Improving speaking skills through using role-play games
Olimova Shahina Botirjon qizi
Student of Uzbekistan State World Languages University
Abstract: As Globalization is changing rapidly; English is becoming the primary international communicative language across the world. Therefore, responding to students’ needs about improving oral skills in English can be effectively achieved through role-playing games. This article investigates the effectiveness of using innovative approaches and engaging games in teaching and provides useful methods and implementations for developing speaking skills.
Key words: communication, games, role-plays, effective methods.
Introduction: English is a language. mainly used by people to communicate with each other to make relationships, so English is a crucial bridge that connects people with other nations. Speaking is the most productive skill that requires doing. practices continuously, as compared to other parts. However, there are some problems that students face frequently, and teachers need to help them to alleviate challenges. Firstly, many students feel nervous or self-conscious. when they speak, especially in front of their peers and teachers.
Secondly, a restricted vocabulary can make it more challenging to express their opinion. clearly; it leads to hesitation and frustration while speaking. Thirdly, Students may struggle with pronouncing words, which can mainly affect their clarity and make it difficult for others to understand them. Additionally, one of the biggest problems that make it difficult for students to speak is that They usually may not have enough opportunity to practice speaking in a suitable environment due to limited classroom activities.
Problems that are counted above are divided into two main parts: internal and external factors. Internal factors consist of motivation, confidence, and background knowledge, while external factors involve teacher interaction, class environment, and interactive methods.
For solving these problems, role-play can be effective. teaching technique that can enhance students’ communication ability for several reasons.
1. Role play emphasizes students’ participation. This game engages students to play different kinds of characters and encourages them to simulate real-life situations where students can practice speaking skills in comfortable atmosphere. It helps them to become more comfortable with various conversations. and varied interactions.
2. Engaging in role play allows students to practice without fear of judgment. As they become more familiar with speaking in various roles, their confidence grows; consequently, it leads to improvement in fluency.
3. Students use different vocabularies that are related. to specific topics. and scenes that aid retention and help them understand how to use vocabulary and grammar appropriately in different situations.
4. Role play encourages students to think critically. and boost their fluency. In role plays, students must think on their feet. which can contribute to enhancing their ability to formulate thoughts quickly and articulate them clearly.
5. Working with classmates during play exercises boosts not only their teamwork skills but also their collaborative communication ability as they negotiate roles and scenarios together.
Research and discussion:
This research was conducted in the classroom. For observation, fifth-grade students were selected, consisting of 18 students. It is intended to improve their speaking. ability through role-playing games. The study was conducted over eight weeks.
Week 1: Participants took a pre-test to assess their speaking proficiency. Teachers introduced role-play activities that involved daily basic conversations such as ordering food in a restaurant, buying vegetables, and fruits from supermarkets. It was not too complicated and challenging; that can easily engage groups in traditional speaking exercises.
Week 2-7: The experimental group participated in weekly role-play scenes. Each session focused on different types of topics, and students were able to rotate their roles; consequently, they ensured a diverse set of speaking opportunities. They tried to speak without learning sentences by heart.
Week 8: At the end of the 8 weeks, students took a speaking exam to compare their results with pre-tests. It was exactly shown that there were significant increases in their speaking proficiency scores. When teachers got a speaking test from students; they were able to see great improvement in not only their grammatical and lexical resources, but also in their fluency. During the conversation, 80 percent of students used complex structures and complicated vocabularies about specific topics, and they expressed their opinion without hesitation and interruptions. Additionally, students had a more positive attitude. towards speaking in English and saw greater confidence in their speaking ability.
Conclusion:
Impact of teaching speaking Skills through role play help students to increase their ability to speak. It was shown from the research that through simulating real-life scenarios, participants will be able to practice language skills in supportive and engaging atmosphere. Additionally, during the play, the students learn to be fluent and continue their speech without interruption. After the research, it was clearly shown that the student’s interest in the English language has increased and Also, they learned how to communicate with native speakers.
References:
- Harris, D. P. (1997). Testing English as a Second Language.” Bombay: MC Graw-Hill Publishing Company Ltd.
- Harmer, J. (2007). “The practice of English language teaching’’ Pearson Longman
- Thornbury, S. (2005). “How to teach Speaking.’’ Pearson Longman.
- Tudor, I. (2001). “The dynamics of the language classroom.” Cambridge University Press.