The Effect of Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) On the Speaking Skills of Form 4 Students at A Malaysian Secondary School
List of Authors
Ahmad Ruzaini Abdul Hadi, Azlina Abdul Aziz
Keyword
Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT); Task Complexity; Scaffolding And Feedback; Oral Communication Skills; Speaking Development
Abstract
This study examines the effects of Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) on the speaking proficiency of Form 4 students in a Malaysian secondary school through a six-week mixed-methods intervention. Using a quasi-experimental one-group pretest–posttest design, the research investigated changes in learners’ fluency, accuracy, pronunciation, and vocabulary using CEFR-aligned speaking assessments and post-intervention questionnaires. The findings revealed significant improvements in accuracy, vocabulary, and overall speaking performance after the implementation of TBLT, indicating better control of language forms and more effective lexical use in communicative contexts. Fluency showed modest gains, suggesting increased speech continuity, while pronunciation remained largely unchanged due to limited focus on phonological features. Learners reported positive perceptions of task-based activities, highlighting the importance of visual scaffolding, real-life topics, pre-task planning, peer collaboration, and constructive feedback in supporting their speaking development and confidence. Teacher and peer feedback was identified as a key factor in facilitating progress. The results align with Willis’s TBLT framework, Skehan’s task complexity model, and Ellis’s cognitive-interactionist theory, emphasizing the role of meaningful interaction and scaffolding in language learning. Overall, the study confirms that TBLT is an effective approach for enhancing oral communication skills in the Malaysian ESL context and highlights the need for balanced task design and explicit pronunciation-focused activities to maximize learning outcomes.