Adoption and Avoidance of Task-Based Language Teaching: Evidence from Malaysian University Classrooms

Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) has strong theoretical appeal for fostering communicative language skills. However, a persistent theory–practice divide exists in contexts with exam-oriented education systems. This study investigates the complex factors influencing Malaysian ESL instructors’ adoption and avoidance of TBLT. A survey of 48 university English instructors combined quantitative descriptive analysis with qualitative thematic coding of closed-ended responses. Findings reveal that while 89.6% of instructors reported using TBLT due to its promise of improving students’ interaction and communication skills, significant challenges impede full uptake. Instructors highlighted TBLT’s ability to create collaborative, motivating learning environments, yet pointed to heavy exam preparation pressures, practical classroom management issues, and resource and preparation demands as key barriers. Thematic analysis yielded three overarching tensions: (1) communicative promise vs. exam pressures, (2) collaborative ideals vs. practical classroom constraints, and (3) preparation demands and resource gaps. The study contributes empirically to understanding how contextual factors, especially an exam-driven curriculum, limit TBLT in practice, despite teachers’ enthusiasm. It offers actionable implications: teacher development should focus on designing assessment-aligned communicative tasks, and institutional support is needed through better TBLT-oriented materials, training, and curricular adjustments. These findings emphasise the need to bridge the gap between TBLT theory and classroom reality in exam-oriented settings.