Taking Teacher Education to Task

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Taking Teacher Education to Task

• TBLT Conference 2007
• Greg Ogilvie Bill Dunn
• University of Alberta
• gogilvie_at_ualberta.ca wdunn_at_ualberta.ca

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• Teacher education still has the honour of
  being simultaneously the worst problem and the
  best solution in education.
• (Fullan, 1993, p. 105)

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Overview of Presentation

• A brief look at TBLT
• Issues in implementation
• The role of teacher education
• Adopting a constructivist approach
• Structure of the Study
• Results

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Defining TBLT

• Task-based language teaching is an instructional
  model that addresses educational processes in a
  second language classroom at a philosophical
  (why), structural (what) and methodological (how)
  level. At the philosophical level TBLT assumes a
  view of second language acquisition as an organic
  process that is not directly influenced by formal
  instruction, but may be fostered through
  cognitively challenging, meaningful use of
  language.

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Defining TBLT contd

• To this end, TBLT invites students to act as
  language users rather than learners, with the
  explicit analysis of language structures and
  forms emerging from difficulties experienced
  during the completion of tasks. Implied in this
  role is a more active responsibility for learners
  in determining the progression of lessons and the
  course.

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Defining TBLT contd

• In the planning and implementation process, TBLT
  upholds the task as the centre-piece from which
  all other activities are based. The task becomes
  both the syllabus and methodology of instruction.
  Completion of the task is used to evaluate the
  lesson, thus the focal point of TBLT is the
  provision of learning opportunities that reflect
  real world language usage, rather than
  pre-determined teaching points.

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Controversial Role of Theory in Informing Practice

• Research-driven theory is based on an
  individualist conception of learning (Freeman
  Johnson, 1998)
• Theory ignores socio-cultural factors from
  educational contexts (Markee, 1997)
• Perceptual knowledge needed rather than
  conceptual knowledge (Kessels Korthagen, 1996)

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Rationale for Theoretical Guidance

• SLA research focuses on specific elements of
  learning out of necessity
• Theory guides teachers at a macro level
• SLA research provides an additional angle from
  which to evaluate classroom practices (Cook,
  2001 Saville-Troika, 2006)

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Issues in Implementing TBLT

• Lack of resources (Ellis, 2003)
• Incompatibility with testing practices (Richards
  Rodgers, 2001)
• Student expectations (Willis, 1996)
• Pedagogical beliefs of teachers (Carless, 2003
  McDonough Chaikitmongkol, 2007)

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The Role of Teacher Education

• Teacher education practices largely based on
  tradition (Freeman, 1996)
• Most common approach involves telling, showing
  and guided practice (Myers, 2002)

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The Role of Teacher Education

• Tell, show, guide approach
• Ignores constructivist nature of learning
  (Fosnot, 2005)
• Doesnt provide opportunities to address tacit
  understandings developed during the
  apprenticeship of observation (Richardson, 1997)

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Research Questions

• How does a constructivist inspired approach to
  teacher education that is based on personal
  inquiry affect student teachers disposition
  towards and utilization of TBLT?
• What factors influenced pre-service teachers
  instructional decisions?

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Inquiry Based Course

• Premised on altering subjectivity
• Change focus from content to investigation of
  professional philosophy
• Expand students view of second language pedagogy

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Data Collection Methods

• Analysis of experiences as a language learner
• Lesson analyses
• Concept map
• Explication of teaching philosophy
• Interview
• Pedagogical Beliefs Scale

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TBLT Disposition Scale
20
100
Low Coherence
High Coherence
TDS is based on responses to the Pedagogical
Beliefs Scale Provides a quantitative means to
measure the influence of the course
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Influence of Course on Disposition Towards TBLT

• Average at beginning 62.8
• Average at end 70.1
• Average increase 17
• Only one student decreased from 86 to 81

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Early Perspectives on TBLT

• Horrible! More of a social studies class than a
  language class. Too much culture, no
  grammatical learning.
• There is very little focus on language
  acquisition. I think the lesson fails to teach
  the grammatical concept at hand.
• I dont see the point of the lesson. It seems
  to be more of a discussion session than learning
  session. Nothing seems to be related to a second
  language.

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Later Perspectives on TBLT

• TBLT was the one I found to be that I would want
  to use the most. I believe mostly, while you are
  doing a task that is the best way to learn a
  language.
• I like TBLT because the students can work
  individually and they can work in groups but I
  like the idea . . . that they can be creative
  in a TBLT lesson. And I just think that this is
  where they can mostly put their background
  knowledge to use.

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Reflection on the Course

• The course had a particularly catalytic effect.
  I did not realize how much of an impact my
  experiences as a learner would have on my beliefs
  until this year. Until recently, I might have
  been inclined to believe that the way I was
  taught was the right way to teach.

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Utilization of TBLT

• Although students demonstrated a disposition that
  was more coherent with the principles of TBLT,
  tasks were used sparingly during the five-week
  practicum

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Identified Issues

• Absence of materials
• Time constraints
• Curricular demands
• Practices of the mentor teacher

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Underlying Issues

• Epistemological frame of pre-service teachers
• Pressure to conform to cultural norms of teaching
  and the good teacher

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Conclusion

• Constructivist approach promoted critical
  reflection and professional growth
• Individual nature of inquiry neglected social
  component of subjectivity
• Logistical issues are an impediment to the
  implementation of TBLT and must be addressed
• Social issues also must be addressed to promote
  meaningful change

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Strategies for Teacher Educators

• Critically analyze the principles of teacher
  education programs
• Expand students subjectivity
• Develop historical consciousness
• Promote reflexivity

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References

• Carless, D. (2003). Factors in the implementation
  of task-based teaching in primary schools.
  System, 31, 485-500.
• Cook, V. (2001). Second language learning and
  language teaching (3rd Edition). London Arnold.
• Ellis, R. (2003). Task-based language learning
  and teaching. Oxford Oxford University Press.
• Fosnot, C.T. (2005). Constructivism revisited
  Implications and reflections. In C.T. Fosnot
  (Ed.), Constructivism Theory, perspectives, and
  practice (pp. 276-291). New York Teachers
  College Press.

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References contd

• Freeman, D. (1996). The unstudied problem
  Research on teacher learning in language
  teaching. In D. Freeman, J.C. Richards (Eds.),
  Teacher learning in language teaching (pp.
  351-378). Cambridge Cambridge University Press.
• Freeman, D., Johnson, K.E. (1998).
  Reconceptualizing the knowledge-base of language
  teacher education. TESOL Quarterly, 32, 397-417.
  
• Fullan, M. (1993). Change forces. London
  Falmer Press.
• Kessels, J.P.A.M., Korthagen, F.A.J. (1996).
  The relationship between theory and practice
  Back to the classics. Educational Researcher,
  25(3), 17-22.

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References contd

• Markee, N. (1997). Second language acquisition
  research A resource for changing teachers
  professional cultures? Modern Language Journal,
  81, 80-93.
• McDonough, K., Chaikitmongkol, W. (2007).
  Teachers and learners reactions to a task-based
  EFL course in Thailand. TESOL Quarterly, 41,
  107-132.
• Myers, C.B. (2002). Can self-study challenge the
  belief that telling, showing, and guided practice
  constitute adequate teacher education? In J.
  Loughran, T. Russell (Eds.), Improving teacher
  education practices through self-study (pp.
  130-142). London Routledge Falmer.

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References contd

• Richards, J.C., Rodgers, T.S. (2001).
  Approaches and methods in language teaching(2nd
  Edition). Cambridge Cambridge University Press.
• Richardson, V. (1997). Constructivist teaching
  and teacher education Theory and practice. In
  V. Richardson (Ed.), Constructivist teacher
  education (pp. 3-14). London Falmer.
• Saville-Troike, M. (2006). Introducing Second
  Language Acquisition. CambridgeCambridge
  University Press.
• Willis, J. (1996). A framework for task-based
  learning. Harlow, UK Addison Wesley Longman.

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Contact Information

• Greg Ogilvie gogilvie_at_ualberta.ca
• Bill Dunn wdunn_at_ualberta.ca