Enhancing EFL Students’ Cognitive, Affective, and Conative Reading Attitudes
The Role of Task-Based Instruction
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22006860 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Yohannes Joressa Wordofa (0009-0002-6619-8761, Hawassa University, corresponding author), Mulu Geta Gencha (0009-0007-5922-047X, Hawassa University), Aregay Meressa Hadgu (Hawassa University) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Publication date | 2026-04-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | SAGE Open (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2158-2440 • E-ISSN: 2158-2440 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/21582440261455220 |
| OpenAlex | W7162761199 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 51 |
This study examined the effects of task-based instruction (TBI) on Grade 9 EFL students’ reading attitudes in a public secondary school in Ethiopia, focusing on cognitive, affective, conative, and overall dimensions. A quasi-experimental design was employed with 96 participants divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group received a ten-week task-based reading instruction intervention, using adapted reading texts, while the control group followed conventional instruction. Data were collected via a reading attitude questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, and analyzed using ANCOVA, paired-samples t -tests, and thematic analysis. Results indicated significant improvements in the cognitive and conative components of reading attitude for the experimental group, while changes in the affective component and total reading attitude were not statistically significant. Qualitative findings revealed enhanced comprehension, critical engagement, enjoyment, and sustained participation in reading tasks among experimental group students. The study demonstrates that TBI can support cognitive engagement and proactive reading behaviors, though affective responses and overall attitude may develop more gradually as students become more familiar with task-based approaches. Limitations include the short intervention period and single-site sampling, suggesting that future research should examine longer-term effects across diverse educational contexts
Attitude change · Cognition · Reading comprehension · Thematic analysis · EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning · Reading and Literacy Development · Second Language Acquisition and Learning
Task-Based Instruction
Task-Based Language Teaching
Task-Based Language Teaching
The Psychology of the Language Learner Revisited
Assessing Reading
Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching
Instructional Contexts for Engagement and Achievement in Reading
Control-Value Theory
When is PBL More Effective? A Meta-synthesis of Meta-analyses Comparing PBL to Conventional Classrooms
Extensive Reading in the Second Language Classroom
Motivation and achievement in EFL
Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT)
Transforming reading self-efficacy in EFL Classrooms
The dimensions of foreign language classroom enjoyment and their effect on foreign language achievement
A Motivational Perspective on Engagement and Disaffection
The suitability of task-based approaches for secondary schools
Communicative and task-based language teaching in East Asian classrooms
Reading Attitudes of Middle School Students
Children's Attitudes toward Reading
| Highly cited | No |
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