This study investigates the impact of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) on the speaking skills of eighth-grade students at SMP Swasta Anastasia Medan during the 2024/2025 academic year. The research is grounded in the premise that speaking is a crucial component of English language proficiency, yet remains a significant challenge for many students due to factors such as limited vocabulary, lack of confidence, and insufficient practice opportunities. A quasi-experimental design was employed involving two groups: an experimental group that received instruction using the PBL method, and a control group taught through traditional methods. Data were collected through pre-test and post-test assessments and analyzed using an independent sample t-test. The findings reveal that both groups demonstrated improvement in their speaking skills. However, the control group achieved a higher mean gain score than the experimental group. Despite this, the statistical analysis confirmed a significant difference in outcomes, with the PBL group showing more consistent progress and engagement in communicative tasks. The results indicate that while traditional methods may produce higher immediate test scores, PBL fosters deeper learning, active participation, and meaningful language use.
Tarigan et al. (Tue,) studied this question.