The effect of task-based instruction on reading comprehension of Iranian EFL learners

Developing reading comprehension ability is an important aspect in acquisition of a language. The  present  study  focused  on  improving  reading  comprehension  ability  through  Task-based Instruction  (TBI).  TBI  is  a  methodology  that  develops  from  a  focus  on  classroom  tasks.  The participants of the study were 135 Iranian female students at different levels selected from high schools  in  Isfahan,  Iran,  through  a  quasi-experimental  design.  The  participants  were  divided into four groups, two control groups (CGs) and two experimental groups (EGs). They received a  pre-test,  the  instruction,  and  a  post-test.  The  participants  in  EGs  were  taught  through  TBI, whereas  CGs  were  exposed  to  a  traditional  method.  The  comparison  between  CGs  and  EGs were  made  through  paired  sample  t-tests.  The  results  revealed  that  the  students  in  EGs outperformed  CGs.  The  difference  between  the  two  grades  was  also  investigated  by independent sample t-test. The results showed that students at first-grade outperformed fourth-graders.  The  findings  suggest  that  using  flexible  and  interactive  tasks  in  English  classes improves  reading  comprehension  ability  of  Iranian  EFL  learners.  This  study  may  have pedagogical  implications  for  practitioners  in  the  field  and  for  syllabus  designers  to  include appropriate tasks in English textbooks.