A Study on the TBLT Approach to Improve ESL Learners’ Reading Skill: Jane Willis’s Perspectives A. K. M. Iqbal Bahar Lecturer in English Language and Communication International Medical College (Nursing Unit), Gazipur, Bangladesh Email: irajiqbal.english@gmail.com Md. Mijanur Rahman Bhuiyan Lecturer, Department of English Asian University of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh Email: mijan196@gmail.com [Citation: Bahar, A. K. M. I. & Bhuiyan, M. M. R. (2019). A Study on the TBLT Approach to Improve ESL Learners’ Reading Skill: Jane Willis’s Perspectives. Journal of ELT and Education, 2(2): 83-89.] Abstract Task Based Language Teaching (TBLT) is indeed an approach where learning revolves around the accomplishment of meaningful tasks (Zakime, 2018). However, the aim of this paper is to review TBLT, an offshoot of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), along with its implications for improving reading skill of students. In doing so, it discusses two notable features of TBLT: communicative language use, and ‘learner-centered approach’ to language teaching as opposed to more traditional ‘teacher-dominated approaches’. Overall, it is a holistic approach. From theoretical perspective, psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic aspects TBLT are discussed briefly. The study found its primary framework from Willis’ (1996) idea of TBLT that has been segmented into Pre-task, Task cycle, and Language focus. This framework is mainly delineated in terms of teaching reading skill. Finally, relevant findings of some studies on teaching reading based on TBLT are revealed. Keywords: Task Based Language Teaching (TBLT), reading skill, task, form 1. Introduction Proficiency in English language is a necessary requirement for higher studies. Especially reading skill is one of the pre-requisites of higher studies, as most of the books of higher education are written in English. Therefore, reading skill is crucial for both language and educational development. This paper attempts to examine the role of Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT) in improving reading skill of students. In doing so, it tries to build a basis for further studies investigating TBLT theoretically. Moreover, this paper looks forward to help the language teachers, especially English teachers, to make them think about a different way of teaching language rather than the traditional ones in their classrooms. Task-based Language Teaching (TBLT) has become a prominent language teaching approach for more than three decades. TBLT can be defined as an approach in which communicative and meaningful tasks play a fundamental role. In fact, TBLT, an offshoot of CLT (Kumaravadivelu, 2006: 66), highlights the use of language for authentic communication RECORDS: Received: 26.03.2019 Accepted: 28.04.2019 Revised: 28.05.2019 Published: 30.06.2019  Journal of ELT and Education  JEE-2(2), June-2019, Page: 83-89 ISSN (Print): 2618-1290, ISSN (Online): 2663-1482, ISSN-L: 2618-1290