Published

2016-07-01

Improving 10th Graders’ English Communicative Competence Through the Implementation of the Task-Based Learning Approach

El enfoque de aprendizaje basado en tareas como medio para mejorar la competencia comunicativa de estudiantes de grado décimo

Keywords:

Communicative competence, English as a foreign language, language learning, task-based learning approach (en)
aprendizaje de lenguas, competencia comunicativa, enfoque de aprendizaje basado en tareas, inglés como lengua extranjera (es)

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Authors

  • Ana Carolina Buitrago Campo

This article reports the results of an action-research project focused on improving students’ communicative competence in English through the task-based learning approach. This study was conducted in a co-educational public school in Medellín (Colombia) with thirty-four tenth graders. Actions implemented include the development of a series of tasks and the definition of four thematic units consistent with the syllabus and students’ interests and needs. The results evidence students’ significant improvements in their communicative competence in English. Findings also show that implementation of the task-based approach was affected by factors related to the teachers’ role and others related to students’ performance.

Este artículo presenta los resultados de un proyecto de investigación-acción que se enfocó en el mejoramiento de la competencia comunicativa en inglés de los estudiantes mediante el enfoque de aprendizaje basado en tareas. Este estudio fue realizado en un colegio público mixto de la ciudad de Medellín (Colombia) con treinta y cuatro estudiantes de décimo grado. Las acciones implementadas incluyen el desarrollo de una serie de tareas y la definición de cuatro unidades temáticas acorde con el currículo y los intereses y necesidades de los estudiantes. Los resultados evidencian mejoras significativas en la competencia comunicativa en inglés de los estudiantes. Los resultados también muestran que la implementación del enfoque basado en tareas fue afectada por factores relacionados con el rol de los profesores y otros relacionados con el desempeño de los estudiantes.

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