The Effect of Different Educational Contexts on Iranian Teachers’ Perception and Implementation of Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT)

Subject Areas : Journal of Studies in Learning and Teaching English

Maryam DelfarianTurk ¹ , Firroz Sadighi ² , Leila Akbarpour ³

1 - Department of English Language Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University Shiraz, Iran
2 - Department of Foreign Languages, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz Branch, Shiraz, Iran
3 - Department of English Language, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran

Received: 2023-05-06 Accepted : 2023-07-11 Published : 2024-04-16

Keywords: Task, Task-based Instruction, Teachers' Perception, Teachers’ Implementation,

Abstract :

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of different educational contexts (institutes and high schools) on Iranian teachers’ perceptions and implementation of task-based language teaching (TBLT). This mixed-methods research through quantitative and qualitative methodology tried to shed light on why TBLT was practiced or avoided. The data were gathered through questionnaires, interviews, and observation from 60 Iranian teachers working at some English language institutes and high schools. The participants were divided into two groups. The results of the study were examined using descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics determined the central tendency of teachers’ answers to the questionnaire, and inferential statistics was employed as well to use an independent samples t-test to compare the mean scores of the two groups. Questionnaires were distributed among teachers and collected individually. The collected data was tabulated for analysis, assessing teachers' perceptions and implementation of TBLT. Ten teachers were randomly selected for interviews, exploring their reasons for adopting or avoiding TBLT and gaining insight into their practices and beliefs. The ten-minute individual interview sessions were recorded and evaluated by the researcher. The quantitative results of the study indicated that first, institute and school teachers had different perceptions about the TBLT method. Second, there was no significant difference between institute and school teachers’ attitudes toward implementing this language teaching method. Third, although there was no significant difference between institute and school teachers in applying this method, the results claimed that these two groups are significantly different in avoiding TBLT in their classes. In the qualitative study, the observation results indicated that the majority of institute teachers implemented all phases of TBLT. On the other hand, the instructors mostly avoided implementing TBLT in their junior and senior high school classes. Classroom size, lack of time, improper textbook materials, and students’ lack of prior knowledge as the hindrances of TBLT implementation were among the main reasons that teachers avoided TBLT.

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