The Effects of Task-Based Language Teaching Assisted by Technology-Enhanced Reading Instruction on Reading Comprehension and Motivational Engagement of Chinese University Students

English reading is challenging for many Chinese university students, but conventional reading instruction often provides insufficient opportunities for active engagement, scaffolded support, and meaningful reading practice. Using a two-phase mixed-methods design, this study developed and evaluated a needs-based model of Task-Based Language Teaching assisted by Technology-Enhanced Reading Instruction (TBLT-TERI) for university-level EFL reading instruction in China. In Phase One, questionnaire responses from 357 non-English-major students and interviews with three College English teachers were used to identify learner needs, instructional considerations, and design principles for the model. In Phase Two, the model was implemented in a five-week quasi-experimental study involving two intact first-year classes (n = 64; 32 experimental, 32 control). After controlling for pretest scores, ANCOVA showed that the experimental group achieved significantly higher adjusted posttest scores in reading comprehension, F(1, 61) = 30.54, p < .001, partial η² = .334, and significantly higher self-reported overall motivational engagement, F(1, 61) = 6.74, p = .012, partial η² = .099. The findings provide preliminary classroom-based comparative evidence that integrating task-based pedagogy with technology-enhanced support was associated with stronger reading-comprehension performance and higher self-reported motivational engagement in reading tasks. The study therefore offers a context-sensitive instructional model for Chinese tertiary EFL reading.