciation, stress, and intonation) for spoken
language, and the writing system (spelling and punctuation) for written language.
=> In simple terms, Grammatical Competence is knowing the 'building blocks' of the language and
how to correctly assemble them into sentences.
- For example, an English learner can recognize that:
“He play football every Sunday.” (F)
“He plays football every Sunday.” (T)
They know the second sentence is correct because of the subject–verb agreement rule in English.
Similarly, linguistic knowledge allows learners to choose appropriate vocabulary:
Saying “The weather is boiling today.” → appropriate for describing very hot weather.
Instead of “The weather is hot like fire.” → the expression is still unnatural.
2. Discourse Competence (Textual Competence)
- Definition
+ Discourse knowledge is the ability to understand and produce language that is connected,
coherent, and cohesive across sentences.
+ It means knowing how ideas relate to each other in a conversation, paragraph, or longer text.
- Role in CTL: Since CLT focuses on real communication, discourse knowledge helps learners:
+ Link ideas logically (coherence).
+ Use grammatical and lexical devices to connect sentences (cohesion).
+ Manage real-life conversation: turn-taking, responding, opening/closing topics.
+ Produce texts that fit specific genres (email, story, report, dialogue).
- Key Components and Examples:
+ Cohesion (sentence-level links): Using words to connect ideas smoothly.
Example: I met a girl yesterday. She was very friendly.
(“She” refers back to “a girl,” creating cohesion.)
+ Coherence (logical order of ideas): Ideas follow a clear and logical flow.
Example: First, I will explain the problem. Next, I will suggest possible solutions.
(Information is organized in a meaningful sequence.)
+ Turn-taking in conversation: Knowing when to speak, pause, or respond.
Example:
A: What do you think about the plan?
B: I agree. But maybe we should change the timeline.
(This shows natural conversational flow.)
+ Adjacency pairs: Paired structures that make conversations natural.
+ Genre awareness: Understanding different text types require different structures.
Example:
a. Email: “Dear…, I am writing to…”
b. Narrative: “Once upon a time…”
- Why Discourse Knowledge Matters in CLT
+ Enables learners to communicate naturally, not just form correct sentences.
+ Helps them function in real-life contexts: discussions, presentations, messages, interviews.
 + Supports fluency and pragmatic appropriateness.
* Interplay between Grammatical Competence and Discourse Competence: The relationship can be
summarized as follows: Grammatical Competence provides the tools (accurate structures), while
Discourse Competence dictates how those tools are used appropriately and effectively across an entire
communication.

Feature Grammatical Competence Discourse Competence

Focus Accuracy (correctness of form) Effectiveness (meaningfulness and flow)

Scope Word and Sentence Level Text and Conversation Level

Key Is the sentence formed Is the overall message clear and well-
Question correctly? organized?

C.B. Sociolinguistic Competence & Strategic Competence

1. Sociolinguistic Competence
- Sociolinguistic competence refers to the ability to apply sociocultural contexts to communication,
including participants’ roles, information they share, and the function of a communicative act.
- Originating from Hymes’ concept of communicative competence, this component emphasizes that
knowing a language involves more than grammatical knowledge; it requires understanding the
social meaning of utterances.

Core elements of Sociolinguistic Competence:

 Register: adjusting language based on formality, status, or relationship between speakers.

 Politeness conventions: using socially acceptable forms of request, suggestion, disagreement,
etc.
 Cultural expectations: recognizing norms for greetings, apologies, compliments, and
indirectness.
 Appropriate pragmatic choices: selecting expressions that align with the speaker’s role,
audience, and setting.

(Brown, H. D. (2007). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching (5th ed.). Pearson.)

- Communicative Language Teaching aims to prepare learners for authentic communication.

Sociolinguistic competence ensures learners can interpret and produce language that is contextually
appropriate, not merely grammatically accurate. It helps prevent breakdowns caused by cultural
misunderstanding, tone mismatch, or pragmatically inappropriate behavior.

- Scholars such as Canale & Swain (1980) and Richards & Rodgers (2014) highlight sociolinguistic
competence as a central component of functional, real-world communication.
For instance, in several countries like America, England and Japan, queue culture is an important
etiquette. People cutting the line are considered very rude which causes annoyance for others. So the
teacher needs to explain and educate students to understand this culture by asking students to role-
play real situations such as waiting at a supermarket or airport. In the activity, students practice
simple dialogues like: “Excuse me, is this the end of the line?” and “Sorry, I didn’t realize—where
does the line start?” to learn polite and appropriate behaviour

2. Strategic Competence

- Strategic competence refers to use of verbal and nonverbal tactics to accomplish a communicative
goal, including compensation for breakdown.

Typical strategies include:

 Paraphrasing (explaining a word you cannot recall)

 Circumlocution (describing an object or concept indirectly)
 Appeals for help (“What is the word for…?”)
 Stalling devices (“Let me think…”)
 Requests (“Do you mean…?”)
 Non-verbal resources (gestures, pointing)

( Canale, M., & Swain, M. (1980). Theoretical Bases of Communicative Approaches to Second
Language Teaching and Testing.)

- CLT acknowledges that language learners will inevitably encounter moments where their linguistic
resources are insufficient. Strategic competence enables them to sustain interaction, avoid
communication breakdowns, and negotiate meaning. Brown (2007) notes that this competence
fosters fluency, confidence, and communicative resilience, which are essential in learner-centered,
interaction-focused classrooms.

 Conclusion:
- CLT provides authentic opportunities for learning that go beyond repetition and memorization of
grammatical patterns in isolation.
- Classroom goals followed by CLT are focused on all of the components of communicative
competence and not restrict to grammatical or linguistic competence (the knowledge of forms and their
meanings).
- Fluency and accuracy are seen as complementary principles underlying communicative techniques.
At times fluency may have to take on more importance than accuracy in order to keep learners
meaningfully engaged in language use.

TASK-BASED LANGUAGE TEACHING

I. Definition of a task
- A task involves a primary focus on meaning, not accuracy.
- It is something that learners do or carry out using their existing language resources.
- It has some kind of “gap”: Information gap - Reasoning gap - Opinion gap.
- The participants choose the linguistic and non-linguistic resources needed to complete the task.
- It has a clearly defined communicative outcome.
- In the case of tasks involving two or more learners, it calls upon the learners’ use of communication
strategies and interactional skills.
II. Tiêu chí 1 task trong TBLT
 A task must have clear outcomes.

 Focus on form - play an essential role for student’s learning

 Focus on student’s interaction, make sense of what they received.
 Error correction is done through recasting (changing the form of something by organizing or
presenting it in a different way) or modeling or providing briefly grammar explanations.
 Classify tasks: There is a “gap” to be addressed (Information gap / Reasoning gap / Opinion
gap)
→ The task must have a gap in information or opinion that forces learners to communicate in order to
complete it.
 Students can use strategies, information discussion for tasks

→ Students have to use/activate existing knowledge to do exercises.

→ The teacher acts as an input-provider during the initial phase and sets the task for students to
perform, just paying attention during the task and making notes of language that should be focused on.
 Don’t pay much attention about accuracy, focus on meaning (meaning-focused)

 A task must be meaningful and relevant so that students can see the reason for doing the task
and can see how the task relates to the possible situations in their lives outside the classroom.
Example:
 Context: Students are doing a task-based discussion about their weekend
activities.
 Task Description: Students work in pairs. Each student receives a different schedule card
showing their available times and preferred weekend activities (e.g., hiking, watching movies,
visiting grandparents, playing football, doing homework). They must negotiate and agree on one
shared activity they can do together this weekend. After the discussion, pairs share their final
decision with the class.
*) The outcomes: Students can gain deeper knowledge into weekend activities in the target language
(watching TV, playing sports, hanging out with friends…), discuss with friends what they are going to
do at the weekend and closely together to help each other accomplish the task.
*) Focus on form, error correction:
+ Student: Yesterday I go to my friend’s house.
+ Teacher (recast): Oh, you went to your friend’s house? That sounds fun!
→ The teacher recasts the student’s error within the flow of communication,
without stopping the task. The focus is still on meaning, but the teacher briefly
draws attention to form (past tense).
*) Classify tasks: A task must have a gap (information gap / opinion gap / reasoning gap:
  Each student has different information on their schedule card → information gap.
 They also have different preferences → opinion gap.
 They must reason to choose one shared activity → reasoning gap.
*) Students can use strategies to ask for clarification, follow-up questions…
 Students activate their existing knowledge: To complete the task, they must use what they
already know about: their own language resources about weekend routines, preferences,
grammatical structures.
 Teacher’s role:
 At the beginning: input provider (gives example discussion)
 During task: observer - monitoring student’s performance, taking notes of language problems -
intervening when necessary.
 After task: briefly highlights useful grammar/vocabulary that emerged (focus on form)
 Meaning-focused: Students talk about realistic weekend activities and focus on communicating
meaning, not on producing perfect grammar.
 Tasks must be meaningful and relevant: Talking about weekend activities is something students
really do in life → authentic and personally relevant.
PHÂN BIỆT TASK VÀ EXERCISE

A task An exercise
Primary focus on trying to Primary focus on using language correctly
communicate
There is a gap There is no gap
Learners use their own linguistic Text manipulating
resources
Successful performance= outcome of Successful performance= accurate use of target feature
task achieved

Example:
An exercise:
  Focus on using grammar correctly
 There is no gap
 All language they need is present in this particular activity
 The outcome is simply performing the little dialogue and then repeating it several times

A task:

 Trying to communicate
 There is information gap
 Learners use their own linguistic language resources
  There’s a communicative outcome
III. PROGRESS OF TBLT
A task-based learning lesson includes 3 phases: pre-task, task-cycle and language focus.
1. Pre -task
As a teacher, you can organise as many activities as you want to introduce topics and tasks, as long as
the activities activate students’ background knowledge and familiarize the topic.
For example, when learning about the topic “Famous destinations”, the teacher can require students to
plan a tour. As a result, students will recall their memories about activities in a tour.
2. Task-cycle
a. Task: Perform the task
 Students work in pairs or groups to complete the real communicative task.
 The teacher does not correct errors here; the goal is fluency and communication. The teacher
circulates, helps with meaning (not grammar), and observes.
 Example Tasks for “Famous Destinations”:
Plan a 3-day tour to a famous place
Create a list of “Top 5 attractions” for foreign tourists
Decide the best destination for different types of travelers
b. Planning
 Students prepare to present their results to the class.
This stage encourages accuracy and organization.
 Teacher roles:
Give hints to help students self-correct
Provide phrases or structures students request or clearly need
Encourage them to prepare notes, outlines, or posters
 Examples of teacher hints:
o “Check your verbs for past tense—did you use them consistently?”
o “Try adding reasons: because…, so that…”
“You can use expressions like We recommend… or Visitors should…”
c. Reporting
 Groups present their task outcome to the class. This improves confidence and meaningful
communication.
 Reporting options:
Oral presentation
Poster presentation
Group discussion
 Class survey results
Writing a short report on the board
 During reporting, the class listens, asks questions, and compares results.
 The teacher gives light feedback but saves detailed corrections for the next phase.
3. Language focus
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The teacher will give some hints for students to correct mistakes by themself and then suggest
useful structures for better performance.
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With the aim to practise these mistakes and useful structures, the teacher can organise activities or
exercises.