THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PERFORMANCE-BASED ASSESSMENT ON HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS’ SPEAKING ABILITY IN AN EXTRACURRICULAR PROGRAM

Abstract

Speaking proficiency remains a critical yet often neglected skill in high school EFL contexts in Indonesia, where conventional assessment practices continue to prioritize written tests over authentic oral performance. While Performance-Based Assessment (PBA) has been proven effective in tertiary education, its implementation in high school English Clubs remains underexplored. This study aimed to examine changes in high school students' speaking ability following PBA, describe students' perceptions of PBA, and explore students' experiences in a six-month program within a compulsory extracurricular English Club at a boarding school. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was employed with 40 high school students. Quantitative data were collected through speaking pretests and posttests using an analytic rubric from Brown (2004) and an eight-item questionnaire on a four-point Likert scale, analyzed descriptively. Five students were subsequently interviewed and data were analyzed using thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke (2006). Results indicate a descriptive increase in speaking scores across all five dimensions. Students reported generally positive perceptions, particularly regarding tutor feedback, demonstrating the viability of PBA as a structured assessment approach in extracurricular settings. However, gains in confidence and independent practice varied across proficiency levels, suggesting that PBA may require additional differentiated support in mixed-proficiency compulsory settings.