Form-Focused Tasks in Task-Based Language Teaching for Enhancing EFL Learners’ Speaking Fluency and Motivation

Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT), as a prominent pedagogical approach, has emerged as a significant innovation in language education, particularly recognized for its potential to enhance speaking fluency among Iranian EFL learners and aims to enhance accuracy, fluency and complexity of the utterances produced by language learners. The purpose of the present study is to examine the impact of TBLT on learners’ motivation and speaking fluency. The research design included both experimental and control groups, each participating in a ۱۲-session course. The experimental group engaged in TBLT with an emphasis on form, while the conventional methods were utilized for the control group. Speaking fluency was evaluated using Rate A and Rate B fluency measures and academic motivation was assessed through a motivation questionnaire based on Dörnyei and Dewaele’s (۲۰۰۲) L۲ Motivational Self System Questionnaire, which included two main sections. A speaking assessment was administrated as a pretest before the treatment and as a posttest after the treatment. Afterward, the result was analyzed; the findings indicated that the experimental group, which received TBLT, outperformed the control group in both motivation and speaking fluency. The results suggest that TBLT, particularly through real-world tasks, encourages students to practice speaking in meaningful contexts, making the learning process more engaging. As a result, students exhibit increased motivation and readiness for lessons, highlighting the potential of TBLT to enhance both language proficiency and learner motivation. This study offers significant insights for language educators, course designers, and policymakers in the field of EFL, suggesting that task-based activities should be incorporated into language learning curricula to improve not only linguistic proficiency but also student motivation and engagement.

کلیدواژه ها:

Speaking Fluency ، Task-Based Language Teaching ، Motivation ، Focus on form