Abstract

The Problem. The purpose of this study was to investigate the integrating of the task-based approach with computer-assisted instruction and the Grammar Translation Method with computer-assisted instruction on Taiwanese EFL Taiwan College students' speaking performance.

Method. Ninety-three Taiwanese EFL college students from the Hsing Wu College were selected to participate in this study. For the purpose of the study, the participants during the 12-week academic term were divided into two study groups: experimental group and control group (one intact group of 50 was randomly selected to be the experimental group; the other group of 43 students was assigned to the control group). This study was a mixed method research which included quantitative and qualitative method. For the quantitative data collection and analysis, students of both the experimental group and control group were given a background information questionnaire and pre- and post-test of students' English proficiency test called the GEPT (General English Proficiency Test). Additionally, for the qualitative data collection and analysis, the instructor and 10 students (five from the experimental group and five from the control group) were individually interviewed by the researcher.

Results. The results of this study indicate that students of the task-based approach with computer-assisted instruction showed the higher post-test speaking scores than students of the grammar translation method with computer-assisted instruction; in particular, the task-based approach with computer-assisted instruction showed a significant increase in their scores from the pretest to the posttest.

According to interview of the students, both the task-based approach with computer-assisted instruction and the Grammar Translation Method with computer-assisted instruction indicated that they were more motivated and obtained more knowledge learning English with computer-assisted instruction. Additionally, the instructor recommended that combining the advantages of two methodologies, the task-based approach with computer-assisted instruction and the Grammar Translation Method with computer-assisted instruction, in future curriculum design may provide the best improvement in students' performance.