Abstract
In this quantitative research, the application of art-based learning in improving English speaking abilities among tourism and hospitality students was explored. A one-group pretest-posttest design was used, and the study was conducted on 20 undergraduate students at the International University of Tourism and Hospitality. The students participated in six art-based speaking classes over a period of three weeks, which included activities such as the description of paintings, speaking from the perspective of characters, and writing dialogues between artworks. The data was collected using speaking pretests and posttests, which were evaluated using an IELTS rubric, as well as a questionnaire on students' perceptions in four categories: engagement, perceived improvement, confidence, and relevance to the profession. The findings showed a statistically significant positive change in overall speaking ability from pre-test (M = 5.42) to post-test (M = 7.18) with a large effect size (Cohen's d = 2.18). The students' perceptions of the art-based activities were highly positive (overall mean = 4.54 on a 5-point scale), with the highest mean score for relevance to tourism and hospitality (M = 4.71). There was a moderate positive correlation (r = 0.63, p = 0.003) between the students' perceptions and their actual speaking ability improvement. These results provide clear evidence that art-based learning is an effective means of improving English speaking ability while promoting engagement, motivation, and relevance to the profession. This study provides empirical support for the use of art-based learning in ESP settings, especially in tourism and hospitality education.