The Effectiveness of Role-Play Techniques in Improving English as a Foreign Language Learners' Speaking Skills.

This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of using role-play techniques for speaking skills in learning English at a university campus in the south of Vietnam. A descriptive mixed-method approach was administered in this research. It is designed to analyze (1) the common reasons students like to use the roleplay techniques and (2) some positive effects of this method in enhancing EFL (English as a foreign language) students' conversational ability. The participants of this study were 32 students majoring in English Studies. The research was conducted with different instruments including a questionnaire and interviews to collect qualitative and quantitative research data. The findings indicated that there were a variety of reasons and prominent effects of using role-play techniques as the main factor influencing learners' speaking proficiency. Applying this method could positively impact the development of students' speaking achievement in the process of learning English. The study proved that role-play is one of the effective methods to enhance EFL learners' speaking ability in the research context. The study would help teachers find a suitable strategy to incorporate role-play activities into speaking classes so that students have opportunities to practice English in more active, dynamic, and creative ways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]