ENHANCING SPEAKING CONFIDENCE AND INTERACTION OF B1-LEVEL ESP STUDENTS THROUGH ESL GAMES: A SOCIALEMOTIONAL PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

The research investigates the potential of ESL games to enhance speaking confidence and foster connection among B1-level ESP students. The idea behind this is that for ESP to help students improve their speaking skills, they need to know more than just the language. They also need to be willing to engage, start conversations, and work with people in relevant situations. A quasi-experimental methodology was adopted, and data were gathered via tests of speaking skills, confidence assessments, and watching interactions. The findings show that students who played collaborative speaking games were far more inclined to talk, started conversations more often, had more encouragement from their peers, and did better overall on their oral skills. They also demonstrated that they were more willing to keep talking and participate more actively during class discussions. The results show
that exercises based on games may help make the speaking environment less scary and more helpful. This is particularly essential for intermediate-level learners who might still be afraid to talk. The paper contends that games need to be seen not only
as sources of enjoyment, but as pedagogically significant contexts in which emotional safety and linguistic competence coalesce. These findings suggest the use of organised ESL games in ESP speaking lessons as a good technique to improve both students' confidence and their ability to communicate in a manner that is engaging.