Task-Based Language Teaching and Theme-Based Role-Play: Developing EFL Learners’ Communicative Competence

Abstract

While task-based language teaching has received considerable attention from both researchers and educational policy makers, the effective implementation in the classroom is still a matter of question.Thus, this classroombased research attempts to contribute to the practice of task-based teaching in actual classrooms.It proposes theme-based role-play as an alternative in developing EFL learners' communicative competence in task-based teaching.This study explores student progress (N = 782) in theme-based role-play performances throughout one academic term -12 weeks -and examines the impact on student achievement in the final speaking exam.The findings confirm the hypothesis that students' performances in theme-based role-play predict the development of their communicative competence.However, topics and contents of role-play activities, roles of students and teachers as an individual and a group, and teachers' provision of support may play key roles in implementation.