Effects Of Applying Task-Based Language Teaching Approach In Extensive Reading Classroom

As one of the basic four language skills, reading plays an essential role in language learning, but extensive reading does not attract much attention in language teaching. The dull teaching approach results in students'loss of reading motivation and interest, therefore, changing students'understanding of and attitude toward extensive reading is crucial to solve problems in extensive reading classroom. Task-based approach aims at motivating learners to learn through interactive communication in target language, providing learners with the opportunity to make full use of authentic learning materials.However, the literature both at home and abroad focuses on discussing the importance of extensive reading and the practical problems in implementing it; and there are few experimental researches on extensive reading in China. In this study, the author adopts task-based approach in her extensive reading classroom in order to investigate its effect on changing students'attitude toward extensive reading and fostering their extensive reading habits.The participants in this study include 88 students majoring in Business English from the vocational college of Wuhan Institute of Technology. Teacher action research is used to investigate the effects of the application of task-based language teaching method on the change of students'attitude towards extensive reading and their reading habits. The experiment lasts for ten weeks. Questionnaires were distributed to find out students'attitude towards extensive reading while teaching journals, students personal accounts and interviews are used to find out the effects of the task-based approach on students.The results of the research indicate that students'attitudes toward extensive reading have been improved and interests have been aroused. Many students have also learned to read autonomously after class. Ten-week training not only helps students realize the importance of extensive reading but also make them understand the function and significance of reading extensively. Some pedagogical implications were drawn after the research.However, there is still room for improvement in the selection and arrangement of materials, implementation of tasks.