An interactive role-based strategy to enhance EFL learners’ speaking performance
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https://doi.org/10.71350/3062192513Keywords:
Roles-based strategy, interactive learning, online discussion, speaking EFLAbstract
This qualitative case study explores educators’ competencies, group activities, roles group division, and students’ perceptions of roles-based engagement in interactive online discussions to enhance English as a Foreign Language (EFL) speaking skills. The study employs semi-structured interviews with 28 students and one educator, complemented by online observations of focus group discussions, field notes, and a review of relevant literature to collect data. The findings reveal that the educator demonstrated three core interaction competencies, which facilitated effective group activities. These activities supported speaking skills through peer grammar repetition and pronunciation correction, cognitive development through critical analysis and opinion confirmation, and social interaction through praising group accomplishments and problem-solving. The participants’ ability to recall and coordinate roles and responsibilities also enhanced their interactive skills. The results highlight that roles-based group division fosters a supportive and collaborative environment, encouraging active participation and improving EFL speaking performance. This study concludes by emphasizing the importance of structured group roles in promoting interactive discussions and recommends further research on role-based strategies, technology-assisted learning, and fluency-oriented speaking tasks in EFL settings.
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