<![CDATA[The aims of this research are twofold: (1) to investigate how the reading aloud technique is applied in enhancing the speaking skills of eighth-grade students at MTsN Kota Palopo, and (2) to assess its effectiveness in improving those skills. The study utilized a pre-experimental method, specifically employing a one-group pre-test and post-test design, to evaluate the impact of the treatment. The research population included 288 eighth-grade students, from which a single class—Class C with 32 students—was purposively selected due to their relatively better speaking ability compared to other classes. The results indicated that the use of reading aloud as a teaching strategy had a positive effect on students’ speaking development. This approach incorporated structured oral practice through reading aloud and interactive question-and-answer sessions, targeting the enhancement of accuracy, fluency, and clarity in speech. The mean score from the pre-test was 24.43, categorized as "Very Poor," which significantly improved to 44.71 in the post-test, demonstrating notable progress. A paired sample t-test yielded a t-value of 24.328, surpassing the critical value of 2.093, with a p-value of 0.000, confirming the statistical significance of the treatment. Moreover, a high positive correlation of 0.919 between pre- and post-test scores further underscored the consistent effect of the intervention across students with varying initial proficiency levels. Although a majority of students remained within the "Poor" category, the overall findings highlight reading aloud as a promising strategy for fostering speaking skills in the context of English as a Foreign Language (EFL).]]>
