1、IAcknowledgementsI would like to express my gratitude to all those who helped me during the writing of this thesis. I gratefully acknowledge the help of my supervisor, Ms. YuWeiLi, who has offered me valuable suggestions in the academic studies. In the preparation of the thesis， she has spent much t
2、ime reading through each draft and provided me with inspiring advice. Without her patient instruction, insightful criticism and expert guidance, the completion of this thesis would not have been possible.I also owe a special debt of gratitude to all the professors in Foreign Languages Institute, fro
3、m whose devoted teaching and enlightening lectures I have benefited a lot and academically prepared for the thesis.Special thanks should go to my friends who have put considerable time and effort into their comments on the draft. Last my thanks would go to my beloved family for their loving consider
4、ations and great confidence in me all through these years. I also owe my sincere gratitude to my friends and my fellow classmates who gave me their help and time in listening to me and helping me work out my problems during the difficult course of the thesis.II摘 要随着中国改革开放和经济全球化的不断深入，中国与外国的交往越来越频繁，英语
5、显得尤为重要。然而当前的英语口语教学现状不令人满意， “哑巴英语”现象在初中学生当中极为普遍。新课程标准强调要在加强英语语言基础知识和基础技能训练的同时，重视培养学生实际使用英语交际的能力。英语，作为一种重要的交流工具在中国受到史无前例的关注, 因此，改变以前那种“哑巴 ”英语的情况也成为英语教师的一个重要任务。学习英语的目的已经从原来的重视语言结构转变成重视交际能力。尽管近年来学生的口语技能训练得到重视，结果并不令人满意。本文通过对学生口语能力发展重要性的分析，以及对任务型教学的阐述及其对口语技能教学的影响，试图探讨研究该模式在中学英语口语教学应用中的优势和出现的问题以及解决问题的方法，并给
6、出相应意见。任务型教学法由交际法发展而成,被认为是 20 世纪 80 年代以来最有效的教学法之一。任务型教学法强调“做中学”的原则,通过真实的任务活动来提高学生的口语能力。本文试图探索任务型教学法应用于口语教学的可能性及效果。首先列举了和任务型教学法有关的理论研究。然后根据任务型教学法的理论和特点进行教学实验, 最后得出教学实验的结论,包括主要发现、启示和不足。关键词：任务型教学法;口语教学;初中 IIIAbstractWith the deepening of Chinas reform and economic globalization, the exchanges between Ch
7、ina and foreign countries become frequent; English plays an important role increasingly. However, the current situation of English teaching is not satisfactory，and “dumb English” really exists among the middle school students. The New Curriculum Standards emphasize that English teachers should teach
8、 the basic English knowledge to the middle school students and train them essential skills. Spoken English, as a major means of communication, is gaining unprecedented attention in China; therefore, to change the situation of “dumb English” has been one major task for English teachers. The goal of l
9、anguage teaching has been changed from the emphasis on the importance of communicative competence. In recent years, although the improvement of speaking ability has been gradually emphasized in English class, the current situation is far from satisfactory. On the basis of detailed analysis of the fa
10、ctors constraining the development of oral competence and the principles of task-based language teaching, this paper aimed at studying the advantages and disadvantages of the Application of the Task-Based Approach to Oral English Teaching in Middle School, and give some suggestions.Task-based Langua
11、ge Teaching，lately developed from the Communicative Method, is considered as one of the most effective language teaching methods of the 1980s. It emphasizes “learning by doing”, and provides opportunities for the learners to improve their speaking skills through authentic, functional speaking activi
12、ties. This paper has aimed at investigating the effete of implicating task-based method to spoken English. First, some theories relevant to TBLT are presented. Then an experiment is designed based on the theories and characteristics of the task-based pedagogy. Finally, a conclusion drawn from the re
13、search, including the findings, implication and the limitation.Keywords: Task-based language teaching method; Oral English teaching; Middle schoolIV1Contents21Introduction With the development of economy and the deepening of reforms and opening up, Chinese people communicate with foreigners more fre
14、quently, and English has become a global language, as a result, oral English is more important than before. Though many students do a good job in their reading and writing, they are weak in listening and speaking, thus “dumb English” exists widely. Oral English has become an obstacle to their commun
15、ication with English speakers. Task-based teaching overcomes the shortcomings of traditional grammar teaching and is regarded as an effective method in promoting learners language competence. The taskbased approach has gained popularity in the field of language teaching in the last decades of the 20
16、th centuryIt is widely believed that communicative tasks can facilitate the learning process by engaging students in negotiation of meaning in the form of small group work（Ellis 1997 ；Skehan1998 ；Nunan2004 ；Littlewood2004 ，2006 ）About oral English teaching and task-based teaching, domestic and forei
17、gn scholars have done the relevant research. This paper tries to focus on the importance of improving students speaking skill, and the importance of TBLT and its influence on oral English teaching. 2The Significance of Learning Oral EnglishUnder todays situation marked with a technological revolutio
18、n, development of economy and economic globalization, English becomes more important and useful for communication all over the world. The popularity of English language in China is stimulate with Chinas entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the host country in 2008 Beijing Olympics Games
19、, a higher demand has been laid on English leaners communicative competence, However, for the majority of Chinese college students, English speaking ability still remains the most difficult skill for them, which can be shown in some researchers survey. 3The main reason for this situation may be due
20、to the English teaching method.It is well known that oral English teaching has long been the weak aspect of English teaching in China and its researches have not made great progress as expected. Accordingly, students oral English could not meet the requirements of society and needs of competition. O
21、ral English teaching is not a course of teaching English knowledge in traditional meaning but a course to convert the English knowledge they have commanded into communicative competence. Efforts should be made to reform the traditional teaching approach and adopt a practical teaching approach. In re
22、cent years, a number of researchers, syllabus designers and educational innovators have called for a movement in language teaching towards Task-based approaches to instruction.3.The analysis of task-based language teaching methodologyTask-based Language Teaching is an influential teaching approach w
23、hich was first started and radically established since 1980s. In fact, it is a further development of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT). It is first advocated by N.S.Prabhus, and then a lot of studies and experiments have been done on it by many other researchers and linguists. It is becoming po
24、pular in China, beginning in 1990s; Chinese language educators began to introduce the approach to English teaching and challenged the traditional language teaching in 2001. There is a common belief that, owing to the highly teacher-focused form of education, Chinese students are passive learners. Be
25、cause of using the old-fashioned methods, English teachers often neglect training students practical abilities, for example, speaking confidently, fluently and logically. As a result, TBLT, a student-centered approach is believed to be implemented. Furthermore, the methodology mediates these contrad
26、ictions of language form and meaning, developing language structure system and communicative competence, class instruction and acquisition, fluency and accuracy, which are always troubling language teaching and learning. With the development of TBLT, it has gradually become mature and been applied i
27、n teaching. As for the study, it will base the investigation of TBLT on the 4applied linguistics as a theoretical framework. This thesis is composed of three parts. Firstly, a brief introduction is given to the topic, TBLT. This part is mainly associated with its feasibility and effectiveness. Secon
28、dly, its researches, basic concepts, and application in reading are introduced. Lastly, a conclusion, limitations and suggestions for further study and development are offered here.3.1Definitions of taskWhen we are to talk about the concept of “task“, the first thing we need to do is to decide just
29、what we mean by the term itself in language learning and teaching. It is quite difficult to define the term “task”. Many researchers have given their explanation or concept of it in a variety of ways.Prabhu（1987）regarded that “A task is an activity which required learners to arrive at an outcome fro
30、m given information through some process of thought, and which allowed teachers to control and regulate that process.” Nunan（1989 ）thought “The communicative task is a piece of classroom work which involves learners in comprehending, manipulating, producing or interacting in the target language whil
31、e their attention is principally focused on meaning rather than form.” Also he analyzed the framework of communicative tasks from the following six aspects: 1) goals; 2) input; 3) activities; 4) settings; 5) learner role; 6) teacher role.While, Skehan(1998) defined a task as an activity in which 1)
32、meaning is primary; 2) learners are not given other peoples meanings to regurgitate; 3)there is some sort of relationship to comparable real-world activities ; 4) task completion has priority , and 5) the assessment of the task is in term of outcome.Richards（2001）considers a task as an activity or a
33、 goal that is carried out using language, such as finding a solution to a puzzle, reading a map and giving directions, making a telephone call, writing a letter, or reading a set of instructions and assembling a toy.)From the above definitions we can see that a task can hold different meanings for d
34、ifferent persons. So, what is the core of a task? The common core is that they all think tasks involve communicative language use in which the users attention is concentrated on 5meaning rather than on linguistic structure. From the point, we agree that a task is regarded as an activity of the commu
35、nicative classroom. However, a task is different from an exercise. A task needs having the information gap, but an exercise does not.3.2 Task design principlesTask is the central to the task-based language teaching. Professor Gong Yafu(2003) lists a few principles on teaching with tasks as following
36、:3.2.1The authenticity principleThe linguistic data that learners work with should be authentic. Task should provide learners with explicit and authentic information from the real world. The relationship between linguistic form and communicative function are clear to the learner.Also, the language e
37、nvironment and language form need to be coherent with the practical language function and regular pattern so that learners can experience and master language in a real or simulated situation. Also, it is important to combine the tasks with learners personal experience and social life3.2.2The form-fu
38、nction principleTeach language in ways that make relationships between form and function transparent. Attention must be paid to the combination of linguistic form and function in task design. 3.2.3The task dependency principleTasks should be designed in the order from simplest to the most complex an
39、d easiest to the most difficult. A series of tasks in a unit of work or in a semester forms a kind of pedagogical ladder, each task representing a rung on the ladder, enabling the learner to reach higher and higher levels of communicative performance.63.2.4Learning by doing principleThe teachers sho
40、uld direct learners to learn language by performing specific activities, to conduct language activities for the special purposes and enjoy the happiness of success through completing certain communicative tasks. Learning by doing motivates students to fulfill their potential and enhance their intere
41、st as well as enthusiasm in learning. Learners master the language by using it communicatively in the classroom, although they still have to learn grammar and memorize vocabulary.3.2.5 Scaffolding principleProper concerns and supports should be given to learners in language teaching, just as scaffol
42、d for constructing a building. Language learning is a gradually developing process in which sufficient help given by teacher is significant for learners progress. Scaffolding is a process of setting up the situation to make the childs entry easy and successful and then gradually pulling back and han
43、ding the road to the child as he becomes skilled enough to manage it. 3.TBLT methodology3.3.1 Definition of TBLT Task-based language teaching offers the student an opportunity to do exactly this. The primary focus of classroom activity is the task and language is the instrument, which the students u
44、se to complete it. The task is an activity in which students use language to achieve a specific outcome. Jane Willis (2000:41) thinks TBLT is an approach to language teaching, which makes use of authentic materials in communicative pedagogical tasks. These pedagogical tasks reflect real-world tasks
45、that the learners in a given situation would complete as a part of their daily life. Pedagogical tasks act as building blocks to an ultimate objective. Thus, TBLT relies both on the learners ability to learn analytically and on the teachers flexibility and creativity. The learners ability to learn a
46、nalytically is necessary in completing 7tasks focused on meaning rather than grammatical form; the teachers flexibility and creativity are demanded as s/he diagnoses the outcome of each task and creates new materials in response to newly revealed learner needs. TBLT is a complex approach to language
47、 teaching, but in its complexity it responds to both current SLA theory as well as the practical needs of the classroom.In brief, TBLT is a communicative teaching approach, which offers the students opportunities to learn and use the language by doing all kinds of things, which are likely to happen
48、in the real life.3.3.2Features of TBLT Nunan (1991: 279) summarizes five features of TBLT:a. An emphasis on learning to communicate through interaction in the target language.b. The introduction of authentic texts into the learning situation.c. The provision of opportunities for learners to focus no
49、t only on language, but also on the learning process itself.d. An enhancement of the learners own personal experiences as important contributing elements to classroom learning.e. An attempt to link classroom language learning with language activation outsider the classroom.Freez (1998: 17, via Richards and Rodgers, 2001: 224) also generalize some features about TBLT:a. The focus is on the process rather than product.b. Basic elements are purposeful activities and tasks that emphasize communication and meaning.c. Learners learn language by interacting communicatively
