Tag Archives: task

Quick Win PD for Language Teachers: From Vocabulary Lists to Communicative Tasks

You’ve got a list of vocabulary you have to teach. You introduce the words, quiz them, maybe throw in a game or two. But something’s missing…your students aren’t using the words to communicate.

Many language teachers are required to follow a curriculum that leans heavily on vocabulary lists. The problem? These lists often focus more on memorization than communication and leave students stuck at word recall rather than real-world expression.

Quick Win PD for Language Teachers: From Vocabulary Lists to Communicative Tasks; French, Spanish

This 30-minute PD course, for the small price of $10, will help you transform vocabulary lists into purposeful, communicative tasks that promote real language use.

You’ll learn how to:

  • Spot the difference between vocabulary-based vs. communication-based activities
  • Design tasks that get students using words to share ideas, opinions, and experiences
  • Build communicative tasks that align with ACTFL proficiency levels
  • Use a simple planning template to turn any vocabulary list into a meaningful learning opportunity

This is a supportive, no-fluff course led by me, Joshua Cabral, host of the World Language Classroom Podcast, and it’s designed to give you strategies you can use tomorrow without overhauling your entire curriculum.

By the end of this course, you’ll feel equipped and empowered to bring vocabulary to life in your classroom. Your students will move from memorizing words to using them to express themselves, interact with others, and grow in proficiency.

What’s Included in This Quick Win, 30-Minute Course for $10?

  • Audio to Listen to All Material – perfect for on-the-go listening
  • Detailed Note Sheet to follow along and refer back to
  • Reflection Activity to deepen your understanding
  • Examples at the novice, intermediate, and advanced levels
  • Planning Template to design your own communicative tasks
  • Additional Resources to go further with the topic
  •  Personalized Certificate of course completion

If you’re looking for a clear, supportive way to teach toward proficiency, even when you’re tied to a required list of vocabularythis course is for you.

Foreign Language Exercises and Tasks; Task-Based Activities

There are many different types of activities that we create for our foreign language students.  In the communicative language classroom there are two broad categories of activities: exercises and tasks.

Foreign Language Exercises and Tasks, Task-Bsed Activities (French, Spanish) www.wlclassroom.com

What is a task?

  • A task requires the use of the target language in order to complete a task. The goal is the completion of the task, though the expectation is that the target language is being used to complete it.

What is an exercise?

  • Bill Van Patten describes “exercises” as activities that focus on language mechanics and often use language out of context.
  • “Tasks,” in contrast, are activities that have a product, goal, objective or outcome that require using the target language to achieve it, but are not focused on mechanics.

With tasks the goal is independent of language. Research overwhelmingly shows that language used in context is most beneficial to language acquisition. Tasks are an effective way of providing communicative activities to students.

Foreign Language Exercises and Tasks, Task-Bsed Activities (French, Spanish) www.wlclassroom.com

Is the activity an exercise or a task?

Consider these aspects of activities when determining if it is an exercise or a task:

The Activity is an exercise if it…

  • focuses only correct examples of language.
  • uses language out of context.
  • focuses on producing small amounts of language.
  • doesn’t focus on meaningful communication.
  • dictates language structures and vocabulary.

The Activity is a task if it…

  • focuses on achieving communication.
  • focuses on meaningful use of language.
  • employs communication strategies.
  • does not use predictable language.
  • links language use to context.
  • does not dictate language structures.

Foreign Language Exercises and Tasks, Task-Bsed Activities (French, Spanish) www.wlclassroom.com 

How do I design task?

  1. Choose a theme and a goal. Keep in mind particular vocabulary themes or language structures that you would like students to use and craft the activity accordingly.
  2. Explain the task and desired outcome.
  3. Pairs/groups engage in task. Teacher engages as necessary to keep task on track.
  4. Pairs/groups share out their goals with other groups or as a whole class.
  5. Teacher provides an individual extension activity.

Foreign Language Exercises and Tasks, Task-Bsed Activities (French, Spanish) www.wlclassroom.com

Take a look at this SlideShare that explains the difference between exercises, activities and tasks.

Also have a look at this post with lots of task-based activities for the French and Spanish classroom.