Empowering EFL Students' Oral Proficiency: The Impact of Role-Playing in Enhancing Speaking Skills

Speaking skill is considered one of the four essential skills in English. However, there are students who require assistance in developing their speaking ability. This research utilized the role play method in a drama class setting to aid students in improving their speaking skills. The objective of this study was to determine whether the implementation of the role play method contributes to enhanced speaking skills among students. An experimental design was employed for this research, with a sample population of 353 grade IX students from SMPN 10 Kota Kupang. The cluster random sampling technique was utilized to select a sample of 32 students. To assess the students' speaking skills, a data collection process was conducted which included a spoken test, pre-test, and post-test. The results of the data analysis revealed that the mean score of the students on the pre-test was 7.81, while on the post-test was it increased to 17.34, indicating an improvement of 12.2%. The data was analyzed using a t-test, with the calculated t-test value (5.21) exceeding the t-table value (1.69552). Consequently, the alternative hypothesis (H1) was accepted, and the null hypothesis (Ho) was rejected. The findings of this study demonstrate the effectiveness of the role play method in enhancing students' speaking skills. This study contributes to the existing literature by highlighting the efficacy of role-playing in secondary education settings, offering practical insights for educators seeking to implement innovative, student-centered teaching methods. Future research should explore the long-term impacts of role-playing on other language skills and in diverse educational contexts.