Instructional Efficacy of Task-Based Approach in Teaching Micro-Skills to Iranian EFL Learners Coping with English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Reading Texts

Abstract

This study was an attempt to investigate the effect of task-based on mastering reading micro-skills. The researcher chose a total number of 96 EAP students (48 males and 48 females) students of Physics, Computer Sciences, and Management. The participants were randomly assigned to six groups, 16 each: three control groups and three experimental groups. Three tests were administered on the whole population as the pre-test. The study aimed at investigating the possible effects of four reading micro-skills, namely scanning, skimming, contextual clues and critical reading. The used materials for the experimental groups included the books designed for students of these majors, namely English for the students of Physics, English for the students of computer sciences and English for the students of management. Afterwards, the participants of the three experimental group were exposed to reading micro skills through task based language teaching. After 13 sessions, three post tests were run between the participants of each field of study. A series of independent samples t-tests were run and it was found that using task-based techniques can lead to better outcomes with regard to the reading comprehension micro-skills with both male and female EAP students. Based upon the findings of the study, it can be concluded that task-based language teaching can be a major part of an English instructional syllabus to develop EAP learners' micro reading skills. The outcome of this study can be used by curriculum developers and English language teachers to consider the importance of a task-based syllabus.