Bridging Critical Reading and Self-Critical Writing: EAP Task-Based Teaching for Post Graduate Students

Abstract

Teaching English for students studying for a master degree in English for Academic Puposes (EAP) context should enable the students to be a critical reader of literature in order to have capability to write critical literature review in their area of study. In EAP context, meaningful and challenging tasks are essential element of the teaching process. One of the main assumptions of EAP is that teaching materials should enable learners to acquire the variaety of language and skills they will need in typical situation they meet in their academic or professioal life. To accomplish the tasks well, the student is enquired to be capable to apprehend meaning of various authentic materials, such as research-based article (IMRAD format article), book chapter, book review, etc. To comprehend these scientific literatures, they should be provided with strategies and skills—integrated reading and writing. These will be conveyed through an effective methodology in the classroom—Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT). One of the principles of TBLT is using authentic materials to link classroom language learning with real world tasks. This present paper aims at describing how TBLT, as an effectual instructional method of teaching English, comes out to help the students be a skilled reader of AIMRAD format of research-based article. The implementation of this technique begins with critical reading activities which are divided into three stages—pre-reading task, while-reading task and post reading task—and terminate with writing summary as critical literature review. Fauthfully, this strategy can facilitate the students completing their academic tasks.