Reflections on Task-Based Language Teaching

Review

Rod Ellis has written (yet another) agenda-setting book, this time charting a journey through key issues in task-based language teaching. This is a must-read for researchers committed to the pedagogic relevance of their work, and for language educators in search of a deeper understanding of task-based research and pedagogy. ― Jonathan Newton, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

This comprehensive yet personal book will be invaluable reading for very diverse audiences. Synthesizing a lifetime of engagement with language education and tasks, Rod Ellis proposes an options-based approach that can be flexibly adapted across geographies and masterfully re-examines the quandaries cognitive and social researchers investigate through the questions teachers ask. ― Lourdes Ortega, Georgetown University, USA

This review has recommended Reflections on Task-Based Language Teaching in particular to teacher educators and to researchers. However, classroom teachers
at whatever stage of their career will find plenty to guide them in their teaching.
Chapter 5, titled “Preparing learners to perform tasks,” is one good example. This is a book which should sell well and which will probably give fresh ideas to classroom teachers, whether or not they are also researchers. -- Marilyn Lewis, University of Auckland, New Zealand ― TESOL Theory and Praxis, Volume 4 Issue 1

[This book] is an honour to the work of one of the most esteemed scholars in TBLT. -- Melissa Baralt, Florida International University, USA ― ELT Journal, Volume 73, Issue 2, April 2019

[This book] comprehensively examines the theoretical and pedagogic aspects of task-based language teaching (TBLT), one of the long-standing topics in instructed SLA, and offers insights into TBLT as an approach to second language teaching. Ellis’ (2003) previous book, Task-based Language Learning and Teaching, focuses on research and theories underlying TBLT. The current book complements his previous work by shedding more light on pedagogic issues related to TBLT. -- Taichi Yamashita and Long He, Iowa State University, USA ― Applied Linguistics 2019: 1–5


Product Description

Task-based language teaching is now a well-established pedagogic approach but problematic issues remain, such as whether it is appropriate for all learners and in all instructional contexts. This book draws on the author’s experience of working with teachers, together with his knowledge of relevant research and theory, to examine the key issues. It proposes flexible ways in which tasks can be designed and implemented in the language classroom to address the problems that teachers often face with task-based language teaching. It will appeal to researchers and teachers who are interested in task-based language teaching and the practical and theoretical issues involved. It will also be of interest to students and researchers working in the areas of applied linguistics, TESOL and second language acquisition.

About the Author

Rod Ellis is currently a Research Professor in the School of Education, Curtin University in Perth Australia. He is also a visiting professor at Shanghai International Studies University and an Emeritus Distinguished Professor of the University of Auckland. He has recently been elected as a fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand. He has written extensively on second language acquisition and task-based language teaching. His most recent book is Reflections on Task-Based Language Teaching (2018) published by Multilingual Matters. He is currently completing research funded by the Australian Research Council investigating second language learners’ pragmatic knowledge of English.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Reflections on Task-Based Language Teaching
By Rod Ellis Multilingual MattersCopyright © 2018 Rod Ellis
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-78892-013-1


Contents
Acknowledgements, ix,
Preface, xi,
Part 1: Introduction, 1,
1 A Brief History of Task-based Langua