Navigating Task-Based Language Teaching: A Qualitative Study of Chinese University EFL Students’ Classroom Experiences and Perceptions

This qualitative study examines Chinese university EFL students’ classroom experiences and perceptions of Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT). Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 15 purposefully selected students at a public university in China and analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings show three key features of the learner experience. First, students often followed a preparation-performance sequence. Second, tasks were commonly done through peer collaboration. Third, students’ emotions often shifted from anxiety to satisfaction during tasks. Students also constructed clear meanings from these experiences, which shaped their motivation and engagement. Many came to see English as a practical tool for communication. They reported a stronger sense of achievement when tasks included step-by-step support from teachers and peers. Interest, enjoyment, and a sense of classroom community also helped maintain engagement. The main contribution is an integrated framework that explains successful TBLT implementation from the student perspective. It brings together contextual and personal factors that students identified as enabling (e.g., supportive task design and interest-driven engagement) or constraining (e.g., time pressure and low self-confidence). The framework suggests that TBLT success depends on alignment between classroom conditions and learners’ internal dispositions. Practical teaching suggestions are offered based on students’ perspectives to support TBLT adaptation in similar contexts.