Abstract
ESL learners often experience anxiety and feel uncomfortable when speaking in the target language. This paper examines the anxiety level of polytechnic students when speaking English and the effects of board game on their speaking performance. The participants were selected from two intact classes which were randomly assigned into experimental and control groups comprising 30 students each. Data were obtained from pre- and post-treatment speaking tests and questionnaire. The questionnaire measuring anxiety factors was adapted from Yaikhong and Usaha (2012) and Woodrow (2006). The board game “What Say You” employed during the treatment was a speaking activity which required players to speak on a topic within a given time frame. The experimental group played the board games over six sessions. The results from the experimental and control groups showed significant difference in the pre- and post-treatment speaking test scores. However, the speaking performance of the experimental group revealed significantly higher scores. Students who were initially hesitant and passive were more willing to speak and were able to present and justify their ideas more confidently as compared to the control group after the treatment. The findings reveal that the board game is a useful tool to engage learners’ participation in class and to enhance the speaking ability of low-proficiency ESL learners.
Highlights
Learning to speak and communicate are major aims for learning English (Nunan 2003; Richards & Renandya 2002)
The board game “What Say You” employed during the treatment was a speaking activity which required players to speak on a topic within a given time frame
The findings reveal that the board game is a useful tool to engage learners’ participation in class and to enhance the speaking ability of low-proficiency ESL learners
Summary
Learning to speak and communicate are major aims for learning English (Nunan 2003; Richards & Renandya 2002). Some learners feel anxious and uncomfortable when speaking in the target language for fear of making mistakes (Nascente, 2001). As such, they become very cautious and lack self-confidence whenever they speak in the target language. Big class sizes (Aduwa-Ogiegbaen & Iyamu, 2006; Byun et al, 2010; Chang & Goswami, 2011; Chen & Goh, 2011), students’ poor proficiency (Chang & Goswami, 2011; Chen & Goh, 2011), insufficient facilities and equipment (Aduwa-Ogiegbaen & Iyamu, 2006; Chen & Goh, 2011), and learning in a non English-speaking environment (Chang & Goswami, 2011; Chen & Goh, 2011) contribute to the factors of inadequate emphasis on speaking in the classroom
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