English department students’ attitudes towards using drama-based role-plays in speaking classes

Abstract

This article is aimed to investigate the attitudes of students toward using drama-based role-plays in speaking classes at the English Department of Language and Literature faculty of Herat University, Afghanistan. The main purpose of this study was to find out the effectiveness of drama-based role-plays on students speaking ability and self- confidence. The design of the study was quantitative. The data were collected through a questionnaire. The participants of the study were 60 sophomore students. The results of the study showed that students have a positive attitude towards using drama-based role-plays in speaking courses. The findings also indicated that the friendly atmosphere created as a result of practicing drama-based role plays in the classroom encourages shy students to overcome their nervousness, build self-confidence, and develop their speaking skills. The article concluded with research limitations and pedagogical implications.