An Experimental Study of the Effectiveness of Role-play in Improving Fluency in Jordanian EFL Students' Speaking Skills

Abstract

This research examined whether role-play exercises improved Jordanian EFL students' speaking fluency. Fifty intermediate EFL students were studied for six weeks. The experimental and control groups were randomly assigned. Both groups got classroom instruction and speaking practice; however, the experimental group also participated in role-plays. Pre- and post-tests assessed participants' speaking fluency. The research compares the fluency levels of a role-play group with a typical classroom teaching group. The experimental and control groups differed significantly in speaking fluency development. Role-playing improved speaking fluency more than the control group. These findings imply that role-playing may improve Jordanian EFL students' speaking fluency. Role-play games help students to utilize the target language spontaneously and naturally, improving speaking fluency and confidence. Thus, EFL teachers should use role-play to develop students' speaking abilities.