A worked example of Long’s (2015) TBLT: a target task found by needs analysis (“dealing with problems in flight and suggesting actions”) organises four lessons, and form work is chosen by what the task demands, not by a grammar sequence.
Sequence (B2 aviation students, 4 x 45 min)
- Live ATC clip with transcript: accents and gist.
- Pairs sort utterances into ATC phraseology vs plain English.
- ICAO texts on phraseology; true/false.
- Focus on contractions and connected speech in extracts.
- Micro-listening for function words and standard chunks.
- Discuss intelligibility, then exit tasks: ATC role-play and a ~250-word essay, both pass/fail against ICAO Level 4.
- Focus-on-form list: homophones (no/know, to/too/two), ambiguity, modals, ELF accommodation strategies.
Why it’s useful
Most TBLT examples are general English. This shows the full Long logic: needs analysis → target task → pedagogic tasks → task-based assessment.
Limits
One vocational group; no outcome data.
Apply in my context (Claude)
- Exam classes have a ready-made needs analysis: the exam tasks are the target tasks. “Describe a photo and speculate” (PET Speaking Part 2) can be sequenced exactly like this, with form work chosen from what learners failed to say.
Connections
Long’s TBLT as the alternative to coursebook PPP · Focus on form vs focus on formS · TBL, TBLT and TSLT - use the right label