Cooking as a Language Learning Task: On the Internet

Cooking is a universal task of humanity and is intimately linked with culture and language. This article explains the advantages of using real-world cooking as a basis for task-based and technology-assisted language learning. It outlines how the latest digital technology can be used by learners over the Internet to learn aspects of languages and their associated cultures and cuisines whilst cooking a meal, which can then be eaten. We explain the rationale for the Linguacuisine app, how it works, and how integrating cooking into the ELT curriculum as an occasional, complementary activity offers opportunities on many levels to ELT teachers around the world. We explain how app design incorporates the Internet and task-based principles to develop language collaboratively and how all five senses are engaged in the task. The results of research studies on vocabulary learning using the app are also discussed, as well as the limitations of cooking as task. Finally, we consider the potential for using ‘cultural tasks’ other than cooking for language learning.