Experimenting with role-play in sub-Saharan students’ EFL classrooms
Experimenting with role-play in sub-Saharan students’ EFL classrooms
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Date
2013-02
Authors
Mallia, Joseph G.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
UOFK
Abstract
A class of adult sub-Saharan refugee applicants working as interpreters with the United
Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) were exposed to a curriculum with
traditional and communicative methods, including role-play as a technique. In EFL
classrooms comprised of sub-Saharan students (including this one) a focus on forms
approach is often adopted, often at the expense of the „communicative‟ approaches. By
varying this, exploring these learners‟ use and acceptability of role-play was the main
objective of this study. Drawing on Africans‟ tradition of verbally reciting and enacting
events, rather than exclusively reading and writing them, this study experimented with
the use of role-play and enactment with this class over a period of several months. Role
play was found to give learners opportunities for vivid language practice, and
experiencing the associated improvisations enabled them to flex their emotional, mental
as well as physical muscles in a safe and controlled setting while learning English. As
role-play is one of a whole gamut of communicative techniques, it helped learners
develop fluency, class interaction, learner motivation and oral self-confidence. Role play
also encouraged peer learning and the sharing of responsibility for learning between
teacher and student. The topics chosen were related to students‟ personal experiences and
interests, raising their intrinsic motivation for participating and learning.
Description
Keywords
role-play, Arab and sub-Saharan students, EFL experimental practice, communicative technique, intrinsic motivation