Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Journal of English Teaching and Learning Issues (JETLI). This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, which permits copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format, remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose. Journal of English Teaching and Learning Issues, 5 (2) page 135–146, 2022 ISSN: 2615-3920 EISSN: 2685-4473 DOI: 10.21043/jetli.v5i2.17087 Implementation of Problem-Based Learning Model in Improving Speaking Skills for Part-Time Students at A Higher Education Institution in Semarang Waode Hamsia 1 , Vinsensia Anisa Citta Erydani 2 1 Universitas Muhammdiyah Surabaya 2 Universitas Negeri Semarang, Semarang, Indonesia Contact: Waode Hamsia waodehamsia@um-surabaya.ac.id ABSTRACT The ability to communicate verbally is considered to be one of the important factors for basic language skills. This competency plays a significant role in oral communication. The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not the use of a model called Problem-Based Learning (PBL) might help students enhance their speaking ability. PBL is one of the learning models that can be used in language classes because the focus of the learning model is involving students in the learning process. The PBL model encourages meaningful interactions for the working students who study in part-time class as the special program. Since the students must be trained to practice speaking English. Therefore, speaking competence can be achieved through the activities. Observation and a questionnaire were the two techniques that were used to collect the data. The results showed that the PBL model used by the lecturer in the teaching and learning process that focuses on the discussion to get the alternative solution deeply can make students understand every detail in practicing speaking with real-life issues that require real-life solutions. Thus, this study implied that PBL as a learning model for English subjects was appropriate to make students fluent to communicate in English KEYWORDS: problem-based learning; working student; speaking skill; higher education ARTICLE HISTORY: Received 4 November 2022 Accepted 20 December 2022 Introduction Problem-Based Learning is a student-centered learning model. By using this learning model, the students are asked to learn independently to build their knowledge with other students. The learning model that uses Problem-Based Learning (PBL) as the learning model makes students more active in overcoming complex problems in realistic situations (Levin, 2001). One of the most difficult challenges for students who are able to engage in critical discourse on a subject related to real-world difficulties is the need that their speaking class presentations include real-world answers (Mansfield & Poppi, 2012). Speaking in public is regarded challenging for students, in general, for the reasons that pupils need more chances to practice