. The searchlight on the boat anchored 2000 ft from shore

Chapter 11: Task-Based Language Teaching  Lends itself naturally to a cooperative approach to L2 learning. o Students work in groups to accomplish an assigned task; hence, they are required to work together and practice various linguistic and social skills.  Among the most popular applications of task‐based instruction are culturally related tasks: for example:  If you’re teaching a unit about American customs of celebrating Christmas (or Hanukah or Kwanza or all of the above), o One group can be assigned the task of decorating the classroom, o Another could be put in charge of entertainment (e. g., writing a Christmas skit or teaching the class Christmas songs), o While another could be responsible for preparing traditional refreshments.  Similar cultural‐related tasks can be assigned for all major holidays, including purely secular ones, such as the Fourth of July.  Other tasks suitable for this approach include the creation of an English‐room enterprise, with various groups (or a group of the whole) planning the nature of the business, sources for merchandise or marketable skills, price scale for merchandise/services, and the possible uses for whatever funds the class succeeds in raising through its entrepreneurial endeavors, for example: o Contributing to charity o Or a school fund, throwing a pizza party for the class o Or whatever else seems appropriate.  Community‐service projects offer another set of options for task‐based TESL.  Just use your imagination, and encourage your students to use theirs.