The Role of Classroom Tasks in Fostering EFL Students’ Communicative Competence

Abstract

The present dissertation entails the investigation of the improvement of students’ communicative competence through the use of tasks in English as Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms. As it is noticeable, the major challenge that often faces EFL classrooms is that most students do not have the ability to communicate well in the target language (L2) as they do in their native language (L1). The lack of competence and the poor performance of students in English Language indicate that they need to practice the language frequently during and out class time and to be exposed to certain amount of real world knowledge in order to satisfy their communicative needs. First of all, we put forward one main hypothesis and two sub ones that claim the need of applying different language tasks when teaching foreign languages. This research work aims at bringing into account the possibility of developing communicative competence through the extensive use of language tasks. Following the descriptive method of inquiry we conduct our research in order to discover the role of language tasks in relation to students’ communicative competence in L2 .As far as the field work is concerned, we have relied on two main tools of investigation which are in form of questionnaire and classroom observation, they were targeted to the teachers of English and 2nd year students at Mohamed Khider University of Biskra. As a result, we get some proposed answers and suggestions from both teachers and students that seem to be positively significant and valuable. Based on the findings, the majority of the respondents reflected the attitudes showing that the use of Task Based Language Teaching approach (TBLT) does enhance both oral and written competencies among students. They have stated that the approach encourages students’ practice of the language, promotes their interactive and communicative abilities, prepares them for reallife communication, and develops their communication strategies. The respondents also believe that Communicative Language Teaching approach (CLT) is an effective method to be used in the language classroom as to enhance both teachers’ and students’ roles within EFL classes, and creates effective interaction and fluent communication inside and outside the classroom. All in all, the obtained results assert the validity of our hypotheses as well as answer the research main questions which lead us to confirm that if EFL teachers stress the role of language tasks in English classes, students will have the opportunity to practice the language extensively and that contributes to the improvement of their competence in L2 communication.