The effectiveness of task based language teaching in improving ESL learners’ reading and writing skills

Abstract

Language learning process has always been a matter of debate. Researchers have been developing language teaching methods over ages, emphasizing on the best approach of structuring, planning and implementing more effective lessons in classrooms. Hence, TBLT has emerged challenging the traditional teaching methods for more than 30 years. TBLT, an offshoot of CLT (Kumaravadivelu, 2006, p. 66) provides a student oriented learning environment where they learn the language by practicing authentic communication in the classroom context. This study attempted to find out the impact of TBLT in enhancing ESL learners’ reading and writing skills. The research was solely focused on secondary level students in Bangladeshi context where the researcher aimed to find out the answer of the following four questions- 1. What are the students’ and teachers’ attitudes towards implementing task based language teaching in classroom? 2. Does TBLT have any impact in improving secondary level ESL learners reading skill in the context of Bangladesh? 3. Does TBLT have any impact in improving secondary level ESL learners writing skill in the context of Bangladesh? 4. What are the challenges usually faced by teachers while implementing TBLT in classroom? The researcher collected data from 201 students and 10 teachers of five schools in Dhaka city of Bangladesh to explore and find answers to these questions. The researcher used survey questionnaires and classroom observation checklist for evaluating the findings which resulted in favor of using TBLT in classroom context along with revealing a few limitations of it.