Enhancing middle school students’ speaking skills through drama-based activities

This study investigates the impact of drama-based activities on improving middle school students’ speaking skills. A quasi-experimental design was employed. The experimental group participated in drama-integrated speaking lessons, while the control group received traditional instruction. Quantitative analysis showed that the experimental group made significantly greater gains in speaking performance, particularly in fluency, pronunciation, and vocabulary. Qualitative data from student reflections and interviews revealed positive perceptions of drama as engaging, relevant, and supportive. Students reported increased confidence, motivation, and stronger peer interaction through role-playing and collaborative dramatization. The findings suggest that drama not only enhances linguistic outcomes but also creates affectively rich environments conducive to spoken language development in EFL contexts.