Objectives
Global: To improve English communication skills using Task Based Learning (as opposed to grammar exercises). The objectives can be defined in terms of the following L2 theories:

Psycho-linguist (positivist approach)
In order to generate a meaningful set of objectives the notion of English communication has to be understood in terms of its component parts (linguistics) i.e semantics, syntax, morphology, phonology. The activities (educational technology) are then designed to promote (deterministic) outcomes in relation to these facets of language (psycho-linguistics). Bodies of research derived from the computational metaphor (Chomsky) include:

1. Interaction/Output hypothesis (Long, 1983): identifying the task dimensions that impact on meaning negotiation. It suggests that the kinds of interaction that promote L2 interaction are likely to be more frequent in tasks that: a) have a required information exchange. b) involve a two-way rather than one-way exchange. c)a closed outcome. d) are not familiar to the participants e)involve human/ethical type problems f) involve the narrative form of discourse g) are context free (the task doesnt provide contextual support for communication) and involve considerable detail.

2. Cognitive approach (Skehan, 1998): focused on language production (fluency, accuracy and complexity). Variables can be divided into two broad groups: a) task features. b) task implementation.

3. Communicative effectiveness (Yule, 1997): examining task processes that contribute to communication in L2 whilst also recognising the contribution of the learner that arises from the task. Yule proposes a theory of communicative effectiveness (for referential tasks of the Same-Different kind) based on the following dimensions: a) identification of referent b) role-taking. Yule bases his study of communication effectiveness on an outcomes.

The psycho-linguistic approach to learning however leaves the nature of the learner, the world and their relations unexplored (Lave and Wenger, 1991).

Socio-cultural (interpretivist approach)
The task meaning is context specific. The participants always co-construct the activity they engage in, in accordance with their own socio-history and locally determined goals. According to socio-cultural theory, learners first succeed in performing a new function with the assistance of another person and then internalise this function in order to they can perform it unassisted. A task can be prescribed but the outcome will be founded on a negotiated agreement amongst the participating individuals i.e a non-deterministic outcome. In the socio-cultural tradition the focus is on how the participants achieve intersubjectivity with regard to goals and procedures and on how they collaborate to scaffold each others attempt to perform functions that lie outside their individual abilities.

There is however an inherent weakness in both approaches related to their inability to show a direct relationship between task and L2 acquisition, resulting from a lack of longitudinal analysis. Ellis argues that in order to develop a meaningful and effective task you have to borrow from each tradition, using parts of psycho-linguistic theory to produce outcomes (based on a probabalistic assumption) and socio-cultural theory in recognition of the outcomes that were not anticipated but resulted from meaningful group negotiation. This approach still suggests that objectives and outcomes that shape the task design process are based on psycho-linguistic assumptions tied to a social-cultural caviat. If this is the case the question remains what are the lingistic aspects that are significant to excluded Ghanaian students (relative to L2 acquisition/improvement) and what tasks can be used to illustrate and promote them. Refer back to the elementary curriculum.