English Foreign Language Teachers’ Perceptions of the Implementation of Task Based Language Teaching in Chile

• Author / Creator

  Herrera Farfan, Marcela I

• Task-based language teaching (TBLT) has been widely studied in several foreignlanguage contexts, but little research has been conducted in Latin American countries and noneabout teachers’ perceptions of TBLT implementation in Chile. Thus, this qualitative interpretivestudy seeks to explore the perceptions that English language teachers in secondary schools inChile have of the implementation of Chile’s new TBLT reform. The study also aims to uncoverthe meaning that those perceptions have regarding English as a foreign language (EFL)education in Chile.In order to respond to the research question: How can Chilean EFL teachers’ perceptionsof the implementation of TBLT at the secondary school level inform us about teaching English asa foreign language in Chile? nine volunteer participant Chilean EFL teachers were interviewed.The 16.5 hours of data were transcribed, analyzed using NVIVO and interpreted through a socialconstructivist lens.The data analysis indicates that teachers tend to have conflicting perceptions of TBLTimplementation in Chile. While all teacher participants acknowledge and value the benefits thatarise from the approach, the continuous implementation of TBLT over time is fraught withchallenges in some contexts. Data revealed benefits for the L2 lesson, the students, for soft skilldevelopment, for motivation, and L2 improvement. The challenges emerged from the approachitself, from the educational actors, such as the teachers, the school administrators, and/or thestudents. From the educational system challenges included the standardized examinations,iiilearning resources, teacher-training, teacher evaluation, and the inclusion program, and from thesocial context teachers reported having limited opportunities to use English, and struggling withsocietal problems. Additional challenges from each actor are documented in detail.The data analysis revealed that in order to successfully implement TBLT over time, fivekey factors need to be aligned: teachers’ understanding of TBLT, teachers’ positive attitudestowards the approach, teachers’ adequate target language level, school administrators’ supportand positive attitudes of students.The findings exposed successes and challenges brought on from some of the numerousministerial endeavours to improve Chilean education. Although they could be redesigned forincreased access, teachers appreciate the numerous professional development opportunities theyare offered to improve their language and pedagogy skills as well as the total immersion campsfor the students, all free of charge. Meanwhile, the role of the school administrators needs to berevisited so as to give all students and EFL teachers access to the opportunities offered by theMinistry of Education.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Teachers' perceptions, Task-based language teaching, Chile

• Graduation date

  Spring 2019

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Doctor of Education

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-fsqh-b759

• License

  Permission is hereby granted to the University of Alberta Libraries to reproduce single copies of this thesis and to lend or sell such copies for private, scholarly or scientific research purposes only. Where the thesis is converted to, or otherwise made available in digital form, the University of Alberta will advise potential users of the thesis of these terms. The author reserves all other publication and other rights in association with the copyright in the thesis and, except as herein before provided, neither the thesis nor any substantial portion thereof may be printed or otherwise reproduced in any material form whatsoever without the author's prior written permission.