“THE IMPACT OF INTERACTIVE SPEAKING ACTIVITIES ON STUDENTS’ CONFIDENCE IN ESL CLASSROOMS
Abstract
Developing speaking skills is one of the most challenging aspects of learning English as a Second Language (ESL), and many students experience anxiety, fear of making mistakes, and lack of confidence when communicating in the target language. This study investigates the impact of interactive speaking activities on students’ confidence in ESL classrooms. A total of 40 intermediate-level ESL students participated in a six-week intervention involving structured role-plays, group discussions, debates, peer interviews, and collaborative storytelling tasks. Pre- and post-intervention surveys, classroom observations, and semi-structured interviews were used to collect quantitative and qualitative data.The results indicated a significant improvement in students’ self-reported confidence and participation rates. Peer interviews and role-plays were particularly effective in reducing language anxiety, while collaborative storytelling encouraged creativity and active engagement. The findings suggest that interactive speaking activities not only enhance students’ oral proficiency but also create a supportive learning environment where learners feel comfortable expressing themselves, making mistakes, and learning from peer interaction. This study provides practical recommendations for ESL teachers to integrate diverse speaking activities into their curriculum to foster student confidence, motivation, and communicative competence.
Keywords
ESL, English as a Second Language, interactive speaking activities, student confidence, oral proficiency, language anxiety, classroom participation, role-plays, group discussions, collaborative learning
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