Tóth József (szerk.): Nyelv, kultúra, megértés: új kutatási módszerek a humán tudományok területén
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4. Oktatás és tanulás: módszerek és kihívások
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Challenges of implementing verbal communicative tasks in Hungarian primary schools teaching EFL • Áron Szijártó
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8. Discussion

8. Discussion

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Based on my analysis, I conclude that in the student’s book there are only two exercises that fully meet the criteria communicative practice should conform to in CLT. I have chosen one speaking task for each unmet criterion, and, additionally, a speaking task in which all the seven criteria are met. In the following section, I discuss the problematic aspects of these eight speaking tasks.
 

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Example task 1
 

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Example task 1 was scored 2.5 points. Criteria 2 and 4 are not met, the remaining four are partly met. The exercise is not learner-centred because the speech bubble with the example sentences does not visualise and mark the sentences properly, hence, it does not take the learner’s age into consideration. This will make it impossible for the learners to maintain communication. Experiencing limitations in their language knowledge may make them feel uncertain and they will probably use their mother tongue. The task aims to focus on fluency development, but this way, it only partly succeeds in doing so.
 

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Example task 2
 

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Example task 2 was scored 3.5 points. Criterion 1 is fully met because if the learners are already familiar enough with the expressions in the speech bubble, they can have a conversation, so the communication practice will develop fluency. However, the exercise is not learner-centred. As every student is different, the design should be restructured. If the students are not provided with an unambiguous design, they can lose their motivation very easily. This way, the remaining criteria can be only partly met. Using different colours, modifying the size of the letters and separating the sentences more clearly would probably bring about the desired result.

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Example task 3
 

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Example task 3 was scored 3 points. Criterion 3 is not met because the activity does not focus on genuine, spontaneous and meaningful communication. Already the situation itself is artificial. The task does not try to seem anything else but an activity in the EFL classroom. Such dialogues do not normally occur outside the classroom. Criterion 3 influences the whole activity, so the remaining criteria cannot be fully met.
 

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Example task 4
 

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Example task 5
 

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Example task 5 was scored 1.5 points. Criteria 1, 3 and 6 are partly met. The remaining four criteria are not met at all. In an EFL classroom, students will not communicate through interaction in the target language. Without the teacher restructuring the exercise, most students will get lost and ask questions in L1. Connections between the steps of the exercise are not strong enough. Theoretically, students are expected to listen to expressions, then use them in speech in connection with sports without a revision of the vocabulary about sports. This way, it is expected that the exercise will lead to failure. The students (and the teacher) can lose their motivation. In another possible scenario, the teacher – recognising the problematic aspects – may feel that explanation in the target language is a waste of time.
 

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Example task 6
 

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Example task 6 was scored 3.5 points. The seven criteria are partly met. Criterion 6 is at least partly met in every speaking activity in the student’s book as the tasks to a certain extent attempt to link classroom language learning with language activation outside the classroom. Language activation outside the classroom can have several forms. It can, for instance, mean encouraging the students to use L2 just for the sake of having fun. In example task 6, criterion 6 is only partly met since the exercise narrows down language use to the topic “classroom” with classroom objects, colours and demonstrative pronouns. This topic may not be overly motivating for students outside the classroom.
 

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Example task 7
 

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Example task 7 was scored 2 points. Criteria 1, 3, 5 and 6 are partly met and criteria 2, 4 and 7 are not met. Criterion 7 is unmet because the exercise does require that students pay attention to the syntactic rules of the English language and discourse grammar; moreover, it does not develop their sociocultural awareness. This way, the remaining criteria are also unmet because criterion 7 influences the others as well.
 

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Example task 8
 

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

Example task 8 was scored 7 points because all the seven criteria are met. It is a very simple activity with lively design and clear explanation, which students usually like; thus, their language proficiency can develop as expected. The exercise does not need restructuring on the part of the teacher.

Jegyzet elhelyezéséhez, kérjük, lépj be.!

To sum up, the main problems with the speaking activities in Enter the Portal 1 are the lack of learner-centredness and the difficulties of maintaining communication for learners who have limitations in their language knowledge, thus, difficulties to communicate through interaction in the target language. Moreover, syntactic rules of the foreign language, discourse grammar and sociocultural awareness are not emphasised enough, they are hardly present or are not properly visualised. All these problematic aspects can lead to a lot of misunderstandings both on the learner’s and the teacher’s part, and, in the end, the teacher might resort to explanation in students’ L1. EFL course books of foreign publishers tend to give instructions and explanations only in English, therefore, alterations need to be made to support the teacher’s successful English language instruction, as well.
 
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