Energize your Language Teaching

We are delighted to welcome professor Juan M. Escalona Torres, who is visiting our unit from Tufts University, for a two-part pedagogical and professional development training session. Colleagues in other language units at the University of Toronto are welcome to attend.

Workshop: From Objectives to Action: Lesson Planning in a Task-Based Curriculum

Victoria College 115 - 9:30 to 11:30 AM

About the Workshop
Effective lesson planning in a Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) framework requires aligning learning objectives with meaningful communicative tasks. This workshop will guide participants through the process of setting clear learning goals, identifying necessary linguistic resources, designing assessments, and structuring pedagogic and main tasks to support student engagement.

Using a sample lesson model, we will explore how to sequence activities, starting with interpretive listening or reading to ensure comprehension, followed by interpersonal communication through task planning and execution. If relevant, a presentational activity may serve as a post-task reflection or as the main task objective. The workshop will also address strategies for adapting tasks for different proficiency levels by increasing task complexity (cf. Long & Ellis). By the end of the session, participants will have practical tools to create engaging, research-informed lessons that foster meaningful language use.

Breaking the Grammar Trap: Implementing Task- and Project-Based Language Learning

Victoria College 101 - 12:00 to 1:00 PM

About the Presentation
Traditional grammar-focused language curricula often prioritize metalinguistic knowledge over meaningful communication. This case study examines the implementation of an evidence-based Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) and Project-Based Language Learning (PBLL) curriculum in a university Spanish program, evaluating its impact on student reception, linguistic proficiency, and, to some extent, oral skills.

Three hypotheses are tested: (1) students in the new curriculum will exhibit greater fluency and writing proficiency than those in traditional courses, with no significant differences in grammar knowledge; (2) students, regardless of motivation, will perceive the approach positively as their performance aligns with their self-assessment; and (3) the new curriculum will enhance motivation and self-confidence by evaluating students on in-class accomplishments rather than memorization.

This talk outlines curriculum design, data collection, and preliminary findings. Attendees will explore the feasibility, challenges, and pedagogical implications of shifting from textbook-driven to communicative, evidence-based instruction in higher education.

About the Presenter
Juan M. Escalona Torres is Lecturer and Spanish Language Coordinator in the Department of Romance Studies at Tufts University. He has designed and taught undergraduate and graduate-level language and linguistics courses in Spanish and English in the U.S. and abroad. His research interests include sociolinguistics, morphosyntax, historical linguistics, and second language pedagogy.