The YouTube video features Claudia Fernandez, Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), discussing the implementation of a fully Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) curriculum for their Spanish program.
Key Points on TBLT Implementation
Assessment Focus: Evaluation is based on task completion and comprehensibility, reflecting real-world communication, with accuracy (grammar) being a low-weighted or optional component.
Motivation: Fernandez believes TBLT is the only truly communicative approach because it aligns with how language is acquired, proving its success in a pilot where beginners achieved intermediate proficiency in nine months.
The “Herculean Effort”: The transition from a grammar-based to a TBLT curriculum required getting faculty buy-in by framing the change around a shared mission and providing clear, structured materials for every task. She also removed traditional grammar-focused exams, relying only on task performance for assessment.
Mindset Shift: Teachers must overcome the belief that students need to master language in “blocks” (e.g., all grammar first) before using it. Instead, they must accept imperfect output from the start and let go of excessive control over what grammar is produced.
Task Structure: TBLT courses use Final Tasks as core assessment (e.g., designing an object to solve a problem and presenting it). These tasks are supported by Pedagogic Tasks (often input-focused, like listening to many object descriptions) that give students the necessary resources to complete the final goal.