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Chapter 11. Teacher IDs and task adaptations

Making use of the TBLT Language Learning Task Bank
  • Laura Gurzynski-Weiss , Lara Bryfonski and Derek Reagan
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Individual Differences and Task-Based Language Teaching
This chapter is in the book Individual Differences and Task-Based Language Teaching

Abstract

This multi-site study explores how 18 graduate-level L2 teacher participants adapted tasks from the TBLT Language Learning Task Bank for specific learner needs and teaching contexts, and if their individual differences (IDs) influenced their adaptations. Participants first completed a questionnaire about their experiences as L2 learners and teachers, their knowledge of TBLT, and how they search for course materials. They then defined a teaching context (current, past, or prospective), specified a task need (i.e., communicative practice of a specific linguistic target), and identified task features to search for in the Task Bank. Next, participants screen captured and recorded their search and evaluation of possible tasks while thinking aloud, choosing one to adapt to their context. Finally, participants watched their video and submitted a written reflection. Bottom-up thematic analysis was used to determine how participants adapted the tasks from the Task Bank, if their IDs related to the ways they adapted their selected task, and whether these adaptations aligned with their specific teaching context. The results showed that all 18 teachers were successful in adapting their tasks to align with their stated teaching context and learner needs, demonstrating that the Task Bank works well for the target audience of diverse teachers. It was also found that teacher IDs did not play a role in their task adaptations when examined separately. However, a qualitative cluster analysis showed that more experienced teachers tended to focus on providing linguistic instruction and increasing interaction in task adaptation while less experienced teachers utilized a wide array of techniques. The minimal ID cluster profiles that were discernible lend support to the consideration of IDs in tandem with – rather than in isolation from – each other.

Abstract

This multi-site study explores how 18 graduate-level L2 teacher participants adapted tasks from the TBLT Language Learning Task Bank for specific learner needs and teaching contexts, and if their individual differences (IDs) influenced their adaptations. Participants first completed a questionnaire about their experiences as L2 learners and teachers, their knowledge of TBLT, and how they search for course materials. They then defined a teaching context (current, past, or prospective), specified a task need (i.e., communicative practice of a specific linguistic target), and identified task features to search for in the Task Bank. Next, participants screen captured and recorded their search and evaluation of possible tasks while thinking aloud, choosing one to adapt to their context. Finally, participants watched their video and submitted a written reflection. Bottom-up thematic analysis was used to determine how participants adapted the tasks from the Task Bank, if their IDs related to the ways they adapted their selected task, and whether these adaptations aligned with their specific teaching context. The results showed that all 18 teachers were successful in adapting their tasks to align with their stated teaching context and learner needs, demonstrating that the Task Bank works well for the target audience of diverse teachers. It was also found that teacher IDs did not play a role in their task adaptations when examined separately. However, a qualitative cluster analysis showed that more experienced teachers tended to focus on providing linguistic instruction and increasing interaction in task adaptation while less experienced teachers utilized a wide array of techniques. The minimal ID cluster profiles that were discernible lend support to the consideration of IDs in tandem with – rather than in isolation from – each other.

Chapters in this book

  1. 日本言語政策学会 / Japan Association for Language Policy. 言語政策 / Language Policy 10. 2014 i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Series editors’ preface vii
  4. Foreword 1
  5. Section 1. Introduction
  6. Chapter 1. Individual differences and task-based language teaching 10
  7. Section 2. Affective differences
  8. Chapter 2. Anxiety in task-based language teaching 52
  9. Chapter 3. Understanding, measuring, and differentiating task enjoyment from foreign language enjoyment 84
  10. Chapter 4. Task complexity, task features, and task anxiety at low L2 proficiency levels 111
  11. Section 3. Cognitive differences
  12. Chapter 5. Written languaging, language aptitude, and L2 learning through dictogloss tasks 140
  13. Chapter 6. The effects of planning type, working memory, and anxiety on L2 writing performance 161
  14. Section 4. Conative differences
  15. Chapter 7. A review of learner motivation and engagement research in task-based language teaching 198
  16. Chapter 8. Teachers’ and learners’ beliefs about task-based language teaching 228
  17. Section 5. Sociodemographic differences
  18. Chapter 9. Task-based language learning and teaching 262
  19. Section 6. Pedagogical perspectives
  20. Chapter 10. Practitioners’ perspectives 288
  21. Chapter 11. Teacher IDs and task adaptations 313
  22. Section 7. Conclusion
  23. Chapter 12. Conclusion 346
  24. List of contributors 365
  25. Index 371
https://doi.org/10.1075/tblt.16.11gur

Chapters in this book

  1. 日本言語政策学会 / Japan Association for Language Policy. 言語政策 / Language Policy 10. 2014 i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Series editors’ preface vii
  4. Foreword 1
  5. Section 1. Introduction
  6. Chapter 1. Individual differences and task-based language teaching 10
  7. Section 2. Affective differences
  8. Chapter 2. Anxiety in task-based language teaching 52
  9. Chapter 3. Understanding, measuring, and differentiating task enjoyment from foreign language enjoyment 84
  10. Chapter 4. Task complexity, task features, and task anxiety at low L2 proficiency levels 111
  11. Section 3. Cognitive differences
  12. Chapter 5. Written languaging, language aptitude, and L2 learning through dictogloss tasks 140
  13. Chapter 6. The effects of planning type, working memory, and anxiety on L2 writing performance 161
  14. Section 4. Conative differences
  15. Chapter 7. A review of learner motivation and engagement research in task-based language teaching 198
  16. Chapter 8. Teachers’ and learners’ beliefs about task-based language teaching 228
  17. Section 5. Sociodemographic differences
  18. Chapter 9. Task-based language learning and teaching 262
  19. Section 6. Pedagogical perspectives
  20. Chapter 10. Practitioners’ perspectives 288
  21. Chapter 11. Teacher IDs and task adaptations 313
  22. Section 7. Conclusion
  23. Chapter 12. Conclusion 346
  24. List of contributors 365
  25. Index 371
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