High School Students’ Perceptions Toward Role-Play as a Pedagogical Tool in Speaking Instruction

This study investigates high school students’ perceptions of role-playing as a pedagogical tool in English speaking lessons as a foreign language at Duong Diem High School, Chau Thanh District, Tien Giang Province. The study focuses on two main research questions: (1) How do students perceive the use of role-playing in developing speaking skills? (2) What challenges do teachers face in implementing this method? Data were collected from 134 students taking English as a compulsory subject at Duong Diem High School, along with interviews conducted with three English teachers currently teaching at the school and three students to gain deeper insights into the factors affecting the integration of role-playing into English speaking classes. The findings reveal that role-playing is positively perceived by students and considered an effective method for enhancing their English speaking abilities. Keywords: Role-playing; perception; English language teaching; speaking skill.