4th Annual International Conference on TESOL“ ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING: A FOCUS ON THE LEARNER”Ho Chi Minh, August 2013USING ROLE – PLAY IN TEACHING

ENGLISH DIALOGUES FOR STUDENTS AT PRIMARY SCHOOLS

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By: Pham Thi Vinh HienNghe An Teacher Training College,

Vietnam

Introduction1

2

3

4

5

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Method of the study

Literature review

Recommendations

Research finding

conclusions

MAIN FOCUSES

Introduction

Developing Primary students’ oral communication skills

Scripted role – plays improve primary students’ language skill in general and speaking skill in particular

Teachers’ and students’ attitude toward Role –play The effectiveness of using role – playThe suggested procedure of teaching dialogues for

primary students with using role - play

Literature Review “ Role play is a way of bringing situations from real life

into the classroom. In role play, students need to imagine a role, a context, or both and improvise a conversation. The context is usually determined, but students develop the dialogue as they proceed” Doff (1990: 232).

Donn Byrne (2001, p.57), role-play can be grouped into two forms: scripted and unscripted role- play

Scullard (1986:83) presents, “Scripted role – play is undoubtedly an excellent way of beginning the preparation for communicative activities since language is presented in meaningful context”.

Method of the study

Research findingsThe real situation : Using role-plays in English

lessons80% of the EFL teachers at Foreign Language Centers30% of the EFL teachers at Primary schools100% of the teacher indicated that they used role – plays

in post – reading dialogues. 87% teachers expressed that Role Play should be used in

teaching English dialogues for Primary students because its effectiveness

13% of them thought that it’s quite difficult because of the problems such as crowed classes making noise, students’ low ability, students’ shyness, not easy to control.

Teachers’ and Students’ evaluation on Students’ participation in role play activities

Research findings

Teachers’ and Students’ opinions about Students’ problems in role – plays

Research findings (cont’)

Teachers’ and Students’ suggestion by using role – play in teaching English dialogues for Primary students

Research findings (cont’)

Students’ evaluation on effectiveness of Role Play in post – reading English dialogues

EffectivenessStudents (No = 50)

(%)

I remember the content of dialogues and can communicate in real life

43 86

My English speaking and listening ability have been improved

47 94

I feel fun, cheerful and comfortable 50 100I will be more confident when speaking in English with native speakers or in a class

40 80

I participate in English dialogues lessons more actively

42 84

I enjoy learning English more 50 100My pronunciation is getting better and better 50 100Others 0 0

Research findings (cont’)

The effectiveness of using role plays in teaching English dialogues for primary students

To create an opportunity to practice the rules of social behavior and the various sociolinguistic elements of communication.

enable Students gradually become familiar with the content of normal conversation in their lives

bridge the gap between the classroom and the world outside the classroom.

Recommendations

Recommendations (cont’)

To act out a dialogue allows students to activate new vocabulary and structures.

be easy for students to discover their own level and the teacher to feedback.

To ask students to go on the stage and perform, so students have to concentrate and speak out in class actively.

help students improve their speaking skills.To make students feel safe and more willing to speak out

in the class together with the teachers’ support

Increase students’ confidence and motivation positively to excel in English.

To require students to repeat the dialogue (in phrases) after the teacher/tape/CD.

An excellent way to practice pronunciation and improve listening skill.

To make students feel fun, cheerful and comfortable in role – plays

They enjoy learning English more and participate in English lesson more actively.

EFL students feel that they are really using the language for a communicative purpose.

contribute to students’ confidence in their ability to use English.

Recommendations (cont’)

Recommendations (cont’)

To force students to remember the content of dialogues to role play without texts .

It is a good way to practice and promote their memory.

To ask students to role another person in real situations in pairs or groups .

Increase students’ interest , involvement, motivation and student – student interaction in the classroom

The suggested procedure of teaching dialogues for students at Primary schools with using role play

Step 1: Establish the setting Ask students questions to identify the contextStep 2: Pre – teach selected items ( optional) Deal with any difficulties in overall understanding

and enjoyment of the dialogueStep 3: Set a listening task and ask the students

to listen Hand out a listening task before listening or

Ask questions to check comprehension after listening

Recommendations (cont’)

Recommendations (cont’)Step 4: Ask students to listen

Let students listen to the dialogue again and follow the words of the story.

Step 5: Explain any difficulties

Explain if students find new words or phrases in the dialogue.

Step 6: Ask the students to listen and repeat

Play the recording and pause each line for the students to repeat the dialogue in chorus.

Step 7: Let students practice saying the dialogue in pairs or groups

Students read the dialogue in pairs or groups, then repeat a different role in the story from their memory.

Step 8: Ask students to practice role playing in pairs or groups

Ask students to repeat their character’s lines without the text. Students remember the dialogue and act their role in groups with actions as they speak.

Step 9: Ask students to role play Ask two or three groups to come to in

front of the class to role play the dialogue from their memory.

Step 10: Evaluate students’ acting Teacher evaluates on how role plays carry

out.

Recommendations (cont’)

ConclusionsRole play activities are really effective and should be

applied widely and regularly in teaching English dialogues for primary students

Solving ELT teachers’ great challenges in improving oral communication skills for Primary students

Role play activities should be supplement in Post - reading dialogues in English text books for students at Primary schools by Vietnam Education Publishing House.

REFERENCES[1] Blatner, Adam. (2009) Role Playing in Education, from

Adam @blanter.com.[2] Byrne, D. (1976) Teaching Oral English : Longman

Handbooks for Language Teachers. [3] Byrne, D. (2001). Role play in Language Learning,

Longman.[4] Clark, R, (1992). Index Card Games for ESL. Brattleboro,

VT: The Experiment Press.[5] Doff, A. (1990) Teach English: A Training Course for

Teachers Trainers’ Handbooks, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press in Association with the British Council.

[6] Freeman, Diana Larsen (1986). Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

[7] Kenneth O. Gangel. (2008).Teaching Through Role Playing from http://www.bible.Org.// Journal.

[8] Ladousse, G.P. (1996). Role – play: A Resource Book for Language Teachers. Maley, Alan: Oxford University Press.

[9] Poorman, P.B. (2002). Biography and Role – playing: Fostering Empathy in Abnormal Psychology, Teaching of Psychology, 29(1), 32-36.

[10] Richard – Amato, P. (1996). Making It Happen: Interaction in the Second Language Classroom, from Practice to Theory: White Plains, NY: Addison – Wesley.

[11] Scullard, S (1986).Teaching Speaking Skill from Role – play to Communicative Competence via Information – gap and Information – gap activities: One Teacher’s Approach – The British Journal of Language Teaching, No 2.

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