The Role of Pedagogical Translation in Task-Based Language Teaching

The field of language teaching has always been characterised by frequent changes and challenges in order to provide learners with the best approaches and methods to learn and master successfully one or more foreign languages. Throughout the years, many approaches and methods have been proposed, adopted, criticised and/or abandoned in an attempt to find the best or most suitable way to teach effectively foreign languages. Among this multitude of approaches, task-based language teaching (TBLT) seems to be one of the most successful since it allows learners to use authentic language effectively through the implementation of communicative tasks. In TBLT, indeed, tasks are at the core of any planning, teaching and assessment activity since they are authentic, motivating, engaging and, above all, learner-centred as compared to other traditional teaching exercises. Despite all the advantages and benefits of using this teaching methodology, this work argues that in TBLT an important aspect of language teaching is neglected, that is the cultural component. The aim of this study is to show how translation can be used in the TBLT classroom context in order to help learners develop cultural competence.