ENHANCING COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE THROUGH SPORTS-INTEGRATED ACTIVITY-BASED CURRICULUM: AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY AMONG UNDERGRADUATE LEARNERS IN TAMIL NADU

Abstract

In the contemporary globalized reality, communicative competence turns out to be a determining variable in academic performance and employability in undergraduate learning groups, particularly the English as a Second Language (ESL) ones. However, the use of traditional teaching techniques based on lectures often fails to lead to engagement and real-life communication skills. The present research study focuses on the efficacy of the Sports-Integrated Activity-Based Curriculum (SIABC) in the development of communicative competence among undergraduate students enrolled in a university in Tamil Nadu, India. A quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test research design was used, with 120 students purposively sampled and divided into equal numbers (experimental and control groups). A 12-week SIABC intervention was provided to the experimental group, and traditional instruction to the control group. These were measured using the standard communicative competence rubric, an observation checklist, and a self-assessment questionnaire that evaluated oral fluency, pronunciation, vocabulary use, interaction, and pragmatic competence. The statistical tests were performed using descriptive and inferential paired-samples t-tests and independent-samples t-tests. The results indicated a significant difference in the average scores of the experimental group (48.25 pre-test to 78.40 post-test) compared with the control group (47.80-54.10). The significant difference was shown to be extremely high (t = 18.45, p < 0.001) in the experimental group t -test and better in the independent t -test (t = 16.72, p < 0.001), proving the superiority of the SIABC approach. The findings indicate that sport-based learning enhances levels of interactivity, engagement, and confidence by creating a low-anxiety, interaction-based learning environment. The study establishes that SIABC is an effective pedagogical resource for improving ESL communication and recommends its use in undergraduate programs.

Keywords: Communicative competence, activity-based learning, sports-integrated learning, ESL pedagogy, undergraduate education.