THE TEACHING OF ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES BASED ON LEARNING TASKS

Abstract

This article aims to analyze the characteristics of Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) in the context of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) from a bibliographic review. ESP and TBLT concepts and the main functions of a task in a professional context are addressed. Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) uses tasks to perform certain communicative function in certain context. TBLT does not focus on gramatical structures and isolate language. Tasks are activities which demand the learners to utilize the real language. They are diferent from traditional language learning activities whose primary focus tends to be on linguistics features such as grammar, vocabulary or pronunciation rather than a communicative problem to solve.Thus, addressing on such issue, it is intended to reflect on how tasks can be used to survey the needs of learners of the target language, as well as be used as teaching instruments. From the reflections of this work, some contributions may come out, such as instructors of ESP course can use tasks as instruments that promote an improvement in the linguistic skills that will be used by apprentices in professional contexts.