What is it about?
The aim of the current study was to explore the advantages of TBLT approach over more traditional approaches regarding Iranian EFL learners’ reading comprehension ability at elementary level. Moreover, it aimed at comparing the strong version versus the weak version of the TBLT approach in order to investigate which version has priority over the other version. It is worth pointing out that the distinction between the strong and weak versions of the task-based approach was taken into account
Featured Image
Why is it important?
In fact, the shortcomings of traditional approaches concerning reading comprehension stem from the sharp focus on form and apparent disregard of meaning. On the contrary, tasks, with the focus on meaning, can facilitate the construction process of meaning from text. Therefore, there is a need to adopt TBLT approach to improving learners’ reading comprehension.
Perspectives
Considering the findings of the current study, language teachers can focus on task completion as well as on formal features of language that are complementary. In fact, utilizing both versions of TBLT approach (i.e. strong and weak versions) can provide tremendous opportunities for learners to enhance their reading comprehension compared to traditional language teaching methods. Nevertheless, the two versions of TBLT approach can be compared with each other in terms of their effectiveness in improving the learners’ reading comprehension. With regard to the results of the study, paying attention to the formal features in a text as well as task completion can lead the learners to more proficiency in reading comprehension compared to the sole focus on task completion. Based on the findings of the current study, the use of the weak version of TBLT approach not only promotes the learners’ communicative competence but also develops their linguistic competence since their attention is directed to formal features of language.
Seyedeh Nastaran Razavi Hejrati
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: On the comparability of strong and weak versions of task-based approaches to improving Iranian elementary-level EFL learners’ reading comprehension, Journal of Language and Cultural Education, January 2017, De Gruyter,
DOI: 10.1515/jolace-2017-0014.
You can read the full text:
Contributors
The following have contributed to this page
