Integrating Task-Based Language Teaching with Guided Discovery: An Intervention Study on Chinese Non-English-Major College Students' Speaking Accuracy

This study investigated the potential of integrating Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) with Guided Discovery (GD) to enhance the speaking accuracy of Chinese non-English-major college students. Motivated by the persistent imbalance between fluency and accuracy in Chinese EFL classrooms, the study adopted a collaborative action research design implemented over four iterative cycles in an authentic university speaking course. Data were collected through pre- and post-intervention speaking assessments, classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and analysis of lesson plans. Quantitative results showed notable improvements in grammatical accuracy, lexical appropriateness, and overall speaking performance, while fluency- and pronunciation-related gains were comparatively moderate. Qualitative findings indicated that the integration of TBLT and GD supported learners’ noticing of linguistic forms, increased engagement, and facilitated a shift toward more student-centered interaction. Teachers perceived the approach as pedagogically valuable, though challenges related to time management, cognitive load, and learner differences were noted. Given the absence of a control group and the limited context, the findings should be interpreted as developmental patterns rather than causal evidence. Nevertheless, the study provides contextually relevant insights into how an integrated TBLT–GD model may support accuracy-focused oral instruction in Chinese tertiary EFL settings.