Abstrak
This study aims to examine the effectiveness of the Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) method, using role-play activities with random cards, on the speaking skills of eighth-grade students at SMP Muhammadiyah 2 Tarakan. The research method used was quantitative with a quasi-experimental design. The research sample consisted of 42 students divided into an experimental class (20 students) and a control class (22 students). The research instrument used was a speaking test covering five aspects: pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension. The results showed a significant increase in the experimental class, with a mean score of 23.40 to 52.40, while the control class only increased from 25.45 to 28.73. The Mann-Whitney U test showed a p-value of 0.000 ( 0.05), with the mean rank of the experimental class (31.40) being much higher than that of the control class (12.50). In addition, the effect size test results showed a value of -0.7755, which is categorised as a High Effect or significant influence. It proved that the application of CLT through role play is effective in improving students' speaking skills compared to conventional methods.