Task-based Instruction vs. Content-based Instruction in Comprehension and Production of Existential Constructions: A Corpus-based Study among Iranian Language Learners as a Foreign Language

Abstract

The objective of this study is to investigate two ways of instruction of "Existential
constructions": task-based and content based instructions on the comprehension and production
of Existential constructions by Iranian English as foreign language (EFL) learners. This study is
an attempt to compare the effect of task-based instruction in teaching existential constructions
versus content-based instructions. In order to achieve the objectives of this study, 60 elementary
EFL learners will participate in this research. The design of this study will be performed based
on an experimental research in which the respondents will be divided into two groups of
‘experimental’ and ‘control’. Therefore, first, a pre-test will be administered to check the
participants’ ability to comprehend and produce task-based and content-based instructions in
the use of existential constructions of Iranian EFL learners. After the treatment, the post test will
evaluate whether the learners' progress come true or not. In this paper, it is concluded that, in
comparison to the other four hypotheses, the first research question is proved; on the other hand,
we witnessed the learners' progress in comprehending existential construction through the use of
task-based instruction.