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1.0 INTRODUCTION

Our class had joined a Musical Sketch Competition conducted by PISMP TESL in

February 2013. The theme of the competition was ‘Oh My English’, so grammar

mistakes was not emphasized. I was surprised that all the participants are able to speak

English confidently without worrying about their grammar or mistakes. They seem to be

very happy when performing their sketch to the audience.

Since then, I realize that drama actually helps student to improve their pronunciation.

So, I want to know what students think about using role play in learning English.

1.1 Statement of the Problem

It is interesting to learn through active learning. I enjoyed active learning since

primary school. I can truly learn about something easily as it is meaningful to

me. Learning through lectures and textbook does not make learning meaningful

to me. I believe that student-based project is the best type of teaching method

in learning English.

A lot of researcher believe that role-play can improve student’s ability to

communicate in English. Stern (1980), said that role-play is important in

learning a foreign language.

This research aims to examine the importance of ‘role playing’ in improving the

pronunciation skill among students in Kent’s Teacher Training Institute.

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1.2 Objective of the Study

With reference to the statement of the problem above, this study focuses on

determining if ‘role play’ can provide an active learning English classroom for

respondents to communicate, interact, collaborate and participate in both

indoor and outdoor activities using the English Language orally with

confidence.

At the end of this research, I hope I can study the student’s perception of ‘role

play’ in improving the pronunciation skill of Kent’s Teacher Training Institute

teacher trainees in English Language and how role play can create active

learning process in an English class.

1.3 Research Questions

There are many types of teaching method to teach English Language.

Hopefully, this study will help English lecturers to understand the significant of

role play in teaching English language.

This research aims to answer two questions. The first question is ‘what are the

perception of teacher trainees’ of Kent’s Teacher Training Institute on ‘role

play’ in improving pronunciation skill of students in English Language?’. The

second question is, can role play create an active learning session in an English

Language classroom?

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1.4 Limitation

There are limitations to my research. The first one is the location of the research.

This study was conducted in Kent’s Teacher Training Institute. My respondents

were teacher trainees and English lecturers Kent’s Teacher Training Institute.

The findings of this research can only be useful in Kent’s Teacher Training

Institute.

Next, I only take my respondents from PISMP January 2012 intake as they had

join English Sketch competition recently and two teams from this cohort won first

and second prizes. I also limit the time on doing this study to three weeks due to

a week holidays as I cannot find any responden during the holiday.

Due to all limitations, they might be flaws within the result. Therefore, this study

are only applicable for PISMP January 2012 cohort in Kent’s Teacher Training

Institute

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2.0 Literature Review

There are numerous definitions of role-playing. The definition used for this study is

from Aronson and Carlsmith who described the study of role as ‘an experiment in

which the subject is asked to behave as if he [or she] were a particular person in a

particular situation’ (1968, p. 26). Role playing is a teaching strategy and a problem

solving technique in which students are asked to act out a role, one that they would

not normally be in (Shaftel 1982).

Role playing in practice asks students to act as they would imagine the person would

in order to increase the class’ understanding of that role or the problem presented.

The role players have to interact with each other in order to cope with, while in various.

This process is called dissimilation where students forget the person they are and now

pretend to be and act how they believe that person would. Biddel (1979) takes the

definition a step further and describes role playing, “as when some correctly imitates

the role of another”.

Students are involved in a problem solving decision making process where it is

necessary for them to communicate and negotiate with the other role players involved.

It also entails another teaching strategy, cooperative learning (Shaftel 1982). Where

students are presented with a problem and have to work together in order to solve the

problem (Hartman 1997). The role that the students enact is a simplified enactment of

what would happen in a real or imaginary world so that it is relevant to what it is to be

learned(Van Ments 1983).

Role play must not be confused with acting because, unlike acting, role playing is

focused on how the roles of the players interact with and affect each other. It is not

concerned how it affects the other classmates not participating in the role play or

teacher (Van Ments 1983). Role playing shows how the role players interpret their

role, through their motivations and attitudes, within the of the role play. As a result of

the situation both the role players and the observers end up learning (Van Ments

1983).

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Along with the teacher’s objective in using role playing, students also learn the norms

and the social pressures within that role. Overall role play is experiencing a problem

under an unfamiliar set of circumstance in which the students’ ideas emerge and the

students’ understanding increases. This definition precisely describes what the

participants of this study were asked to do.

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3.0 Methodology

This study employs a mixed method approach in collecting data.

3.1 Population Sample

I had selected 30 teachers trainee of IPG Kampus Kent from PISMP January

2012 intake for population sample. There are 6 classes for PISMP January 2012

cohort. I took the sample from this cohort because they were involved in the

competition and they won first and second prizes. From each class, I took five

responden to be interviewed. They had given questionnaires and they were

asked to fill it. Then, I gave them a simple test to test their pronunciation level.

They were tested one by one.

Besides, a lecturer from English Department were chosen to be interviewed as

he or she can give a brief explanation about the level of pronunciation of teachers

trainee ini IPG Kampus Kent and I also picked up 6 students from PISMP

January 2012 intake for a group interview. The interview was held in the library

for 20 minutes and all responden give a positive feedback.

3.2 Location of the study

Next, this research was conducted within IPG Kampus Kent. I only took

respondents from IPG Kampus Kent.

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3.3 Instruments

Last but not least, data were collected using both qualitative and quantitative

procedures. Three instruments were used in this study. First, I set up a

questionnaire with 8 closed-ended items in which respondents’ perceptions were

assessed using a four point Likert Scale with “1” being “strongly disagree” and “4”

“strongly agree”. I also set up 2 sets of interview sessions to complete this study.

First, an interview was done with a lecturer from Language Department. The

second interview was done with a group of students consists of five teacher

trainees from PISMP January 2012 cohort who was involved in the musical

sketch. Thirdly, each responden were asked to take a pronunciation test. It

consist of 10 words and they must pronounce it. If they pronounce it correctly,

marks will be given. This test is to fulfill my quantitative procedure.

3.4 Data Collection Procedure

A set of questionnaire was administered before the interview sessions

conducted to find out the perception of the students towards the role of ‘role

plays’ in improving students’ pronunciation skill.

After questionnaires were distributed, one interview sessions was conducted

with one lecturer from Language Department. An interview session with students

was conducted two days after interview session with lecturer conducted in the

library.

3.5 Data Analysis Procedure

An analysis was carried out to show the responses of respondents towards role

plays from questionnaire and interviews. Responses from questionnaire will

then tabulated using the SPSS software whereby the mean score and standard

deviation are derived. Responses from interviews will be carefully examined and

analysed. These responses will be instrumental in reporting the findings of the

study.

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4.0 Findings and Analysis

4.1 Findings

Table 1 shows the Mean and Standard deviation for students’ perception towards role plays

in improving their pronunciation skill.

Statements Mean Standard deviation

I am interested to learn the English Language.

3.20 0.484

I have problems when speaking English. 3.00 0.740

The problems I face hinders me to speak English with my friends.

3.05 0.718

I enjoy role play in English. 3.10 0.662

If there is a chance, I want to be involved in English Role Plays.

3.07 0.691

Role play helps me to improve my pronunciation skill.

3.37 0.615

During role play, I feel confident to speak in English.

3.20 0.664

I think role play can create an active English Language classroom.

3.40 0.621

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4.2 Research Question 1

What are the perception of teachers trainees’ of IPG Kent on the role of ‘role

plays’ in improving pronunciation skills in English Language?

Data from table 1 has demonstrate that student are interested to learn English

Language (mean = 3.20). The bad news is majority of students said that they

faced problems to speak English (mean = 3.00). The problems they faced hinder

them to speak English among themselves (mean = 3.05). The good news is they

feel confident to speak English during role play (mean=3.20). They also think

that role play helps them to improve their pronunciation skill (mean 3.20).

Interview sessions also support this findings. Both students and lecturer said that

students of Kent’s Teacher Training Institute do not use English frequently in

their daily life. They also think that most students of IPG Kent cannot pronounce

English words correctly but they are able to do basic pronunciation. In line with

that, they believe that role play can help students to enhance their pronunciation

skill.

4.3 Research Question 2

Does role plays can create active learning sessions in English Language

classroom?

From the mean score above, it can be concluded that majority of the students

agreed that role play can create an active English Language Classroom

(mean=3.40). Majority of students confess that they are enjoying role play in

English (mean=3.10). It is also supported when they are excited to be involved in

English role play if there is a chance (mean=3.07).

From the interview sessions, both lecturer and students are strongly agree and

believe that role plays can create an English language classroom.

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5.0 Discussion

5.1 Research Question 1

What are the perception of teachers trainees’ of IPG Kent on the role of

‘role plays’ in improving pronunciation in English Language?

From my point of view, lack of confidence is the main problem faced by students

to speak in English. This might due to the cynical perceptions of society when

they use English in daily life. Most students afraid to speak in English as they are

fear to do mistakes. They do not realized that mistake can improve them

gradually. They also feel that English is difficult to use. So, they refused to speak

in English.

Students also think that role play can help them to polish their pronunciation

skills. In a role playing situation, students get the opportunity to practice skills

they might not use on a regular basis. Skills such as debating, acting, reasoning

and negotiating can be flexed in hypothetical situations when they cannot

normally be used in a classic school situation. Students are also able to adapt to

situations they might not normally find themselves in, forcing the creativity of the

students to be exerted.

Role-playing also serves different purposes; therefore there are different types.

A descriptive role-play lesson requires more dramatizations and is used to give

the student a picture of the problem or situation. It requires less emotional

involvement from the players, but does require the student to be knowledgeable

about what they are performing. Students feel confident to speak in English

during role play activity because they are not afraid to do mistakes as their

friends are also at the same level. They can correct each other and allows

interactions between classmates. Role play also allows introverted students to

speak.

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5.2 Research Question 2

Does role plays can create active learning sessions in English Language

classroom?

It is also interesting to note that the respondents truly believe that role plays can

create an active English language classroom. Role play can create an active

learning because it is meaningful to students. Role playing can be used as a

behavioural pre-training assessment or diagnostic to assess where a learner is

in terms of skills, since the trainer can observe real behaviour.

Role playing also allows assessment of how well learner understands and can

apply what is learned, as indicated in their behaviour. Role playing also create

an active learning because it can be involving, both in emotional and cognitive

ways, students can also be used to help people understand others, and the

positions of others. For example, a students can role play a position with which

they disagree, to better understand that position. Students are also able to adapt

to situations they might not normally find themselves in, forcing the creativity of

the students to be exerted. So, active learning can be created by role play.

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6.0 Implication

From this study, awareness towards the importance of role play in education among

students and lecturers Kent’s Teacher Training Institute increased. It is demonstrated

that role play should be carried out in English class as it can create an active learning

session. These findings are only applicable to the teacher trainees of Kent’s Teacher

Training Institute.

7.0 Conclusion

From this study, we can conclude that students are very confident that role play is an

effective method to improve pronunciation skill of teacher trainees of Kent’s Teacher

Training Institute. Next, it is demonstrated that role play promotes an active English

language classroom. This study is only applicable to the teacher trainees of Kent’s

Teacher Training Institute.

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