Introduction chapter I developing intercutural competence through task-based language

CHAPTER II TASK-BASED APPROACH TO DEVELOP INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE IN COLLEGE ENGLISH
2.1 Factors considered in task design
Due to the scope of the following tasks, the whole lesson has been projected to fit 2 different sessions of 45 minutes each. These will consist of 2 main tasks which will require learners to (1) share personal information about their daily school routine, and to compare it with that of the target culture by trying to find similarities and differences between the two. The topic to be covered is, therefore, that of the school context on the basis that learners’ familiarity on this subject area sets the ideal stage for stimulating their curiosity toward new and different practices that are common in the target culture in terms of school subjects, timetables, playground games and food. In this sense, motivation will be enhanced by first allowing learners to talk about themselves (i.e. learners will have the chance to share their own routines and preferences on a normal school day and compare them with those of their classmates), and secondly; by exposing them to audiovisual material where an example of everyday school routine is presented from the point of view of a young British student. These tasks do not require the provision of right answers, but rather, they are intended to set the appropriate arena for the exchange of information, the negotiation of meaning as well as for intercultural reflection.
As far as input is concerned, learners will be exposed to both written and spoken texts arising from a variety of sources: classroom-based talk, teacher-created materials as well as authentic materials. Most of the spoken input will be based on teacher talk consisting of classroom interventions when the provision of some guidelines and explanations for the development of tasks is thought necessary, but more particularly, on teacher-learner and learner-learner interactions when it comes to brainstorming activities, information-sharing activities, brief presentations, and short debates. Authentic input will be supplied by a 5-minute video displaying an example of not only real-world usage of the TL but also of different practices related to the target topic as seen from the perspective of some members of the target language community. Yet, despite the great value of authentic resources, complementary materials created by the teacher may also be supportive of task development in so far as they respond to the underlying goals of the lesson. In this case, learners will be asked to fill in a chart purposely designed to facilitate learners’ task of information sharing and comparison on the one hand, and to develop learners’ time-telling skills, to elicit the use of present simple when talking about routines and to revise on school-related vocabulary on the other (See Appendices).
Selected procedures for this lesson plan will range from individual work, group work to whole-class activities assisted by the teacher. Learners, particularly young learners, will need some monitoring at first so teacher-mediated activities will occupy the initial steps of the task. At this point learners will be encouraged to brainstorm vocabulary on school subjects and to share their timetables with the rest of the class after having been presented with basic guidelines on how to tell the time. As the lesson progresses, learners will little by little acquire more autonomy and they will move from assisted individual and whole-class activities to group work aimed at enhancing information exchanges on the different school routines found among their peers.
With regard to the expected outcomes, this task is not only intended to promote the elicitation of some linguistic and communicative skills but also to emphasize on the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes to attain an appropriate intercultural competence. In this respect, apart from developing learners’ ability to tell the time, eliciting the use of present simple when referring to repeated actions or reviewing school-related vocabulary, the present proposal is also aimed at raising learners’ awareness on the diversity of cultural backgrounds and behaviours surrounding them as well as at enhancing the analysis, discovery and reflection of the target culture by always keeping an attitude of tolerance. Hence, from the point of view of language learners are ultimately expected to strengthen on:
The use of present simple for routines: I wake up at 8 o’clock.
Simple time-telling skills (i.e. o’clock, half past, quarter past, quarter to): I finish school at 5 o’clock.
Expressing likes and dislikes: I like eating biscuits for breakfast. I don’t like drinking juice.
Subjects vocabulary: maths, arts, science, PE, music, English, etc.
Playground games vocabulary: hopscotch, hide and seek, tag, etc.
Food vocabulary: sandwich, juice, milk, cereals, biscuits, etc.
From the point of view of intercultural learning, the objective for our students should be to: understand the rich diversity existing within any cultural group including one’s own respect and value people with different preferences, behaviours and cultural backgrounds develop a curiosity for discovering diverse cultural practices tolerate difference challenge stereotypes
Aspects tackled during task design have been thoroughly illustrated and summarized in the table below (See Table 2).

Design feature	Description
Goal	Intercultural: to raise learners’ awareness on the value of diversity as well as on the different patterns of behaviour and social organization that exist in different communities. Communicative/Linguistic: To elicit the use of present simple when talking about routines, school-related vocabulary, (i.e. subjects, playground games, school items) as well as food vocabulary. Learners are also expected to learn how to tell the time and express likes and dislikes in the TL.
Input	A mix of brainstormed vocabulary; shared personal opinions, routines and preferences; as well as data from authentic audiovisual materials and teacher-created resources.

Procedures

Individual work, group work, whole-class work and teacher-led discussions.

Expected Outcomes: Product Process

Finding similarities and differences between learners’ own culture and the target culture and understand the many different pictures that can be representative of a given cultural group. Use of the present simple, school-related vocabulary as well as vocabulary about food on the one hand, and the development of functions such as expressing likes and dislikes and informing about timetables on the other.

Table 2. Task features