Task-Based Language Teaching Approach and Students' English Writing Performance Towards a Proposed Enriched Program Development

Abstract

This study examines the application of Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) in English writing instruction and its impact on students' writing performance in Chinese universities. By constructing a teaching framework based on constructivist theory, the study examines the effectiveness of TBLT in three key periods: task preparation, task execution, and language learning and evaluation. The study employs quantitative analysis methods, conducting questionnaire surveys among 40 teachers and 400 students from three private undergraduate universities to collect and analyze data. Results show that both teachers and students generally hold a positive attitude towards TBLT, with mean scores at the "strongly agree" level. However, the Mann-Whitney U test indicates significant cognitive differences between teachers and students in terms of task goal clarity, language accuracy, and classroom participation (p < 0.05). The Spearman correlation analysis further reveals that there is only a weak correlation between each stage of TBLT and students' writing scores (rho = 0.023–0.043), suggesting that TBLT has limited direct improvement on writing ability. The conclusion states that TBLT can effectively enhance students' classroom participation and language application skills, but there is still a lack of systematic training in writing skills. Suggestions include optimizing task design, strengthening writing process guidance, establishing a diversified evaluation mechanism, and integrating technological tools to enhance interaction and feedback. The sample of this study is only from three private universities, which have limited geographical and institutional representativeness. The extrapolation of the conclusion needs further verification. This study provides a theoretical basis and practical suggestions for the localization application of TBLT in English writing teaching in China, and has important theoretical and practical significance for promoting English teaching reform.