Role-Playing or Retelling Stories: Which One is Preferable in the PostReading Stage? - Answers from Direct Stakeholders in English Classes

Abstract

Several studies have indicated the benefits of role-playing (RP) and retelling stories (RS) in English language teaching. However, almost none of them has examined the users’ preferences for these techniques in English as a foreign language (EFL) teaching and learning, especially in the post-reading stage. Consequently, this current study was conducted to investigate the EFL teachers’ and students’ perceptions of the benefits and challenges of using the two techniques as post-reading activities. Besides, the stakeholders’ preferences between RP and RS were examined. There were three EFL teachers and 109 students participating in this current study. The study used a questionnaire, semistructured interviews, and focus group interviews to collect data. The results revealed that RP was useful for developing EFL students’ socialization and brightening the learning atmosphere, and RS helped improve students’ linguistic competencies. Nevertheless, the techniques caused much noise, were unsuitable for large and mixed-level classes and encountered students’ unwillingness to participate. Besides, two-thirds of EFL teachers preferred RP more than RS. On the other hand, EFL students preferred RS to RP due to their constraints. Based on the study results, pedagogical implications have been made for better implementation of the techniques.