A more recent example of attempts to develop a teaching methodology from learning
research is referred to as Task-Based Language Teaching. Proponents of Task-Based Language
Teaching point out that second language acquisition research shows that successful
language learning involves learners in negotiation of meaning. In the process of negotiating
with a speaker of the target language, the learner receives the kind of input needed to
facilitate learning. It is proposed that classroom tasks which involve negotiation of meaning
should form the basis of the language teaching curriculum, and that tasks can be used
to facilitate practice of both of language forms and communicative functions. Research is
intended to enable designers to know what kinds of tasks can best facilitate acquisition of
specific target-language structures and functions. Prahbu (1983) initiated a large-scale application
of this approach in schools in India, developing a syllabus and associated teaching
materials around three major types of tasks: information-gap tasks, opinion-gap tasks, and
reasoning-gap tasks.