A Comparative Study of Task Based Approach and Traditional Approach in English Language Teaching

Abstract

This study is conducted to examine the practicality of Task based teaching method in the teaching of English language in government sector colleges of Lahore. Language teaching is never stress-freeoccupation for English language teachers. The traditional method is still dictating in Pakistani colleges for teaching English and no innovations have been implemented by the educational policy makers and teachers. The traditional method did not provide fruitful results in enhancing reading comprehension skill of the students. The technique is used in this study is experimental and is designed to trace improvement in comprehension and reading skills of low proficient English learners at graduation level. Both pre-test and post-test conducted to measure any improvement in the students’
learning process. The group of sixty is divided into two groups from the local college of Lahore. The Experimental group is given treatment through dynamic intervention comprising of task based lesson plans based activities. The Control group is taught through the traditional method encompassing of Grammar Translation Method. The data collected from the two groups is analyzed using SPSS. The proportional result of both groups (Experimental and Control) illustrated a substantial development in the learning method, comprehension and reading skills of the subjects of the Experimental group. The analysis verifies the suitability of task based teaching approach in an ESL context. The study shows that the constructivism is the actual learning theory in which the TBLT falls should be
implemented in colleges. It proves its effectiveness in the enhancement of reading skills of low proficient English language learners.