About

Klaus Brandl is a Professor of German Studies and the Language Program Director at the University of Washington. He holds a Ph.D. and an M.A. from the University of Texas at Austin, earned in 1991 and 1987 respectively, and a BA (Vordiplom equivalent) from the University of Würzburg in 1985. His fields of interest include Applied Linguistics, Language Pedagogy, Second Language Acquisition, Teacher Education and Learning, and Technology and Language Learning. His research includes work on communicative language teaching, timeless themes in stories, task-based instruction, and teacher training. Brandl has authored several publications, including 'Communicative Language Teaching in Action' and 'Zeitlose Themen in Zeitlosen Geschichten,' and has contributed to the field through courses on foreign language teaching methodology, modern methods and materials in teaching German, and advanced writing and conversation. He is affiliated with professional organizations such as CALICO, ACTFL, AAUSC, and AAAL.

Research topics

• Sociology
• Artificial Intelligence
• Computer Science
• Linguistics
• Psychology
• Philosophy
• Engineering

Selected publications

• Communicative Language Learning

  Elsevier eBooks · 2025-01-01

  book-chapter1st authorCorresponding
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• A Task‐Based Approach to Teaching Literary Texts in Advanced Language Classes

  Die Unterrichtspraxis/Teaching German · 2022 · 1 citations

  1st authorCorresponding
  • Computer Science
  • Sociology
  • Linguistics

  Abstract Many scholars have repeatedly argued that the goals of achieving advanced language skills and understanding literary texts are not to be seen as mutually exclusive and cannot be considered separately. Nevertheless, no general consensus on the approach or how to go about it exists. What is still missing are principled and comprehensive ways of linking language learning with literary‐cultural content. This article argues that a task‐based approach has such a potential. It demonstrates how task‐based principles such as the meaningful principle, goal‐orientedness, and language use for authentic communicative purposes can be effectively applied to the teaching of literary texts in order to gain access to literary‐cultural content and at the same time foster the development of advanced linguistic skills. Based on Judith Hermann's short story “Sonja” (1998), a variety of different task types and designs are presented demonstrating these principles in action.

  PublisherDOI

• Task-Based Instruction and Teacher Training

  2017-01-01 · 33 citations

  book-chapter1st authorCorresponding
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• Task-Based Instruction and Teacher Training

  2016-01-01 · 5 citations

  book-chapter1st authorCorresponding
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• Making Both Ends Meet: Reaching out to Branch‐Campus Students via Teleconferencing

  Die Unterrichtspraxis/Teaching German · 2015-09-01

  article1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherDOI

• Effects of required and optional exchange tasks in online language learning environments

  ReCALL · 2012-01-04 · 30 citations

  article1st authorCorresponding

  Abstract This study investigates the effects of an optional and required (jigsaw) task on learners’ quantity and quality of use of language under synchronous and asynchronous conditions. The question raised is: Does performing either of these task types under synchronous conditions cause a compounding effect that either positively or negatively impacts language production? Eighty-six beginning learners of German participated in this study. The results show that the optional task yielded significantly more learner output, both in terms of target language and c-unit counts. The impact of the condition appears to be mixed, favoring the synchronous mode. Regarding quality, students produced fewer errors when performing the required than the optional task. The results of this study have implications for task design and implementation in online learning environments.

  PublisherDOI

• Principles and Guidelines for Task Design in CMC Learning

  IGI Global eBooks · 2011-10-04 · 1 citations

  book-chapter1st authorCorresponding

  The goal of this chapter is to describe principles and guidelines that are to serve course designers and materials developers as a guide to task design in computer-mediated communication (CMC) learning environments. Drawing on cognitive and sociocultural perspectives, it argues that in task design it is imperative to bring into alignment a range of factors, such as the linguistic and cognitive complexity of the content, goals and outcome, processing conditions, and number of participants, in order to maximize targeted outcomes. The chapter is divided into three sections: First, a brief overview of theoretical perspectives and different design variables is provided. Second, different guidelines that are based on current research on CMC task effects are discussed. Last, the chapter concludes in the appendix with the description of rationales and procedures for 11 different task configurations that are to serve as prototypes and illustrate how task effects can be maximized in CMC-based online language learning.

  PublisherDOI

• <i>New Learning Environments for Language Learning: Moving Beyond the Classroom</i>? edited by CONACHER, JEAN E., &amp; HELEN KELLY–HOLMES

  Modern Language Journal · 2009-08-03

  article1st authorCorresponding
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• Communicative Language Teaching in Action: Putting Principles to Work

  2007-11-02 · 194 citations

  book1st authorCorresponding

  1. Principles of communicative language teaching and task-based instruction 2. Short-term and daily lesson planning 3. Getting started: Introducing vocabulary 4. Grammar and language learning 5. Feedback and error correction in language learning 6. Instructional sequencing and task design 7. Developing listening skills and the use of video 8. Developing oral communication skills 9. Developing reading skills 10. Performance-based assessment

  Publisher

• Review of Are You Ready to "Moodle"?

  Language learning & technology · 2005-05-01 · 64 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Dorothy M. Chun

  University of California, Santa Barbara

  2 shared

Labs

• German Studies Language ProgramPI

Education

• Ph.D., German Studies

  University of Washington

  1992

• M.A., German Studies

  University of Washington

  1988

• B.A., German Studies

  University of Washington

  1985

Awards & honors

• McLean Prize for Excellence in German: Praewpetch (Pattie) U…