Using Role play technique to motivate second year Accounting- Majored at Dainam University to improve their speaking skill Phạm Thị Hằng Nga University of Languages and International Studies M.A Thesis: English teaching methodolody, Code: 60 14 10 Supervisor : M.A. Hoang Thi Hong Hai Year of graduation: 2012 Abstract: Motivating students to speak English during speaking lessons is one of the greatest concerns of university teachers of English. This study has been conducted for the purpose of investigating the effectiveness of role-play techniques on students‟ level of motivation with a view to proposing an instructional method to motivate students. This study was conducted at Dainam university. It involved 20 teachers of English and 246 second year students (from four groups) whose major is Accounting. The survey questionnaire and the interview were used to investigate the level of frequency this technique is employed in speaking classes, the students‟ preference for employing this technique, difficulties that both teachers and students often encounter while applying this technique and suggestions for the full exploitation of this technique is also desired from this study. The present research results have empirically established the validity of the use of role- play as an effective teaching tool to motivate second year Accounting majored students at Dainam to participate in speaking activities in their English classes. Keywords: Ngôn ngữ; Tiếng Anh; Kỹ năng nói; Giờ học Content 1. Rationale The idea of applying role play techniques in order to motivate students to speak English is not a recent practice; however, in Vietnam this technique has not been fully exploited by teachers in English classes due to some limitations in English Teaching. This assumption has led me to undertake a research titled “Using Role Play technique to motivate Second year Accounting- majored students at Dainam University to improve their speaking skill.” I am interested in analyzing the use of role play in teaching speaking for the students. I also want to know the advantages and the problems encountered by learners and teachers in using it. 2. Aims of the study This study is aimed at investigating the use of Role Play technique in communicative English classes at Dainam University. To be specific, the aims of the study are: - To explore the frequency of employing Role Play and difficulties that students and teachers encounter when applying this technique in Speaking lesson at Dainam University - To prove the hypothesis Role Play technique will help teachers motivate students to speak more in English Speaking lessons. 3. Research Questions With the purposes mentioned above, the research questions will be: 1. How often is Role Play applied in speaking lessons at Dainam University? 2. Does using Role Play motivate students to participate more in speaking class? 3. What difficulties do teachers and students encounter when Role Play is used in speaking lesson? 4. Method of the study Both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed to carry out the study. The data were collected by means of questionnaires, interviews and observation. 5. Participants - 246 second year accounting major students - 20 teachers of English at Dainam university 6. Scope of the study The study focuses specifically on using Role Play in teaching speaking to the second year students at Accounting Department, Dainam University. So the study limits itself to the teaching and learning Speaking only. 7. Significance of the study - Theoretical significance of the study: The study supplies the English language teachers with the understanding of Role Play techniques in terms of types, advantages when employing them. - Practical significance of the study: The research provides the language teachers and learners recommendations or suggestions for the successful exploitation of this technique. 8. Major findings This section presents the answers to the original research questions proposed at the beginning of the thesis. Research question 1: How often is role play applied in speaking lessons at Dainam University? From the data collected from the questionnaires, directs interview, and class observation it was obvious that the role play techniques are employed frequently in English speaking classes at Dainam University. All teachers at Dainam often use role play as an effective teaching technique. And most of the students confirm that their teachers often introduce role play activities in their speaking lessons. This proves the popularity as well as the importance of role play technique in English teaching and learning at this University. Research Question 2: Does using role play motivate students to participate more in speaking class? Through the data analyzed in the previous part, it is effective to use role play as a motivator for students to speak. Most students have positive attitude towards role play. They are more willing to take part in speaking activities once role play is given by teachers. This proves that role play activities make speaking class more interesting and more enjoyable. Role play can act as an inspirer to motivate students to speak because it brings it brings boredom with the speaking classes can be avoided. In addition, role play activities can reduce students‟ anxiety and shyness and makes them more confident to speak English. Last but not least, role play creates more chances for students to practice their speaking skill. Thank to all these advantages, role play is surely can be used to enhance students‟ motivation is speaking classes. However, there still exist some negative results in the data analysis that teachers should take into consideration. There are some students who just join in role play activities when they feel interested or when being asked by teachers. Even there are some who show no interest in role play activities. Although the number of those is small, but the researcher thinks that in order to get the best teaching and learning results, teachers should work out this frustrating problem. Research question 3: What difficulties do teachers and students encounter when role play is used in speaking lesson? According to the data analysis from the survey questionnaire and from the direct interview, the process of applying and using role play in speaking lessons often leaves many challenges for both teachers and learners. For teachers, students‟ lack of vocabularies is one of the main difficulties for teachers to conduct role play activities. Because students‟ limited vocabularies, they can not express their ideas in English. Therefore they tend to turn to the equivalent Vietnamese whenever they can not find the English words. This fact leads to the failure of role play activities. Moreover, some teachers think that too much noise causes the ineffectiveness of role play. Students do not co-operate in role play activities is also another challenge for teachers while conducting role play activities. In order to overcome these difficulties, teachers and students propose a lot of suggestions. Both of the two groups agree that a variety of interesting and practical situations should be introduced to English speaking classes. Also, at the very first stage of organizing role play, teachers should give brief and clear instructions, and locate the roles clearly. These are decisive factors leading to the success of employing role play technique. Teachers‟ demonstration is also another solution that two groups suggest for the full exploitation of this technique. 9. Limitations and suggestions for further study Although the study has accomplished the objectives set at the beginning, it still bears some limitations. Due to the shortage of time, limit of knowledge and the scope of the study, the study cannot cover all the uses of role play in four language skills. Therefore, further research may include the use of role play in teaching other language skills such as listening, reading and writing. A similar experimental study should be carried out to find out the effectiveness of using role play to enhance students‟ motivation in gaining the listening, reading and writing skill in English. 10. Implication As shown is this study the use of role play can be effective in promoting students‟ interest and motivation in speaking activities in English classes. In the section below, I would like to give some suggestions for teachers to conduct a successful role play activity. The success in teaching doesn‟t depend on the lesson program only, but more importantly is how the teacher presents the lesson and uses various techniques to manage the class more lively and enjoyable. Regarding to the teaching speaking by using role play, I would love to give some suggestions for the teacher and students as follows: For the teachers - The teacher should choose the materials that are appropriate and not too difficult for the students. As role plays represent real – world scenarios, materials should simulate the materials that would be used in the real world. For example, in the „extraterrestrial‟ role play mentioned above, toothbrushes, watches, lightbulbs and keys can be examined by the „aliens‟. Authentic materials certainly prepare the students for copying with the language they hear and read in the real world outside the classroom. Thus, newspapers, cuttings, advertisments, signs, maps, graphs, charts, hotel brochures, tickets, menus, timetables and other authentic materials should be brought to the classroom. - Before assigning the role play to the students, the teachers should make sure that the students have fully understood and have the information they need. - The teacher should keep control the students‟ activities. The teacher becomes the controller, and controls the event in the same way as a traffic controller, helping the flow or traffic and avoiding bottlenecks, but not telling individuals which way to go‟. Rather than a traditional, teacher – centered classroom structure, the teacher keeps a relatively low profile and students are free to interact with each other spontaneously. This reduces student anxiety and facilitates learning - The teacher should present the language in an enjoyable, relaxed and understandable way. For the students - The students are hoped not to be shy in acting out their role. - The students are hoped to be active and creative in enriching their vocabularies. - The students are expected to use English when they practice role play activities although it is hard for them. - The students should take part much in acting out role play. - The students should ask the teacher if there is something that they don‟t understand regarding to the role play activities. 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Using Role play technique to motivate second year Accounting- Majored at Dainam University to improve their speaking skill Phạm Thị Hằng Nga University of Languages and International. due to some limitations in English Teaching. This assumption has led me to undertake a research titled Using Role Play technique to motivate Second year Accounting- majored students at Dainam. be: 1. How often is Role Play applied in speaking lessons at Dainam University? 2. Does using Role Play motivate students to participate more in speaking class? 3. What difficulties do teachers