Exploring teachers’ perceptions and implementation of task-based language teaching in the Australian ELICOS sector

Task-based language teaching (TBLT), which is an approach evolving from communicative approach, has been considered one of the most popular trends in teaching English as a foreign or second language. This research applies a mixed-methods approach to explore teachers‘ perceptions of task-based language pedagogy and its implementation in the ELICOS (English Language Intensive Courses for Oversea Students) setting. The sources of data were gathered in two phases, comprising an online survey with 58 respondents from various ELICOS colleges across Australia, and semi-structured interviews with eight teachers who have varying teaching experience. Based on the data which were both quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed, the overall findings show that the majority of the teachers have a high level of understanding of TBLT principles and hold positive attitudes towards its execution in their classroom practice. The research also reveals a number of constrains that affect the successful implementation of TBLT, which thus proposes useful implications for facilitating the efficiency of TBLT adoption in the Australian ELICOS sector.