Effects of integrating role play into english picture books: an experiment in a second grade efl classroom

• Main Authors: Wang, Shin Yi, 王心怡
• Other Authors: Liu, Hsiao Lan
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/44390881676257018397

碩士 === 國立政治大學 === 亞太研究英語碩士學位學程(IMAS) === 98 === The purpose of this three-set/eight-class action research was to explore the effects of integrating Role Play into English picture books on second graders’ motivation and attitudes and oral reading ability in a second grade EFL classroom. Three research questions are as follows: 1. Does integrating Role Play into picture books improve second graders’ motivation/attitudes toward learning English? 2. Does integrating Role Play into picture books improve second graders’ English reading ability? 3. What are the participants’ perceptions of the integrating Role Play into picture books? Twenty-two students were involved to participate in this study. Three kinds of instruments were used, composed of the MLE (Motivation for Learning English) questionnaire, oral reading ability test (ORAT) and interviews. Before giving instruction of integrating Role Play into picture books, the pre-MLE questionnaire and pre-ORAT were administrated to measure students’ previous motivation and oral reading ability. The teaching and interviews were recorded to the purpose of classroom observation, modifying the experiment and collecting the data to accompany the results from the MLE and ORAT. After integrating Role Play into picture books, the post- MLE questionnaire and post-ORAT were used to compare and explain how students’ motivation/attitudes changed and their oral reading ability improved. Furthermore, interviews were conducted to understand students’ perspective toward integrating Role Play into picture books. Based on the findings, integrating Role Play into picture books has created an interesting environment for young EFL learners to use the language. That is, young learners as second graders need peer group’s accompany and proper pressure from performance to create a safe and positive learning environment in language classroom. The major results are summarized as follows: 1. The comparison of results of oral reading ability showed that more than half of the participants have made an improvement in oral reading ability, in terms of fluency, correct reading (“read correctly”), and vocabulary recognition (“vocabulary”), after the instruction. 2. The results of the questionnaires showed an improvement on participants’ motivation of social aspects and a small percentage of improvement on the two constructs of intrinsic motivation, learning curiosity and importance of learning, but not on learning involvement of intrinsic motivation. 3. The instruction of integrating Role Play into picture books had improved participants’ motivation for learning English on social aspects in terms of the participants like to read English picture books with teacher and classmates and like to work with classmates to finish the task of role play in English reading classes. 4. Students have gained attitude change toward English learning from integrating Role Play into picture books. They liked English more, practiced English by listening to CD, and recited more English words than the adult asked, and etc. Besides, the eight students’ oral description showed that five out from them felt the pressure to perform on the stage but no one of them felt pressure in group practice. The results showed the importance of peer group practice to make them feel relaxed without pressure. Finally, it is hoped that this study will provide more insightful ideas for educators and teachers. Regarding young learners, they need more interesting activities and opportunities to use the language. Key words: role play, motivation and attitudes, oral reading ability, elementary English