The Effects of Task-based Vocabulary Instruction: A Case Study at a Center for Vocational Training and Continuing Education

Abstract

The effects of task-based language teaching (TBLT) on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners’ vocabulary learning have been well-recognized. However, few studies on the topic have been conducted in the Vietnamese context, and there is a scarcity of research that examines how learner proficiency levels impact the effectiveness of using such a teaching approach. The current study addresses these gaps by using a quasi-experiment on a sample of 70 EFL learners at a center for vocational training and continuing education in Vietnam to investigate changes in learners’lexical knowledge following TBLT vocabulary lessons and their perceptions of TBLT instruction. Quantitative data came from learners’ scores on the vocabulary pre and posttests, while qualitative data were semi-structured interviews among a subsample of 12 students. Main findings include learners’ improved performance on the vocabulary posttest and their overall positive feelings about the implementation of TBLT instruction for vocabulary lessons. However, low-achieving learners expressed reservations about the effectiveness of TBLT on their vocabulary acquisition due to time constraints and lack of confidence when doing tasks in vocabulary lessons. Pedagogical implications are accordingly presented at the end of the paper.