The Development of a Task-based Learning and a Problem-based Learning Model to enhance Critical Business English Reading Skills for Undergraduate Students

Abstract

          The purposes of the research were to: 1) study and develop of a Task based learning and a Problem based learning Model to enhance Critical Business English Reading for graduate students; 2) compare the students’ Critical Business English Reading abilities between before and after using the model; 3) investigate students’ opinions toward the model. The sample, selected by a simple random sampling technique, comprised 35 second year students who enrolled in Business English Reading courses, 1st semester, and academic year 2019, Muban Chom Bueng Rajabhat University. The students studied 8 learning units with Task based learning and Problem based learning approach to enhance Critical Business English Reading. Each unit was conducted in 6 hours and the experiment covered 52 hours in the total. The instruments used for this research consisted of: 1) A Task based learning and Problem based learning Model that consisting of 8 learning units; 2) an Critical Business English Reading achievement test, used as a pretest and posttest; 3) an  questionnaire toward the instructional model. Mean and standard deviation of items were used to evaluate the students' opinions toward the instructional model. The paired-sample t-test was used to analyze the students' abilities in Critical Business English Reading abilities. The research findings were as follows: 1. the efficiency score of the Task based learning and the Problem based learning Model was 75.86/ 75.20, which is higher than the expected criterion: 75/75. 2. the students' Critical Business English Reading abilities after using the Task based learning and the Problem based learning Model were significantly higher at the .05 level.     3. the students' opinions toward the instructional model were mainly positive.