Project-based learning on the development of  
communicative skills in English  
Aprendizaje basado en proyectos sobre el desarrollo de habilidades  
comunicativas en inglés  
Enoc Moisés Torres Vanegas  
Universidad Estatal Península de Santa Elena  
La libertad - Santa Elena Ecuador  
Julieta Veronica Limones Borbor  
Universidad Estatal Península de Santa Elena  
La libertad, Santa Elena Ecuador  
Artículo recibido: 20 de noviembre de 2025. Aceptado para publicación: 27 de marzo de 2026.  
Conflictos de Interés: Ninguno que declarar.  
Abstract  
In this study, I examine the effect of Project-Based Learning (PBL) on the development of  
communicative skills in English. I identified that traditional teaching methods create a gap between  
grammatical knowledge and authentic communicative competence, limiting students' oral fluency,  
confidence, and comprehension. I employed a systematic bibliographic review methodology that  
analyzed fifteen peer-reviewed articles published within the last ten years. I organized the information  
using uniform categories: author and year, title, objective, methodology, and results. My findings reveal  
that PBL significantly improves communicative competence by providing authentic contexts for  
language use, fostering peer collaboration, and developing learner autonomy. Fourteen studies  
documented improvements in oral skills, including fluency, pronunciation, and coherence. Additionally,  
PBL strengthened motivation, reduced language anxiety, and integrated 21st-century skills such as  
creativity and digital literacy. I identified challenges in implementation, including lack of teacher  
training, curricular limitations, and time constraints. I conclude that PBL constitutes a superior  
pedagogical alternative to traditional methods for developing communicative competencies in English  
as a Foreign Language contexts, although it requires institutional support for effective implementation.  
Keywords: project-based learning, communicative skills, English as a foreign language, oral  
competence, active methodology  
Resumen  
En este estudio se examinó el efecto del aprendizaje basado en proyectos (ABP) en el desarrollo de  
las habilidades comunicativas en inglés. Identifiqué que los métodos tradicionales de enseñanza  
generan una brecha entre el conocimiento gramatical y la competencia comunicativa auténtica,  
limitando la fluidez oral, la confianza y la comprensión de los estudiantes. Empleé una metodología  
de revisión bibliográfica sistemática que analizó quince artículos revisados por pares publicados en  
los últimos diez años. Organicé la información utilizando categorías uniformes: autor y año, título,  
LATAM Revista Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades, Asunción, Paraguay.  
ISSN en línea: 2789-3855, marzo, 2026, Volumen VII, Número 2 p 813.  
objetivo, metodología y resultados. Mis hallazgos revelan que el ABP mejora significativamente la  
competencia comunicativa al proporcionar contextos auténticos para el uso del idioma, fomentar la  
colaboración entre pares y desarrollar la autonomía del aprendiz. Catorce estudios documentaron  
mejoras en las habilidades orales, incluyendo fluidez, pronunciación y coherencia. Además, el ABP  
fortaleció la motivación, redujo la ansiedad lingüística e integró habilidades del siglo XXI como la  
creatividad y la alfabetización digital. Identifiqué desafíos en la implementación, incluyendo la falta de  
formación docente, las limitaciones curriculares y las restricciones de tiempo. Concluyó que el ABP  
constituye una alternativa pedagógica superior a los métodos tradicionales para desarrollar  
competencias comunicativas en contextos de inglés como lengua extranjera, aunque requiere apoyo  
institucional para su implementación efectiva.  
Palabras clave: aprendizaje basado en proyectos, habilidades comunicativas, inglés como  
lengua extranjera, competencia oral, metodología activa  
Todo el contenido de LATAM Revista Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades,  
publicado en este sitio está disponibles bajo Licencia Creative Commons.  
Cómo citar: Torres Vanegas, E. M., & Limones Borbor, J. V. (2026). Project-based learning on the  
development of communicative skills in English. LATAM Revista Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales  
LATAM Revista Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades, Asunción, Paraguay.  
ISSN en línea: 2789-3855, marzo, 2026, Volumen VII, Número 2 p 814.  
INTRODUCTION  
English has developed into one of the fundamental requirements for educational, professional, and  
cultural purposes, meaning the language a person can communicate in has direct ramifications on  
relevant opportunities. Many students, however, do not feel they can use English in contextually  
authentic communication; to some extent, the traditional techniques used in classrooms may have  
correlated with not just grammaticality, but also the authentic communicative component (Benlaghrissi  
& Ouahidi, 2024).  
In this case, the students will continue to struggle in oral fluency, confidence, and comprehension,  
including enacting grammatical knowledge in contextually authentic communicative occasions  
Puangpunsi, 2021). The point is that traditional techniques create a dichotomy for communicative  
competence only, with students unable to transpose/transfer the techniques they learned via tradition  
to performance successes.  
Even in an educational context, English education can often be reduced to repetitive drills,  
decontextualized vocabulary, teacher-centered lessons, or inadequate student-centered techniques.  
While teachers may integrate these into practice, these teaching and learning techniques do little to  
engage students because student engagement is inhibited when passive learning does not promote  
independence and motivation. In summary, while learning knowledge, very little is transferred into the  
real world.  
PBL, "Project-Based Learning," is a methodology for teaching and learning that provides a more  
pedagogical alternative to traditional learning modes, engages the learner or student, encourages  
flexibility in real-life tasks, and allows for a more emphasis on making and re-making projects. Projects  
place students in communicatively authentic scenarios where students plan, research, and debate in  
teams and present collaboratively (Wahbeh et al., 2021).  
So, Project-Based Learning moves from the classroom, and traditional interaction dynamic of  
knowledge acquiring via memorization to an initiated task engaging creativity in action, using English  
as a language not only, but as a tool to ensure function and problem solving communicated to another  
voice. In total, Project-Based Learning has not lost sight of the grammatical aspects of Communicative  
Language Teaching, as even in constructivist terms, we are looking towards learning through the  
process of meaning. Even though it is a known instructional strategy, the use of Project-Based Learning  
(PBL) to teach English within the context of an educational institution is a complicated process to  
realize.  
Teachers often have no knowledge about how to create a project or evaluate a project, curricular  
structures are indexed to assessment, and there is not enough time or resources in any educational  
institution for teachers to try out project-based active methodologies to the same extent that traditional  
learning occurs. The above factors result in the longevity of traditional practices, and students may not  
be afforded the best opportunity to develop meaningful communicative competence through learning,  
and learners do not have an opportunity to learn through participatory learning (Alfatihah et al., 2022).  
Students encounter continuing difficulty in articulating their thoughts in a coherent and confident  
manner, despite extensive study over an extended period; therefore, the research problem addressed  
by this study is: What Effect Does Project-Based Learning have on the Development of the  
Communicative Skills of English Language Learners? This central question allows researchers to  
explore how project-based learning (PBL) can support the acquisition of communicative competencies,  
as developed through PBL learning experiences.  
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ISSN en línea: 2789-3855, marzo, 2026, Volumen VII, Número 2 p 815.  
Setting the problem requires an investigation of the connection and influence of the language  
instructional method on communication representatives, with the expectation of identifying if project-  
based strategies lead to change and improved academic communicative performance in areas such  
as oral fluency, pronunciation, and interaction due to traditional instruction (Norawati & Puspitasari,  
2022)  
In today's international environment, more English is used in educational settings as well as for  
business communications. Schools have been forced to reevaluate how they teach English and  
consider new approaches that meet their students' communication needs, cultivate effective language  
acquisition by having students engage with others in a meaningful way, and ultimately help students  
become better communicators through Project-Based Learning (PBL) (Wahbeh et al., 2021).  
This research is justified because of a greater need throughout the world for persons to communicate  
using English, from an educational standpoint so that PBL methodology will increase the potential for  
learners to acquire English language competence. From a pedagogical perspective, PBL contributes to  
teachers improving their practice by trying to enact pedagogies and methodologies that value their  
students' learning, as they engage involvements that can help foster motivation for inspiring projects.  
Objectives  
General objective  
To explore the relationship Project-Based Learning (PBL) has on the development of  
communicative abilities in English language learners, and specifically how implementing  
project-based activities improves students’ fluency, interaction, and overall communicative  
competence when producing authentic-language contexts.  
Specific objectives  
To investigate the types of communicative difficulties that learners of English experience when  
attempting to express ideas orally and in writing within regular learning environments.  
Analyzing how documented implementations of PBL pedagogies in authentic communicative  
contexts create the conditions that foster interactions, collaboration, and engagement among  
students.  
Examining the results on the effectiveness of PBL on learners' communicative performance  
based on evidence gathered from previous research, including information regarding fluency,  
accuracy, and confidence gathered from in-class assessments and observations.  
METHODOLOGY  
Explanation of the type of research  
This research study uses a bibliographic system as its methodological design to analyze how Project-  
Based Learning supports the development of communicative skills among learners of English as a  
Foreign Language. As such, the methodology will not involve manipulating variables but will look at  
previous evidence for understanding how Project-Based Learning has been used in various pedagogical  
settings. Organizing all the findings from previous studies will give the researcher a better  
understanding of the pedagogical benefits of Project-Based Learning as evidenced in real learning  
environments by various researchers.  
Rather than conducting field or observational studies on the topic of Project-Based Learning, this  
research study will draw upon fifteen peer-reviewed journal articles that report on Project-Based  
Learning as a way to enhance communicative competence, apply methodology, and align with the  
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ISSN en línea: 2789-3855, marzo, 2026, Volumen VII, Número 2 p 816.  
overall goals of the study. From these fifteen articles, patterns of practice, strengths, and weaknesses  
were evaluated. In addition, the analysis of the fifteen articles demonstrates how Project-Based  
Learning approaches to language instruction have supported learners in terms of increasing fluency,  
improving interaction, enhancing accuracy, and building self-confidence when using the English  
language in many settings.  
A qualitative documentary perspective serves as the theoretical framework for the analysis in this  
research, emphasizing comparing and interpreting previous research rather than using statistical  
measures. As a result, this qualitative documentary perspective aligns with the objective of  
understanding how Project-Based Learning has been conceptualized and operationalized by various  
researchers.  
The multiple studies examined in this research provide an integration of how pedagogical strategies  
are employed through Project-Based Learning result in improvement with respect to language skills and  
communicative outcomes. Furthermore, evaluating these studies using a qualitative documentary  
perspective allows for an enriched interpretive experience because it presents multiple perspectives  
and voices from the academic discipline, providing for a broader understanding of the educational  
impact of Project-Based Learning.  
To identify the fifteen studies analyzed in this research study, academic databases were searched using  
a variety of key terms related to Project-Based Learning, communicative competence, EFL learners, and  
English Language Teaching. The evaluative framework used in the selection of articles for inclusion  
was based on empirical evidence from research regarding the communicative outcomes presented in  
the literature as a result of pedagogical intervention, Project-Based Learning.  
Articles that presented theory without data to support the proposed theories or were published more  
than 10 years prior to the date of this literature review were excluded from the inclusion list of articles.  
Additionally excluded were articles that focus on research conducted in contexts unrelated to English  
language learning environments. The inclusion/exclusion criteria used in conjunction with the selection  
method allowed for the selection of articles that would yield a greater amount of information on learner  
achievement as it relates to communicative outcomes achieved within authentic and collaborative  
communication settings.  
Following the selection process, a systematic review of each article has been conducted, using  
common headings under which each article has categorized: Author and Year, Title, Objective,  
Methodology, and Results. By using common headings to structure the systematic review process, the  
researcher was able to pull comparable data through a systematic organization of the articles, allowing  
the researcher to identify emerging trends in pedagogy, as well as improvements in communication  
within the articles reviewed.  
Furthermore, the systematic organization allowed the researcher to analyze the extent to which Project-  
Based Learning promotes or develops a learner's interaction, autonomy, collaboration, and authentic  
use of language in English Language Learning environments, providing a common framework through  
which comparisons could be made across all articles reviewed. The diversity of methodological  
approaches provides an avenue for an enhanced systematic understanding of Project-Based Learning’s  
(PBL) effects on English learners, as multiple dimensions of communicative growth are represented in  
the systematic review of literature.  
The systematic review of the literature examined the connection between PBL and communicative  
improvement as measured through quantitative data. Studies reviewed demonstrate that learners  
involved in PBL show an increase in fluency, clarity of pronunciation, and the ability to share ideas  
effectively through their involvement in planning, negotiating, collaborating with others, and presenting  
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their projects. Each study reviewed provides a different perspective on how learners will create  
communicative competence from grammatical competence through authentic, student-centered  
activities based on PBL principles.  
Evidenced in the articles through cross-analysis, project-based learning provides students the  
opportunity to experience “meaningful learning” by creating a “safe” context and providing “authentic”  
means by which they can practice and improve their ability in the use of the English language in a social  
context for the purpose of communication. Whereas students typically learn to use the language  
through memorization and/or isolation from each other, project-based learning allows them to use real-  
world and authentic methods of learning that involve collaboration and communication with one  
another.  
Through these authentic experiences, students actively use language, resulting in stronger  
communicative skills. All studies reviewed indicate that PBL allows students to learn to work  
independently, engage more deeply in their learning, and have increased opportunities for the use of  
the English language in a real-world context.  
The systematic review of literature has identified instructional challenges that researchers have  
described. Many of the studies completed indicate that teachers have difficulty in creating and/or  
assessing PBL due to a lack of training or resources, a limited curriculum, and an insufficient amount  
of classroom time to devote to the design and assessment of projects.  
These challenges create structural barriers that make it difficult to support the implementation of PBL.  
Nonetheless, through all the constraints of PBL, the literature supports that teachers who implement  
PBL will improve their educational practices, promote more stimulating environments within their  
classrooms, and assist their students to produce much stronger outcomes in terms of their  
communication abilities than students would achieve through traditional methodologies. The articles  
reviewed by this author also demonstrate the importance of working together, through collaboration, to  
advance communicative skills.  
The nature of these collaborative experiences can be view as a microcosm of how people communicate  
during 'real' life experiences and help to build students' trust in their ability to express themselves in  
English. Furthermore, as research reveals, students achieve improved communicative proficiency when  
they are engaging in exchange of opinions, problem solving, and collaborative production of a product,  
such as presentation or project creation, therefore, collaboration plays a significant role in the  
communicative advancement of PBL participants.  
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ISSN en línea: 2789-3855, marzo, 2026, Volumen VII, Número 2 p 818.  
RESULTS  
Table 1  
Bibliographic Systematization  
Author and Year  
Title  
Objective  
Methodology  
Results  
Afikah, A.; Rohaeti,  
E.; Jumadi, J. (2022) Improving High-Order  
Innovative Learning in  
Innovative Learning in Improving  
High-Order Thinking Skills and  
Communication Skills: A  
Systematic Review  
The classification of this study was  
library research; therefore, it will utilize 15  
different sources retrieved from various  
formats (books, conference proceedings,  
and peer-reviewed journal articles) to be  
analyzed in terms of content. As stated  
above, the researchers utilized Miles &  
Huberman's research methodology (data  
reduction, data display, and conclusion  
drawing) to support the findings of the  
study.  
The researchers found that problem-  
based learning and inquiry-based  
instruction were effective in helping  
students develop high-level thinking  
skills. Additionally, the data also  
demonstrated that problem-based  
learning was instrumental in developing  
students' communication skills. The data  
also showed a correlation between high-  
level thinking and communication skills  
in terms of an inverse relationship,  
thereby demonstrating that students'  
high-level thinking and communication  
skills are mutually supportive and require  
the use of innovative learning  
Thinking Skills and  
Communication Skills:  
A Systematic Review  
approaches.  
Alfatihah, A.;  
Teaching Speaking  
Skills through Project-  
Based Learning for the  
Eighth Graders of  
The objective of the study is to  
see whether project-based  
learning improves students’  
speaking skills and their  
perceptions towards the  
implementation of PBL.  
This research employed a quasi-  
experimental design of a non-equivalent  
control with two eighth-grade classes.  
Results indicate that there are significant  
differences in speaking scores on the  
post-test, with the intervention group  
Ismayanti, D.; Syam,  
A. T.; Santiara, R.  
(2022)  
One class served as an intervention group scoring significantly higher than the  
Junior High School  
receiving Project-Based Learning (PBL),  
and the other as a control group receiving  
instruction through the expository lecture  
method. Data were collected before  
intervention, during the intervention, and  
following the intervention through three  
assessments, as well as through a  
student survey; analysis of data was  
completed using SPSS 28 to determine  
statistical differences between groups.  
control group. In addition, results show  
that students who participated in PBL  
showed improvement in fluency,  
accuracy, and comprehensibility. Survey  
results indicate PBL enhanced student  
motivation, increased self-confidence,  
and increased ability to be actively  
engaged in speaking activities.  
Avsheniuk, N.;  
Lutsenko, O.;  
Fostering Intercultural  
Communicative  
Competence and  
The study aimed to investigate the The above study utilized qualitative case  
Results suggested that project-based  
learning improved students' intercultural  
communicative competence, improved  
effectiveness of project-based  
study methods to conduct research  
through classroom observation and  
activities in improving students’  
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Seminikhyna, N.;  
Svyrydiuk, T. (2023)  
Student Autonomy  
through Project-Based  
Learning  
intercultural communicative  
competence and boosting their  
autonomous learning, as well as  
to explore English teachers’  
perceptions of PBL as a strategy  
for enhancing communicative  
competence and autonomy.  
online open-ended questionnaires based  
on seven teachers of English from  
various cultural backgrounds and 59  
students from different backgrounds.  
Participants were selected via criterion  
sampling. Data were analyzed based on  
content analysis employing criteria for  
perception, theme, and pattern of project-  
based learning.  
their level of confidence in  
communicating, and enabled them to  
collaborate with students from other  
cultures. The participants indicated they  
had increased levels of autonomy and  
digital literacy, as well as increased  
levels of motivation. The results  
indicated the participants perceived the  
advantages of decreased anxiety,  
authentic means of communicating, and  
improved opportunity to cooperate with  
each other, as well as challenges that  
included excessive workload for the  
teachers, limited supervision from  
teachers for the students, and anxiety  
regarding group communication.  
Benlaghrissi, H.;  
Ouahidi, L. M.  
(2024)  
The impact of mobile-  
assisted project-based integrating mobile-assisted  
learning on developing  
EFL students’  
speaking skills  
This study aimed to examine how  
The use of true experimental design in  
this study comprised 91 students  
assigned randomly to one experimental  
group and two control groups; the  
experimental group followed a school-  
based mobile-assisted project for one  
semester while the control groups were  
instructed via either project-based  
instruction or traditional teaching. The  
researchers collected data from pre-and  
post-speaking tests and from a five-point  
The overall speaking performance of the  
experimental group was statistically  
significantly higher than both control  
groups and included the following sub-  
skills: fluency, coherence, vocabulary,  
grammar and pronunciation. The overall  
attitude of students toward mobile-  
assisted projects was very positive.  
Students reported increased motivation,  
confidence, creativity and engagement,  
and they reported a strong desire to  
language learning through mobile  
phones and project-based  
learning improves Moroccan  
secondary school students’  
speaking performance and to  
explore students’ attitudes toward  
the implementation.  
Likert attitude questionnaire and analyzed continue using mobile-assisted project-  
the results using independent and paired  
sample t-tests.  
based learning in future language  
learning.  
Samad, I. S.;  
Rahman, A. (2025)  
Augmenting  
communicative  
competence in the EFL communicative competence  
context using a  
problem-based  
learning approach  
The study aimed to propose a  
model for enhancing  
Using a literature review of  
communicative competence and  
problem-based learning, researchers  
The conclusion of this study revealed  
that the application of a Problem-Based  
Learning (PBL) model enhanced the  
communicative competence of learners  
by providing opportunities for discovery,  
working collaboratively with other  
students, and receiving continuous  
formative evaluations in structured  
communication tasks.  
among EFL learners by integrating developed a conceptual model  
discovery learning, collaborative  
work, problem solving,  
presentation, and assessment  
into a problem-based learning  
framework.  
framework outlining the various stages,  
tasks, and assessment elements  
supporting the EFL learners’  
communicative development.  
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Kristianto, I. I.;  
Harendita, M. E.  
(2022)  
The Implementation of The study aimed to describe how  
Utilizing a qualitative descriptive  
According to the findings, the students  
perceived PBL as a positive and  
engaging form of learning and viewed it  
as a form of creativity in their schools.  
The implementation of PBL improved  
students’ reading capabilities by  
encouraging them to research English  
books, journals, and articles related to  
the projects they were completing.  
Similarly, speaking skills improved  
Project-Based  
Learning in an ESP  
Class to Improve  
Reading and Speaking  
Skills  
the implementation of Project-  
Based Learning improved  
students’ reading and speaking  
skills in an English for Specific  
Purposes class at Universitas  
Atma Jaya Yogyakarta.  
methodology, the researchers gathered  
information from 25 students in the  
English for Specific Purposes (ESP)  
program. They collected the data using  
descriptive/closed-ended (Likert-type)  
questionnaires with a mixed format  
(questions providing students with an  
option to write their response in an open  
text box); semi-structured interviews with  
four students; and classroom observation significantly from the discussions and  
assessments to corroborate the analysis.  
presentations that PBL required students  
to engage in. When interviewed,  
participants reported increased  
motivation and engagement in their  
coursework, perceived increased  
relevance of the tasks being completed  
in PBL, and improvements in the quality  
of their communication skills.  
Sirisrimangkorn, L.  
(2021)  
Improving EFL  
Undergraduate  
Learners’ Speaking  
Skills Through Project-  
Based Learning Using  
Presentation  
The research study's goal was to  
look at how using Project-Based  
Learning (PBL) through presenting from students' oral assessments and  
materials affected the speaking  
skills of the EFL undergraduate  
students as well as how the  
students felt about the process of  
doing their presentations.  
Researchers conducted a Mixed Methods  
Research (MMR) study by collecting data  
Results of the study provided evidence  
that student speaking skill levels  
increased significantly after  
presentations, PBL presentations, student implementing PBL projects. Moreover,  
self-report questionnaires, and follow-up  
interviews. They compared student oral  
proficiency pre-PBL and post-PBL in order  
to assess the students' growth and  
perception of their own progress.  
responses from students indicated high  
levels of satisfaction regarding their  
experiences with PBL; many students  
noted improvements in regards to  
fluency, vocabulary development,  
pronunciation, and self-confidence when  
giving oral presentations.  
Ma’rufah, A.;  
Samanhudi, U.;  
Ardiasih, L. S.  
(2024)  
Project-Based  
Learning Using  
Podcast-Assisted  
Media in the Teaching  
of English Speaking  
Skill  
The study aimed to determine the  
implementation of project-based  
learning using podcast-assisted  
media in teaching English-  
speaking skills and to explore  
students’ perspectives on its use  
in a secondary school in  
Using a purposive sampling method, the  
researchers conducted an open-ended  
qualitative case study featuring 10  
eleventh-grade students in science,  
dividing them into 5 groups. Data has  
collected using a variety of sources,  
including classroom observations and  
audio/video recordings of podcasts  
produced by students, as well as through  
semi-structured interview formats. The  
aforementioned data collection methods  
Results from this research study showed  
that multimedia project-based learning  
(PBL) enhanced by using podcasts  
resulted in a high level of interest from  
students involved with this type of  
pedagogical approach, resulting in  
successful implementation of this  
methodology with minimal difficulty.  
Students reported increased speaking  
skills related to their vocabulary,  
Mojokerto, East Java.  
pronunciation, grammar, and self-  
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served as the basis for conducting the  
analysis of data collected through the  
Miles and Huberman analysis process  
(i.e., data reduction, data display, and  
conclusion).  
confidence. Additionally, they expressed  
improved skills related to other forms of  
language acquisition such as listening,  
reading, and writing.  
Mahmud, M.; Sunra,  
L.; Dollah, S. (2024)  
Authentic Projects in  
Teaching Listening: An project-based learning could be  
Overview of Project-  
Based Learning (PBL)  
in Listening for  
The study aimed to explore how  
Researchers, with the aid of classroom  
observations, student interactions, and  
document analysis, created qualitative  
case studies. Three methods of data  
collection were used: Observation Check  
The results indicate that PBL improves  
the students’ ability to listen, promotes  
the involvement of students with one  
another, and provides opportunities to  
practice listening in real-world settings.  
The study revealed that through PBL,  
students' comprehension, use of  
implemented to foster listening  
skills for real-world professional  
purposes in a university English  
program and to examine students’ Sheet, Syllabus Analysis, and Reflective  
abilities in completing authentic  
Professional Contexts  
Notes, to gather data. Braun and Clark's  
thematic analysis method has been used  
to identify similarities related to  
listening-based projects.  
strategic listening, self-confidence, and  
use of critical thinking improved.  
developing listening through authentic  
project-based activities.  
Authentic projects give learners the  
opportunity to practice listening as  
professionals, while the collaborative  
activities provide opportunities for  
deeper engagement with projects.  
The analysis of descriptive statistics and  
paired-sample t-tests identified that the  
CBL instructional model facilitates the  
development of students' cognitive skills,  
critical thinking skills, and  
Norawati, R.;  
Puspitasari, Y.  
(2022)  
The Learning Skills of  
English as a Foreign  
Language (EFL)  
Student-Teachers in  
Project-Based  
The study aimed to investigate  
which learning skills functioned  
during the implementation of  
case-based learning (CBL) and  
project-based learning (PBL)  
among EFL student-teachers, and  
to determine whether the two  
models produced significant  
differences in perceived learning  
skills.  
A within-subjects design was  
implemented in this study, where  
participants were EFL student teachers  
(n=20) recruited via a non-randomized  
sampling method. A pre-test/post-test  
design have use to collect data from  
participants' two post-test questionnaires  
on five learning skills (cognitive skills,  
critical thinking skills, engagement of the  
student teachers themselves,  
Learning and Case-  
Based Learning  
communication skills, whereas the PBL  
instructional model facilitates students'  
engagement, cognitive development, and  
communication skills. While both  
instructional models had similar  
communication skills, and teamwork  
skills) before, during, and after being  
exposed to CBL and PBL classes.  
The researcher employed a quantitative  
research method. The data have been  
acquired through a survey questionnaire  
that targeted undergraduate EFL learners  
to learn about their perspectives  
outcomes, the statistical analyses of  
these differences indicated no  
significant differences between the two.  
Results showed that the learners had an  
extremely positive perception of PBL;  
they said that PBL helped them develop  
their English abilities (specifically, in  
communication, collaboration, and  
creativity) and helped them to develop  
21st century skills. Participants indicated  
that they felt more engaged, responsible,  
and confident after completing project-  
Puangpunsi, N.  
(2021)  
Learners’ Perception  
towards Project-Based learners’ perceptions toward  
Learning in  
Encouraging English  
Skills Performance  
and 21st Century Skills  
The study aimed to investigate  
Project-Based Learning in relation  
to English skills performance and  
21st-century skill development.  
regarding PBL and the effects of PBL on  
how to develop language abilities, as well  
as acquire 21st-century skills. Analysis of  
LATAM Revista Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades, Asunción, Paraguay.  
ISSN en línea: 2789-3855, marzo, 2026, Volumen VII, Número 2 p 822.  
the learners’ responses has been  
performed using descriptive statistics.  
based assignments, thus proving that  
PBL is an effective learner-centric  
teaching method.  
Saptiany, S. G.;  
Prabowo, B. A.  
(2024)  
Speaking Proficiency  
Among English  
Specific Purpose  
Students: A Literature  
Review on  
Assessment and  
Pedagogical  
The study aimed to synthesize  
existing research on assessing  
and enhancing speaking  
proficiency among English for  
Specific Purposes (ESP) students  
through various pedagogical  
approaches and assessment  
methods.  
The researchers performed a systematic  
literature review of 25 journal articles  
found on databases such as Google  
Scholar, ERIC, Scopus, and other ESP-  
related resources. The literature review  
included identifying studies that were of  
interest, reviewing abstracts, analyzing  
full-text articles, and synthesizing the  
results of the studies on learner speaking  
Three themes has revealed in the  
findings of the literature review: (1) the  
current speaking proficiency of ESP  
learners; (2) effective assessment  
methods; (3) pedagogy to develop the  
speaking skills of ESP learners. Most  
studies indicated that ESP learners  
struggled with speaking fluency,  
vocabulary development, pragmatic  
Approaches  
skills, the assessment of learner speaking competence, and self-confidence.  
skills, and pedagogical means of  
developing learner speaking skills in an  
ESP context.  
Studies also reported that ESP learners  
improved their speaking skills through  
performance-based assessments and  
contextualized rubrics. Several studies  
showed that using task-based learning,  
project-based learning, digital  
storytelling, blended learning, and  
communicative language teaching to  
develop the speaking skills of ESP  
learners significantly increased their  
speaking proficiency and decreased their  
anxiety when speaking.  
Sudarso, H.;  
Nurhikmah, A.;  
Deiniatur, M.;  
Megawati, M.; Syam, Education: Enhancing  
A. F. (2024)  
Analyzing the Use of  
Project-Based  
Learning in English  
The study aimed to analyze the  
effectiveness of Project-Based  
Learning in enhancing student  
engagement and communication  
skills in English language  
education.  
The Study Used A Quantitative Pre-Test  
Post-Test Control Group Design with Two  
Groups of High School Students, An  
Experimental Group that Used PBL and a  
Control Group that Used Traditional  
Methods, to Assess The Effects Of  
Project-Based Learning On Student  
Engagement And Communication Skills.  
Data has been collected using  
The Results of the Study Show  
Significant Improvement In All Three  
Indicators Of Student Engagement:  
Motivation, Active Participation, and  
Interest, As Well As Communication Skill  
Improvement In All Four Areas Of  
Speaking, Listening, Reading, and  
Writing. The Post-Test Scores For The  
Experimental Group Showed  
Student Engagement  
and Communication  
Skills  
questionnaires to Measure Student  
Engagement and Tests to measure the  
Students' Communication Skills In Terms  
Of Speaking, listening, reading, and  
Writing.  
Substantially Greater Increases When  
Compared To The Control Group,  
Indicating That Project-Based Learning  
Increases Student Engagement and  
Communicative Competence In the  
English Learning Context.  
LATAM Revista Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades, Asunción, Paraguay.  
ISSN en línea: 2789-3855, marzo, 2026, Volumen VII, Número 2 p 823.  
Ghosheh Wahbeh,  
D.; Najjar, E. A.;  
Sartawi, A. F.;  
Abuzant, M.; Daher,  
W. (2021)  
The Role of Project-  
Based Language  
Learning in Developing  
Students’ Life Skills  
The study aimed to identify the  
role of project-based language  
learning in developing students’  
life skills, specifically personal  
and collaborative skills, self-  
orientation skills, and collective  
responsibility through a case  
study in an Arabic language class.  
Using a qualitative case study approach,  
researchers collected data for two  
months by classroom observation,  
Researchers found that project-based  
learning promoted students'  
communication, collaboration, self-  
teacher notes, semi-structured interviews, confidence and self-regulation. Students  
and student project documents. Data has  
categorized into three life-skill categories  
according to an existing conceptual  
framework by applying thematic analysis  
with deductive reasoning.  
formed interpersonal relationships,  
accepted ownership of their learning,  
recognized their strengths and  
weaknesses, and exhibited collective  
responsibility for tasks related to  
projects. Project-based learning also  
increased student involvement with their  
local community and developed  
sustainable educational habits that  
connect with resolving real-world  
problems.  
Šliogerienė, J.;  
Darginavičienė, I.;  
Suchanova, J.;  
Gulbinskienė, D.;  
Jakučionytė, V.  
(2025)  
Problem-Based  
Learning in Developing  
Students’  
Communicative Skills  
and Creativity in  
Teaching English for  
Specific Purposes  
The study aimed to evaluate  
university students’ attitudes  
toward problem-based learning in  
English for Specific Purposes  
(ESP) classes and to compare the  
perspectives of creativity-studies  
students and technical-studies  
students regarding PBL’s  
The study employed an integrated  
approach using both quantitative data  
from completed online surveys of 212  
university students enrolled in the first  
and second years of study about their  
attitude to using Project-Based Learning  
(PBL) in their studies and then  
qualitatively analyzing their answers to  
open-ended questions. The data has  
analyzed through descriptive statistics  
and by thematically analyzing the  
differences between Creative and  
Technical students.  
The results indicated that the majority of  
students believed that using PBL would  
help them improve their English  
proficiency, understand both theoretical  
and practical components of the courses  
taken, increase their ability to  
communicate with each other and  
collaborate, and provide them with  
increased confidence when confronted  
with actual situations. Creative students  
had a more enthusiastic attitude towards  
PBL than the Technical students who  
were more skeptical and nervous about  
it. Qualitatively, students reported that  
the use of PBL improved their language  
skills and self-esteem, improved their  
ability to work in teams, and developed  
their critical thinking skills.  
usefulness for developing  
communicative and professional  
skills.  
Source: own elaboration.  
LATAM Revista Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades, Asunción, Paraguay.  
ISSN en línea: 2789-3855, marzo, 2026, Volumen VII, Número 2 p 824.  
CONCLUSION  
A relationship exists between Project-Based Learning and the improvement of communicative  
competence in English language learners. All fifteen studies examined indicate that PBL creates  
opportunities for real-world language use and fosters higher levels of fluency, accuracy, and  
confidence. Learners who engage in meaningful collaborative tasks appear to internalize grammatical  
structures better than their counterparts in traditional environments do; therefore, compared to  
traditional instruction, PBL provides an opportunity to develop the communicative proficiencies of  
learners.  
Fourteen studies have provided evidence that PBL has a positive impact on learners' speaking  
proficiency. These studies found that learners who presented, negotiated, and created projects had  
higher levels of fluency and clearer pronunciation than those who did not use PBL approaches. Many  
studies showed that PBL offers repeated practice in authentic contexts, which increases vocabulary  
range and coherence. These studies support the constructivist view that communicative competence  
will only develop if learners engage in activities that enable them to interact meaningfully with one  
another while using language authentically.  
Furthermore, the studies showed that PBL creates a positive affective environment. Respondents in  
every study noted that project completion created increased motivation, higher levels of confidence,  
and greater engagement. These positive affective states are essential for facilitating learner success  
as they will take more risks and be more inclined to participate if they feel supported and valued. The  
findings suggest that when learners view English as an object to accomplish rather than as an abstract  
concept, they will communicate more readily.  
The systematic review identifies the collaborative nature of PBL as an important component of the  
structure of PBL. Students were able to collaborate in groups so that they could work together to solve  
problems through negotiating definitions and ideas among themselves and to share responsibility for  
the work being produced. Working collaboratively in this manner contributes to both the development  
of social skills and language skills at the same time, as the types of interaction experienced during  
project-based activities replicate those that students experience in everyday life.  
Another important component highlighted in many of the studies relates directly to learner autonomy.  
Participants who experienced project-based learning demonstrated an increased sense of autonomy  
and ownership of their projects as learners took on more responsibility for planning and creating project  
outputs. Autonomy provides learners with opportunities for self-regulation within project tasks and  
provides a vehicle for continual development and improvement of communication competencies. As  
students are empowered to make decisions regarding their own learning and to drive their learning  
forward, they are naturally immersed in English language exposure and refinement of their  
communication strategies. Therefore, autonomy also served as a key mechanism for facilitating  
communication development through project-based learning experiences.  
Evidence from multiple studies has demonstrated that project-based learning promotes the  
development of 21st-century skills such as collaboration, creativity, and digital literacy. Consistent with  
the research findings, 21st-century skills enable learners to develop communicative capacity by  
adapting to the variety of challenges presented while communicating. During project activities that  
incorporated technology (for instance, podcast), participants were more motivated and demonstrated  
a better grasp of how to use the language and its associated structures than their peers did. This  
highlights an established connection between the integration of technology into project-based learning  
and the development of communication skills.  
LATAM Revista Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades, Asunción, Paraguay.  
ISSN en línea: 2789-3855, marzo, 2026, Volumen VII, Número 2 p 825.  
Finally, the studies reviewed here support the understanding that the findings within the literature  
reviewed support the need for learners to develop competence across multiple dimensions through  
various forms of project-based learning (PBL). Through projects, learners had the opportunity to  
process information, make meaning, and generate responses that were coherent and useful. This  
process supports the total development of a learner's ability to communicate.  
Though the benefits of PBL are well documented, researchers found that PBL implementation is limited  
by challenges experienced by teachers in the delivery of PBL instruction. Researchers found that many  
teachers do not have sufficient training to develop and evaluate PBL effectively. The amount of time  
available for PBL, the size of the class, and the limited amount of time allocated to teaching all limit a  
teacher’s ability to implement PBL. These structural limitations limit the possibility of teachers  
consistently implementing project-based instructional methods. However, the studies do indicate that  
when teachers overcome these challenges, significant communicative gains occur through the use of  
PBL. Therefore, an important element in maintaining high-quality PBL is institutional support to train  
teachers to use PBL.  
Another important finding in the studies reviewed was the perception of teachers. Research indicates  
that students who were educated with a traditional classroom format did not progress as quickly or  
perform as well in tasks where they had to use oral interaction with their fellow classmates. Specifically,  
the findings point to the requirement that in order to attain proficiency in communicating with others in  
the English language, learners must be engaged in their own learning process, working collaboratively  
and interacting with others within the context of "real-world" issues, rather than only being focused on  
drill practice and memorizing isolated vocabulary.  
Social aspects of learners' ability to communicate effectively have also been shown by researchers.  
Research indicates that students who have cooperatively developed relationships with other students  
are more likely to create strong connections, build social confidence, and therefore be able to effectively  
communicate with one another. In addition to supporting student participation, PBL approaches also  
assisted learners in their efforts to reduce their levels of anxiety, thereby allowing students to be more  
open with respect to expressing their thoughts and opinions and providing opportunities for students  
to work together toward common goals.  
The studies that have been conducted to investigate how PBL assists learners in their development of  
intercultural competence have stated that PBL represents one of the largest opportunities for learners  
to become cognizant of, be sensitive to, and adapt themselves to peers from diverse cultural  
backgrounds. Through the intercultural exchanges that took place during the project cycle, as well as  
the global communication of products created during the course of each individual project, learners  
have increased their opportunities to communicate across cultures. The findings of these studies  
support the use of PBL as a strategy for developing Communicative Skill Linguistically, socially, and  
culturally.  
Creativity was also one of the more significant findings related to the PBL and Creativity connection.  
The research indicated that the PBL approach creates opportunities for learners to express their  
creativity and for them to engage at higher levels. Hence, with the PBL approach, learners articulate  
ideas and justify their decisions, as well as work in collaboration with one another toward mutual goal  
achievement, resulting in strengthened competencies in effective communication.  
Technology-enhanced PBL has consistently supported and demonstrated improvements in high levels  
of student engagement and communicative performance. Various types of Technology have supported  
the PBL process, such as Podcasts, Mobile Applications, and Video Clips. These types of Technology  
provide benefits to students by allowing for Rehearsal and Revision before students deliver their Final  
Communication. They also provide the potential to support students in becoming Coherent and  
LATAM Revista Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades, Asunción, Paraguay.  
ISSN en línea: 2789-3855, marzo, 2026, Volumen VII, Número 2 p 826.  
Confident in their Communication Skills. The addition of Technology to support PBL represents a Valid  
means to support the Teaching of Language in Contemporary Contexts.  
Finally, the above studied literature addressed the impact of PBL on students' sense of self-identity and  
continued growth in the area of communication. Overall, the studies reviewed illustrate that students  
who participated in several PBL Project Cycles experienced greater self-awareness, responsibility, and  
confidence as they learned to communicate in English. These experiences provide an excellent  
foundation that fosters the development of Positive Language Learning Identity and Sustainment of  
Communication Proficiency over time. Finally, based on the review of the research reviewed, the use of  
PBL not only offers Immediate Enhancement of Learners' Language Competencies but also creates the  
Foundation Necessary for Developing Personal and Professional Success in the Long Term.  
LATAM Revista Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades, Asunción, Paraguay.  
ISSN en línea: 2789-3855, marzo, 2026, Volumen VII, Número 2 p 827.  
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LATAM Revista Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades, Asunción, Paraguay.  
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