USING EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES TO ENHANCE GRADE 8 STUDENTS’ ENGLISH-SPEAKING SKILLS

This study aimed to examine the enhancements in students’ speaking skills, focusing on fluency and coherence, and to explore the attitudes of class 8A students at Tan Phu Secondary School (32 students) through an extracurricular speaking intervention. An action intervention model was applied, where students engaged in collaborative activities such as presentations, simulated interviews, and debate clubs. Speaking ability was measured using pre- and post-tests targeting fluency and coherence, while students’ attitudes were assessed via a questionnaire covering cognition, affective, and behavioral components. The results indicated a significant increase in students’ average scores, from 6.13 to 6.86. All students reported positive experiences, they felt more confident presenting in front of the class, experienced less stress, and expressed a desire for teachers to continue using this teaching approach. The study highlighted the effectiveness of pedagogical strategies in creating an experiential learning environment that reduces academic pressure and enhances engagement. Moreover, extracurricular speaking activities demonstrated potential for developing other language skills, including writing, listening, and reading, thereby strengthening students’ overall competence in vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation.