iranian efl teachers’ perceptions of tblt and challenges in implementing tasks in an online context

Task-based language teaching aims to develop learners’ communicative abilities by involving them in goal-oriented tasks. nevertheless, tasks can be effective only if they are implemented well. since the teachers’ role in implementing tasks in the class is pivotal, it is essential that their perceptions and understanding of tasks and tblt be examined. although iranian efl teachers’ perceptions of tblt implementation in the classroom context have been investigated, it seems that the challenges of task implementation in online contexts have received less attention. the present study investigated iranian efl teachers’ perceptions of tblt and the challenges they faced in implementing tblt in online classes. for this purpose, 10 efl teachers teaching online elementary 3 classes at the iran language institute were selected via convenience sampling. the participants were required to mention the challenges they faced while implementing 2 writing and 2 speaking tasks in their online classes in voice recordings. to gain a better understanding of the teachers’ perceptions and conceptual understanding of tblt, a structured interview adopted from pham and nguyen’s (2018) study was conducted with 5 of the participants. the thematic analysis of the recordings revealed that pairing issues, monitoring and feedback, large class size, time constraint, and digital literacies were the challenges faced in online task-implementation. the analysis of the interview showed participants’ good understanding of ‘task’ and their willingness to employ it in their classes to promote learning. teacher education and preparation courses can play an important role in familiarizing pre-service or in-service teachers with tblt and ‘task’ to help them form positive attitudes towards the applicability of tasks in their classes. moreover, improving teachers’ digital competence through digital instruction can enhance their ability to successfully implement tasks in online contexts.