The perceptions of Iranian EFL teachers towards the effect of incorporating different task types on their learners’ oral interaction

Subject Areas : Curriculum Design and Development

Shima Ghiabi ¹ , Abbas Bayat ² , Hamid reza Khalaji ³

1 - Ph.D. Candidate, Department of English Language, Malayer Branch, Islamic Azad University, Malayer, Iran
2 - English Language Department, Islamic Azad University, Malayer Branch, Malayer, Iran
3 - English Language Department, Malayer Branch, Islamic Azad university, Malayer, Iran

Received: 2024-05-22 Accepted : 2024-09-03 Published : 2024-09-20

Keywords: Task-based learning, Task types, Oral interaction, EFL learners,

Abstract :

There are different task types to improve oral production. The present study investigated the perceptions of Iranian EFL teachers towards the efficiency of incorporating different task types on their learners’ oral interaction. The research was performed through the use of qualitative content analysis by using semi-structured interview data. The interview protocol was developed following discussions with experts in the field and previous research. The first group of participants included six Iranian female English teachers selected through convenience sampling. This group was interviewed for the purpose of extracting their perceptions of different task types and the effect of task types on the oral interaction before and after the study. The second group included 120 EFL learners who were recruited using convenience sampling. The researchers transcribed the audio-recorded interview data verbatim for data analysis. Subsequently, qualitative analysis was conducted on the transcriptions of interviews using coding procedures such as open coding, axial coding, and selective coding to recognize recurring patterns, themes, categories, and sub-categories within the collected data. The findings indicated that EFL teachers held highly positive perceptions regarding various forms of form-focused and meaningful tasks, as well as their impact on the oral interaction of EFL learners. This shows that teacher’ familiarity with and practice of different types of form focused and meaningful tasks have changed their perceptions of the effectiveness of various task types. Given that oral interaction in general is considered as a big achievement and advantage for EFL learners, it can be concluded that different form focused and meaningful tasks can provide EFL learners with competitive advantages in comparison to their counterparts at homogenous conditions.

References:

Ary, D., Jacobs, L. C., & Sorensen, C. (2010). Introduction to research in education. 8th edition, Wadsworth: Cengage Learning.
Ary, D., Jacobs, L.C., Sorensen, C.K. and Walker, D. (2014). Introduction to research in education. 9th edition, Wadsworth, London.
Bagheri Masoudzde, A., Rostami Abousaeedi, A., & Afraz, S. (2020). Perceptions of English Language Learners about Teaching of Reading Comprehension Skills: A View of Task-based Language Teaching Method. Journal of Language and Translation, 10 (2), 135-151.
Bygate, M., Skehan, P., & Swain, M. (2001). Introduction. In M. Bygate, P. Skehan, & M. Swain (Eds.), Researching Pedagogic Tasks: Second Language Learning, Teaching and Testing (pp. 1-20). New York: Pearson Education Limited.
Corder, S. P. (1967). The significance of learners’ errors. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching, 5, 161-170. http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/iral.1967.5.1-4.161.
Creswell, J.W. (2013) Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approach. 4th edition, SAGE Publications, Inc., London.
Ellis, R. (2003). Task-based language learning and teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Ellis, A. K. (2004). Exemplars of curriculum theory. New York: Eye on Education, Inc.
Ellis, R. (2005) Principles of instructed language learning. System, 33, 209-224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2004.12.006
Firouzi, J., & Khabiri, M. (2018). The comparative effect of task type and learning conditions on the achievement of specific target forms. Journal of Language and Translation, 8(1), 43 -55.
Fonseca, D. (2016). TBLT approach for language teaching and learning. Creative Education, 5(4), 22-34.
Foster, P. (1999). The Influence of Task Structure and Processing Conditions on Narrative Retellings. Language Learning, 49, 93-120. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1467-9922.00071
Hadi, A. (2013). Perceptions of task-based language teaching: A study of Iranian EFL learners. Canadian Center of Science and Education, 6(1), 103-111. Retrieved on 21 November, 2016 from doi:10.5539/elt. v6n1p103
Jasim, I. A. (2011). Investigating teachers' attitudes toward task-based language teaching in a vocational school in the UAE (Unpublished M.A. thesis). American University of Sharjah, Sharjah, UAE.
Jeon, I., & Hahn, J. (2006). Exploring EFL teachers' perceptions of task-based language teaching: A case study of Korean secondary school classroom practice. Asian EFL Journal, 8(4), 45-53.
Jones, M. (2020). English language teachers’ stated beliefs and practices regarding task-based language teaching and listening. Explorations in Teacher Development, 23(1), 11–16.
Khalili Sabet, M., & Tahriri, A. (2014). The Impact of Task-based Approach on Iranian EFL Learners’ Motivation in Writing Research Abstracts. Journal of Language Teaching and Research 5(4), 45-57.
Krashen, S. D. (1981). Second language acquisition and second language learning. Prentice-Hall International: Upper Saddle River, NJ.
Larsen-Freeman, D., & Anderson, M. (2011). Techniques and principles in language teaching. Oxford: OUP.
Liu, Y., Mishan, F., & Chambers, A. (2018). Investigating EFL teachers’ perceptions of task-based language teaching in higher education in China. Language Learning Journal 49(24). DOI:10.1080/09571736.2018.1465110
Long, M. H. (1996). The role of the linguistic environment in second language acquisition. In W. C. Ritchie, & T. K. Bhatia (Eds.), Handbook of second language acquisition (pp. 413-468). New York: Academic Press.
Long, M. H. (1988). Instructed Interlanguage Development. In L. Beebe (Ed.), Issues in Second Language Acquisition: Multiple Perspectives (pp. 115-141). Rowley, MA: Newbury House.
Mackey, A. (2012). Input, interaction, and corrective feedback in L2 learning. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Marashi, H., & Amirabadi, S. (2018). The impact of information-gap and opinion-gap tasks on EFL learners' lexical collocation achievement. International Journal of Educational Investigations, 4(2), 28-38.
Pohan, E., Andhin, E., Nopitasari, E., & Levana, Y. (2016). Teachers’ perceptions of task-based language teaching in English classroom. Proceedings of The Fourth International Seminar on English Language Teaching (ISELT-4) Universitas Negeri Padang (UNP), Padang, Indonesia, May 11-12, 2016 http://english.unp.ac.id/ ISBN: 978-602-74437-0-9 (pp. 256 – 265).
Rezaei, O., Mehri, M., & Shakerian, P. (2017). The effect of the implementation of Task Based language teaching on Iranian EFL learners' reading comprehension performance. Journal of Applied Linguistics and Language Research, 4, 247-259.
Rezaeyan, M. (2014). On the impact of task-based teaching on academic achievement of Iranian EFL learners (case study: female high school students in Yasuj). International Journal of Language Learning and Applied Linguistics World (IJLLALW), 7 (3), 476-493.
Richards, J. C., Platt, J., & Platt, H. (1992). Longman dictionary of language teaching and applied linguistics (2nd ed.). London: Longman.
Richards, J., & Rodgers, T. (2001). Approaches and methods in language teaching (p. 204). New York: Cambridge University Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511667305.021
Sinclair, J. M., & Coulthard, R. M. (1975). Towards an analysis of discourse: The English used by teachers and pupils. London: Oxford University Press.
Skehan, P. (1998). A cognitive approach to language learning. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Van-Batenburg, E., Oostdam, R., Gelderen, A., & Fukkink, R. (2019). The effects of instructional focus and task type on pre-vocational learners' ability in EFL oral interaction. International Journal of Applied Linguistics 171(5), 98-112.
Wang, H. (2019). The influence of creative task engagement on English L2 learners’ negotiation of meaning in oral communication tasks. Educational System, 3(4), 83-94.
Willis, J. (1996). A framework for task-based learning. Harlow: Longman Addison Wesley.
Xiongyong, C., & Moses, S. (2011). Perceptions and implementation of task-based language teaching among secondary school EFL teachers in China. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 2(24), 292– 302.
Zohouri Vaghei, A., Taghipour Bazargani, D., & Pourramzan P. (2015). The effect of one-way versus two-way tasks on Iranian Intermediate EFL learners’ collocation competence (Unpublished Master Thesis). Islamic Azad University, Rasht Branch, Iran.