Cải thiện kỹ năng nói tiếng anh của học sinh lớp 4 bằng việc sử dụng hoạt động đọc truyện biểu diễn

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST- GRADUATE STUDIES



HOÀNG THỊ QUỲNH

IMPROVING ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILL OF 4TH GRADERS BY
USING READERS THEATER: AN ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT AT
AN ENGLISH CENTER IN YÊN BÁI

Cải thiện kỹ năng nói tiếng Anh của học sinh lớp 4 bằng việc sử dụng hoạt
động đọc truyện biểu diễn : Nghiên cứu cải tiến sư phạm tại một trung tâm
Anh ngữ ở Yên Bái

MA. MINOR THESIS
Major: English Teaching Methodology
Code : 8140231.01

HÀ NỘI – 2018
i


VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST- GRADUATE STUDIES



HOÀNG THỊ QUỲNH

IMPROVING ENGLISH SPEAKING SKILL OF 4TH GRADERS BY
USING READERS THEATER: AN ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT AT
AN ENGLISH CENTER IN YÊN BÁI

Cải thiện kỹ năng nói tiếng Anh của học sinh lớp 4 bằng việc sử dụng hoạt
động đọc truyện biểu diễn : Nghiên cứu cải tiến sư phạm tại một trung tâm
Anh ngữ ở Yên Bái

MA. MINOR THESIS
Major

: English Teaching Methodology

Code

: 8140231.01

Supervisor: assoc. Prof. Lâm Quang Đông .PhD

HÀ NỘI – 2018

ii


ABSTRACT
One very popular problem in English speaking classrooms is the lack of
chances for students to practice speaking in a meaningful context. Students‟ practice
may be considered the crucial element that helps them achieve success in learning
speaking, but many learners may tend to avoid practicing speaking in class.

Improving oral proficiency in EFL classroom and creating an enjoyable learning
atmosphere have long been the major goals for most EFL instructors. One effective
approach in teaching speaking skill which may help to provide students with
opportunities in practicing speaking English is the use of a drama technique called
Readers Theater (RT). RT is a presentational performance when the “actors” first read
a story before transforming it into a script involving several characters; then they use
their voice, facial expressions and gestures to portray those characters. All the actors
keep looking at the script during the performance and there is no need to memorize
the script. Accordingly, the objective of this study was to uncover how RT improves
speaking skill among the students at a center in Yen Bai. The second was to find out
more information on students‟ attitudes towards the practice of RT in their speaking
class, the disadvantages, if any, that students may encounter besides its advantages.
Generally, the study aims to see how RT works with this group of students in a local
Vietnamese context. The research was conducted with 16 fourth-graders in an English
center in Yen Bai. Using the design of Classroom Action Research, this study
followed the steps of reconnaissance, planning, action and observation, reflection, and
data analysis. The data were obtained through classroom observation, questionnaire
survey and tests. The findings of the research suggested that using RT in the language
classroom benefit students‟ learning in different ways. Students‟ speaking skill was
improved both in linguistic and paralinguistic features. Students also have positive
attitudes toward the use of RT in class. I therefore recommend RT as an effective
technique in helping students in the process of improving their speaking proficiency.

iii


DECLARATION OF AUTHORSHIP
I hereby declare that this thesis and the work presented in it are my own and
have been generated by me as the result of my own original research. I confirm that:
 This work was done wholly while I am in candidature for a Master

degree at this University;
 This thesis has never been submitted partially or wholly for a degree or
any other qualification at this University or any other institution;
 Where I have consulted the published work of others, this is always
clearly attributed;
 Where I have quoted from the work of others, the source is always
given. With the exception of such quotations, this thesis is entirely my
own work;
 I have acknowledged all main sources of help;
 Where the thesis is based on work done by myself jointly with others, I
have made clear exactly what was done by others and what I have
contributed myself.
I am fully aware that should this declaration be found to be false, disciplinary
action could be taken and penalties imposed in accordance with University policy and
rules.
Hanoi, 2018
Author

iv


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First of all I would like to thank Assoc. Prof. Dr. Lâm Quang Đông for his
exemplary guidance, monitoring and constant encouragement throughout the writing
of this thesis. Without his help, I would have never been able to finish this thesis.
I also take this opportunity to express a deep sense of gratitude to all my
lecturers at the Faculty of Post-graduate Studies, University of Languages and
International Studies for their valuable lectures which have helped me a great deal in
gaining a lot of theoretical as well as practical knowledge.

My special thanks go to the manager and teachers at Yen Bai center for Foreign
Languages and Informatics in general and 16 grade-4 students in particular. I am
grateful to them for their cooperation during the period of my research.
Finally, I would also like to express my deep gratitude and love to my devoted
parents, my brother, my husband and my friends who gave me time and encouraged
me to complete this study.

v


CONTENTS

ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................... i
DECLARATION OF AUTHORSHIP .......................................................................... iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................... v
CONTENTS ................................................................................................................... 1
LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES .............................................................................. 3
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ........................................................................................ 4
INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................... 5
1.

Rationale ........................................................................................................... 5

2.

Objectives.......................................................................................................... 6

3.

Research Questions ........................................................................................... 7

4.

Methodology ..................................................................................................... 7

5. Significance ............................................................................................................ 8
5.1. Practical Significance ...................................................................................... 8
5.2. Theoretical Significance .................................................................................. 8
6.

Organization of the Thesis ................................................................................ 8

CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW........................................................................ 9
1.1. Speaking ............................................................................................................ 9
1.1.1.

Definition of Speaking ............................................................................ 9

1.1.2.

Micro- and Macro-Speaking Skills ....................................................... 10

1.2. Teaching Speaking .......................................................................................... 10
1.3. Readers Theater............................................................................................... 12
1.4. Advantages of Readers Theater in Teaching and Learning Speaking Skill ... 13
1.5. How is Readers Theater Applied and Studied around the World? ................. 16
1.6. How is Readers Theater Applied and Studied in Vietnam? ........................... 17
1.7. Theoretical Support for this Study .................................................................. 18
CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY ................................................................................ 21
2.1. Research Setting ................................................................................................ 21

2.2. Research Materials ............................................................................................ 21
2.3. Data Collection Techniques and Instruments .................................................... 21
1


2.3.1. Observation ................................................................................................. 22
2.3.2. Questionnaire Survey ................................................................................. 22
2.3.3. Tests ............................................................................................................ 23
2.4. Data Analyses .................................................................................................... 23
2.5. Research Procedure ........................................................................................... 24
2.5.1. The Situation Prior to the Research ............................................................ 28
2.5.2. Research Implementation ........................................................................... 29
CHAPTER 3: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION .......................................................... 36
3.1. Readers Theater and the Improvement of Students‟ Speaking ......................... 36
3.1.1. Improvement of Speaking through Observation ........................................ 36
3.1.2. Improvement of Speaking through Tests ................................................... 38
3.2. Students‟ Responses toward the Implementation of Readers Theater in
Speaking Classes ...................................................................................................... 40
3.3. Some Cautions Concerning Readers Theater Application in Speaking Classes
.................................................................................................................................. 42
CONCLUSIONS .......................................................................................................... 44
1.

Recapitulation ................................................................................................. 44

2.

Implications ..................................................................................................... 45

3.

Limitations and Suggestions for Further Research ......................................... 45

References .................................................................................................................... 46
ANNEXES.................................................................................................................... 50

2


LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES
Table 1: Situation Prior to the Research ............................................................. 29
Table 2: Scores of pre-test, post-test 1 and post-test 2 ....................................... 39

Figure 2: Cyclical Action Research Model (S. Kemmis & McTaggart, 2005, p.
278) ..................................................................................................................... 26

3


LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

EFL
ESL
RQ
RT

English as a Foreign Language
English as a Second Language
Research Question
Readers Theater

4


INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale
In order to master any language, learners have to practice all 4 skills, namely
listening, speaking, reading and writing. As Rivers (2002) argues, speaking is used
twice as much as reading and writing in our communication. Therefore, developing
learners‟ speaking skill is of vital importance in language programs in general, and
EFL/ESL programs in particular. Richard and Renandya (2002) also believe that
speaking is one of the central elements of communication in EFL teaching. It is a skill
that needs special attention and instruction. However, to many students, speaking
seems to be the most challenging skill to develop. Brown and Lee (2015) state that
learning to speak a foreign language is often considered one of the most difficult for
students to learn.
When learning speaking, learners are expected to be competent in using various
language elements such as vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation, amongst others,
and it is so important to activate these elements in the process of teaching/learning.
There are many factors that may affect students‟ performance, for instance, the lack of
opportunities to practice speaking in meaningful contexts. Besides, class size and
mixed ability class also reduce general learners‟ motivation in acquiring EFL speaking
skill. The students at an English center in Yen Bai, where the author is working, are
no exception. They experience different problems with regards to speaking.
Firstly, from my own observation, lack of students‟ speaking proficiency is
the problem. Their vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation are low, which make
them unable to speak up during the speaking class. In language teaching class,
students rarely answer the questions given by the teacher orally. It also takes them
quite some time to produce an answer because they speak with a lot of pauses and
they get difficulties in finding appropriate words to express their ideas.

The next problem is that students have low motivation in learning speaking.
They have little chance to use English in their daily life and speaking activities for
students to practice in class are also limited and boring. Furthermore, a number of
techniques and strategies used in speaking classes at the center are not effective in
supporting students‟ improvement in communication in the target language. Activities
in speaking classes are generally routines, while, as stated by Brown and Lee (2015, p.
48), “routine activities in learning can make students bored. As a result, their
motivation and participation in learning will decrease”. Learning activities become
monotonous and less challenging. Therefore, students are not enthusiastic and
interested in joining speaking activities.

5


Another problem is that students often lack confidence in speaking English.
They tend to be passive in speaking lessons. They are shy when using the target
language in front of their teacher, and their mates. Students are also afraid of making
mistakes and being laughed at by their friends when they speak English.
Consequently, students usually avoid using English in class and prefer using their
native language when answering questions or working in pairs or groups with their
mates and their teacher. This has been confirmed by many researchers: Psychological
factors such as anxiety or shyness, lack of confidence, lack of motivation, and fear of
mistakes commonly hinder students from speaking (Nunan, 1999; Sato, 2003;
Thornbury, 2011).
One more problem that affects students‟ speaking skill improvement is the lack
of authentic input and output (Zhang, 2009) in which students can apply the language
elements they have learnt meaningfully. Students rarely have opportunities to practice
the target language beyond the classroom; they often learn monotonously in speaking
lessons, with the traditional method focusing mainly on listening and repeating
language elements. The lack of application is the main reason why not a small number

of students can get very high scores at exam, but cannot use their English in real life
situations.
One possible solution to such problems comes from teachers who play a crucial
role in creating opportunities for students to practice speaking skill. Such chances can
be created by applying various methods, including discussion, drama, role play,
information gap, simulations, etc. Among those alternatives, Readers Theater
(henceforth RT) activity seems to be one of students‟ favorite.
RT is a drama technique that is suitable for students at all levels because actors
can play the story they have read without having to memorize the scripts. RT creates
opportunities for students to take part in practice activities as active participants rather
than passive ones. According to Thornburry (2011), speaking activities involving
drama elements provide a useful catalyst for real-life language use because learners
take an imaginative leap beyond classroom boundaries. RT is expected to help
improve students‟ enthusiasm in practicing speaking in class and solve several
students‟ problems in learning speaking.
However, RT seems to be new in the country, so the author would like to carry
out an action research using RT in the classroom of the English center where the
author is teaching to improve students‟ speaking competence. The study is entitled
“Improving English speaking skill of 4th graders by using Readers Theater”.

2. Objectives
The objective of this action research first is to uncover how RT improves
speaking skill among the students at the center. The second is to find out more
6


information on students‟ attitudes towards the practice of RT in their speaking class,
the disadvantages, if any, that students may encounter besides its advantages.
Generally, the study aims to see how RT works with this group of students in a local
Vietnamese context.

3. Research Questions
To deliver the objectives stated above, the following research questions must be
addressed:
RQ1: How is the students‟ speaking skill improved thanks to the application of RT?
RQ2: How do the students respond to RT?
Also, through the study, I could see what works well and what not so well so that
necessary precautions can be provided to subsequent users of RT in similar contexts.
The findings lead to both practical and theoretical contributions. Firstly, they
help other teachers in their application of RT on a wider scale in similar contexts in
the country and/or integrated in current training curriculum as a regular activity.
Secondly, they contribute to the understanding of RT and its application in local
contexts.

4. Methodology
In line with the objectives of this research, a classroom action research which
consisted of two cycles was conducted. Each cycle of action research was carried out
by applying the model of action research proposed by Kemmis and Mc Taggart (1988,
as cited in Burns, 2010, p. 7). By using this model, each research cycle passed through
four broad phrases, namely planning, action, observation, and reflection. The initial
cycles of these four phrases lead to a second cycle in which the reflections of the
previous cycle provided the information for the researcher to make the next cycle
plan.
Planning

Action

Reflection

Observation

Figure 1: The cycle of action research model Kemmis and Mc Taggart
(1988, as cited in Burns, 2010, p. 7)

7


To answer the above-mentioned research questions, qualitative data in form of
descriptions were collected; at the same time, the researcher collected data that can be
measured and represented in numbers. The qualitative data were collected from field
notes and video recordings. On the other hand, the quantitative data were from the
scores of the student‟s speaking performances and the results of the questionnaires.
The teacher‟ field notes, video recordings, students‟ test scores were used to evaluate
the improvement of students‟ speaking skill. Some caution when applying RT in class
was also noted through the observation process. A questionnaire survey was
conducted to find out the students‟ responses to the implementation of RT in speaking
class.

5. Significance
5.1. Practical Significance
This present study seeks to provide another fruitful option for EFL programs in
Yen Bai and perhaps elsewhere. English teachers may well implement RT in their
speaking classes, and gradually apply this model to improve reading, listening and
writing skills. What is more, the present study also attempts to diminish the negative
effect of class size and mixed ability class, and to some extents, ease the teacher‟s
burden in designing extra teaching materials as well as motivating students to speak in
speaking classes. Last but not least, with RT, students should have a chance to work
with others, learn with others, and thoroughly enjoy the moment of „real drama‟ in a
theater.

5.2. Theoretical Significance
Theoretically, this research may contribute to understanding of the use of Reader
Theater in language teaching and learning, especially in teaching speaking in the local
context of the country. Also, this study used a mixed method approach to investigate
the effectiveness of RT in promoting speaking skill, which proves the feasibility of
mixed method approach in doing RT research.

6. Organization of the Thesis
This thesis pictures an action research which encompasses 3 chapters, apart from
the Introduction, Conclusion and necessary Annexes. The Introduction presents
general background information on the study, the rationale, the aims, the research
questions, the significance of the study, and organization of the thesis. Chapter 1
reviews relevant literature and previous studies with regard to the implementation of
RT in teaching and learning. Chapter 2 describes the methodology of the research,
including research design, research procedure, research materials, method of data
collection, research instruments, the process of implementation RT in teaching, and
data analysis. Chapter 3 presents the findings and discussion, and the Conclusion
finalizes the thesis.
8


CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW
As an action research involving the application of RT in teaching speaking, this
study is based on the following theoretical foundations, including: what is speaking in
language teaching/learning; what is involved in teaching speaking; what is RT and
why is it advantageous; and what has been done so far in terms of RT applications and
research to justify the need for this study of mine.
1.1.

Speaking

1.1.1. Definition of Speaking
The word speaking has many different meanings in linguistics‟ views. Oxford
Dictionary ("Speaking," 2018), speaking is “the action of conveying information or
expressing one's thoughts and feelings in spoken languages.” Johns (1981) defines
speaking as a productive skill. Like writing, it involves using the organs of speech to
express meanings to other people. Burns and Joyce (1997) and Luoma (2004),
however, considered speaking an interactive process of constructing meaning that
involves producing, receiving and processing information. Its form and meaning are
dependent on the context in which it occurs, including the participants themselves,
their collective experiences, the physical environment, and the purposes for speaking.
It is often spontaneous, open-ended, and evolving. However, speech is not always
unpredictable. Speaking requires that learners not only know how to understand the
knowledge of language such as grammar, pronunciation, or vocabulary seen as
linguistic competence but also that they understand when, where, why and in what
ways to produce language, sociolinguistic competence. Thornbury (2011), on the
other hand, treats speaking as a skill, like playing the guitar or of driving a car. He
believes speaking involves certain skills and several different types of knowledge.
They are extra-linguistic knowledge, i.e. the knowledge of the sociocultural norms,
culture, topic, the context and relationship to other speakers and linguistic knowledge
that comprises of genre, discourse, and pragmatic knowledge (Thornbury, 2011). With
reference to genre knowledge, he distinguishes between two main purposes for
speaking: transactional and interpersonal. The former relates to conveying information
and exchange of goods and services and the latter to creating and maintaining social
relations.
To sum up, speaking is both a productive skill and an interactional process,
which is subject to a number of influential factors such as context, relationship, sociocultural knowledge, amongst others.

9

1.1.2. Micro- and Macro-Speaking Skills
As explained by Brown (2004, p. 142), speaking covers micro- and macroskills. These skills should be recognized as the guideline in assessing the students‟
speaking performance. Micro-skills "refer to producing the smaller chunks of
language such as phonemes, morphemes, words, collocations, and phrasal units”. On
the other hand, macro-skills "imply the speaker's focus on the larger elements:
fluency, discourse, function, style, cohesion, nonverbal communication, and strategic
options”. He also adds that there are some different purposes of micro- and macroskills of oral production. Some of those used in this research are hereunder presented.
Micro-skills include:
1) Produce chunks of language of different lengths;
2) Produce English stress patterns, words in stressed and unstressed positions,
rhythmic structure, and intonation contours;
3) Produce reduced forms of words and phrases;
4) Produce fluent speech at different rates of delivery;
5) Produce speech in natural constituents: in appropriate phrases, pause groups,
breath groups, and sentence constituents.
Regarding the same reference, some of macro-skills are as follows:
1) Appropriately accomplish communicative functions according to situations,
participants, and goals;
2) Use appropriate styles, registers, implicature, redundancies, pragmatic
conventions, conversation rules, floor keeping and yielding, interrupting, and other
sociolinguistic features in face-to-face conversations;
3) Convey facial features, kinesics, body language, and other nonverbal cues
along with verbal language.
1.2.

Teaching Speaking

In English teaching and learning processes, speaking skill is considered one of
the most important skills that learners need to acquire in order to be able to

communicate using the target language. Nunan (1999) and Burkart & Sheppard (2004)
argue that success in learning a language is measured in terms of the ability to carry
out a conversation in the (target) language. Therefore, speaking is probably a priority
for most learners of English (Florez, 1998).
Speaking is "the process of building and sharing meaning through the use of
verbal and non-verbal symbols, in a variety of contexts" (Chaney & Burk, 1998, p.
12). Speaking is a highly complicated and dynamic skill that requires the simultaneous
combination of cognitive ability, cultural awareness and physical attempts to perform
an act of speaking in real time communication. Teaching speaking skill is not just as
10


having students repeat of drills or memory of dialogues, it is a complexity process of
teaching them the knowledge of speaking, skills and strategies. In teaching speaking,
teachers should strive to improve their students‟ vocabulary and confidence by
creating opportunities which will enable them to use the language within authentic
context and learn in meaning full context (Brown & Lee, 2015).
According to Nunan (2003), “teaching speaking” is to teach ESL learners to:
- produce the English speech sounds and sound patterns;
- use word and sentence stress, intonation patterns and the rhythm of the second
language;
- select appropriate words and sentences according to the proper social setting,
audience, situation and subject matter;
- organize their thoughts in a meaningful and logical sequence;
- use language as a means of expressing values and judgments;
- use the language quickly and confidently with few unnatural pauses, which is called
as fluency (Nunan, 2003).
Goh & Burns (2012) mentioned the three components of second language
speaking competences and also explained in detail how each component works and
affects each other. According to them, there are three components. The first

component is gaining knowledge of language and discourse, which requires students
to understand and master the language‟s pronunciation, comprehend the vocabulary
and grammar and know how to organize a different type of speech. The ultimate goal
of this component is to help speakers gaining social acceptance when speaking the
target language (Burns & Goh, 2012). The next components is core speaking skill,
which focuses on developing fluency of the speech, students‟ negotiation and
monitoring skills, and their ability to manage the speech. The final components are
strategies; it is about building cognitive strategies to deal with the insufficiency of the
speakers‟ language knowledge. Strategies emphasize on using circumlocution,
gesture, word creation, approximation or avoidance to compensate the limitation of
the speakers in terms of language knowledge.
Brown (2015, pp. 257-267) discussed the principles of teaching speaking that
can be summarized as follows:
1. Use technique that cover the spectrum of learners needs, from language-based
focus on accuracy to message-based focus on interaction, meaning
and fluency;
2. Provide intrinsically motivating techniques;
3. Encourage the use of authentic language in meaningful contexts;
4. Provide appropriate feedback and correction;
5. Capitalize on the natural link between speaking and listening;
6. Give students opportunities to initiate oral communication
11


7. Encourage the development of speaking strategies.
Teaching speaking requires teachers not only help students know how to produce
specific elements of language such as grammar, pronunciation, or vocabulary but also
make them understand the structural and systematical speaking knowledge, when, why
and in what ways to produce language. More importantly, it is the teachers‟ instructions
which play a vital role in fostering the improvement of the students‟ speaking skill in

such specific language aspects as pronunciation, developing communication strategies or
using appropriate gesture to support speaking, etc.
1.3.

Readers Theater

Readers Theater has its origins in ancient Greece and was first introduced as a
minimal theater in support of literature and reading. It was originally developed as a
means to present literary works in dramatic form. RT allows students to engage in
creative writing through adding and recreating lines in a story script, and by providing
introductory and transitional details as they adapt a piece of literature into dramatic
form (Shepard, 2006). RT is an oral interpretation of a story presented as a minitheater production; besides, it is a literature-based oral reading which communicates
story through oral interpretation (Walker, 1998). In RT, the readers read aloud directly
from the script with expressive intonation and facial expression. “Reader‟s Theater is
an interpretive reading activity in which readers use their voices to bring characters to
life” (Martinez, Roser, & Strecker, 1998). It is dependent on the ability of readers‟
voice and expression to capture the listeners‟ attention (Sloyer, 1982). Based on
Shepard (2004), there are many styles of RT, but nearly all share these features: (a)
Narration serves as the framework of dramatic presentation; (b) No full stage sets. If
used at all, sets are simple and suggestive; (c) No full costumes. If used at all,
costumes are partial and suggestive, or neutral and uniform; (d) No full memorization.
Scripts are used openly in performance.
According to Worthy & Prater (2002), the readers first read a story and then
transform the story into a script involving several characters. A wide range of texts
can be used for Reader Theatre purposes. These may be fictional texts, such as
narratives, short stories, folk tales, myths and extracts from novels, or non-fiction
texts, such as biographies and autobiographies, diaries, speeches, letters, newspaper
articles and historical documents (Black & Stave, 2007). Texts that pupils have
written themselves can also be used for Readers Theatre (Hoyt, 1992). Whatever text
is used, it is necessary to adapt it for group reading by dividing it up into smaller units,

often at the sentence level, which different readers are allocated. Patrick (2008) writes
that these are four basic steps in Readers Theatre as follows:
1. Readers first read a story, and then

12


2. Make selective and analytical choices in transforming the story into a script through
social negotiation,
3. Formulate, practice and refine their interpretations, and
4. Finally perform for an audience, reading aloud from hand-held scripts.
“The goal of Reader‟s Theater is to read a script in which the story theme and
character development are conveyed to the audience through intonation, inflection,
and fluency” (McAndrews, 2004).
1.4.

Advantages of Readers Theater in Teaching and Learning
Speaking Skill

Readers Theater is one of many types of drama activities which have been used
in teaching language for a long time. Having been used to teach foreign languages
since middle ages, drama plays an important role to learn target language and culture.
Nathan and Stanovich (1991) indicate that incorporating drama within the classroom
has distinctive and defining elements of language development. Drama is pedagogy
that reaches students of multiple intelligences and different learning styles. It is a
multi-sensory mode of learning that engages mind, body, senses and emotions to
create personal connections to the real world and helps to improve comprehension and
retention (Prochazka, 2007). Drama is considered an effective method in teaching
foreign language because it provides meaningful contexts for learners to practice the
target language. Dougill (1987) indicates that the drama activities in classroom could

encourage them to use their language to speak in meaningful dialogues. It can help
increase students‟ motivation in learning English, reduce anxiety and enhance
language acquisition, especially speaking. Through drama, students can gain greater
experience in using the language and be more willing to share their feelings and views
with other members within a secure environment. If the teacher and the learner are
able to use drama to create roles and situations, there will be a greater variety of
different contexts for talk (Neelands, 1992).
RT has been proved to have several benefits for language skills, including
listening, speaking, reading and writing. RT offers a visual, oral, and audio stimulus
for students; it attracts students‟ interest and attention through drama. It incorporates
all four skills, literary materials, and provides motivation for students in a
communicative context (Flynn, 2004; Kelleher, 1997). In other words, RT can
improve listening, speaking, reading and writing skills (Huang, 2006). RT performs a
plot of meaning-making for the aim of communication and, spiriting with an audience
(Neelands, 1992). Jordan and Harrell (2000) recognize RT as an effective drama
activity for providing authentic speech practice, especially in teaching reading fluency
(rate, accuracy, phrasing, pitch, stress and expressiveness) as well as facilitating
comprehension for beginning readers. They suggested that “involving students with
13


enjoyable and exciting active reading procedures provide the key to fluency and
higher levels of comprehension gain, through a natural process of repeated readings
and interactive transactions with language” (Jordan & Harrell, 2000, p. 74). According
to Shepard (2006), Readers Theater allows students to engage in creative writing
through adding and recreating lines in a story script, and by providing introductory
and transitional details as they adapt a piece of literature into dramatic form. Readers
Theater will benefit EFL students because it has the following key features:
1. Students interpret the story orally, rather than act it out.
2. Students don‟t try to become the characters, like actors do, although they use their

voices and gestures to bring life to the characters.
3. Students don‟t have to memorize lines. They take their reading texts or scripts on
stage with them – even if they don‟t use them.
4. Students don‟t need elaborate costumes.
5. Students don‟t need special sets or props.
Readers Theatre is a holistic method that integrates reading, speaking, listening
and thinking (Rinehart, 1999). It is a collective, all-inclusive reading activity, allowing
readers of different levels of reading ability to participate in a non-threatening,
controlled and prepared setting‟ (Black & Stave, 2007, p. 4). Some of RT advantages
are related to the factors affecting speaking skill. They are:
1. Readers Theater boosts listening and speaking skills.
2. Students are trained to speak at an appropriate rate with accuracy, proper phrasing,
and expression.
3. Readers Theater improves sight word recognition.
4. Readers Theater improves students‟ confidence.
5. Students‟ ownership and engagement in the process is high.
6. Readers Theatre supports the learning of bodily-kinesthetic learners.
7. Collaboration and teamwork and emphasized skills.
8. Readers Theater promotes cooperative interaction with peers.
9. Readers Theater encourages social interaction during reading time.
10. Readers Theater encourages practice at home with family members and friends
(Buzzeo, 2006).
Hill (1990) states that, in creating Readers Theater scripts, students increase
their knowledge of language structure (vocabulary, syntax and meaning), language use
(forms and functions of language use) and their metalinguistic awareness (the ability
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to talk about language). Dougill (1987, p. 22) outlines two important reasons why
scripts are of particular value to language learning. Firstly, scripts provide a rich

source of comprehensible input in language that is natural and spoken. This is in
contrast to the atomistic approach of much of the language skill found in many course
books where language is broken down into sentences or even smaller units and
moreover, what spoken language is contained therein often takes the form of
unrealistic (and uninvolving) slices of dialogue that have little value in terms of style
or humor... Secondly, script also offers psychological security to the students. This is
particularly applicable to EFL learners who generally exhibit language anxiety
(Horwitz, 1986) particularly in English oral proficiency and are looking for a secure
starting point. Berlinger (2000), recognizing the benefits of scripted dialogues in
encouraging English expressions, argues that scripts have long been employed in ESL
instruction because they permit students to actively acquire the vocabulary, idioms,
grammar and syntax of English speech. He also points out that such dialogues involve
all aspects of language. In addition, scripts that are rehearsed in class can offer
students a dynamic encounter that comes closest to real communication.
Since the writing of scripts involves all aspects of language, Readers Theater
should enable EFL students to acquire language in a real communicative context and
allows creativity. Readers Theater would help EFL students to improve their oral
communication skills. In addition, there are also other benefits for students such as
their capacity to imagine is extended. Hearing well-written stories reinforce their use
of language skills, encourage them to read with avidity, and stimulates concentrated
listening (Sloyer, 1982).
Because RT emphasizes oral and facial expressions, RT can help students
enhance their English oral abilities. RT provides a meaningful context that reduces
students‟ nervousness, encourages students to speak, even the most reluctant or
quietest student. Through oral reading performances, all students have the opportunity
to practice their speaking, gradually increase their confidence in speaking in front of
others, and finally succeed in performing the script for an audience (Huang, 2006). In
RT, each student only reads small chunks of words at a time because the scripts are
divided among several readers. This also helps students lower their anxiety. When
performing on the stage, students look at the script and read their parts; therefore, they

are free of memorization the text. When the readers are free of the anxiety of
memorization of a text, they can concentrate on other aspects of the drama (Trousdale
& Harris, 1993, p. 202), pay attention to articulation, pronunciation, fluency and
projection when reading (Black & Stave, 2007, p. 7). Besides, RT emphasizes not
only words, structures, and pronunciation but also thoughts, motivations and
comprehension (Miccoli, 2003). Finally, after students use RT, they can make
significant progress in oral skills (Tian & Wu, 2012).
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When doing RT, students have to work in groups in most of the steps which
involve a lot of discussion. When writing scripts, students discuss which line should
be said by which character, which should be added and which should be omitted. The
discussion requires student understand the words, the structures, and the whole story
deeply. Latrobe (1996) states that students feel confident of writing a script based on
literary texts. The instruction of RT script writing is to focus on teaching students how
to write down ideas, and how to have the ideas organized in a systematic as well as
efficient way (Lee, 2010; Styles & Dunn, 1989). When rehearsing, students discuss
the characters and their characteristics. They talk about what the tones, intonations,
and expressions are more suitable for reading and they read the script repeatedly and
silently. Being a part of the group, they have to practice correct pronunciation,
intonation, and expression when reading the text repeatedly. Flynn (2004, p. 361)
argues that the teamwork in RT motivates readers to be attentive because one always
wants to do one‟s best when one is together with others. Even for the purpose to make
their reading performance better, students are willing to spend extra time practicing
oral skills. When conquering fears and being willing to take risks in speaking in front
of others, students make significant progress in improvement of oral skills along with
realizing the underlined oral.
As RT brings about so many benefits to students and teachers, why not apply it
in a local context to see how local students respond, what benefits it offers the most,

what may not work in the local context, what can be improved in RT application –
these again confirm the necessity to do this action research of mine.
1.5.

How is Readers Theater Applied and Studied around the World?

RT is a group reading experience that has its roots in the old traditions of storytelling in ancient Greece (Drew, 2013). RT has been used as a method in schools,
especially in the USA in first language Since the 1950s. During the 1960s, Reader’s
Theater became popular among college theater departments and from there it spread
to secondary English education. Although not widely practiced as a form of theatre
today, RT has continued to be used in schools in mother tongue contexts (Chard &
Tyler, 2000; Peebles, 2007), and has also been applied to foreign language classrooms
(Chan & Chan, 2009; Drew & Pedersen, 2010)
The practice of RT in schools has led to a number of studies on its educational
value in mother tongue contexts (Chard & Tyler, 2000; Flynn, 2004; Martinez et al.,
1998; Rinehart, 1999) and foreign language classroom environments (Chan & Chan,
2009; Drew, 2013; Drew & Pedersen, 2010).
Research on RT has shown that RT not only benefits pupils‟ cognitive skills but
also their motivation and confidence to read aloud. On the effects of RT on pupils‟
cognitive skills RT has shown benefits in areas such as word recognition (Millin &
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Rinehart, 1999; Samuels, 1997), pronunciation (Trousdale & Harris, 1993), fluency
(Martinez et al., 1998) and comprehension (M. E. McKay, 2008; Rasinski, 2006). In
reference to the affective benefits, studies show that RT has a positive influence on
pupils‟ motivation (Black & Stave, 2007; Casey & Chamberlain, 2006; Millin &
Rinehart, 1999; Peebles, 2007; Worthy & Prater, 2002). Pupils who would otherwise
have been reluctant to read aloud individually, thrive in the role of being part of a
group of readers with collective responsibility for the text (Black & Stave, 2007).

Through collaboration and interaction while reading, even struggling readers feel a
sense of belonging to and contributing to the group (Chard & Tyler, 2000). Another
motivation factor is the gradual growth in confidence as readers become more familiar
and comfortable with the text through rehearsal (Rinehart, 1999; Uthman, 2002).
An abundance of research exists emphasize RT as a performance genre with
educational benefits. Although a few studies focused on examining the RT
implementation in an L2 environment (Adams, Farris, Patterson, Santiago, & Secrist,
2007 Santiago, & Secrist, 2007; Liu, 2000; Peng, 2009; Yang, 2006), most
discussions focus on its possibilities of enhancing fluency and comprehension,
motivation, and reading development; yet, there is minimal research on RT and its
effectiveness as an instructional method to influence students‟ oral skill. There has
been also little research done in elementary ESL classrooms. That adds another
justification for my present study.
1.6.

How is Readers Theater Applied and Studied in Vietnam?

In Vietnam, the purpose of reforming teaching and learning of foreign languages
in the national system has been stressed in the National Foreign Language 2020
Project. According to this project, by 2020 all learners are expected to have the
capacity of communicating with others in foreign languages successfully, particularly
in English (Ministry of Education and Training, 2008). Focusing on developing
students‟ communicative ability, it is necessary that the English class has to break
with the familiar routine of working with texts in a mere handful of “traditional”
ways, such as asking and answering comprehension questions, translation and
vocabulary tests. Given the importance of speaking skill, in recent years there have
been a lot of changes in the instructional approach of teaching and learning English in
Vietnam. Different techniques have been applied in English classes in order to create
chances for students to use the target language meaningfully and communicatively,
which helps enhance students‟ oral production in English as a foreign language.

Plenty of research has been done on different strategies to achieve the supportive
environment and maximize students‟ learning, resulting in advice, techniques, articles,
and resource books for teachers.

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Drama is one of the strategies that have been used in various educational
settings, especially in the context of ESL/ EFL teaching. Drama is considered a very
effective technique in teaching speaking. Hamilton and McLeod describe the
relationship between drama and foreign language teaching as follows: “It is hard to
imagine anything else that offers to language teachers such a wide variety of types of
talks, for example monologues, paired speaking, role-plays, group discussions,
reporting, talking in response to other stimuli, problem-solving, developing scenarios,
acting out, etc. from explaining, complaining, praising, disagreeing to exhorting,
apologizing and requesting – there is no language function that drama is not capable
of easily encompassing” (Hamilton & McLeod, 1993, p. 5). While many English
teachers in Vietnam have been quite familiar with some types of drama in class like
role-play, simulation, acting play scripts…, they seem to be unfamiliar with Readers
Theater. Hardly any research has been conducted into the implementation of RT as an
instructional technique in the context of teaching and learning English in Vietnam so
far. This once more justifies the need for a study like what I have done and is
presented in this thesis.
1.7.

Theoretical Support for this Study
Readers Theater is one of many types of drama activities which have been used

in teaching language for a long time. Having been used to teach foreign languages
since middle ages, drama plays an important role to learn target language and culture (

Tüm, 2010) . Drama has been view as a way of learning by Psychologists. When
studying the growth of human cognitively, psychologists found drama provides a
sound foundation for development. “Lev Vygotsky and Jerome Bruner both see
cognitive growth as dependent upon interactive play and upon children imagining
themselves acting in worlds that are developmentally a bit above their actual physical
and intellectual level. Both provide a solid foundation for using drama in the
classroom as a way that deepens and enlarges understanding” (Wagner 15).
“Dr. Howard Gardner, co-director of Project Zero at Harvard University's
Graduate School of Education, has developed a theory of multiple intelligences which
suggests that our school systems, which reflect our culture, teach, test, reinforce, and
reward primarily two kinds of intelligence--verbal and logical-mathematical”
(Dickinson). According to Gardner, students learn in many different ways. He states
that all individuals possess the skills but the degree of the skills will vary from person
to person depending on the combination of the skills. He has defined seven multiple
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intelligences and these multiple intelligences are unique to the individual (Gardner,
1985). If educators teach their students knowing that there are other intelligences
besides only verbal and logical, then students will have better chances of learning.
Each child is a unique learner and there has been a growing awareness of the need to
take into account the different types of „intelligences‟ (Gardner 1993).Readers‟
Theatre relates to the theory of multiple intelligences by connecting with at least five
of the intelligences that include bodily-kinesthetic, intrapersonal, musical, verballinguistic, and interpersonal (Gardner, 1985) through repeated readings, action and
movement, and student interactions. Gardner has considered

each of these

intelligences as equally important to learning. “These intelligences provide the
foundations for the visual arts, music, dance, and drama, and through these art forms

most students will not only find the means for communication and self-expression, but
the tools to construct meaning and learn almost any subject effectively” (Dickinson).
Through Gardner‟s theories, there is evidence that RT is an effective means of
reaching students with intelligences .The intelligences are inherent in creative drama
and a Well – designing of using drama has avenues for reaching each student through
her favored learning style. Using RT in EFL classes has the potential to meet the
needs of the learners by providing the teacher with a framework to address different
intelligences of the students. Susan Stern (in Sam 1990), who looks into drama in
second language learning from a psycholinguistic point of view, emphasizes that
drama heightens self-esteem, motivation, spontaneity, increases capacity for empathy,
and lowers sensitivity to rejection. These tremendous benefits of drama facilitate
communication and provide an appropriate psycholinguistic climate for language
learning by addressing multiple intelligences of the students.
Another theory related to using drama in teaching is constructive theory. The
constructivist theory has had the greatest impact on instruction and curriculum design
because it seems to be the most encouraging to integration into current educational
approaches (Jones & Brader-Araje, 2002). At the heart of constructivism is the idea
that learning is neither passive nor a copying process. Rather, it is a process of active
participation (Schifter &Simon, 1990). Constructivists believe that knowledge
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construction takes place when new knowledge is actively assimilated and
accommodated into existing knowledge (Piaget 1967). The term “constructivism” is
most commonly used to refer to the theory that stems from this knowledge about
learning. Understanding, at any given time, is organized in the network of existing
knowledge within the learner‟s mind (Schifter & Simon, 1990). One theoretical
viewpoint about modern educational Drama emerges from the ideas of educators such
as Rousseau, Montessori, Bruner, and Dewey. They say that learning happens through
active participation, or as Dewey states "learning by doing” (Courtney 1). Drama is a

form of “learning by doing.” Dewey also stressed the importance of the imagination.
He called imagination the “gateway through which meanings are derived from past
experiences that are carried into the present” (Iannone 307). The curriculum should
integrate the imagination or aesthetic world with the cognitive world of the student.
“John Dewey‟s, „learning by doing‟ theory shaped The progressive era in education”
(Wagner 15).

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