The Manifestation of Task-Based Language Teaching in Chinese Business English Textbooks

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the extent to which a Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) approach is integrated into Business English for Specific Purposes (ESP) materials used in China. Adopting a qualitative analytical framework, the research evaluates two prominent coursebooks, Business English: An Integrated Course 2 and Market Leader: Pre-Intermediate, against established TBLT criteria and Willis’s (1996) task-based learning framework. The analysis reveals a divergent application of TBLT principles between the two materials. Findings indicate that Market Leader incorporates TBLT to a significant extent, featuring communicative tasks aligned with real-world business activities and a coherent task cycle. In contrast, Business English: An Integrated Course 2 demonstrates a lower level of TBLT integration, with a stronger emphasis on discrete language points and grammatical exercises over holistic, meaning-focused tasks. The study concludes that the implementation of TBLT in Chinese Business English ESP materials remains insufficient and inconsistent. It is recommended that material developers and practitioners consciously adapt pedagogical activities to better align with TBLT principles, thereby enhancing the development of students' practical communicative skills in authentic business contexts.