Task-Based Approaches to Teaching Additional Languages in Primary School

How can primary school children develop real communicative ability in an additional language? How can teachers move beyond isolated vocabulary and grammar practice toward meaningful language use that aligns with children’s cognitive, social, and developmental needs? This volume provides the first comprehensive, research-based guide to Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) specifically designed for primary education. Timpe-Laughlin and Butler bring together insights from child first language development, bilingualism, cognitive and affective growth, curriculum design, literacy development, classroom implementation, and assessment to show how tasks can serve as the organizing principle for effective early language education.
The book guides readers step-by-step: from understanding who young language learners are and how they learn; to designing task-based curricula and materials; to implementing tasks that develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing; to integrating formative, diagnostic, and large-scale task-based assessment; and to redefining the teacher’s role as planner, facilitator, assessor, and reflective practitioner.
Rich with classroom examples, teacher-focused preparation sections, and practical appendices—including needs analysis guides, task types, literacy strategies, and scoring rubrics—this book equips educators and researchers with concrete tools for applying TBLT in real primary school contexts.