Learning English as a second language through task-based approach : students' voice from a Hong Kong secondary school

Abstract

Task-based approach, an offshoot of communicative language teaching, has very rich theoretical underpinnings from psycholinguistic research and theories of second language acquisition. However, its implementation in the Asian context is confronted with practical and sociocultural constraints. The same applies to Hong Kong and task-supported learning was proposed as more appropriate. Yet, most studies considered the teachers' perspective and little has been done to take students' voice into account. This study reports the findings of six students in a local band-two CMI secondary school who have experienced task-based approach for eight weeks, reflecting on their perception towards task features and task uses, in a semi-structured, focus-group interview. The result shows differences in how stronger and weaker students perceive tasks, the latter being more motivated by tasks and benefitting from peer support. The discussion reveals perceived effectiveness, motivation and confidence as three interacting factors that affect students' perception, in which they revealed their meta-pedagogic awareness in evaluating their learning experience in relation to their beliefs on learning. Implications on how to adapt task-based approach to address students' needs are made, accompanied with suggestions for future research directions in the implementation of task-based approach in Hong Kong.