Investigating the Effectiveness of Task-Based Approach in Teaching English for Specific Purposes

Abstract

Task-based approach proved to be a successful teaching approach in various fields such as medicine, engineering, and economics. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of task-based approach in ESP students’ outcomes, with a specific focus on first-year economics as a case study. An experimental research design with pre-test and post-test was applied on the experimental and control group. A total of 61 participants, including an ESP teacher and 60 first-year economics students, were previously divided into two groups. The control group received traditional lecture-based instruction, while the experimental group received task-based approach. In this research, data was gathered using a mixed method. Firstly, the quantitative data from pre-test and post-test was analysed using SPSS. Additionally, a Likert scale questionnaire was used to collect both quantitative and qualitative data from the students. In contrast, the qualitative data was obtained from the interview conducted with ESP teacher. The latter tool was analysed using content analysis techniques. The integration of task-based approach in ESP courses for first-year economics students yields several pedagogical benefits, including: developing higher-order thinking skills, encouraging collaborative learning, and increasing students’ motivation and engagement. Furthermore, the study revealed a significant positive relationship between the use of task-based approach and the students’ learning outcomes.