Materials and methods
This study concerned reading comprehension that is important for
learners and proficiency learners. Learners needed to understand when
they read texts in different field. This study will investigate how
foreign learners understand texts in English language courses. Also how
methods and approaches have been used in the class? Is there any
effectiveness? The main core in this study is to investigate if
task-based can be effected to the reading comprehension of foreign
learners.
The study used an experimental design to obtain data on English language
learners at two universities. Test scores were obtained from an
experimental group and a control group, which were analyzed and
compared. The testing comprised two stages, a pre-test and a post-test,
on both groups of participants. The test was administered to the control
group and the experimental group at the beginning of the semester and at
the end of the semester. The differences in test scores between the
beginning and of the semester were tested using analysis of variance
(ANOVA) statistical tests and the groups’ pre-tests and post-tests were
compared. The study used task–based interviews and checklist
observations to assess the ways that the instructors delivered lectures
to determine whether the technology-based approach motivated and had a
positive influence on the participants.
Population and sample
The participants were 50 English language learners; 25 advanced
English-language learners at the first university were randomly selected
into the experimental group and 25 advanced English-language learners
were selected from the second university as the control group. There
were three instructors; two were at the first university and one was at
the second university.
Data sources
Quantitative and qualitative data were employed to determine whether the
task–based teaching method increased participants’ English language
reading comprehension. Three instruments were used to collect the data
for this study. At the beginning and end of the course, the
International English Language Testing System (IELTS) on reading was
administered to the control group. The experimental group, which was
taught reading only using the technology-based teaching method, was
assessed using the IELTS. The second instrument was a checklist
observation. The researcher visited the classes of the experimental
group at the beginning of the semester before the treatment was
implemented and administered the IELTS. Then, the instructors applied
the task–based method. The second instrument involves observations
checklist of three instructors in class to determine which teaching
method and mode is widely used by teachers to deliver their lecture. The
last part involves questionnaires to determine if there are any
similarities between task-based and the traditional methods of teaching
reading English. The treatment of this study lasted for one hour per
week for one semester (12 weeks).
Data analysis
First, the researcher obtained permission from the instructors to
observe their classes and to help them to manage their time during the
pre-treatment, treatment, and post-treatment stages. The researcher
taught the instructors how to develop task-based activities using
technologies, such as the Internet, maps, pictures, charts, and so on.
The researcher met the instructors and asked them some questions about
the methods, types of techniques they use in the classroom. The
instructors answered 10 questions about technology-based learning and
their methods of delivering lectures. Then, the three instructors
voluntarily participated in face-to-face interviews. ANOVA and linear
correlation analysis of the test scores and the group comparisons were
performed using the SPSS statistical package.