A Study of English-Speaking Skills for Grade 9 Students Using Task-Based Learning Approach at Pyin Oo Lwin Basic Education High School in Myanmar
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Abstract
This research aimed to: (1) investigate the effectiveness of the Task-Based Learning (TBL) approach in developing English-speaking skills among Grade 9 students at Pyin Oo Lwin Basic Education High School in Myanmar; (2) examine changes in students’ speaking proficiency in terms of fluency, pronunciation, vocabulary use, grammatical accuracy, and communicative confidence through structured communicative tasks; and (3) examine students’ satisfaction with the use of Task-Based Learning in English language classrooms. The participants were 30 Grade 9 students purposively selected from Pyin Oo Lwin Basic Education High School. The study employed a pre-experimental, one-group pretest-posttest design. The research instruments included speaking proficiency assessments, classroom observation checklists, task-based lesson plans, and a student satisfaction questionnaire.
The collected data were analyzed using percentages, means, and standard deviations. The findings revealed that students actively participated in task-based speaking activities throughout the intervention period. Classroom observations indicated a high level of participation and engagement in communicative tasks and collaborative learning activities. Comparison of the pretest and posttest results demonstrated considerable improvement in students’ English-speaking abilities. Students performed better in fluency, pronunciation, vocabulary use, grammatical accuracy, and communicative confidence after participating in the Task-Based Learning activities. Furthermore, the satisfaction survey indicated that students had positive attitudes toward the TBL approach and considered it beneficial for improving their speaking skills.
The findings suggest that Task-Based Learning is an effective instructional approach for enhancing English-speaking skills among secondary school students in Myanmar. The approach promotes active learning, meaningful communication, learner autonomy, and greater confidence in oral language production. Therefore, English language teachers are encouraged to integrate task-based activities into classroom instruction to foster communicative competence and improve students’ speaking performance.
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