Investigating the Impact of Role Play on Elf Learners' Speaking Performance: A Case Study Of 11th Grade Students At Eley Secondary School

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of role-playing activities on the speaking performance of EFL learners at Eley Secondary School. The subjects of the study were 50 EFL students of grade 11 in Eley secondary school. Out of this, 25 were in experimental and 25 were in controlled groups. True experimental pre-test and post-test research design was employed. Data were collected through role-play activities, such as conversations, for the experimental group, while the control group received instruction using traditional teaching methods. The pre-test and post-test comparison of each group was conducted using paired sample t-tests, while independent t-tests were used to compare the experimental and control groups. The results of the study showed that before the intervention, which involved role play activities, there was no significant difference between the experimental and control groups. Additionally, the pre-test and post-test results for each group did not reveal any significant changes in students' speaking performance. However, the experimental group, which participated in the role-play intervention, demonstrated a significant improvement in speaking performance compared to the control group. It is concluded that the use of interactive role-play activities effectively improved students' speaking performance. Based on the findings, the following recommendations are made: other English teachers in the sampled school should adopt and promote the practice of using role-play activities to enhance students' speaking skills; teachers should create an environment conducive to substantial improvements in students' speaking abilities; and curriculum designers should consider incorporating such activities into the curriculum. Overall, the findings indicate a significant difference in speaking performance between the experimental and control groups of Grade 11 EFL students in the secondary school.