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

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https://doi.org/10.54963/jqre.i46.2248
Guo, T., Hashim, H., & Ismail, H. H. (2026). Navigating Task-Based Language Teaching: A Qualitative Study of Chinese University EFL Students’ Classroom Experiences and Perceptions. Journal of Qualitative Research in Education, (46), 82–95. https://doi.org/10.54963/jqre.i46.2248
Issue 46 (2026): in progress
Copyright (c) 2026 Tongjing Guo, Harwati Hashim, Hanita Hanim Ismail
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Journal of Qualitative Research in Education (ENAD)  publishes accepted manuscripts under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). Authors who submit their papers for publication by ENAD agree to have the CC BY 4.0 license applied to their work, and that anyone is allowed to reuse the article or part of it free of charge for any purpose, including commercial use. As long as the author and original source are properly cited, anyone may copy, redistribute, reuse, and transform the content.

Authors

  • Tongjing Guo

    Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia
  • Harwati Hashim

    Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia
  • Hanita Hanim Ismail

    Faculty of Education, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600, Malaysia

Received: 6 January 2026; Revised: 25 January 2026; Accepted: 10 February 2026; Published: 2 March 2026

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.

Keywords:

Task-Based Language Teaching Chinese EFL Students Student Perceptions Classroom Experience Qualitative Study

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