Role Play Script as Instructional Media for Improving first grade of Junior High School Students’ English Speaking Skill

A.  Background

Sudents difficulty in learning English caused by many factors. It may come from students or from students outside. therefore, teacher who has big role in improving students ability should be able to choose the right media and learning resources, so that the lesson material delivered well-received learners. Teacher certainly have a wealth of  information to choose the media for his or her students, so that she or he can provide interesting media into the classroom wheter printed, realia, scale model, audio, audio visual, board game or technology media.

Many techniques can be applied to solve the students’ problems including role play script as a media because many research finding says that this media effective to use in teaching speaking. Role play script is important in teaching speaking because it gives students an opportunity to practice in different social contexts and in different social roles. In addition, it also allows students to be creative and to put themselves in another person’s place for a while. Livingstone (1983: 6) said that role play is a classroom activity which gives the student the opportunity to practice the language, the aspects of role behavior, and the actual roles. On the book Pictures for Language Learning, Wright (1989 : 126) state that in role play the students imagine they are in a specifieed situation. They may take on the character and role of someone else or be themselves. From explanation above, this writing concludes that by using role play script as a media, the students are expected to be active language speaker.

For these reasons, the writer interest to use role play script as media in teaching speaking for first grade of junior high school students, and this study has been entitled “Role Play Script as Instructional Media for Improving first grade of Junior High School Students’ English Speaking Skill”

B.   Role Play

1.      Definition of Role Play script

Procter (1996 : 123) defined role as the person whom an actor represents in a film or play, while role play is a method of acting out particular ways of behaving or pretending to be other people who deal with new situations. It is used in training courses language learning and psychotherapy.

According to Haycraft (1978 : 88) Role play is one of communicative techniques which develops fluency in language students, which promotes interaction in the classoom, and which increases motivation. Haycraft mentioned the three elements in role playing: what the characters want, who they are, and their moods or attitudes at the time. These elements are ten affected by how the situation develops.

While according to oxford dictionnary script is written text of a play, speech, film etc.

According to Donn Byrne (1982 : 122) scripted role play is one of role play types that can involve interpreting either the text book dialog or reading text in the form of speech. The main function of the text after all is to convey the meaning of the language items in a memorable way.

In this writing, role play script means printed media that is text of short play which can be used for teaching speaking to improve student ability in English speaking.

2.      The Objective of Role Play script

The objective of role play script is to stimulate a conversation situation to give the students opportunity to practice and develop their conversation skill. Clark states the objective of roleplay is to help and guide the students into a realistic communication situation to sharpen the listening comprehension skill, bring them in contact new language, and discover areas where they need additional practice. Raymon Clark (1982 : 55)

Based of the explanation above, writer concludes that the objective of role play is to help students in speaking skill and its script as a media.

3.      Types of Role Play Activities

According to Ladousse (1989:13), there are several types of role play activities. The first is a role play activity which is in the real situation need of the students’ lives. For example: It involves such roles as students and teacher practice in the class. The second is a role play activity which is in some various situations that happen in the daily life but the students may or may not have direct experience. For example: Student which gives information to tourist about the direction of place. Then, the type of a role play activity that the students never  experienced themselves before, but it is easy to play because the teacher give many indirect examples to give additional information about it. For example: a manager of a tourism agent who gives explanation to tourists. The last is a role play activity that is fantasy role play activity. Those are fictitious, imaginary and possible even absurd. For example: a astronaut in the moon.

4.      Steps of applying Role Play Script as Media

a.       Step 1 : A situation for a Role Play

Teachers should select role plays that will give the students an opportunity to practice what they have learned . A situation for a role play should be interesting is to let the students choose the situation themselves. They might suggest themes that intrigue them or select a topic from a list of given situations.

b.      Step 2 : Role play Design

After choosing a context for a role play, the next step is to combine with ideas on how this situation may develop. Students’ level of language proficiency should be taken into consideration. If the role play requires more profund linguistic competence than the students possess, it would probably be better to simplify it or to leave it until appropriate.

c.       Step 3 : Language Preparation

After selecting a suitable role play, predict the language needed for it. The language that will be used  should be appropriate with the level of the students. At the beginning level, the language needed is almost completely predictable.

d.      Step 4 : Factual Preparetion

This step implies providing the students with concrete information and clear role descriptions so that they could play their roles with confidence. Describe each role in a manner that will let the students identify with the characters.

e.       Step 5 : Assigning the Roles

Some teachers ask for volunteers to act out a role play in front of the class though it might good idea to plan what roles to assign to which students. Sometimes, the students have role play exercises for the home task. They learn useful words and expression think about what they can say and then act out the role play in the next class.

f.       Step 6 : Follow up

Once the role play is finished, spend some time on debriefing. This does not mean pointing out and correcting mistakes. Follow-up means asking every student’s opinion about the role play and welcoming their comments. The aim is to discuss what has happened in the role play and what they have learned. In addition to group discussion, an evaluation questionnaire can be used. Maria A. Kodotchigova (2001 : 2-3)

C. The Advantages Using Role Play

It has been mentioned before that role play activities to promote speaking. Through role play activities the students learn how to express ideas, opinions, or feelings to others by using or sound of articulation.

Role play activities can improve the learners speaking skill in any situation and help the learners to interact. According to Nunan (2003:57), role play activities are also excellent activity for speaking in the relatively safe environment of the classroom. In role play activities, the students are given particular roles in the target language before they do in real environment. Several reasons for using role play activities in teaching speaking quoted from Ladousse (1995: 6) as follows. Ladousse asserts that there are many situations can be brought into the classroom and the teachers can train students to speak in any situations through role play activities based on the students’ experience. Then, role play activities can develop the students’ competence in languages and communication in social relationships. But the role play activities should appropriate with the students’ language teaching syllabuses. The next is role play activities can increase the students’ confidence. The last is role play activities are fun activities.

From the explanations above, role play have many reasons to be used in the speaking

teaching learning activity. In addition, Van Ments (1983) in Graves (2008:7) identifies three general advantages to role-playing activities: they are positive and safe in dealing with attitudes and feelings, they provide a safe venue for expressing personal and sometimes unpopular attitudes and opinions, and role play is highly motivating as the majority of students enjoy these types of activities and become more inspired learners.

D. conclusion

Media in learning English is very important for helping students to achieve learning objectives especially in speaking. So that, teacher should be able to choose appropriate media to make learning become more intersesting.             One of media that can be chosen by teacher is “Role Play Script”. By this media students become more active to speak. Role play activities give the students a lot of opportunity to communicate in different social contexts which can develop the students’ fluency in the target language, promotes the students to interact with others in the classroom, and increase motivation and makes the teaching-learning process more enjoyable. A role play is a flexible learning activity which has a wide scope for variation and imagination.

  

Example of Role Play script for girl students

In the name of Allah, most Beneficent, most Merciful

Mother Knows the Best

Written by Delida Allazze, Tahirrah & Aleah Keserci

What is the Play About?

Our play is about two Muslim families, the relationship between the mothers and their

daughters and the necessity of listening and respecting your mother.

Presentation Time:

Our play takes approximately 15 to 20 minutes. To deliver including scene and costume

changes.

Narrator: Asalamualikum wr wb, I would like to introduce our play which is called:

“Mother Knows the Best”

Scene one

Narrator: We are opening our play with our first Muslim family in scene 1, where they are in the lounge room, with a daughter named Amira and her mother Tasneem.

(Amira walks into the lounge room, happily smiling and sits where her mother is sitting

on the couch drinking tea and having biscuits. Amira sits next to her.)

Amira     : Salamualikum mum…

Mother 1: Walaikumu Salam habibati,

Amira      : Wow, it’s much cooler in here than outside.

Mother 1: Yes mashallah, it is... Amira, habibati would you like to have a biscuit? There mummy’s best.

Amira     : Thanks mum…(Amira takes a bite) mmm, what are in this mum? The taste is so good…

Mother  1: Well I used almonds this time for a change and a touch of honey.

Amira      : Almonds are nuts, aren’t they?

Mother 1: Yes they are… You know, you must did well with your cooking skills this year.

Amira     : Yes, Alhamdullilah, inshallah I will become an excellent cook like you.

Mother 1: Inshallah you will.

Amira      : Mum, I wanted to ask you were does cheese come from.

Mother 1: It comes from the milk of cows, sheep and goats… You know what we can do,  get some of your homeschooling friends over… and make some cheese!

Amira     : Oh really you know how to make cheese, that’s so cool mum!

Mother 1: Oh, how about we make pizza tonight

Amira      : Oh yum, I love pizza

Mother1 : Well we need some cheese to make the pizza…. Habibati would you mind going to the shops to get me some cheese?

Amira       : Yes, happy to do anything for you, mum.

Mother 1 : Remember, When you cross the road, to look both ways and then cross the road carefully.

Amira        : Yes mum

(Mother passes Money to Amira, Amira takes it, and walks off.)

Mother 1 : Oh darling, if there’s any change you can buy yourself some lollies.

Scene Two

Narrator: This is scene two with our second Muslim family, with a daughter named Sara and her Mother Khadijah.

(Sara sitting on a chair reading a joke book.)

Mother 2: Sara… (nice and calmly)

(Sara Ignores her.)

Mother: SARA!!!! (A little louder)

Sara         : YEAH!?

Mother 2: You say yes mum when I call you!

Sara         : err…Yes mum (Sara rolling eyes rudely)

Mother 2: Today I’m making some kebab and I need you to go to the shops and get me

some bread.

Sara      : Oh mum, I really want to read this, I have to try and impress this so called popular girl at school, with a better joke.

Mother 2  : That’s very silly, and I need you to go, now.

Sara         :  Alright I’m going!! (She runs to the door )

Mother 2: NO! Wait…firstly I need to give you the money and secondly, you need to remember, that when you cross the road to look to the right and left, then right again. Do you understand? (Mother emphasises)

Sara          : Ok... I mean yes mum.

Mother 2: Please remember to bring home the change (She gives Sara the money)

.

Scene three

Narrator: Amira and Sara are now going to the shops for their mothers.

(Amira is at the crossing looking from side to side, like her mother had said. As the car  stops, she crosses the road. Shortly followed by Sara who is chewing her gum, she runs across the road without looking, she trips, and gets hit by the car.)

The driver: Oh my god. I'm so sorry, You Just ran in front of my car!! You should never run on the road. Why didn’t you look before you crossed?! Huh? Didn’t your mum teach you how to cross the road properly, or do you not listen to her?

Sara              : MuUuUuUuM (screaming)

The driver : I need to call the ambulance (gets phone, dials the ambulance number)

The driver : (On the phone) Hello, um I accidentally hit a girl, She just came out of no where, and ran in front of my car, I had no time to stop, the girl is in severe pain and I think she has hurt her leg. I am at Elizabeth St, Please come quick!

Scene Four

Narrator: This is scene four, where Sara’s Mother is talking to her daughter, explaining what happened, and how she should think about what she did and to always listen to mum.

Mother 2: Don't worry sweetie, you are going to be Okay, the doctor said to rest for three weeks, ANNND that’s what you’re going to have to do.

Mother 2: (sighs) You know none of this would have happened if you had just listened to me. You should always listen to your mother.

Narrator reads:

According to a hadith narrated in Bukhari and Muslim by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be

pleased with him), The Prophet was once asked who amongst all the people was the most worthy of his respect and compassion. The Prophet replied “your mother”; the man wanted to know who should be next, the Prophet said “your mother”. The man enquired, who next? the Prophet replied for the third time “your mother”, again the man asked who next?  The Prophet replied “and then your father”.

Mother 2: So do you understand how important it is to be obedient to me, because I know what is best for you and I don’t want you to get hurt that’s why I warn you about some things.

Sara         : What does obedient mean?

Mother 2: To do what you are told….

Sara      : I’m so sorry mum, I should have listened to you, and I will listen to you from now onwards (her mum gives her a kiss on the forehead)

The End

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Clark, Raymond. (1982) Language Teaching Techniques. vermont: Pro Lingua Associates

Donn, Byrne. (1986). Teaching Oral English: Longman Handbooks for English Teacher. Singapore: Longman group.

Graves, Elizabeth Ann. (2008). Is Role Playing an Effective Teaching Method?, http://chs.ohio.edu/resources/documents/graves.pdf. Accessed on September 9th, 2013.

Ladousse, Gillian Porter. (1987). Role Play. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Livingstone, Carol. (2005). Role Play in Language Learning. New York: Longman group limited.

Kodotchigova, Maria A. (2001). Role Play in Teaching Culture:six Quick Steps for Classroom Implementation. Rusia : Tomsk State University

Nunan, D. (1989). Designing Tasks for the Communicative Classroom. Cambridge:  Cambridge University Press.

Procter, Paul. (1996).  Cambridge International Dictionary of English. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Wright, Andrew. (1989). Pictures for Language Learning. London: Cambridge University Press.