Exploring ESP-Teaching Approach to Improve Speaking Proficiency in Islamic Studies L2 Students

Abstract

This study explores the impact of the English for Specific Purposes (ESP) teaching approach on improving speaking skills among Islamic Studies L2 undergraduates through oral presentations. Conducted at a state university in Malaysia, the research involved 60 participants who underwent a 14-week intervention. The program was designed with content specifically tailored to their Islamic Studies background, aiming to enhance their language proficiency in a context relevant to their studies. Pre- and post-test oral presentations were used to assess participants’ speaking skills, with performance evaluated using an adapted rubric. The data were analysed using Paired T-tests to compare the results from the pre- and post-tests. The analysis revealed significant improvements in speaking skills across both the experimental and control groups. Statistically significant increases were found in the mean scores for both groups, with the experimental group showing a greater overall improvement (experimental: p=.001, control: p=.007). These findings suggest that while ESP interventions have a positive impact on language proficiency, the results did not fully align with the anticipated level of improvement. Despite this, the participants demonstrated notable progress in key speaking components, particularly in vocabulary usage and comprehension during the post-presentations, indicating positive changes in their speaking abilities.