Article published in:
TASK
Vol. 1:1 (2021) ► pp. 11–46

Options in a task-based language-teaching curriculum

An educational perspective

| Curtin University , Australia
I draw on the education literature to describe four educational curriculum models, which serve as a basis for presenting four TBLT curricula based on the proposals of Prabhu (1987); Willis (1996), Long (1985, 2015a, 2015b) and myself (Ellis, 2003 and 2019) – all of which have figured in the development of TBLT. I propose a set of questions that can be used to evaluate these models. I then turn to examine the curriculum design process, identifying options in TBLT curricula that are available at each stage of the process. I point to a tension that exists between what SLA theory indicates is needed and what environmental constraints make feasible and conclude with a plea for flexibility by weighing up which options are appropriate in different teaching situations. I also summarize how I see TBLT benefitting from adopting a broad education perspective that includes critical language pedagogy.
Keywords: general educational curriculum models, four TBLT curricula, evaluating TBLT curricula, options in the design and implementation of TBLT, need for flexibility


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Published online: 27 May 2021
https://doi.org/10.1075/task.00002.ell

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Options in a task-based language-teaching curriculum
References

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