A Mixed Methods Exploration of Task Effects on Iranian ESP Learners’ Reading Skill and Attitudes toward Task-Based Language Teaching

Task-based approaches are widely researched in English language learning as it can positively influence learners’ experiences. This study investigated the effect of task-based instruction on reading comprehension and attitudes towards classroom activities among Iranian ESP learners. Sixty Iranian accounting students of Jooybar and Babol Payam Noor Universities were selected using available sampling technique. They were randomly assigned to three experimental groups (i.e., information gap group, a sentence completion group, and a task repetition group) and a control group. Given the importance of reading skills in ESP courses, the researcher focused on reading skills prior to the start of the 2023–2024 academic year. To that end, a reading test administered to all the participants of the study, as a pretest. During the academic term, the groups completed their respective tasks. At the end of the academic term, the same reading test was administered again as a posttest. Moreover, the researchers used a semi-structured interview protocol to unearth the participants’ attitudes towards task-based language teaching. Data analysis revealed a statistically significant difference among the effects of the three task conditions on Iranian accounting students’ reading comprehension. The task repetition group outperformed the other groups, with significant pairwise differences in most comparisons. Moreover, the control group had the lowest mean score. Second, the analysis of the qualitative results confirmed the findings of the quantitative phase (i.e., the effectiveness of task-based instruction on ESP students’ reading comprehension). This research has pedagogical implications for enhancing language learners’ reading skill and engagement capabilities, with insights for curriculum developers and syllabus designers.