The Effectiveness of Translation-Based Tasks on ESP Comprehension of Thai Undergraduate Students

Abstract

The purposes of this study were 1. to assess the effectiveness of the translation-based tasks in enhancing undergraduate students' comprehension of contents in English for Specific Purposes subjects and 2. to examine their satisfaction with this instructional approach. This quantitative research employed a one-group pre-test and post-test design with 45 undergraduate students at the A1–A2 proficiency level. The participants’ scores on the pre- and post-tests were analyzed using a dependent t-test to measure the effectiveness of the intervention and the participants' satisfaction was measured using a five-point Likert-scale questionnaire. The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation). The results of the study showed that the translation-based tasks significantly improved students' comprehension, with mean scores increasing from 14.53 (pre-test) to 26.49 (post-test), t = 29.84, p < 0.001. Regarding satisfaction, students reported a high level of satisfaction with the translation-based tasks (M = 4.40, SD = 0.60), particularly in terms of content understanding, classroom engagement, and ease of learning. These findings suggest that the translation-based tasks can serve as an effective pedagogical tool for teaching English for Specific Purposes (ESP), especially for learners with limited English proficiency.