ENHANCING ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS IN SENIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF INNOVATIVE CURRICULA AND TEACHING METHODS

Abstract

This study investigated the comparative impact of innovative and traditional approaches to English Language Teaching (ELT) on senior secondary students’ comprehension, vocabulary, and writing skills. Employing a quantitative, quasi-experimental design, the research involved 800 students (Grades 11–12) drawn from public and private schools. The experimental group received instruction through an innovative curriculum emphasizing Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), peer collaboration, project-based tasks, and technology integration, while the control group followed traditional lecture- and grammar-based instruction. Data were collected using CEFR-aligned pre- and post-tests, essay assessments, and a student engagement survey adapted from Fredricks et al. (2004). Statistical analyses—including paired-samples t-tests, independent-samples t-tests, ANOVA, and effect size measures—revealed that students exposed to innovative curricula and interactive pedagogies demonstrated significantly higher gains than those taught through traditional methods, though effect sizes were modest. These findings underscore the need for curriculum reform, interactive pedagogy, and policy-level support to align English education with the demands of globalization.