Tako lako features a wide range of culturally rich communicative tasks that facilitate the acquisition of grammar and vocabulary. These activities include role-plays, research projects, surveys and interviews, presentations, problem-solving exercises, information gap tasks, decision-making challenges, information exchange activities, questionnaires, and collaborative tasks. By incorporating this diverse set of tasks, Tako lako provides an engaging and effective learning experience that fosters learners’ linguistic and cultural competencies.
CULTURAL AWARENESS AND INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE
In terms of cultural instruction, the lessons are organized around conversations that mimic real-life scenarios and expose learners to cultural components through a systematic 3 Ps approach (Products-Practices-Perspectives). The lesson structure allows one to move systematically from products and/or practices to perspectives in a way that helps learners develop cultural awareness and intercultural communicative competence. The perspectives might not always be reached at the end of a class session. At times it might take even an entire unit to reach the level of cultural perspectives.
Products
Coffee
Practices
I know how to order my coffee
Perspectives
I recognize the differences between cultures, and I understand the value of coffee culture in Croatia
By the end of each unit, however, learners are ready to complete a unit-final role-play task that simulates a real-life situation, in which they are expected to demonstrate their intercultural communicative competence. In other words, learners are ready to demonstrate their ability to interact with people from another country and culture in foreign language. They are able to respond in an appropriate informal and formal manner in familiar situations.
Grammar and vocabulary within the cultural teaching framework
Tako lako is focused on communication skills, and each unit is devoted to exploring a specific culturally rich topic. The teaching of grammar and vocabulary is subordinated to these larger aims. This is realized by utilizing the task-supported language teaching approach (TSLT) that focuses on culturally rich tasks. While there is some explicit information on grammar in the curriculum, much grammar and vocabulary are embedded in specific communicative tasks through the use of Lee and VanPatten’s (2003) Processing Instruction (PI). PI teaches grammatical forms through structured input and output activities, and in Tako lako, these activities are embedded within the L2 cultural contexts that are relevant to learners’ interests and experiences.
PROFICIENCY IN LISTENING, READING, SPEAKING, AND WRITING
The Tako lako textbook focuses on developing the learners’ receptive and productive skills associated with the Novice High and partially the Intermediate Low level of proficiency according to ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines and Can-Do Statements.
Listening
Listening activities in the textbook are designed to bring learners to at least the Novice High level of proficiency. They are highly contextualized and accompanied by visual aids to help learners better understand the conversations. Since each lesson comprises a set of audio recordings of conversations that mimic real-life scenarios and sometimes video(s), listening becomes a routine task for learners. There is a total of 225 audio recordings in the class session materials for the 10 units of the textbook, which suggests that listening tasks are an important part of this curriculum.
Speaking
Speaking tasks in Tako lako aim to develop learners’ intercultural communicative competence and enable them to interact with L2 speakers on a variety of personal and social topics in everyday life. A notable feature of the Tako lako textbook is its integration of a significant number of speaking activities into the homework assignments. Unlike traditional textbooks, many of which feature primarily written homework, the Tako lako textbook leverages the benefits of modern technology to foster student engagement outside of the classroom.
Reading
The textbook’s goal in terms of reading skills is to enable learners to reach at least the ACTFL Novice High level of proficiency. Learners should be able to comprehend simple texts related to personal information and a wide range of topics that are encountered in daily life. Reading tasks are always accompanied by visuals to help learners understand the written text.
Writing
The textbook includes a range of tasks designed to help learners develop their writing skills gradually. In class, students often write short sentences and take brief notes to aid in longer conversations. Homework assignments often include more extensive writing tasks. The expected outcome in this skill is for learners to reach at least the Novice High level of proficiency.