teaching speaking by role-play activity

TEACHING SPEAKING BY ROLE-PLAY ACTIVITY Fadilah

(STAIN Pamekasan/[email protected])

Abstract The students often find some problems in practising English speaking. The problem frequently found is that their native language causes them difficult to use the foreign language. Other reason is because of motivation lack to practice the second language in daily conversation. They are also too shy and afraid to take part in the conversation. Many factors can cause the problem of the students’ speaking skills namely the students’ interest, the material, and the media among others including the technique in teaching English. There are many ways that can be done by the students to develop their ability in speaking English. The appropriate technique used by the English teacher also supports their interested in practising their speaking. One of the techniques that can be applied is role play. Key Words: Teaching Speaking, Role-play activity

A. Introduction

lack to practice the second language in

Speaking is perhaps the most fundamental

of

human

skills,

daily conversation. They are also too

and

shy and afraid to take

part

in

the

because we do it constantly, we do not

conversation. Many factors can cause

often stop to examine the processes

the problem of the students’ speaking

involved1.

skills namely the students’ interest, the

The students often find some

material, and the media among others

problems in practising English speaking

including the technique in teaching

.The problem frequently found is that

English. There are many ways that can

their native language causes them

be done by the students to develop

difficult to use the foreign language.

their ability in speaking English. The

Other reason is because of motivation

appropriate

method

used

by

the

English teacher also supports their 1

Hayriye Kayi, Teaching Speaking: Activities to Promote Speaking in a Second Language, The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. XII, No. 11, November 2004. Available at. http://iteslj.org/Articles/KayiTeaching_Speaking.ht ml. p. 1 - 2.

interested in practising their speaking. One of the techniques that can be used by the English teacher is Role

OKARA Journal of Languages and Literature, Vol. II, Tahun X, November 2016 209

– Play activity. Role play is very

we say it. Thus clear and correct

important in teaching speaking because

pronunciation is of vital importance,

it gives students an opportunity to

since young learners repeat exactly

practice

different

what they hear. What has been learned

social contexts and in different social

at an early stage is difficult to change

roles. In addition, it also allows students

later on. One rule that applied here is

to be creative and to put themselves in

slowly and steadily through constant

another person is placed for a while.

revision and recycling. With the help of

communicating

According

D.

mixed activities, such as dialogues,

Hattings based on his observation in the

choral revision, chants, songs, poems

conversation class, the role play would

and rhymes, students speaking abilities

seem to be the ideal activity in which

grow, their pronunciation gets better and

students

their

could

to

in

Stephen

use

their

English

awareness

of

the

language

creatively and it aims to stimulate a

improves. When applying the above-

conversation

mentioned

situation

in

which

tools

into

the

teaching

students might find them-selves and

practice, what should be kept in mind is

give them an opportunity to practice

that interaction is an important way of

2

and develop their communication skill .

learning.

Therefore,

increased

oral

emphasis should be included in our B. Literature

teaching to give the students as much

1. How to Teach Speaking

speaking time as possible.

When teaching young learners,

There are many activities to

we constantly have to keep in mind the

promote speaking. As Hayriye Kayi

fact that what we have in front of us is a

inferred from many linguistics on her

mixed

class

varied

abilities,

article in the internet on Teaching

motivation

level,

English as A Second Language (TESL)

knowledge and last but not least,

Journal, one of them is Role Play

different learning styles. Thus, we need

Students pretend they are in various

to vary our approaches and offer as

social contexts and have a variety of

much opportunity as possible to make

social roles. In role-play activities, the

the whole class find a little something to

teacher gives information to the learners

hold on to, expand and grow.

such as who they are and what they

expectations,

with

Young learners are like sponges,

think or feel. Thus, the teacher can tell

they soak up everything we say and how

the student that "You are David, you go to

the

doctor

and

tell

him

what

2

Jo MC. Donough and Christoper Show, Material and Method in ELT: Applied Language Studies, (Cambridge : Blackwell, 1993), p. 165.


happened last night,"3.

Ladousse illustrated that when students assume a Role-play, they play a part

2. Definition of Role Play

(either their own or somebody else) in

Role-play is any speaking activity

specific situation. Play means that is

you

into

taken on in a safe environment in which

somebody else’s shoes, or when you

students are as an inventive and playful

stay in your own shoes but put yourself

as possible.

when

either

put

yourself

into an imaginary situation!

According to Crookal, there is a

Imaginary people – The joy of

little consensus on the terms used in the

role-play is that students can ‘become’

role playing and simulation literature. A

anyone they like for a short time! The

few of the terms that often used

President, the Queen, a millionaire, a

interchangeably are, simulation, games,

pop star …….. the choice is endless!

role play, simulation-game, role play

Students can also take on the opinions

simulation, and role playing game. 4

of someone else. ‘For and Against’

There

seem

to

be

some

debates can be used and the class can

agreement; however, simulation is a

be split into those who are expressing

broader

views in favour and those who are

Simulations are complex lengthy and

against the theme.

relatively inflexible events. Role play, on

concept

than role

playing.

Imaginary situations – Functional

the other hand, can be a quite simple

language for a multitude of scenarios

and brief technique to organize. It is also

can be activated and practiced through

highly flexible, leaving much more scope

role-play. ‘At the restaurant’, ‘Checking

for the exercise of individual variation,

in at the airport’, ‘Looking for lost

initiative and imagination. And role play

property’ are all possible.

also included in simulation as well.

Role defined as the person

In defining role play, Donn Byrne

whom an actor represents in a film or

gave comments that role play is a part of

play, while role play is a method of

drama activity. In details, he described

acting out particular ways of behaving or

that there are three terms to cover the

pretending to be other people who deal

drama

with new situations. It is used in training

(mimicry-memorization), role play and

courses

simulation. He distinguished the terms

language

learning

and

psychotherapy. In

this

activities.

They

are

mime

as follows: case,

Gillian

Porter

3 Kathleen Bailey, Issues in teaching speaking Skill to Adult ESOL Learners (Cambridge : 2002 ), p. 121.

4 Donn Byrne, Teaching Oral English: Longman Handbooks for English Teacher, (Singapore: Longman Group, 1986), p. 115


a. Mime,

the

participants

perform

anyone they like for a short time. The

actions without using words (although

President, the Queen, a millionaire, a

as we shall see, this activity leads

pop star, the choice is endless. Students

naturally on to talk).

can also take on the opinions of

b. Role play, the participant interact

someone else. 'For and against' debates

either as themselves in imaginary

can be used and the class can be split

situations.

into those who are expressing views in favor and those who are against the

c. Simulation, this involves role play as

theme.

defined above. However, for this activity

the

participants

normally

Functional

language

for

a

discuss a problem of some kind with

multitude of scenarios can be activated

some setting that has been defined

and practiced through role play in

for them5.

imaginary situations. 'At the restaurant',

Both role play and simulation are

Checking in at the airport', 'Looking for

commonly used in foreign language

lost property' are all possible roleplays.

classes

to

facilitate

communicative

From those explanation above,

competence. Whereas mime seems

the writer views that role play is a

more appropriate as a language game.

technique which involves fantasy or

It is performing actions without using

imagination to be someone else or to be

words. For instance, if someone mimes

ourselves in a specific situation for a

and action, the others try to guess what

while, improvising dialogue and creating

it is.

a real world in scenario. It aims at the Another definition is stated by

Joanna

Budden

in

British

students to encourage thinking and

Council

creativity, lets students develop and

Teaching English (BBC) on her article

practice new language and behavioral

with the title Role Play. She said that

skills in a relatively non-threatening

role-play is any speaking activity when

setting, and can create the motivation

you either put yourself into somebody

and involvement necessary for learning

else's shoes, or when you stay in your

to occur.

own shoes but put yourself into an imaginary situation.6

3. Types and Procedures in Using

What is meant by imaginary

Role Play

people is that students can become

In view of the persons taking an actor, Gillian explained that there are

5

several types of role. The first is the

6

roles which correspond to a real need in

Ibid, p.156. Joanna Budden, Role Play, (BBC ñ British Council Teaching English).


the students’ lives. In this category, it

For more details, an example of

involves such roles as doctors dealing

scripted role plays dialogue and reading

with patients, or salesman traveling

text and how the process is:

abroad.

Man

: Good morning,sir !

Director

: Good morning.

Man

: I am coming to ask you for a

The second type of role is the students play themselves in a variety of

job,sir !

situations which may or may not have direct experience. The example which include in this category is a customer

Director

: Take a seat,please !

Man

: Thank you sir,is there any vacancy for me,sir ? I am

complaining or a passenger asking for

unemployed right now.

information. The third type is the type Director

that few students will ever experience

Man

because the teachers have such vast experience

of

them.

are

: I have graduated from STAIN in

Economic

. So I am competent in accounting.

taken from real life. The last type is which

education

Faculty for accounting Major

this type and it is very useful kind of role roles,

your

Pamekasan

The

television journalist is a good example of

fantasy

is

background ?

directly themselves, but it is easy to play indirect

: What

Director

fictitious,

: Have

you

ever

been

experienced before being an

imaginary, and possible even absurd.

accountant ?

In case of role play activities, MaN

according to Donn Byrne, role play can

: I Have sir, i have enough experienced

be grouped into two forms, scripted and

for

administration staff at a small

unscripted role play. In details, those

company.

types of role play activities described as follows7. a. Scripted Role Play

Director

: How many years ?

Man

: More than two years.

Director

: Ok.Congratulation!!

I

am

This type involves interpreting

looking for an energetic and

either the textbook dialogue or reading

healthy young man that used

text in the form of speech. The main

to work hard.Welcome at my

function of the text after all is to convey

company as administration

the meaning of language items in a

staff here. Man

memorably way.

: Thank you,sir.

(Adapted from English Textbook for 7

Economic Students: Fadilah)

Ibid, p.156.


In contrast to scripted role play, To

demonstrate

a

role

play

the situations of unscripted role play do

activity based on the dialogue, the

not depend on textbooks. It is known as

procedures given by Adrian Doff is as

a free role play or improvisation. The

follows: First, the teacher guides the

students themselves have to decide

role play by writing these prompts:

what language to use and how the

(where? / air mail / how much? / post

conversation should develop. In order to

box? / thanks). Talk as you write to show

do this activity, good preparation from

what the prompts mean. If necessary, go

teacher and students is really necessary.

through the prompts one by one, and get

The example and procedures of

students to give sentences or question

unscripted role play which is adapted

for each one. Call two students to the

from Adrian Doffís book are as follows:

front: one play the role as Angela and

One student has lost a bag. He/she is at

the other one is the post office clerk.

the police station. The other student is

They should improvise the conversation

the police officer, and asks for details.

using the prompts to help them. Point

To brings out this ideas:

out that the conversation should be similar to the one in the textbook, but not

The teacher could prepare the whole

exactly the same; the conversation can

class, by:

be

a. Discussing what the speakers might

shorter

than

the

presentation

dialogue. It should just cover the main

say (e.g. the police officer would asks

points indicated by the prompts. Call out

the students how he or she lost the

a few other pairs of students in turn, and

bag).

ask them to have other conversation

b. Writing prompt on the board to guide

based on the prompts.

the role play, and any key vocabulary.

Based on these procedures, the writer views that the ways of organizing

The teacher could divide the class

this dialogue can be carried out into

into pairs, and:

pairs of students who would improvise a

a. Let them discuss together what they

conversation in front of class, in turns.

may say.

The teacher can also ask the students to

b. Let them all try out the role play

practice the conversation privately with

privately, before calling on one or two

their partners before they act it out in

pairs to act out in front of the class.

front of the class.

Susan

House

explained

that

there are several procedures in using b. Unscripted Role Play

role

play:

familiarize

1)

Students

themselves

read

and

with

the


(example) dialogue. 2) Divide the class

them focus more on communication than

in pairs, A and B, give A and B roles

on grammar. Role-play activities can be

from the dialogues. 3) Let students act

a lot of fun however a class full of shy

out their role play, not just say them but

students may be reluctant to participate

students should read it loudly. 4) Walk

so it is important to know your students.

around correcting and checking the students, swap roles and repeat, those

C. Conclussion

whose finish first can be asked to make

In conclusion, role play is a

up their own role play, using different

technique which can develops students’

words to fill the gaps.

fluency in target language, promotes

The above procedures do not

students to speak or interact with others

mean an exact to be used. It is flexible;

in the classroom, increases motivation

teacher

and makes the teaching and learning

can

create

or

develop

procedures which is appropriate and

process more enjoyable.

suitable with his/her own class. c. Significance

of

Role

Play

References

in

Teaching Speaking

Budden, Joanna, Role Play. 2006. UK, London: BBC.

It has been mentioned before in the above discussion that role play is one

of

the

activities

to

promote

Byrne,

speaking. Through role play activities the students learn how to express ideas, opinions, or feeling to others by using

Donn, 1986. Teaching Oral English: Longman Handbooks for English Teacher. Singapore: Longman Group.

words or sounds of articulation. Bailey, Kathleen, 2002. Issues in teaching speaking Skill to Adult ESOL Learners, Cambridge.

Larsen Freeman explained that role

plays

are

important

in

the

communicative approach because they give learners an opportunity to practice communicating

in

different

Doff, Adrian, 1988. Teach English: A Training Course for Teachers Trainer’s Handbooks. The British Council: Cambridge University Press Inc.

social

contexts and different social roles. d. How to Teach English Using RolePlays, and When (Not) to Use Them Role-plays

give

students

Donough, Jo Mc. and Christoper Show, 1993. Material and Method in ELT: Applied Language Studies.

the

opportunity to demonstrate how to use English in real life situations and make


Cambridge: Blackwell.

Activities to Promote Speaking in a Second Language, The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. XII, No. 11, November. http://iteslj.org/Articles/KayiTeaching Speaking.html.

Harmer, Jeremy, 1983. The Practice of English Language Teaching: Longman Handbooks for Language Teaching. USA: Longman Inc. Hayriye Kayi, 2004. Teaching Speaking:
