DIFFERENTIATION VIA OPEN TASKS By Dr Julia Reckermann
Dr Julia Reckermann is a junior professor for TEFL at the University of Paderborn, Germany. She has been working in the TEFL context at different universities and schools in Germany since 2009.
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een EFL classes are heterogeneous in their composition and it is the teacher’s task to cater to the learners’ different needs through individualisation and differentiation. Ideally, all learners further their FL competences while working on the same topic, but at their individual levels of ability and interest. One idea of how this challenging demand can be put into practice is the use of open tasks, or target tasks as suggested by task-based language teaching (see, e.g., Nunan 2004). Such tasks are used at the end of a teaching unit, so that the learners can apply and individually expand their knowledge about a certain topic. The goal of these tasks is clear, but the process of how to reach this goal as well as the eventual outcome is open. This serves for a high level of
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CORE CHARACTERISTICS OF OPEN TASKS 3 the content/topic is relevant for the learners and links to their previous knowledge.
EXAMPLES OF SUCH TASKS FOR THE TEENAGE EFL CLASSROOM INCLUDE:
3 they are real-life tasks. 3 they challenge ALL learners and allow them a feeling of success. 3 they can be worked on and solved at different levels of proficiency. 3 there is a clear goal, but content foci, learning process and eventual outcome allow for individuality. 3 the learners work on them mostly autonomously. 3 they are supplemented by different means of support. 3 fluency goes before accuracy. (see Reckermann, 2017, p. 209. Based on Ellis, 2013; Leisen, 2010; Müller-Hartmann et al., 2013)
Present your favourite hobby / YouTube-star / city / film / book / comic
Prepare your standpoint for a discussion on climate change / social media (over) use / school uniforms
Write a letter / postcard / e-mail / text message to a music band / influencer / politician / film producer
