Yan Wang, Muhammad Kamarul Kabilan
This study examines the impact of WeChat-mediated task-based language teaching (TBLT) on Chinese EFL learners’ reading comprehension and engagement in a higher education context. Anchored in Sociocultural Theory and a multidimensional framework of engagement (behavioral, cognitive, emotional), the study explores how digital tasks mediated through WeChat shape learners’ reading development. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was adopted. Quantitative data were collected through a quasi-experimental procedure involving pre- and post-tests on reading comprehension and engagement, followed by semi-structured interviews. Results show significant improvement in reading comprehension and in behavioral and emotional engagement, while cognitive engagement showed only modest gains. Qualitative data suggest that WeChat’s functions - such as group chats, voice messaging, and resource sharing - supported learner participation, reduced communicative anxiety, and enhanced perceived task relevance. However, cognitive engagement appeared less responsive to the platform, indicating the need for deeper pedagogical structuring. The study proposes a differentiated model of engagement in digital TBLT contexts and highlights the dual mediating role of mobile platforms as both social and cognitive scaffolds. Findings contribute to research on mobile-supported language learning and offer pedagogical implications for designing socially situated reading tasks that align with learners’ digital practices. © 2025 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
School of Educational Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia; Faculty of Letters, Universitas Negeri Malang, Malang, Indonesia
