Which approach uses communicative and interactive tasks as central units for instruction?

Which approach uses communicative and interactive tasks as central units for instruction?

• A. Grammar-Translation
• B. Task-Based Teaching
• C. Cognate
• D. Prescriptive discourse

Answer: (B)

Task-Based Teaching centers instruction on communicative, interactive tasks as the primary way learners use the language. In this approach, students tackle real-world activities—such as planning a trip, solving a problem, or coordinating a project—that require meaningful communication. The focus is on producing language to complete the task, with language forms learned as they become needed rather than taught separately first. The teacher acts as a facilitator, guiding learners as they negotiate meaning and collaborate to reach a shared goal, with assessment based on performance in the task itself. The other options don’t place interactive, real-life tasks at the center: Grammar-Translation emphasizes rule-based translation and grammar; Cognate is a linguistic term describing similar-looking words across languages; Prescriptive discourse refers to prescribed rules about how language should be used.

Task-Based Teaching centers instruction on communicative, interactive tasks as the primary way learners use the language. In this approach, students tackle real-world activities—such as planning a trip, solving a problem, or coordinating a project—that require meaningful communication. The focus is on producing language to complete the task, with language forms learned as they become needed rather than taught separately first. The teacher acts as a facilitator, guiding learners as they negotiate meaning and collaborate to reach a shared goal, with assessment based on performance in the task itself. The other options don’t place interactive, real-life tasks at the center: Grammar-Translation emphasizes rule-based translation and grammar; Cognate is a linguistic term describing similar-looking words across languages; Prescriptive discourse refers to prescribed rules about how language should be used.