Black Box Videocast 9: What is Task-Based Language Teaching?

Even though I have briefly dealt with English teaching methods on this blog before, had I never previously acknowledged the TBL approach. "TBL" stands for "Task Based Learning". I would say that it does in fact correspond with a small number of other methods, such as: "The Communicative Approach", "Total Physical response", among others. In the following post, am I going to address the importance of TBL in the classroom, and express my opinion on the matter.

 

Introduced about twelve years ago, TBL focuses on language as a tool for communication. In other words the target language is learned by application. You see, the lesson is based upon the completion of a central task. As a result, the content studied is contingent on what takes place as the students complete it. Moreover, the study of grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation could either be considered or not after the main task is finished. Notwithstanding, the use of this method is not set in stone for a particular type of class. In fact, there is something called: "An eclectic approach"(An approach with mixes techniques from different other methods). The aforesaid suggests that teacher can take the liberty to use this approach (with prudence that is) to better suit the needs of their students. Since learners different learning styles and divergent ideas on how language should be learned.

 

Back to the topic at hand nonetheless. Let us list the most relevant stages of the TBL approach:

Pre-Task:  The teacher introduces the topic to be dealt with, and explains what the task is going to be. They usually aid the students remember previously seen content, and show clear examples so as to facilitate the process.

Task: The students work in groups in order to complete the task. They will use all the resources the have at their disposal. In the meantime, the teacher supervises the class and offers help.

Planning: Students arrange a short oral/written record so as to inform the class about what happened during their task. The teacher is still available to assist the learners.

Report: The students will present their report/record to the class either in a written or oral form. The teacher will decide the order in which the learners present their report. What is more, they will also offer useful feedback to students. Not to mention that they will show them some illustrations for the learners to compare with their own work.

Analysis: The teacher accentuates the more crucial parts  from the text of the recording (illustration) for the class to analyze. The teacher can also encourage the students to identify the most interesting aspects from the text. They can also emphasize the language used during the report.

Practice: Lastly, the teachers selects areas where the students need some improvement. In other words, what the errors that emerged during the report. Consequently, the learners then do practice activities so as to further develop their confidence and skills.

 

In conclusion, I would say that it has been proven that no specific teaching approach is perfect. Thus, the reason why I mentioned the eclectic approach in the above paragraph. In truth, it is up to the teacher whether to focus on a controlled practice, freer practice or free activity. It could even be communicative activity. It will all depend on the students' needs and preferences. As a matter of fact, using several kinds of activities in our lessons adds variety. Thus, keeping the learners motivated and interested in the topic at hand. Be that as it may, moderation (Not to overuse a specific method) does play an important role in the success of our lessons (As I previously stated on this post as well).

Sources:
- http://esol.britishcouncil.org/content/teachers/staff-room/teaching-articles/task-based-approach
- TKT Teaching Knowledge Test Course (Modules 1,2 and 3) Cambridge University Press.

What is customer service ? The 7 Essentials To Excellent Customer Service

Customer service in Perú has considerably improved in the past few years. Notwithstanding, there is still a fairly large number of unscrupulous businesses here that focus on self-gain more than  anything else. Thus, the reason why it is imperative to tackle this issue and try to fix it in the best way  possible.  According to a recent study by "Zendesk Benchmark", the three countries (As of August 2015) with the highest customer service satisfaction rates are: "Belgium", "Norway", and "New Zealand". What should other countries due to duplicate the success of the aforesaid?. In the following, I will express my opinion on the matter, and share with you a handful of key pieces of advice on it as well.

Irrespective of the type of service you offer, your priority should always be to keep your customers satisfied. In essence, customer service is about how to please your clients by meeting their needs and expectations. For instance, if I register at a language school to learn a third language, the least I expect of the school is to have highly qualified teachers and a pleasant infrastructure. Not to mention  that I would also expect from the clerks working in the counter to be well-informed about the programs the school offers, and to have some knowledge of the languages being taught. Be that as it may, the aforementioned concept is not exactly being applied by all language centers in Lima for example. Hence, the illustration I gave can be applied to most businesses. Even so, there is more to efficient customer service than only doing what we believe the be best for our clients. Being attentive and informed of their concerns is also crucial.

One simple suggestion I would give to begin with, would be to employ the "LAST approach".

You see, the first thing you should do when a customer has a complaint is to enquire what the problem is. In order to do that nonetheless you have to listen carefully first. After they are done, you can rephrase their complaint so as to ensure them you understood the message. Lastly, you should try help the customer regain their composure as best as you can. Case in point, by expressing your point respectfully (Sir/Madam, I understand your frustration and want to help you solve your problem, but your anger/ language is getting in the way), and of course by not taking any offensive comments personally. Afterward, you should apologize on behalf of the company. You could say something along the lines of: "We are sorry you had to go through that". Regardless of whether or not it was directly your fault, you should still apologize. You do not necessarily have to put the blame on the company that is. What is more, when it comes to solving the problem, there are a couple of ways to deal with it: If you can solve it, you should explain what you are going to do. To illustrate my point, let me give you an example: If you work in the counter of a hotel and are told about a Wi-Fi problem within one of the rooms, you could tell the guest: "This is how we are going to proceed: I am going to send an IT to your room as soon as possible". Be that as it may, if you cannot resolve the problem yourself you could tell the customer: "Let me check with my manager to see how we can solve your situation as best as possible". Finally, and by the time the issue has been dealt with, you should thank the client. You could say: "Thank you for letting us know about your situation. It was indeed helpful to us" Not only can a company grow by being aware of their customers concerns, it can also do so by ending a disagreement in a friendly manner. 

In review, applying the "LAST approach" can indeed aid business owners, and by extension their employees to offer a best service overall. Even so, there is more to each one of the steps mentioned in the aforesaid approach. Consequently, the need for me to elucidate on them slightly more. The video I will attach so as to reinforce this content, was made by Coach David Brownlee, a highly successful businessman and customer service consultant that will guide you through this process in a more efficient way. Before I leave though, I would like to share the following inspirational quote by Brian Tracy: "Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others. Unsuccessful people are always asking: What's in it for me?".

Sources:
- https://www.zendesk.com/blog/
- www.engvid.com

What is evolution? Charles Darwin's brilliant idea explained

https://youtu.be/PxK2UQpbJ7E

Evolution, is without a doubt a highly controversial theory; regardless of the vast amount of evidence there is so as to prove its validity. What is more, not too long ago, a new human-like species was discovered. In 2013, anthropology professor John Hawks and his team aided by the locals made a huge discovery. They found 15 partial skeletons in a burial chamber deep in a cave system in Johannesburg.  An unprecedented achievement for the scientific community. Still and all, countless religious people still remain skeptical about evolution. What more evidence do these people need to come to the conclusion that most religious ancient texts were purely man-made?

 

"Homo Naledi". That is how this newly-discovered species has been named. Let me refresh your

memory regarding the human evolutionary chain.

- Ardipithecus ramidus (4.4 million years ago): Fossils were discovered in Ethiopia in the 1990s.

  They were able to climb trees and walk upright.

- Australopithecus afarensis (3.9 - 2.9 million years ago): The famous "Lucy" skeleton belongs to

   this species of human relative. Fossils of this species have only been found in East Africa. They 

   were also able to walk upright, but spend most of their time in the trees.

- Homo habilis (2.8 - 1.5 million years ago): This human ancestor had a slightly larger braincase and

   smaller teeth than older species, but retained features such as long arms.

- Homo naledi (Still of unknown age, but thought to be as old 3 million years): This new

   discovery had small modern-looking teeth, human-like feet, but more primitive fingers and a

   small braincase.

- Homo erectus (1.9 million years ago): Homo erectus had a modern body plan that was almost

   equal to ours. Nonetheless, it had a smaller brain than a modern person. Not to mention a more

   primitive face.

- Homo neanderthalensis (200 000 years - 40 000 years ago): They were a side group to modern

   humans. This species inhabited western Eurasia  before our species left Africa. They were shorter

   and more muscular than modern people. Besides having slightly larger brains.

- Homo sapiens (200 000 years ago - present): Modern humans evolved in Africa from a predecessor

   species known as "Homo heidelbergensis". A small group of Homo sapiens left Africa 60 000

   years ago and settled the rest of the world. They replaced other human species through

   interbreeding.

 

The aforesaid evidence, should be able to preclude the existence of any other theory regarding the origin of humankind. Be that as it may, there is something else that needs to be considered. As if this information was not enough, I would like to add the following explanation. The reason why the "Theory of evolution" is called a "theory" is not due to the fact that it is merely a hypothesis. You see, in science , a theory is an explanation for something that is seen in nature. Thus, there is usually evidence to substantiate a scientific theory. Whereas a law, is typically used for describing some relationship that we witness in nature. Case in point, there is Charle's Law that states that for a gas, as the temperature rises, the volume of that gas rises too. In other words, a theory would be what explains why a law exists. Consequently, we can conclude that what creationists claim about evolution is just a misconception.

Finally, I would also like to mention that the former Pope himself (John Paul the 2nd), stated as follows: "Fresh knowledge leads to the recognition of the theory of evolution as more than just a hypothesis". He said the aforesaid on a letter released to the Pontifical Academy of Science meeting back in October 1996, in Rome. As a result, even some of the most prominent religious authorities have come to accept evolution as a fact. Notwithstanding, the pursuit to fully reconcile science and religion is yet to be fulfilled, as many still refuse to acknowledge the truth. In order to better understand evolution, I will attach a video of highly regarded biology teacher Ceri Evans. On this video he introduces the concept of evolution to a group of high-school students in an exceptionally dynamic manner. According his explanation the process of evolution happens through: Competition for survival, variation through mutation (random), and adaptation to fit their environment.

 

Sources:

- Article by Pallab Ghosh, BBC News, September 10th, 2015.

- Scientific American Magazine, July issue, 2002.

- Article by Randy Frame, December 9th, 1996.

One decision can change your life | Michael Sales | TEDxColoradoSprings