The Impact of Communicative Grammar Teaching (CGT) on Grade 11 Students' Speaking Proficiency and Their Attitude in Hachalu Hundessa Secondary School: A Quasi-Experimental Study

This study investigated the effect of communicative grammar teaching (CGT) on the speaking performance of Grade 11 students at Hachalu Hundessa Secondary School in Mettu Town, Ethiopia. Employing a quasi-experimental design within an explanatory sequential mixed-methods framework, students were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Data were collected through written tests, oral tests, and a structured questionnaire. The oral tests were audio-recorded and transcribed to ensure accuracy in assessing overall speaking performance. The discrimination index and difficulty level of the written tests were analyzed, while the reliability of the questionnaire was verified using Cronbach's Alpha. Linear regression was used to examine the influence of lesson content, task design during presentation and practice stages, and instructional factors on speaking performance. ANOVA (F-test) assessed mean differences between groups, and Pearson correlation measured relationships among key variables in measuring attitudes. The content, themes, and narratives of the oral test transcripts provided additional depth to the findings in the qualitative analysis. Results indicated that CGT produced significant improvements in students' grammatical knowledge and speaking performance. The study recommends that teachers should embed grammar instruction within meaningful communicative activities, incorporating interactive, practice-oriented speaking tasks, and providing timely, specific feedback to enhance learners' communicative competence.