Communicative Competence

Click here for a more complete explanation of Communicative Comptetence based on Canale and Swain's (1980) 4-part definition.   

Here you'll find an excellent and concise essay by Donna Moss which describes the relationship between the Communicative Language Teaching (the instructional approach), the theory on which CLT is based (M. Long's Interaction Hypothesis), and CLT's ultimate goal (Communicative Competence).  At the end of her essay, there is a nice list of activities that foster communicative competence.

Task-based Learning

Task-based Learning (TBL) or Task-based Instruction (TBI) is a foreign language instructional method that focuses on setting real-world tasks for students to solve by speaking and negotiating in the target language.  Like other meaning-based approaches, it values authentic language and communication.  

TBL is based on Michael Long's Interaction Hypothesis and is closely related to Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), Speech Acts, and the Notional-Functional Syllabus.  TBL's focus on solving problems and producing real-world outcomes sets it apart from many other methods which tend to focus solely on linguistic exercises.

Consultants and methodologists Jane and Dave Willis are among the best known developers and proponents of TBL. The British Council and the BBC's excellent "Teaching English" website has published several of Jane Willis's articles on TBL.

• The first is an article which introduces TBL and explains why it offers a nice alternative to traditional Presentation, Practice, Production (PPP) lessons.
  
  
• The next four are a series:
  (1) Criteria for identifying tasks for TBL
  (2) Six types of tasks for TBL
  (3) From tasks to language focus and grammar
  (4) Making time for tasks and still covering the syllabus
  
  
• Finally, on their own website, Jane and Dave Willis provide 3 Free TBL Lesson Plans complete with commentary and suggestions.
  

The September 2006 Issue of Asian EFL Journal was devoted to Task-based Learning in an Asian context.  

All the articles in this issue were presented at the 2006 Asian EFL Journal Conference which was held in Pusan, Korea. 

FYI:  the 2009 Asian EFL Journal Conference will be held in Pusan April 10 & 11.