ENHANCING ENGLISH COMMUNICATION SKILLS THROUGH TASK-BASED LEARNING: EVIDENCE FROM MARGINALIZED GRADUATE STUDENTS

English communication skills are essential for academic and career advancement, yet students from marginalized communities often struggle due to limited exposure and traditional grammar-focused teaching methods. This study investigates the effectiveness of Task-Based Learning (TBL) in enhancing English communication among 30 graduate students from the Dombo community. Over an eight-week intervention, learners engaged in role plays, group discussions, problem-solving tasks, and presentations. Data were collected through pre- and post-tests, classroom observations, and student feedback. Results showed measurable gains in fluency (35%), pronunciation (25%), confidence (30%), and reduction in stage fear (10%). These findings confirm that TBL fosters practical language use, autonomy, and confidence by shifting the focus from passive learning to active communication. The study concludes that integrating TBL into rural curricula and providing teacher training can significantly improve communicative competence in underserved contexts.