Supporting TBLT through teacher education

Task-based language teaching (TBLT) is becoming increasingly accepted in a range of contexts across the globe as a viable learner-centred alternative to more traditional teacher-fronted approaches. In theory, TBLT has a lot to commend it. However, since its inception TBLT has moved and developed in a variety of directions and has been subject to a host of interpretations and orientations. In several cases, teachers hold onto teacher-fronted practices that clash with the philosophy and rationale of TBLT. These are complicating factors that can make TBLT implementation in classrooms problematic. This critical position paper considers teacher education as a mediating and supporting variable in the successful design and implementation of TBLT and tasks in classrooms. It begins with a summary of the benefits and limitations of TBLT. It goes on to present an overview of some of the challenges that have emerged from accounts of different contexts where attempts have been made to enact TBLT ideas, including the role of teacher education and a comparison of a pre-service and in-service teacher education initiative in one specific context. The paper concludes with proposing ten guiding principles for effective TBLT-oriented teacher education.