Evaluating a task-based lesson plan: A case study of Turkish EFL learners

Abstract

The world has seen a rise in the demand for foreign language instruction in recent years, and traditional textbook-based teaching strategies are unlikely to satisfy the demands of today’s students. As a result, the interest in the Task-Based Language Teaching (TBL) approach has increased. This article describes and assesses a newly created, task-based English course that will be incorporated into the curricula. The lesson was designed, pilot-tested and revised before being introduced. This study investigates students’ reactions to a task-based EFL lesson at a Turkish state university. Thirty-two Turkish preparatory students (20 female and 12 male) participated in the study. Learner impressions were investigated through oral and written data elicited through a questionnaire, semi-structured interviews, and audio recordings of the interaction in the task. The data analysis shows that despite initial hesitations, a TBL lesson brings variety into the EFL classroom; learners prefer learner-directed lessons with more opportunities to express themselves. They also confessed that their academic needs were sufficiently met and felt more independent. The study provides a model TBL lesson for educators to benefit from and inspires them to design their lesson programmes by integrating task-based activities. These results validate the potential of TBL for language learning. Thus, it should be considered an indelible part of EFL syllabi and courses.

Keywords

• task-based language teaching
• lesson plan
• learner reactions
• classroom practice
• task-based activities