Enhancing Language Task Engagement: Voices From Chinse EFL Students and Teachers

• In Event: Investigating World and Foreign Language Teaching and Learning in Higher Educational Settings

Abstract

This study explored language tasks that English as foreign language (EFL) college students and teachers preferred and identified common conditions underlying these tasks that could facilitate learners’ engagement. With qualitative survey data collected from 392 Chinese college students and 54 English language teachers, this study confirmed the six principle task engagement conditions, namely, authenticity, social interaction, challenge, autonomy, learning support, and interest. Students and teachers perceived social interaction and interest as the most important task conditions in support of engagement, however, challenge and autonomy as less important. Divergences emerge on the perceptions towards authenticity and learning support. These findings provide EFL teachers with insights on how to interpret and incorporate these conditions into task designs so as to enhance engagement.

Authors

• Xue (Snowy) Zhang, Hunan Institute of Science and Technology

• Yue Huang