Saudi EFL University Learners’ Perspectives on Using Task-Based Language Teaching in Promoting Opinion Essay Writing

Abstract

The fundamental aim of this study is to investigate Saudi EFL university learners’ perspectives on using the task-based language teaching (TBLT) approach to improve opinion essay writing in the College of Science and Arts in Tanumah, King Khalid University. The study was conducted during the second semester of the academic year 2021-2022. To collect data, the study uses a questionnaire and tests as primary tools. The population of the study covers all third-level EFL university students in the aforementioned college. Thirty students are randomly chosen and then they are divided into the control group (CG) and the experimental group (EG), each of which consists of 15 students. The participants in the CG learned how to write an opinion essay by employing traditional teaching methods based on the structure of the textbook. In contrast, the participants in the EG learned how to write an opinion essay by implementing the task-based language teaching approach, which is based on the TBLT framed by Wills (1996). The post-test analysis reveals that the implementation of TBLT has significantly improved the opinion essay writing of Saudi EFL university learners. In addition, the analysis of questionnaires of the experimental group shows that most Saudi EFL university learners hold positive perspectives towards implementing TBLT to improve their opinion essay writing.