초등 영어 수업에서 의사 소통 중심 역할 놀이 활동 구안 및 적용

Design and application of Communicative Role-Play Activities in Elementary English classes

  Role-play activities can satisfy three essential conditions for second or foreign language learning such as exposure of comprehensible input, use of the target language, and motivation to process and use the exposure based on the communicative approach. However, most of them in the elementary English textbooks seem to be accuracy-focused and product-oriented according to Presentation-Practice-Production principles based on the behavioristic learning theory. Here the problem is that role-play activities focused mainly on accuracy and result(i.e, role-taking activities) may discourage students" interest and motivation. As a result, the role of the students in the activities can be passive. Although some role-taking activities may be needed in the beginner or intermediate English classes, they can impede students" language learning in the long run. Thus this research attempted to examine some problems of role-taking activities in current elementary English classes and design communicative role-play activities. The communicative role-play activities were applied to elementary English classes in Korea. The findings of this research suggest that communicative role-play activities can increase elementary school students" interest and confidence in English classes. It is also believed that communicative role-play activities help students increase basic communicative competence.