ISOL Unlocking speaking potential through the magic box technique: Promoting confidence, fluency, and communicative competence at an Indonesian boarding school

Muhamad Ahsanu (Universitas Jenderal Soedirman)
Rizki Februansyah (Universitas Jenderal Soedirman)
Ashari Ashari (Universitas Jenderal Soedirman)

LEKSIKA
Vol. 20 No. 3 (2026): October 2026

This study examines the implementation of Magic Box (MB) to enhance English-speaking proficiency among students. The primary objective is to find out the effectiveness of Magic Box (MB) strategy in improving the learners’ speaking abilities. The use of MB indirectly leads to the shift in classroom interaction from a predominantly teacher-centered (monologic) approach to a learner-centered (dialogic) learning environment. The MB technique is designed as an interactive pedagogical tool that encourages active participation, increases student engagement, and fosters a more dynamic and communicative classroom atmosphere. The research adopted a pre-experimental design involving a single group of learners with limited English-speaking proficiency. A saturated sampling technique was employed, whereby all members of the population were included as research participants. The study was conducted in three phases: pre-test, treatment, and post-test. During the treatment phase, the MB method was systematically implemented to facilitate speaking activities. Data were collected through multiple instruments, including speaking tests, questionnaires, and classroom observations, and were analyzed using SPSS version 26. The findings indicate a statistically significant improvement in students’ speaking skills following the intervention. Descriptive statistics revealed an increase in mean scores from 53.78 in the pre-test to 68.35 in the post-test. Correlational analysis demonstrated a strong positive relationship between pre-test and post-test scores (r = .69), suggesting consistent improvement across participants. Furthermore, the results of the paired samples t-test confirmed the effectiveness of the MB method, with significance values below the threshold of p < .001. In addition, questionnaire data revealed that 69.2% of students initially perceived their speaking ability as weak; however, an equivalent proportion reported noticeable improvement after the intervention. These findings suggest that the MB technique is effective in enhancing the speaking fluency of the research participants. Overall, the study highlights the potential of MB as a transformative pedagogical strategy in English language teaching, particularly in promoting active learning and improved communicative competence.