Vol. 12/ Núm. 1 2025 pág. 509
https://doi.org/10.69639/arandu.v12i1.622
Improving English Reading Skills through Task-Based
Learning in ecuadorian High Schools
Mejorando las habilidades de lectura en inglés a través del aprendizaje basado en
tareas en instituciones públicas a nivel básico superior de Ecuador
Kerly María Cabrera Salavarría
kcabreras4@unemi.edu.ec
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-5463-7568
Universidad Estatal de Milagro
Milagro – Ecuador
Frans Andrés Recalde García
frecaldeg@unemi.edu.ec
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0885-0432
Universidad Estatal de Milagro
Milagro - Ecuador
Artículo recibido: 10 enero 2024 - Aceptado para publicación: 20 febrero 2025
Conflictos de intereses: Ninguno que declarar
ABSTRACT
Reading skills enhance the comprehension of paragraph structures, communication, and decision-
making. Developing strong English skills in reading is significant for teaching in high school
students. Task-Based Learning (TBL) bestows an innovative approach by involving students in
practical, meaningful tasks that promote active learning and cognitive development. This study
delves into the effects of TBL on high school students' English reading skills, in other words the
purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of TBL focusing on reading skills such as
improvements in comprehension, engagement, motivation, and higher-order thinking abilities.
The study uses pre- and post-tests in a sample of 22 eighth-grade students of Emilio Isaías
Abihanna´s High School to demonstrate that integrating TBL into reading skills enhances
students’ proficiency. Also, it includes Lewin´s (1946) and Elliot´s (2014) teaching model to
follow up four stages in which students can have the opportunity to improve their knowledge.
Keywords: tasked-based learning, reading skill, reading comprehension, teaching
approach
RESUMEN
Las habilidades de lectura mejoran la comprensión de las estructuras de los párrafos, la
comunicación y la toma de decisiones. Desarrollar habilidades sólidas en inglés relacionadas con
la lectura, es significativo para la enseñanza en estudiantes de básica superior. El Aprendizaje
Basado en Tareas (ABT) ofrece un enfoque innovador al involucrar a los estudiantes en tareas
Vol. 12/ Núm. 1 2025 pág. 510
prácticas y significativas que fomentan el aprendizaje activo y el desarrollo cognitivo. El presente
estudio, profundiza en los efectos del ABT en las habilidades de lectura en inglés de los
estudiantes de básica superior; en otras palabras, el propósito de este estudio es analizar el impacto
del ABT enfocándose en habilidades de lectura como mejoras en la comprensión, el compromiso,
la motivación y las habilidades de pensamiento de orden superior. El estudio utiliza pruebas
previas y posteriores en una muestra de 22 estudiantes de la Unidad Educativa Emilio Isaías
Abihanna de octavo año EGB para demostrar que integrar el ABT en las habilidades de lectura
mejora las habilidades de los estudiantes. Además, incluye los modelos de Lewin (1946) y Elliot
(2014) los mismos que incluyen cuatro etapas en las que los estudiantes tienen la oportunidad de
mejorar sus conocimientos.
Palabras clave: aprendizaje basado en tareas, habilidad de lectura, comprensión lectora,
enfoque de enseñanza
Todo el contenido de la Revista Científica Internacional Arandu UTIC publicado en este sitio está disponible bajo
licencia Creative Commons Atribution 4.0 International.
Vol. 12/ Núm. 1 2025 pág. 511
INTRODUCTION
High school students usually have significant difficulties in learning English skills, which
hinder their language proficiency and academic success. English reading methods often fail to
capture students’ interest or accommodate diverse learning needs. Students lead with challenges
such as interpreting complex texts, understanding context, and meanings, and critically analyzing
content.
Educators have applied innovative teaching approaches such as Task-Based Learning
(TBL) to address these issues. TBL teaching emphasizes the use of real-world tasks and
interactive activities which motivates active student´s engagement and participation. According
to Smith (2020) TBL facilitates students to complete meaningful tasks, improving their
communication skills in authentic contexts. It enhances problem-solving abilities and critical
thinking, as students must navigate challenges without relying solely on traditional instruction.
Additionally, TBL fosters greater motivation and autonomy, as students take more control over
their learning process.
Tasked-based learning is an approach that was developed in the 80´s by Prabhu (1987) an
Indian educator who focused on teaching English through tasks instead of grammar translation
method, memorizing, or traditional methods. Besides, in 1990 Jane and Dave Willis played a vital
role in TBL by outlining the structure and organizing it by stages such as pre-task, task, and post-
task. Willis and Willis helped to popularize and formalize it.
Emilio Isaías Abihanna is a High School located in a rural area of San Jacinto de Yaguachi,
Pedro J. Montero Boliche. It has 1300 students in total and for this study, the researcher uses a
sample of 22 participants of 8th grade between 11 to 13 years old. A quantitative type and research
investigation that employs pre- and post-tests, examines the effectiveness of TBL in enhancing
critical reading skills and deeper understanding.
This study aims to evaluate the effect of Task-Based Learning (TBL) on 8th grade students’
English reading comprehension, engagement, and motivation in reading activities at Emilio Isaías
Abihanna High School. The research seeks to answer the question: What is the effect of Task-
Based Learning on 8th grade students' English reading comprehension activities? By using a pre-
test and post-test design, the study will assess changes in students' reading comprehension levels
before and after the implementation of TBL. This comprehensive approach will contribute
valuable insights into the effectiveness of Task-Based Learning in enhancing cognitive aspects of
learning among high school students.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This study employs a quantitative approach to examine the impact of Task-Based Learning
(TBL) on English reading skills among Ecuadorian high school students. A quantitative design is
particularly suitable for assessing measurable outcomes, such as improvements in reading
Vol. 12/ Núm. 1 2025 pág. 512
comprehension, speed, and accuracy. The study uses pre-test and post-test assessments to quantify
changes in students' reading abilities before and after the TBL intervention. This approach
provides objective, statistical data to evaluate the effectiveness of TBL in enhancing reading
skills, allowing for a clear analysis of any improvements or lack thereof in students' English
proficiency. The study's experimental design also enables the manipulation of the independent
variable (TBL) and measures its impact on the dependent variable (students' reading skills),
helping establish a cause-and-effect relationship between the intervention and the observed
outcomes.
The design of the study follows a pre-test/post-test structure, with initial and final
assessments to track improvements in reading skills. By comparing the pre-test and post-test
results, the study evaluates how TBL influences reading comprehension among the students. The
experimental group will engage with the TBL approach, while the control group will continue
with traditional instructional methods, allowing the study to attribute any changes in reading
performance specifically to the intervention. Additionally, the research aligns with the stages of
Elliot's (2014) models, which emphasize the gradual process of behavior change. These models—
comprising the stages of unfreeze, change, and refreeze (or pre-task, task, and post-task)—suggest
that students have the opportunity to enhance their knowledge through structured learning phases,
which is integrated into the TBL method.
Additionally, it was developed an educational lesson plan to apply stages approach for
improving reading skills among the participants. The first stage, Pre-Task, involves administering
a pre-test to assess students' reading abilities, including their vocabulary comprehension,
understanding of literary terms, ability to make inferences, and overall reading process. In the
second stage, "Determine what needs to change," the focus shifts to replacing outdated learning
strategies. The goal is to introduce Task-Based Learning (TBL) as a more effective approach to
addressing students' reading challenges. The third stage involves the implementation of various
tasks that target specific reading skills, such as vocabulary, comprehension, inference-making,
and reading process understanding. It was designed a lesson plan for each skill area, ensuring that
tasks were aligned with the students' needs and delivered in a structured way to support their
learning growth and, finally the post-test to gather the last information and analyzed the results.
The study has a duration of one month, with the implementation of Task-Based Learning
(TBL) designed to address students' reading challenges. Over the course of this month, various
tasks were introduced to target specific reading skills such as vocabulary, comprehension,
inference-making, and understanding the reading process. A detailed lesson plan was created for
each skill area, ensuring that tasks were tailored to the students' needs and delivered in a structured
manner to foster their learning progress. At the end of the month, a post-test was administered to
gather final data, which was then analyzed to assess the effectiveness of the TBL approach.
Vol. 12/ Núm. 1 2025 pág. 513
Table 1
Lesson plan
Vocabulary Understanding
Activity: Vocabulary Matching Game
● Topic: Daily Routines
● Objective: Help students understand and memorize new daily routines vocabulary.
● Task: Prepare a set of flashcards with vocabulary words and another set of flashcards
with pictures. Teach them before working in pairs the definition with the right picture
then explain to students that they will work in pairs. Give students to match the words
with their definitions or corresponding images. They will have 5 per group to finish the
activity. The winner group will be the one that will have more pictures and words
matched. After completing the matching task, students will use the vocabulary words
in simple sentences, and share them with the class.
● Skills Developed: Vocabulary acquisition, contextual understanding, speaking
practice.
● Reflection: After the activity, students reflect on how the vocabulary words were
used in the context of the reading passage.
Comprehension and Literary Terms
Activity: Story Mapping
● Topic: My life as an adolescent
● Objective: To reinforce comprehension and introduce basic literary terms like plot,
character, setting, and theme.
● Task: Provide students with a short reading passage. After reading, students
complete a story map, identifying the main character, setting, plot, and theme. They
can draw pictures to represent each element of the story. Students will then explain
their maps in pairs or groups, practicing how to use the terms correctly.
● Reading passage:
Lily’s Daily Routine
Lily is a 16-year-old high school student with a busy daily routine. Every morning, she wakes
up at 6:30 AM to get ready for school. After a quick breakfast, she grabs her backpack and
heads out the door to catch the bus. School starts at 8:00 AM, and she spends the day in classes
like math, science, and English. During lunch, she meets up with her friends in the cafeteria,
and they talk about their day and what’s coming up.
After school, Lily goes to the library to study for her upcoming exams. She’s preparing for a
big test in history, so she spends about an hour there reading her notes and practicing questions.
When she gets home, she has a snack and helps her mom with some chores around the house.
After dinner, she finishes any leftover homework before taking a short break to relax. By 9:30
PM, she gets ready for bed and reads a book to unwind before going to sleep around 10:30 PM.
Lily’s routine keeps her organized, and she balances her schoolwork with time for relaxation
and family.
● Skills Developed: Comprehension, identification of literary elements, use of literary
terms.
● Reflection: After the task, students reflect on how understanding these literary terms
helped them to understand the story better.
Reading comprehension
Activity: Clue Hunt
● Objective: To encourage students to make inferences based on context.
Vol. 12/ Núm. 1 2025 pág. 514
Stage 4. Post-Test
A Post-Test is used to identify if students improve their English Reading skills after the
Tasked-Based Learning approach.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The results of the pre-test and post-test assessments indicate a general improvement in
students' reading comprehension skills after the Task-Based Learning intervention. Most students
showed a noticeable increase in their scores from the pre-test to the post-test as indicated in table
2.
● Task: Select a short passage or dialogue that includes clues about a character’s
feelings or actions. After reading, give students a set of questions that require them to
infer emotions, motivations, or outcomes (e.g., "Why do you think the character is
upset?" or "What do you think will happen next?"). Students can discuss their
inferences in pairs or small groups and share with the class.
● Skills Developed: Making inferences, critical thinking, reading comprehension.
● Reflection: Students discuss how they used clues from the text to understand the
character’s emotions or predict future events.
Reading Process Understanding
Activity: Think-Aloud Reading
● Objective: To improve the understanding of the reading process, including how to
decode and make sense of texts.
● Task: The teacher or a student reads a short passage aloud, pausing at key points to
"think aloud." For example, the reader might say, "I’m not sure what this word
means, but I can guess it based on the rest of the sentence." Afterward, students
practice reading similar passages aloud in pairs, using the think-aloud technique to
discuss how they understand and interpret the text.
● Skills Developed: Reading process awareness, comprehension strategies, oral skills.
● Reflection: Students reflect on how using strategies like prediction, asking questions,
and clarifying helped them understand the text.
Engagement and Reflection
Activity: Group Discussion and Reflection
● Objective: To engage students with the text and encourage reflection on the reading.
● Task: After reading a passage, students will participate in a group discussion where
they answer specific questions related to the text. These questions can include
personal reactions to the story, connections to their own experiences, or how they feel
about the characters' decisions. Following the discussion, students write a brief
reflection on what they learned and how the text made them feel or what they found
interesting.
● Skills Developed: Speaking, listening, critical thinking, self-reflection.
● Reflection: Students write or share their reflections about how the text affected their
thinking and whether their understanding of the text changed through discussion.
Vol. 12/ Núm. 1 2025 pág. 515
Table 2
Reading Comprehension Level of Students during Pre-test and Post-test
Student
Pre-Test Score
Post-Test Score
1
2
4
2
2
7
3
3
10
4
1
1
5
3
11
6
10
6
7
4
11
8
3
12
9
1
11
10
2
9
11
3
3
12
4
10
13
5
11
14
3
9
15
5
12
16
2
12
17
1
11
18
6
12
19
5
12
20
3
12
21
3
12
22
2
11
Additionally, the mean pre-test score was 3.32, with a standard deviation of 2.03,
reflecting low initial comprehension levels and varied performance among students. However,
post-test results show a mean score of 9.50 with a standard deviation of 3.25, indicating higher
overall comprehension and a slight increase in score variability.
Table 3
Statistics
Student
Pre-Test Score
Post-Test Score
N
22
22
22
Mean
11,50
3,32
9,50
Standard Deviation
6,494
2,033
3,248
DISCUSIÓN
The results from the pre-test and post-test assessments provide compelling evidence of
the positive impact that Task-Based Learning (TBL) had on improving students’ reading
comprehension skills. The increase in post-test scores across the majority of students highlights
Vol. 12/ Núm. 1 2025 pág. 516
the effectiveness of the TBL methodology in addressing various aspects of reading, including
vocabulary comprehension, literary terms, inferencing, and overall reading process
understanding. While the scores of some students, such as Student 4, showed minimal
improvement, the general trend of progress reflects the advantages of TBL in engaging students
and fostering a deeper understanding of reading materials.
One of the key strengths of TBL is its emphasis on active student participation and
problem-solving, which contrasts with traditional methods that often rely on passive learning
strategies. By engaging students in tasks that require critical thinking and application of reading
strategies, TBL encourages higher cognitive involvement and sustained motivation. This aligns
with research that supports the idea that task-based approaches, by focusing on meaningful, real-
world tasks, can significantly improve students' learning outcomes (Ellis, 2003). Moreover, the
structured phases of pre-task, task, and post-task allow students to progressively build on their
reading skills, reinforcing their learning and enabling greater retention of knowledge.
However, it is important to note that the variation in students' scores, particularly with
some students showing limited improvement, suggests that the success of TBL may depend on
several factors. These may include the students' initial reading proficiency, their engagement with
the tasks, and the extent to which they can apply the strategies learned during the tasks. While
TBL has shown potential to enhance reading comprehension overall, the individualized nature of
students’ learning experiences means that ongoing adjustments to instructional strategies may be
necessary to address the diverse needs of all learners (Tharp & Gallimore, 1988).
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the application of Task-Based Learning in this study has proven to be an
effective pedagogical approach for improving the reading comprehension skills of 8th-grade
students at Emilio Isaías Abihanna High School. The significant improvements observed in most
students' post-test scores demonstrate the potential of TBL to engage students actively and
enhance their reading abilities in a meaningful way. These findings align with previous research
that underscores the effectiveness of task-based learning in fostering student engagement and
improving cognitive skills (Long, 1985; Nunan, 2004). While there were some individual
differences in student progress, the overall results suggest that Task-Based Learning is a valuable
tool for enhancing reading comprehension in secondary education. To further optimize its
effectiveness, future research should explore the factors influencing the variability in student
responses to TBL and investigate the long-term impact of TBL on students' literacy development.
Vol. 12/ Núm. 1 2025 pág. 517
REFERENCES
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. W.H. Freeman.
Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education. Macmillan. Retrieved from
https://archive.org/details/experienceeducat00dewe
Duke, N. K., & Pearson, P. D. (2002). Effective practices for developing reading
comprehension. In A. E. Farstrup & S. J. Samuels (Eds.), What research has to say about
reading instruction (3rd ed., pp. 205–242). International Reading Association. Retrieved
from
https://www.readingrockets.org/article/effective-practices-developing-reading-
comprehension
Ellis, R. (2003). Task-based language learning and teaching. Oxford University Press. Retrieved
from https://alad.enallt.unam.mx/modulo7/unidad1/documentos/CLT_EllisTBLT.pdf
Ellis, R. (2003). Task-based language learning and teaching. Oxford University Press.
https://global.oup.com/academic/product/task-based-language-learning-and-teaching-
9780194421547
Ellis, R. (2008). The study of second language acquisition (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Harmer, J. (2007). The practice of English language teaching (4th ed.). Pearson Longman.
Retrieved from https://www.pearson.com
Krashen, S. D. (1982). Principles and practice in second language acquisition. Pergamon.
Retrieved from http://www.sdkrashen.com/content/books/principles_and_practice.pdf
Larsen-Freeman, D., & Anderson, M. (2011). Techniques and principles in language teaching
(3rd ed.). Oxford University Press. Retrieved from
https://www.academia.edu/35634572/Techniques_and_Principles_in_Language_Teachin
g
Long, M. H. (1985). A role for instruction in second language acquisition: Task-based language
teaching. Applied Linguistics, 6(4), 31–40.
https://academic.oup.com/applij/article/6/4/31/221212
Long, M. H. (2015). Second language acquisition and task-based language teaching. Wiley-
Blackwell.
Nation, I. S. P. (2001). Learning vocabulary in another language. Cambridge University Press.
Retrieved from
https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/learning-vocabulary-in-another-
language/9781139524759
Nunan, D. (2004). Task-based language teaching. Cambridge University Press.
Prabhu, N. S. (1987). Second language pedagogy. Oxford University Press.
Vol. 12/ Núm. 1 2025 pág. 518
Richards, J. C., & Rodgers, T. S. (2014). Approaches and methods in language teaching (3rd ed.).
Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from
https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/approaches-and-methods-in-language-
teaching/5C96F1422ED478EBFC56CE6246E7B68C
Smith, A. B. (2020). The effectiveness of task-based learning in language acquisition. Journal of
Language Teaching, 45(3), 213–229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jlt.2020.03.002
Skehan, P. (1998). A cognitive approach to language learning. Oxford University Press.
Skinner, B. F. (1957). Verbal behavior. Appleton-Century-Crofts. Retrieved from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1335450/
Tharp, R. G., & Gallimore, R. (1988). Rousing minds to life: Teaching, learning, and schooling
in social context. Cambridge University Press.
https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/rousing-minds
tolife/CE07A9B35B4FEC98D3D3F747A1D2BB55
Tomlinson, B. (Ed.). (2011). Materials development in language teaching (2nd ed.). Cambridge
University Press. Retrieved from https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/materials-
development-in-language-teaching/DA939F2162ECFCC9F66F6E032650EC5B
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes.
Harvard University Press. Retrieved from
https://archive.org/details/mindinsocietydev00vygot
Willis, J. (1996). A framework for task-based learning. Longman.
Willis, J., & Willis, D. (2007). Doing task-based teaching. Oxford University Press.
Wright, T. (2010). Second language teacher education: A sociocultural perspective. Routledge.
