Abstract:
The study explored the design of the speaking tasks of grade 12 English for Ethiopia students’ textbook in the light with the current theories of components of communicative tasks. The study was grounded on the assumption that the design of the speaking tasks are unlikely designed according to the components of communicative tasks/frame works. To address the objective of the study, data were collected in qualitative method in order to explore descriptive research design. Based on these method two instruments (: content analysis as the main instrument for data collection and teachers’ interview as supportive instrument) for data collection were employed. Content analysis was grade 12 students' English textbook which based the analysis of the components of speaking tasks depending on Nunan’s (2004) frameworks whereas, the data from the interview question was conducted with three teachers at Asossa General Secondary and College Preparatory School in order to know teachers' view towards the design of the components of speaking tasks in the textbook. Also, the checklist from book of Nunan (1989) has been used for evaluating, the nature of speaking task in the textbook. Based on these, the finding of the study shows that the design of the speaking tasks in the textbook fulfill the criteria set of communicative frameworks; the tasks which were designed for speaking skill embrace the five components of communicative task; the objectives, inputs/ activities, are relevant to the students proficiency level, they are motivating and interesting in promoting pair/group work activities. Besides, teachers and students’ roles, and setting of the speaking task are appropriately designed; the learners are active participant in completing the task, while teachers give directions how to the activities should be completed. The settings of the speaking tasks are also appropriate and 54% of them were confined to the classroom with group work organization. However, the content of the speaking tasks lack adequate authentic inputs and the activities do not fulfill the three task phases: pre-task, while-task and post-task phases.
