The Impact of Communicative Language Teaching on English Speaking Skills

Abstrak

This study investigates the impact of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) on the development of English speaking skills among secondary school students. The primary objective is to evaluate how the CLT approach enhances learners' fluency, accuracy, and confidence in oral communication. The research employed a descriptive qualitative method, integrating classroom observations, interviews with educators, and performance assessments of students participating in CLT-based lessons over a 4-week period. The findings reveal that CLT significantly improves students' speaking proficiency by fostering an interactive learning environment where learners actively engage in real-life communicative tasks. Key improvements were observed in students' ability to articulate thoughts, use appropriate vocabulary, and interact effectively in various conversational contexts. Challenges, such as initial reluctance to participate and the need for well-structured activities, were also identified. This research contributes to the growing body of evidence supporting the effectiveness of CLT in language education. It highlights the importance of incorporating communicative practices into English language curricula to enhance learners' speaking abilities and overall communicative competence.