problem-based learning affecting features of speaking proficiency

Speaking in a foreign language has always been considered as a daunting task. that is why finding ways to improve speaking proficiency has been a long-standing concern of many language teaching practitioners. the present experimental study aims at investigating the effects of the problem-based learning approach on english foreign language learners’ speaking proficiency and its features of communicative success, pronunciation, grammatical accuracy, and lexical choice. ninety pre-intermediate efl learners were randomly assigned into three groups of online pbl, face-to-face pbl, and control groups. pre- and post-tests of speaking proficiency were administered at the beginning and at the end of the course. data were analyzed using one-way ancova. the results revealed that the two forms of pbl, online and conventional, significantly and positively affected efl learners’ speaking proficiency. the findings also indicated that online pbl was significantly more effective than conventional pbl. the results were indicative of the effectiveness of the pbl approach on improving the features of speaking. according to the findings, the present study can have pedagogical implications for english language teachers, especially for those who teach the speaking skill and wish implementation of pbl in language teaching classes following a model of pbl exclusively for efl classes.