Rol yapma yönteminin zonguldak Karaelmas üniversitesi Çaycuma Zorunlu Hazırlık Okulu?ndaki öğrencilerin konuşma becerilerine ve tutumlarına olan etkisi

Role-play has been widely used as a teaching method in the ESL classroom. This research aims to investigate students? attitudes towards role-play at Zonguldak Karaelmas University Compulsory Preparatory School. This study is designed to explore how role-play can improve their English speaking proficiencies and overcome their shyness while speaking English.The experiment lasted two months. Forty-eight (48) students from D3 and D8 classes participated in the study. Experimental group consisted of 24 students from class D3 and control group consisted of 24 students from class D8. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were conducted in this research. While students in group D3 were taught role-play in speaking lessons by the instructor, students in group D8 were taught the activities in speaking book, Let?s Talk 1. The pre-questionnaire and post-questionnaire were applied to all the participants for the purpose of assessing students? attitudes towards role-play and overcoming their shyness. First oral test and second oral test were given to all the participants to compare their English speaking improvement prior to and following the experiment. Moreover, interview was also conducted as a data collection method in order to deeply understand how role-play affected these participants.In the analysis and presentation of the data derived from this study, SPSS 15 was used. Independent Sample t test and Paired t test were applied in the analysis of the data.The result of the study showed that participants from experimental group had positive attitudes towards role-play. After the applications of role-play, students in the experimental group not only improved their speaking proficiency but also overcame their shyness while speaking English.At the end of the study, it was observed that there were no significant differences in control group in terms of their speaking proficiency. The students in the control group did not overcome their shyness when they spoke English. Finally, it was proven that there was not a significant difference between gender and role-play in both experimental and control group in terms of their attitudes towards role-play and improvement of students? speaking abilities.The findings of this study give several valuable contributions to many different aspects of English language education. Therefore, this research not only provides a framework for understanding how role-play affected students at Zonguldak Karaelmas University Çaycuma Compulsory Preparatory School in speaking English but also provides useful suggestions which give real life situations in context and make speaking classes easier and more enjoyable for English instructors and researchers at other universities.Key words: role-play, speaking ability, attitude, shyness