Addressing the grammar gap in task work

Addressing the grammar gap in task work
A current interest in methodology is task-based teaching. Learner’s grammar needs are determined on the basis of task performance rather than through a predetermined grammar syllabus. Grammatical syllabuses were superseded by communicative ones based on functions or tasks such as presentation-production-production as well as drills and grammar practice (accuracy activities). This led to “fluency-fist” pedagogy in which students’ grammar needs are on the basis of performance fluency tasks.
From grammar-focused to task-focused instruction
The differences between traditional grammar-focused activities and communicative tasks are as follows:
Grammar-focused activities
˙reflect typical classroom use of language
˙focus on the formation of correct examples
˙monitored speech style
˙don not require authentic communication
Communicative tasks
˙reflect natural language use
˙colloquial speech style
˙require improving, repair and reorganization
˙allow students to select language they use
Task work is seen as a part of linguistic and communicative competence development.

Second thoughts about task work
The researcher found that little evidence showed negotiation for meaning is not a strategy that language learners are influenced to employ when they encounter gaps in their understanding. Accurate grammar use is not necessary in such a grammar-gap task. These strategies provide an effective incentive to make best use of language that already have but it doesn’t encourage them to focus on form.

Grammar in relation to second language acquisition processes
Inpputàintakeàacquisitionàaccessàoutput
Input: language sources used to initiated the language learning process.
At the input stage, an attempt may be made to focus learners’ attention on particular features of inputs.
Intake: subset of the input that is comprehended and attended to in some way. Those items are needed to meet certain criteria such as complexity(appropriate level of difficulty), saliency(be noticed or attended to), frequency(be experienced frequently) and need(fulfill a communacative need).
Acquisition: the learner incorporate a new learning item into his or her developing system ot interlanguage.
˙noticing the difference between forms they are using and targetlike forms.
˙discivering rules of target language
˙make those into long-term memory
˙much output to experiment such as role play.
Access: learner’s ability to utilize the interlanguage system during communocation which includes making use of the developing system to create output.
Output: observed result

Addressing grammar within task work
Focus on form entails a prerequisite in meaning before attention to linguistic features.
˙exposure to appropriate level of difficulty
˙meaning-focused interaction
˙opportunies for learners to attend to inguistic form
˙opporrtunities to expand the sources

Addresing accuracy prior to,during and after the task

Reference
Richard J.C. Current Research and Practice in Teaching Vocabulary. In Richards, J. C. and Renandya, W. A. (Eds)Methodology in Language Teaching(pp. 153-164) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.