Integrating Contextual Teaching and Learning, Epistemic Beliefs, and Authentic Assessment in EFL Curriculum for Enhancing Speaking Skills: A Systematic Review

Abstract

This study aims to examine the effectiveness of integrating Contextual Teaching and Learning (CTL), epistemic beliefs, and authentic assessment in enhancing speaking skills in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms. A systematic literature review (SLR) methodology was employed to analyze and synthesize relevant research articles. The findings revealed that CTL significantly improves speaking skills by linking learning materials to real-world contexts, thereby increasing student engagement and motivation. Furthermore, students with more developed epistemic beliefs tend to perform better in speaking tasks due to increased self-efficacy and motivation for practice. Authentic assessment was also found to be a valuable tool for evaluating speaking skills in a more realistic manner, though it presents challenges in terms of objective evaluation. The study concludes that combining CTL, epistemic beliefs, and authentic assessment offers a comprehensive approach to improving speaking proficiency in EFL classrooms. It also highlights the importance of teacher readiness and training for the successful implementation of these strategies. Future research should focus on empirical studies to assess the direct impact of these integrated strategies on student speaking outcomes in real classroom settings.