Improving EFL students speaking skills through the use of Project Based Learning

Abstract

Abstract: This study aims to determine the effects of Project Based Learning (PBL) on improving English as a foreign language (EFL) students speaking skills. Using a mixed-method approach, this quasi-experimental research was conducted in a private institution located in Quito, involving 52 participants from the eighth year of school as the sample. The research employed both pretest and posttest to measure the students' speaking skills, alongside a perceptions survey to understand their opinions on PBL activities, and an observation checklist to see the students performance during the implementation of PBL in the English class. The posttest results revealed that the experimental group, exposed to the PBL method, demonstrated a significant improvement in their speaking skills compared to the control group. The findings suggest that the hands-on and collaborative nature of PBL positively impacts students' ability to communicate effectively. The participants perceptions revealed that PBL was an effective approach to develop speaking skills as well as their interpersonal abilities, thus increasing their English learning. This research supports the growing body of literature on innovative teaching methodologies.