Task-Based Language Teaching and Communicative Competence among A1 Secondary Students

Abstract

Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) prioritizes purposeful language use through activities that resemble real communication. This study examined changes in communicative performance after a six-week TBLT intervention and explored students' perceptions of task-based learning. A quantitative quasi-experimental design involved 50 tenth-grade A1 learners at a public secondary school in Quito, Ecuador. One intact class formed the experimental group (n = 25), and another formed the control group (n = 25). The experimental group completed 12 one-hour sessions involving role-plays, guided listening, discussions, vocabulary games, writing, collaborative research, and integrated tasks; the control group continued regular instruction. Performance was assessed with a 10-item test comprising Use of English and listening sections, and the experimental group completed a 10-item perception survey. The experimental mean increased from 4.52 (SD = 1.02) to 7.00 (SD = 0.80), whereas the control mean decreased from 5.52 (SD = 1.04) to 5.32 (SD = 1.22). The between-group difference in mean gains was 2.68 points. A Welch test based on the reported change-score dispersions indicated a significant difference, t(41.42) = 9.18, p < .001, with a large standardized effect (Hedges' g = 2.56). Agreement or strong agreement across survey items ranged from 80% to 100%. The results support TBLT as a promising approach for communicative practice, while baseline nonequivalence, the narrow assessment, and nonrandom assignment require cautious interpretation.