keynote Speaker
Dr. Lara Bryfonski
Lara Bryfonski is an applied linguist and assistant professor at Georgetown University where she conducts research on second language acquisition and language teaching. She has published and presented her research on a variety of topics in applied linguistics, including task-based language teaching (TBLT), teacher training, corrective feedback, materials development, language learning in study abroad, and methods for second language research. She is PI (with Co-PI. Alison Mackey) of a STARTALK program that provides training in TBLT to teachers of critical languages. Dr. Bryfonski is a credentialed English as a second/foreign language teacher and has taught students from preschool to adulthood in a variety of contexts in the U.S. and abroad. She is passionate about supporting novice language teachers and has worked with NGOs, public and
private schools, governmental and financial organizations, and universities to provide research-based training in language teaching. Her 2024 book, co-authored with Alison Mackey, The Art and Science of Language Teaching is available now from Cambridge University Press.
Supporting Teachers Implementing Task-Based Language Teaching: Challenges and Potential Solutions
Language programs built around communicative goals are a research-supported way to address learners’ real-life needs for their language abilities. For example, students may need to apply to a study abroad program, interview for a job, or speak with their grandparents. One type of communicative approach to language teaching, task-based language teaching (TBLT) prioritizes the kinds of meaning-focused interactions, negotiations, and feedback shown to facilitate successful second language acquisition (Keck et al., 2006; Mackey & Goo, 2007). Task-based classrooms are organized around the real-world tasks that learners need to be able to do with the target language and the resulting language necessary to accomplish those tasks (Long, 2015). While interest in TBLT has been increasing in the research community (e.g., the International Association of TBLT Conference), and task-based curricular initiatives have been introduced in places like Belgium (Van den Branden, 2006), China (Zhu, 2020), and New Zealand (East, 2012; Erlam & Tolosa, 2022), it hasn’t yet enjoyed this level of popularity in school-based programs in the U.S.
This talk will explore some of the research underpinning TBLT and highlight challenges facing teachers and programs looking to adopt a task-based approach. This includes the impacts of differing learner needs, standardized curricula and assessments, new technologies, and limited professional development opportunities. My talk will begin with an introduction to the various frameworks and components proposed for organizing TBLT programs. Then, I will summarize recent research investigating the role of teachers and teacher training in TBLT, highlighting common questions posed by teachers of critical world languages in the U.S. who participated in a task-based training program. I will conclude the talk by summarizing the challenges of translating TBLT research findings to different pedagogical contexts, pointing out potential solutions and areas for growth, including the promotion of more research-teacher partnerships.