Developing a Conversational Curriculum for a Mixed Proficiency Class using Task-Based Language Teaching

[ABSTRACT ONLY; NO FULL TEXT] Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) is a method of language teaching that developed based largely on the influence of the Communicative Language Teaching approach (CLT) (Richards and Rodgers, 2001). TBLT is based on language learning through the use of tasks. According to Long (2014), 'tasks' are the everyday activities that a person does in the span of a day. These tasks have real world implications which are relevant to students' interests and needs. Since the tasks in TBLT require interaction with classmates, students can practice specific interactions that they might encounter outside the classroom while in the familiarity of their peers and with the advantage of being given corrective feedback. These roleplays or situational simulations can reduce the amount of anxiety that a student would face if they had to do the same tasks in the real world (Widdowson, 2013). TBLT provides students the opportunity to engage in meaningful tasks, with minimal negative evaluation, therefore increasing students' willingness to speak. Adult ESL students at Our Redeemer Church were given a survey in order to gather information about their level of English proficiency as well as their perceived weaknesses and strengths in their Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing skills. They were subsequently interviewed about their learning goals. Data from the survey showed that students perceived Speaking as one of the most challenging skills for them. The interview affirmed that students wanted to improve their speaking skills in order to communicate with others. Students expressed performance anxiety when communicating with native English speakers. Based on these findings, a 12-week conversational curriculum was developed to address students' needs. The curriculum provides grammar instruction with a focus on meaning approach, as well as various scenarios for students to practice their Speaking skills. This paper will present the specific needs of these students and illustrate how a TBLT curriculum could increase students' fluency and reduce their language anxiety.