TBLT

Task-based language teaching (TBLT) is an approach to language instruction that foregrounds meaningful communication through authentic tasks as the central unit of planning and assessment. In TBLT, language is learned as a byproduct of completing real-world or classroom-relevant tasks, rather than through isolated focus on grammar rules or discrete vocabulary items.

A typical TBLT lesson is organized around three stages. The pre-task phase prepares learners for the upcoming activity, activates prior knowledge, and may introduce necessary vocabulary or concepts. During-task work involves learners working together to complete a task, negotiate meaning, and produce the target language in a communicative context. The post-task phase focuses on reflection, output refinement, and sometimes focused form instruction or feedback to address linguistic needs that emerged during the task. Some designs also include a task cycle with planning and reporting.

Common task types include information-gap tasks (where participants hold different pieces of information), reasoning-gap tasks (requiring deduction or problem solving), and opinion-gap tasks (centered on sharing attitudes and preferences). Task design emphasizes authenticity, clear communicative goals, appropriate difficulty, and an observable outcome or product.

Assessment in TBLT tends to be performance-based, evaluating how well learners accomplish the task, often alongside rubrics for fluency, accuracy, and interaction. TBLT is widely used in ESL/EFL contexts and other second language programs, supported by theories of communicative competence and cognitive processing. Critics note challenges in teacher training, time requirements, and the need for careful task design to balance meaning with form.