Task-based language teaching: Teachers’ pedagogical Cognition, classroom Practices, and students’ appraisal of instructional implementation in English as a Foreign Language(EFL) contexts with special references to selected secondary schools in Addis Ababa city administration
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2025-02-20
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study investigated Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) by examining teachers’
pedagogical cognition, classroom practices, and students’ appraisal of instructional
implementation in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts, with particular reference to
selected secondary schools in Addis Ababa City Administration. A mixed-methods research
design was employed. In the quantitative phase, structured questionnaires with Likert-scale
items were administered to teachers and students to measure attitudes, instructional practices,
and perceived effectiveness of TBLT.
The qualitative phase involved semi-structured interviews with teachers to explore their beliefs,
challenges, and contextual factors influencing instructional practices. Classroom observations
were conducted using a checklist aligned with core TBLT principles to document actual
classroom implementation. In addition, focus group discussions with students provided in-depth
insights into their learning experiences and evaluations of task-based instruction. Sampling
combined purposive and stratified random techniques: teachers were purposively selected based
on their engagement in English language teaching and experience with task-based instruction,
while students were selected through stratified random sampling to ensure representation across
grade levels and school contexts.
To ensure validity and reliability, the questionnaires were pilot-tested, and internal consistency
was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha. The credibility of qualitative data was enhanced through
peer debriefing, academic staff checking, and thick descriptions of classroom contexts.
Triangulation across data sources and participant groups further strengthened the
trustworthiness of the findings.
The findings revealed that teachers generally held positive attitudes toward TBLT and
recognized its value as a communicative language teaching approach, despite challenges such
as large class sizes, limited professional training, and difficulties in designing task-based
materials. Students also reported favorable perceptions of TBLT. However, classroom
observations indicated that most teachers did not consistently implement the full TBLT
framework, particularly the pre-task, during-task, and post-task phases. Teachers suggested
several strategies to enhance the feasibility of TBLT in Ethiopian secondary schools, including
reducing teacher workload and class size, providing systematic professional development on
TBLT, and raising students’ awareness of cooperative learning in meaning-focused language
instruction.
Description
Keywords
Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) by examining teachers’ pedagogical cognition, classroom practices, and students’ appraisal of instructional implementation in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts