ABSTRACT:
This study aims to explore the learner’s perception link w88 the benefit link w88 drama on speaking skill. The mixed-methods sequential explanatory was conducted with 30 randomly selected students to carry out this study and the study’s data was collected via questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The study’s qualitative data analysis shows positive impacts link w88 drama on students’ speaking skills and these benefits are strengthened by favorable feedbacks from participants.
Keywords:Drama contest, speaking skills, learner, interview.
1. Introduction
Certain researchers have given credence to the importance link w88 oral English language for certain reasons (Ur, 1991; Maxom, 2009; Goh, 2007; Goh & Burns, 2012). Ur (1991) regarded it as the ‘speaker’ or transmitter link w88 the language, specifically when a person not only knows a language, but also other types link w88 knowing. Whilst, Maxom (2009) believed true speaking proficiency might not be achieved without actually learning to speak it. In the notion link w88 Goh (2007), spoken English played an important role in language development and acquisition. Additionally, it is the top priority link w88 learners as they highly value their feeling link w88 how improved their ability to produce oral English is (Goh & Burns, 2012). For these reasons, the teaching link w88 speaking skills is inevitable in current second language learning contexts.
Keeping up with this trend, second spoken-language classes at FPT University in Hanoi, Vietnam have been really absorbing with multiple communicative activities. However, there has been a shortage link w88 the explicit teaching link w88 oral skills but a focus on learners’ active participation. As a consequence, there has remained the absence link w88 motivation, confidence, and enthusiasm. Besides, those oral tasks have not elicited responses from reserved and afraid-link w88-speaking participants. To fill the void, dramatic activities have been utilized in order to “expose” them to the language, arousing their increasing interest in spoken English.
Much research has been conducted on the benefits link w88 drama on speaking skills development. Apart from the improvement link w88 oral fluency and accuracy (Galante & Thomson, 2017), drama was thought to provide a motivating and relaxing learning environment full link w88 joy, laughter, and entertainment for learners (Gill, 2013; Gill, 2016). Additionally, affective factors such as the dread link w88 public speaking, fear link w88 making pronunciation mistakes, and language anxiety were believed to better (Atas, 2015). However, there seems to be not much research on benefits link w88 drama on other aspects link w88 speaking skills namely learning context and different types link w88 learners which will be presented in this study. The purpose link w88 the present study is to fill the gap by exploring the effectiveness link w88 drama on two aspects link w88 speaking skills: learning context and different types link w88 learners.
2. Setting and Participants
The setting link w88 the research arises in FPT University, Hanoi, where English is link w88 great importance and regarded as the prerequisite for switching to major subjects. The sample for the current study includes 30 freshmen majoring in Software Engineering, selected from actors and actresses in two play groups. At the time link w88 the research, they were studying Preparation English course, upper-intermediate level.
Annually, during the Preparation Course Phase, a drama contest regarding one specific theme is organized to offer encouragement link w88 spoken English to students, and the topic presented in this study is Heroes. In phrase 1, a specific hero is assigned to each class; then, participants created their own script and appointed roles. In the second phase, with the help link w88 instructors in script correction, learners commenced rehearsing the drama before the final performance on the stage.
3. Research Methodology
The author has selected an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design to explore student’s perceptions link w88 the benefits link w88 drama on their speaking skills. Initially, a questionnaire was distributed to participants to collect their evaluation on the effects link w88 drama on learning environment and types link w88 learners in spoken development. Each component was sub-divided into minor items scored on a five-point Likert scale with responses ranging from one (Strongly Disagree) to five (Strongly Agree). After the survey questions, a semi-structured interview was conducted to allow participants to best their voice.
4. Data collection
Right after the drama contest, 30 students from 2 classes were chosen randomly to do the survey. After screening the data for Descriptive Statistics, the researcher selected 8 extreme cases whose responses were mainly about “Strongly Disagree” or “Strongly Agree” or “Neutral Opinion” to interview. The transcription link w88 interview responses was made and then translated into English.
5. Results from questionnaire
Overall, questionnaire results showed positive benefits link w88 drama on both learning environment and types link w88 learners.
In terms link w88learning environment,as presented in Table 1, the most striking result to emerge from the data is that over 80% link w88 respondents agreed drama had offered them great advantages, link w88 which nearly all the questions got high mean scores, ≥ 4. Twenty-five out link w88 30 reporters admitted drama contest provided a natural and real environment for them to drill their oral English. The lowest mean score (3.7) went to the question about spoken spontaneity.
Table 1: Mean score link w88 learning environment
With respect todifferent types link w88 learners, as can be seen in Table 2, the average score for all questions in this component link w88 the questionnaire was 3.9 out link w88 5. Interestingly, the rehearsal with classmates motivated participants in spoken-language confidence with the highest average score link w88 4.1, whereas it seemed they received no feedback on speaking skills from other classmates.
Table 2: Mean score link w88 different types link w88 learners
Results from interview:
To start with, all interviewees had positive perceptions link w88 learning environment through the drama contest. They reached an agreement that the contest provided them opportunities to become closer to one another. Take one example: “I am really into the contest as I commenced talking more to my classmates. That is teambuilding, and we all stand by one another.” (excerpt 1). More than that, the environment was fun, full link w88 joy, and comfortable, for example: “It brought more fun, more memory with friends.” (excerpt 2). Even, one confirmed they were not tied in the course book; something real was happening and this made them excited.
In addition, the drama contest had brought them an advantage to learn from friends and classmates. “The ways link w88 speaking, word use, word stress, intonation, and emotional expression” are some link w88 their beliefs. This happened during their rehearsal and discussion link w88 the script. More importantly, better students actively assisted others in their line completion and memorization: “I actively gave my classmates feedback on their pronunciation, helped them speak right and pronounce certain difficult words clearly such as proper names or long words and so on.” (excerpt 3). However, there also remained disagreement: “I did not really learn from my classmates. Only those who were confident in speaking got up and spoke out. We did not put any pressure on anyone. We helped those who had not memorized the lines.” (excerpt 4)
Last but not least, in terms link w88 motivation, there were several distinctive notions. Some admitted the event was an environment to motivate participants to acquire a little bit link w88 a meaningful spoken language. Take some examples: “It made me a little more confident in oral English.” (excerpt 5) or “I know other students from different play groups who speak English really well, even perfectly. Their accent is genuinely like native speakers, and I was really excited about showing off myself with them and try to speak like them.” (excerpt 6). Following the idea by excerpt 6, another student added “I was much motivated as I was in the role link w88 a narrator. Thus, I had to practice speaking at home over and over, especially pronouncing words properly.” (excerpt 7). Meanwhile, the others believed one play was not enough to talk about motivation, or it did not help them much in spoken speech.
6. Connecting the quantitative and qualitative results
Quantitatively, the results showed learners’ positive perceptions link w88 drama benefits on their speaking skills.
Qualitatively, the results bolstered what was found in the survey; however, there were some distinctive notions link w88 motivation and confidence that drama provided the learners.
7. Discussion
This section examines the benefits link w88 drama on students’ speaking skills, based on quantitative and qualitative analysis.
Firstly, the drama contest has provided a stimulating learning environment for learners, which fits well with previous findings by Gill (2013; 2016). Observably, they had to discuss greatly about language uses including grammar structures, word choice, sentence structures to have a striking script during their rehearsals; in addition, they regularly gave one another feedback on pronunciation, intonation, word stress, and emotional expression link w88 characters with the aim to have a performance audible to audiences. Besides, an interesting topic outside the course book has attracted their interests, causing them to feel free to speak out confidently, which is consistent with a study by Atas (2014). These reasons showed drama better students’ learning spoken English in different facets.
Secondly, the drama contest improved consolidation among members in class. They had to talk more to and increasingly discuss with one another to have a complete script, assign the best roles, and get an audible performance. Their closeness was also expressed in their determination and persistence to win over other classes, gaining the highest prize.
One proverb saying that better learning from your friends than your teachers is absolutely true in this situation, where participants took the advantage to learn abundant things from others. Rehearsals have enabled them to obtain better articulation, assign right word and sentence stress, and express emotions link w88 characters. Crucially, they were also motivated to speak louder, more confidently, and more meaningfully in an attempt to compete with other classes to win the highest prize.
8. Conclusion
Drama has made a great contribution to language development, especially oral speech, one link w88 the two significant productive skills. The present study aims to explore the students’ perceptions link w88 the benefits link w88 drama on their spoken English. With this aim, the research has put an emphasis on two aspects link w88 speaking skills namely learning context and different types link w88 learners. The main findings suggest several striking outcomes. Firstly, a stimulating learning environment through the drama contest has exposed learners to real practice with the results link w88 better pronunciation, intonation, word and sentence stress, increasingly confidence (without fear link w88 public speaking). Secondly, closeness among classmate, which has not been able to gain beforehand, has bettered. Last but not least, it seems that learning or competing with other classmates and classes has urged learners to try harder.
REFERENCES:
- Atas, M. (2015). The reduction link w88 speaking anxiety in EFL learners through drama techniques. Procedia – Social and Behavioural Sciences, 176(2015), 961-969. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042815006023
- Galante, A., & Thomson, R., I., (2017). The Effectiveness link w88 Drama as an Instructional Approach for the Development link w88 Second Language Oral Fluency, Comprehensibility, and Accentedness. TESOL QUARTERLY, 51(1), 115-142. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1002/tesq.290.
- Gill, C. (2013). Oral Communication in ESL Through Improvisations, Playwriting and Rehearsals. Advances in Language and Literacy Studies, 4(1), 34-41. Retrieved from https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1129675
- Gill, C. (2016). Maximising Asian ESL Learners’ Communicative Oral English via Drama. Advances in Language and Literary Studies, 7(5), 240-246. Retrieved from http://www.journals.aiac.org.au/index.php/alls/article/view/2741/2343. Doi:10.7575/aiac.alls.v.7n.5p.240
- Goh, C. M., & Burns, A. (2012). Teaching Speaking: A Holistic Approach. New York: Cambridge University Press.
- Goh, C. M. (2007). Teaching Speaking in the Language Classroom. Singapore: SEAMEO Regional Language Centre.
- Maxom, M. (2009). Teaching English as a Foreign Language for Dummies. West Sussex, England: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
- Ur, P. (1991). A Course in Language Teaching: Practice and Theory. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
LỢI ÍCH CỦA VIỆC THI KỊCH TRONG PHÁT TRIỂN KỸ NĂNG NÓI
CỦA SINH VIÊN
ThS. ĐẶNG THỊ THANH VÂN
Trường Đại học FPT
TÓM TẮT:
Mục đích của bài báo là nghiên cứu nhận thức của người học về lợi ích của kịch đối với kỹ năng nói. Phương pháp nghiên cứu hỗn hợp được tiến hành trên 30 sinh viên được chọn ngẫu nhiên. Dữ liệu thu thập thông qua bảng câu hỏi và phỏng vấn. Kết quả định lượng cho thấy, những lợi ích tích cực của kịch lên kỹ năng nói của người học và những lợi ích đó được củng cố thêm thông qua kết quả phân tích từ phỏng vấn.
Từ khóa:Thi kịch, kỹ năng nói, người học, phỏng vấn.