A Study on Project-Based Learning (PjBL) Model and English Conversational Gambits in Classroom Speaking Practices

. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of a contemporary teaching model of Project-Based Learning (PjBL) using English Conversational Gambits as language material, which focuses on improving students' speaking skills. However, this study examine students' attitudes toward implementing learning models in terms of behavioral, cognitive, and emotional aspects. This present study was conducted at a university in Tasikmalaya. This present study used quantitative and qualitative designs following the purpose of the present study. As the results of quantitative data, it was found that the sig. (2-tailed) of t-test value is .001 which is smaller than .05 value. The results showed that the used of PjBL model improves students' proficiency in speaking by optimizing the process of EFL teaching and learning using material of English conversational gambits. In addition, according to the qualitative data analysis, this study shows that most of the students showed a positive attitude toward the implementation of the learning model. This study demonstrated by implementing PjBL model with English Conversational Gambits can be alternative strategy in EFL instructional techniques that can improve students' speaking skills.


INTRODUCTION
For Indonesian students, English is a foreign language and most Indonesian students do not speak English in their daily classroom activities. Since this problematic learning mainly occurs in a classroom setting, foreign language learning beyond class activities is not easily accessible to certain Classroom Speaking Practices. E-Structural (English Studies on Translation, Culture, Literature, and Linguistics). 6 (01), 14─28.
students, especially to explore students' speaking skills for communicative purposes. Due to the condition of English as a foreign language, it is not considered easy for Indonesian students to develop language skills (Kusumawati, 2019).
In a university, especially for college students in a non-English Program, English is taught as one of the Practical Subjects where the ability to and speak English in verbal form is the primary goal that the students need to achieve (Ariani, 2018;Fulcher, 2014). It can be argued that learning English as a foreign language is one of the needs according to the curriculum of the University.
Thus, it can be said that speaking is an important part of learning a foreign language, especially in English language learning, in speaking students need to express their thought and feeling to others orally. Louma (2004) writes that speaking is an interaction, and speaking is a social and situational activity in learning. People use spoken language to convey their ideas to others. In addition, successful language learning is associated with students' ability in speaking and is a high-demand skill for students (Richards, 2008). Given the importance of language skills and effective ways to learn English as a foreign language, it is important to find and apply a teaching method that takes into account the process of English language learning activities to develop students' language skills.
In English-speaking activities, there are many activities that the students need to learn, such as classroom discussion, conversation practice, presentation, etc. One of the effective ways in developing students' ability in speaking is through classroom discussion. The classroom discussion has been of primary interest to language researchers; since it is natural, planned, and commonly uses general language that the students need to learn (Herdian et al., 2021). In addition, in the process of discussing learning activities in English, students will regard the learning rules that can guide students and the materials of learning provided in the classroom as the only source of classroom activities (Mbato, 2013).
In this new era of teaching and learning, there are so many ways for a new model of teaching to fulfill the gap in teaching and learning objectives, i.e as improving the quality of material and the learning activities (Ardiansah, 2021). The use of Project-Based Learning (PjBL) is considered as an appropriate model for helping students to improve their speaking ability (Karyawati & Ashadi, 2018;Kusumawati, 2019;Maulany, 2013). In addition, Project-based Learning is a learning model to engage students and teachers in a classroom so that the students can learn more about language based on a project by the teacher. Thus, students can do their assignments individually, or in a group in achieving the standard of learning goals (Harrigan, 2014).
In an English-speaking classroom, Project-based Learning would help to improve students' proficiency in speaking through practice and improve students' critical thinking when they need to speak (Bell, 2010;Patton, 2012). It is similar to Sumarni (2015) who argues that Project-based Learning can improve students' collaboration, communication, creativity, and problem-solving skills. She also argues that by using project-based learning students can learn from their learning processes. In addition, Project-based Learning (PjBL) is defined as an "instructional approach that contextualizes learning by presenting learners with problems to solve or products to develop" (Moss & Van Duzer, 1998as cited in Kusumawati, 2019. To achieve the primary goal of oral communication, students must be actively involved in English communication activities. This involves learning conversational gambits in English, which serve as an opening statement in a conversation. To start, continue, or end a conversation, gambits are utilized as signals in communication (Herdian et al., 2021). Simillar to Keller (2002) he argues that the . A Study on Project-Based Learning (PjBL) Model and English Conversational Gambits in Classroom Speaking Practices. E-Structural (English Studies on Translation, Culture, Literature, and Linguistics). 6 (01), 14─28.
English gambit is multifaceted in its use, serving as a means to express opinions, link topics to what has been previously said, and respond to the opinions of others. Speakers may introduce their opinion using phrases such as "in my opinion," while responding to opposing viewpoints with statements like "I don't think that" or "to be realistic." Gambits often consist of multiple words to convey their intended meaning.
In classroom discussions, gambits are frequently utilized as a means of signaling conversation structure. These can consist of phrases, words, or sentences that a speaker utilizes to communicate their ideas. The material focuses on brief language to facilitate effective communication. They may be used to initiate a discussion thread, connect multiple ideas, or respond to a prior comment made by someone else (Keller andWarner, 2002 in Ariani, 2018).
To improve students' speaking skills through classroom activity, two methods can be implemented. Firstly, the PjBL Model is effective when it comes to student participation. Secondly, using conversational gambits can help to foster creativity and learning in language. Together, these methods have the potential to greatly enhance proficiency. To sum up, this study aims to find out the effectiveness of implementing the project-based learning (PjBL) model with English conversational gambits as a method of improving students' speaking ability according to some reflections on the following English language facts in EFL classroom activities.
Additionally, several studies have also been conducted related to the implementation of Project-based Learning and the use of conversation gambits in a classroom of English-speaking activities, such as a study by Maulany (2013) who found that there was an improvement in the students' speaking proficiency such as vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, grammar, and pronunciation. All five aspects, vocabulary, and comprehension were improved most significantly for the speaking activities used in PjBL. It is also similar to Kusumawati (2019) who states that PjBL in teaching speaking is found helpful to regulate students' ecreative ideas and stimulates the students' activity to extend their statements using their own words. Widiyati and Pangesti (2022) stated that the use of PjBL Model in teaching and learning to speak helps the students find the joy of teaching activities in the classroom. It created more fun, active, and interactive speaking class atmosphere for young learners. Thus, Soerjowardhana (2015) stated that conversational success can be achieved through the use of conversational gambits (words and phrases that promote fluidity and organization in discussion). Their lack of conventional significance notwithstanding, gambits hold significant sway over conversational dynamics. A combination of PjBL model and English conversational gambits can be another way of teaching technique.
Furthermore, this study attempts to fill a gap in the limited research on project-based learning and English language formation based on using English conversational gambits in teaching and learning a language in an EFL classroom context. This study is aimed to find out the effectiveness of implementing project-based learning through English conversational gambits to improve the speaking competencies of students in non-English language courses in college. In this study, the researcher played the role of both the researcher and the teacher to understand the behavioral, cognitive, and affective aspects of students' attitudes toward the classroom during instructional activities (Menter et al., 2011). This present study seeks to answer these questions, viz. how does the implementation of Project-Based Learning (PjBL) with English Conversational Gambits effectively affect the improvement of students' speaking ability?, and what are students' behavioral, cognitive, and emotional attitudes toward project-based learning with English conversational gambits? . A Study on Project-Based Learning (PjBL) Model and English Conversational Gambits in Classroom Speaking Practices. E-Structural (English Studies on Translation, Culture, Literature, and Linguistics). 6 (01), 14─28.
In the present study, students' ability to speak was examined as the dependent variable, which is the variable that validates the independent variable that the researcher assesses. One independent variable was analyzed in this investigation. In this study, the implementation of English conversational gambits in EFL classrooms and project-based learning are the independent variables under investigation. The goal is to discredit the null hypothesis (H0), which suggests that there is no discernible difference in language proficiency between the control and experimental groups posttreatment.

METHOD
This present study was conducted using a quasi-experimental design. A quasi-experimental design aim to find out any cause-and-effect between an independent and dependent variable (Malik & Hamied, 2016). In this present study, there are two groups: experimental and control that have been researched. Those two groups are measured twice, pre-test and post-test.
This study was conducted at one of the Universities in Tasikmalaya. The participants in this study were selected purposively as it is suggested in true experimental design, and this present study would like to make a comparison between two groups with the same level. There were two groups of university students in 2 nd semester consisting of 46 students in Class A and 42 students in Class B who took English Practical Subject. A quasi-experimental design is a design that allows the researcher to make a comparison between experimental and control groups in the classroom (Malik & Hamied, 2016;Sugiyono, 2018). In a quasi-experimental design, a pre-test was used to detect if there were any similarities between the experimental and control groups before treatment in the process of teaching and learning English, especially in learning to speak. Whereas, a post-test was used to determine whether the process of treatment affected students' ability in speaking or not.
The experimental group applied English conversation gambits by implementing a project-based learning model in the classroom. In another sense, the control group without project-based learning received English conversational gambits in their oral English classes. Instead, it used the teaching technique such as; presentation, exercises, and discussion methods used when learning English as a foreign language. Both the experimental group and the control group were subjected to pre-test and post-test.
In this present study, the data were gained from two types of approaches: first data from quantitative and then followed by qualitative data. The quantitative approach would measure the students in speaking tests (pre-test and post-test), whereas the qualitative approach would measure the students' behavior, attitude, etc through classroom observations, questionnaires, and interviews (Creswell, 2009in Creswell, 2014. The qualitative approach initially has several purposes to understand and explore the phenomenon occurring an in-depth view which is based on how the participant observer perceives the phenomenon. The contribution of students' attitudes toward language acquisition is a crucial factor alongside intellectual ability (Abidin et al., 2012). In this present study, attitude is often interchangeably with several other concepts that stem from the same foundation: perceptions, dispositions, perspectives, ideologies, opinions, beliefs, conceptual systems, personal theories, and implicit theories. This present study explored the terms of students' attitudes toward the use of PjbL Model in learning English speaking. . A Study on Project-Based Learning (PjBL) Model and English Conversational Gambits in Classroom Speaking Practices. E-Structural (English Studies on Translation, Culture, Literature, and Linguistics). 6 (01), 14─28.
Furthermore, in the process of analyzing the data, pre-test, and post-tests were conducted using conversational gambits in the form of class discussions. Following the suggested project-based learning approach (Anggraini & Wulandari, 2021), the aim was to evaluate the students' communicative proficiency in the target language that students had already acquired in the process of pre-test and post-test. Both classes were analyzed and calculated based on experimental and control groups. The speaking assessment scores were determined through an adapted version of the Student Speaking Assessment Matrix (SOLOM) formulated by the San Jose Area Bilingual Rubric (Dunn & Dunn, 2007in Dennis et al., 2019. It refers to Table 1 for a detailed view of the scores. In this present study using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov, normality tests were conducted before the t-test for both pre-test and post-test data, with a homogeneity variance test also being analyzed. Statistical calculations were then completed using the t-test. Thus, establishing the hypothesis and setting the level of significance (p) at 0.05 as follows: 1) Experimental and control group variances have to meet the normal distribution assumption for hypothesis (H0); 2) Using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test to assess normality distribution; . A Study on Project-Based Learning (PjBL) Model and English Conversational Gambits in Classroom Speaking Practices. E-Structural (English Studies on Translation, Culture, Literature, and Linguistics). 6 (01), 14─28.
3) Hypothesis testing involves comparing the Asymp. Sig (probability) to a level of significance (p). If the null hypothesis is accepted with a value greater than 0.05 and the alternative hypothesis is rejected, then it can be assumed that the data has a normal distribution. On the other hand, rejection of the null hypothesis and acceptance of the alternative hypothesis occurs when Asymp. Sig is less than 0.05. This result indicates that the data is not normally distributed.
To determine the homogeneity and normality of the experimental and control group, an analysis of variance was conducted to see if there were any significant variances between the groups. Upon completion of the analysis, an independent t-test was analyzed to determine the variance between the experimental and control groups. In the analysis of pre-test and post-test data, it is necessary to set the level of significance (p) to 0.05 and establish the null hypothesis, as follows: 1) Independent t-test was analyzed using SPSS v.23; 2) Examining the hypothesis involves comparing t-obt with t-crit at p 0.05. If t-obt surpasses (goes above) than t-crit, then the null hypothesis is not valid. This indicates that divergences exist between the control and experimental groups. If the t-obt is less than t-crit, the null hypothesis is accepted, indicating that the experimental and control groups exhibit no disparities.
However, the data from both classes gained from classroom observation, questionnaires, and interviews were measured by Likert Scale technique (Dornyei, 2007;Likert, 1932 as cited in Malik & Hamied, 2016) to reveal in detail the result of the research.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
This section elaborates on the result of the research question regarding the implementation of Project-Based Learning (PjBL) with English Conversational Gambits and students' behavioral, cognitive, and emotional attitudes toward project-based learning with English conversational gambits.
In answering the first research question, a test of normality distribution and a test of homogeneity of variance were calculated as this test would answer whether the data were normally distributed or not, the test was calculated in two criteria, pre-test, and post-test, this present study calculated the analysis using SPSS 23 Version for windows as it can be seen in Table 3. Classroom Speaking Practices. E-Structural (English Studies on Translation, Culture, Literature, and Linguistics). 6 (01), 14─28.

Table 3 Test of Normality Distribution
Based on the analysis of the pre-test and post-test by using Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test above, it was found that the Asymp. Sig (probability) of both ClassA and ClassB pre-tests are .172 and .126 respectively which are higher than the level of significance .05; then, the null hypothesis was accepted and the alternative hypothesis was rejected. On the other hand, the scores of Class A and Class B pretests were normally distributed.
However, the test of homogeneity variance was calculated to find out whether any variance of ClassA and ClassB according to the implementation of Project-based Learning (PjBL) and the use of English conversation gambits in the classroom to find out whether the scores are homogeneous or not, as it can be seen in Table 4 of homogeneity test:  Table 4, it can be seen that the Asymp. Sig (probability) is .570 which is higher than .05 the level of significance; then, the null hypothesis is accepted and the alternative hypothesis is rejected. It means that the homogeneity of variance of the Class A and Class B pre-tests scores were homogeneous.
The normality and the homogeneity of variance test revealed that both Class A and Class B pre-tests scores were normally distributed and homogeneous as well. Thus, the statistical analysis was followed by analysis independent t-test. The analysis of independent t-test was used to find out the differences in mean scores of ClassA and ClassB according to the use of Project-based Learning (PjBL) Model and the use of English conversational gambits in learning English speaking. . A Study on Project-Based Learning (PjBL) Model and English Conversational Gambits in Classroom Speaking Practices. E-Structural (English Studies on Translation, Culture, Literature, and Linguistics). 6 (01), 14─28.

Table 5 Analysis of Independent T-test
Based on the result of the independent t-test in Table 5, it was found that the sig. (2-tailed) value is .938. Since the significant value is higher than the level of significance .05, the null hypothesis was accepted and the alternative hypothesis was rejected. It means that there was no difference in speaking proficiency between Class A and Class B. In other words, both Class A and Class B were from the same speaking proficiency level. As both two classes have the same speaking proficiency level, they were accepted to get the treatment.
Post-tests were given to both experimental and control groups after each class have six meetings of speaking treatment. In one class, the experimental group was treated by the implementation of the Project-Based Learning method with English Conversation Gambits. Besides that, a control group was treated without the implementation of the Project-Based Learning method with the material of English Conversation Gambits. Thus, it was treated by Classroom Discussion, and Presentation Practice as it used to learn English as a foreign language.
The analysis of post-test scores used the same procedure of calculation as the analysis of pre-tests scores did. The analysis was done to find out whether there is a significant difference in speaking ability between experimental and control groups after treatment. Table 6 displays the result of the test of normality of the post-tests scores. Table 6 shows that the distribution of both experimental and control groups' post-test scores are normal as both Asymp. Sig (probability) of the experimental and control groups are .059 and .151 respectively which is higher than the level of significance .05. As the scores were normally distributed the homogeneity of variance test was the second step of calculation before the independent t-test was analyzed. Meanwhile, Table 7 displays the result of the test of homogeneity of variance of experimental and control groups' post-test scores. . A Study on Project-Based Learning (PjBL) Model and English Conversational Gambits in Classroom Speaking Practices. E-Structural (English Studies on Translation, Culture, Literature, and Linguistics). 6 (01), 14─28.  Based on the test of homogeneity of variance of experimental and control groups post-test scores by SPSS 23 version for Windows, it was found that Asym. Sig (probability) of both experimental and control groups' post-test scores were homogenous as the Asymp. Sig (probability) .053 was found higher than the level of significance .05. Table 8 shows the result of the independent t-test of experimental and control groups' post-test scores.
The null hypothesis was rejected due to the sig. (2-tailed) value in the independent t-test calculation is .001 and it is smaller than .05 for the post-test scores of the control and experimental groups. This indicates a distinct difference in speaking proficiency between the two groups. To be clear, the post-test scores for the experimental and control groups were compared and a difference was identified.
This section focuses on the statistical calculation of whether there was a significant difference in students' speaking proficiency after the treatment result between the pre-test and the post-test scores of the experimental group after the implementation of Project-Based Learning with English Conversation Gambits.
Based on the result in Table 9, it was found that the mean of the experimental group before the treatment of Project-Based Learning with the material of English Conversation Gambits is 39.02 with a standard deviation of 13.92917 and a standard error mean is 2.05374. After conducting the treatment, it was stated that the mean score of the experimental group became 56.85 with a standard deviation of 15.46892 and a standard error mean of 2.28077. It means that the mean of the post-test improved. In other words, there was a difference in the students' speaking proficiency after the students learned with Project-Based learning with English Conversation Gambits. . A Study on Project-Based Learning (PjBL) Model and English Conversational Gambits in Classroom Speaking Practices. E-Structural (English Studies on Translation, Culture, Literature, and Linguistics). 6 (01), 14─28. To conclude, the implementation of Project-Based Learning with material English Conversation Gambits could improve the students' speaking proficiency in the experimental group. The evidence supported the claim as it was shown by the improvement of the mean score after the Implementation of Project-Based Learning with material English Conversation Gambits; the significant (2-tailed) value is lower than .05; and the t observed is also lower than .05.

Table 8 Independent T-test of Experimental and Control Groups
However, this study also found that the implementation of Project-Based Learning with material English Conversation Gambits in their EFL-speaking classroom during the study, students' behavioral, cognitive, and emotional attitudes were improved. Students' attitudes toward learning the target language are assumed to be one of the important aspects in addition to intellectual aspects that contribute to language learning (Abidin et al., 2012).
In this present study, the attitude of students is assumed as the students' perception, beliefs, or experiences in learning English as a foreign language by implementing of Project-Based Learning with material English Conversation Gambits. It was expressed in two ways: firstly, the positive . A Study on Project-Based Learning (PjBL) Model and English Conversational Gambits in Classroom Speaking Practices. E-Structural (English Studies on Translation, Culture, Literature, and Linguistics). 6 (01), 14─28.
attitude i.e., when the students were interested, believed, and experienced the advantages of the method implementation during the study; and secondly, the negative attitude i.e., when the students did not interest, did not believe and did not experience the advantages of the method implementation during the study.
The findings were gained from the classroom observations, questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews given to the experimental group by implementing PjBL Model since the control group was observed without implementing Project-Based Learning (PjBL) Model with material English Conversation Gambits.
The study delved into four items that represented students' behavioral attitudes toward implementing the method. These included: (1) the extent of student engagement in classroom learning and teaching activities; (2) the motivation level of students for active learning in the classroom; (3) the independence of students in learning; and (4) the ability of students to speak English with selfconfidence. These four aspects of attitudes were deemed crucial in facilitating effective foreign language learning, with a particular focus on achieving proficiency in speaking, as evidenced in the data presented in Table 10.  Furthermore, to answer the second research question, the use of the PjBL Model for learning English can be evaluated through various aspects of students' attitudes, including behavior, cognition, and emotion. Among the investigated aspects were four items that pertain to students' behavior: classroom participation, motivation, independence, and confidence in English speaking.
Based on the result of the analysis, it was found that 46 students believed that the use of PjBL model in learning English can promote their motivation, involvement, knowledge, and understanding of learning through the use of English conversational gambits in teaching activities. The data was calculated by using likert scale (see Table 10). Whereas, the student's confidence also improved since the use of PjBL model in teaching and learning activities.
According to Table 10 and Table 11, it can be concluded that Project-based Learning can be used as a model of teaching to improve students' attitudes in the learning process. However, it also improves students' involvement and students' confidence in learning to speak, as that learning English is different from learning other languages (Bell, 2010;Harrigan, 2014).
In its implementation in the classroom, a successful Project-Based Learning with English Conversation Gambits has affected students' emotional factors. This is in line with Kultsum et al., (2022), who argue that Project-based Learning is one of the best ways to encourage students' activities and emotional factors in learning English and to improve students' competencies in learning.

CONCLUSION
Related to the initial research question, this present study found that utilizing English Conversation Gambits in conjunction with Project-Based Learning heightens the speaking proficiency of students, enabling them to fluently converse using a foreign language. The implementation of this approach is streamlining and creating students to use the language more naturally. This leads to a recommendation that the implementation of Project-Based Learning with material English Conversation Gambits can be used as a method of teaching and learning English as a foreign language, as it effectively fosters the communicative capabilities of students by enhancing their speaking abilities. Additionally, this method aligns perfectly with Indonesia's newest curriculum, namely the Merdeka curriculum.
However, according to the second research question, the students' attitudes were assessed in three areas of aspect, namely (1) behavioral; (2) cognitive; (3) affective, as part of the second research inquiry, defined with involvement aspect and students' confidence aspect in teaching and learning process. The implementation of the method resulted in positive outcomes, according to classroom observations, questionnaires, and interviews which can be seen as follows: First, the implementation of the method can improve several behavioral aspects, including (1) students' participation in classroom engagement; (2) students' motivation to actively attend class; (3) students' self-directed learning; (4) students' confidence in speaking the target language. Overall, findings on the behavioral aspects of student attitudes indicated that students were positive about implementing the PjBL methods.
Second, the implementation of this method can yield improvements in various cognitive aspects of student attitude, including oral ability, language proficiency, vocabulary usage, pronunciation, and interactive communication. Each of these facets can be enhanced via this method's utilization, thereby providing students the opportunity to maximize their potential.
Third, in relation to the emotional aspect of students' attitudes, it was discovered that using English Conversation Gambits in Project-Based Learning had a favorable effect. The students found the learning and teaching to be enjoyable, which was exhibited through their active participation and eagerness to learn. This encouraging attitude was evident throughout the duration of the study. The implementation of the method provided the students with an experience of using the target language in a genuine context as they completed a task, which made their learning experience more unique. Nonetheless, there was a possibility that the method could create a disparity between those with low and high proficiency levels.
Fourth, it was observed that the English conversation gambits with Project-Based Learning had a positive impact on the attitude aspect of the students. Students were actively engaged and willing to participate in the teaching and learning process, which indicates that the students enjoyed in process of teaching and learning English speaking. This means that the implementation of the method offered the students a real situation of the target language, and also creates a new learning experience for the students. However, it also had the potential to create a divide between students with varying levels of proficiency.
When integrating English Conversation Gambits with Project-Based Learning, several aspects should be taken into account, such as 1) The size of the class and its diverse range of proficiency levels would result in a lengthy implementation process of Project-Based Learning. Thus, teachers are encouraged to meticulously plan the lesson to guarantee that the learning process is based on Project-Based Learning. 2) It is advisable to conduct Project-Based Learning outside the classroom to optimize the learning process due to the boisterous nature of the class which could disturb others in the adjacent classroom.
Given the limitations of this study, future researchers are advised to conduct further research on the difficulties students experience in implementing project-based learning to see the wider impact of project-based learning in an English classroom. It is also suggested that future researchers would also conduct a similar study on the implementation of project-based learning using other skills of language learning such as listening, reading, or writing.