时间：2022-08-25 02:22:38
Some linguists regard using tasks as an effective way to language teaching. This article aims to present the way of designing a task-based curriculum.
Task-based Curriculum
（a） The definition of “task-based curriculum”
A task-based curriculum uses tasks as the main units around which the course is organized and presented. Task is defined as a part of classroom work which involves learners in comprehending， manipulating， producing or interacting in the target language while their attention is principally focused on meaning rather than form （Nunan， 2004）. Morris （1996） points out that curriculum development includes the processes that are used to determine the needs of a group of learners， to develop aims or objectives for a program to address those needs， to determine an appropriate syllabus， course structure， teaching methods， and materials， and to carry out an evaluation of the language program that results from these processes.
Consequently， ‘a task-based curriculum’ is the kind of learning curriculum based on communicative activities which are designed for learners’ needs.
（b） Advantages of using ‘tasks’
First， tasks embody the purpose that students are learning language for. In a task-based lesson， the lesson is based around the completion of a central task and the language study is determined by what happens as the students complete.
Second， students have much more varied exposure to language. Tasks enable learners to integrate separate elements of knowledge and language skills into their actual communicative competence.
Furthermore， tasks provide a context for the learners’ natural learning process to operate. It will be developed from students’ experiences with the language that is personalized and relevant to them and students will explore the language from their needs.
Task-based curriculum design
Theme： Spoken English class for junior middle school students
Reasons for choosing this topic：
Communication is an exchange of meaning and understanding. For successful communication， students require more than the formal ability to present well. With the globalization， calls have been made for graduates to be proficient in communication skills so that they can function effectively in the academic and professional settings.
In addition， spoken English is always the weakness of Chinese students and how to teach it effectively is always one of the difficulties in English teaching. In traditional English class， all tasks are taking notes， reciting and imitation， which can not raise students’ interests.
Example of Task：
My favorite sport
Students are divided into groups of four members and every student should give a short introduction of his or her favorite sport. By the way of “question and answer” activity， they can take notes about language points. When it is necessary， they can look up dictionary to find words and expressions to describe their favorite sports. Afterwards， students within each group take turns to describe favorite sport to other group members.
Objectives for task
1. Students are expected to speak clearly with correct pronunciation， intonation and tone. Moreover， they should try to use stress and pauses to emphasize important information.
2. Students are encouraged to use more synonyms.
3. Students can notice tense and aspect， cultivate English thinking pattern and gradually use different grammatical structures.
4. Students should make judgments， support and develop their views， ask relevant questions， explain， give examples and use formulaic expressions.
Contents：
Language functions and structures：
1. Use “What’s your favorite sport？” to raise question and “Why you choose this sport？” to ask for reasons.
2. Use “My favorite sport is…” to give an answer and “because…” “as” to express ideas and reasons.
3. Use the simple present tense to express things that people always do. （I like…， I often play…）
Use the simple past tense to express things happened in the past. （I played…）
4. Use the connectives， such as “and” “In addition” to further explain reasons.
Use the modal verb “can” to express ability.
Use the connectives “first of all” “secondly” “next” to make description systematically.
5. Use the pattern “I play basketball twice a week” to express frequently.
Use the pattern “like doing” to express interest.
Vocabulary：
1. Sports： football， basketball， tennis， badminton， hiking， swimming， running
2. lace： park， gym， playground， swimming pool， inside the door， outside the door
3. Style： teamwork， pairs， individual
4. Adjective for usefulness： good （be good for）， helpful （be helpful to）， beneficial （be beneficial to）
5. Verbs of action： climb， play， run， jump， ride
6. Verbs for advantages： strengthen， enhance， promote， improve， cultivate， build up
References：
[1]Nunan，D.（2004）.Task-based language teaching.Cambridge： Cambridge University Press.