Theatrical storytelling and ESL learners’ oral communicative competence: A quasi-experimental intervention
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Abstract
The study aimed to test the efficacy of Theatrical Storytelling ESL instruction on learners’ oral communicative competence while moderating for speaking anxiety. Adopting a quasi-experimental research design, the study determined the effects of a six-week treatment procedure on 31 SS II ESL learners in two purposively selected senior secondary schools in Ibadan metropolis, Nigeria. The result of the ANCOVA conducted at p<0.05 revealed that the main effect of treatment on ESL learners’ oral communicative competence was not statistically significant (F (1; 31) = .033; p=.857>0.05), although the ESL learners taught using theatrical storytelling had a slightly higher oral communicative competence. Similarly, the main effect of speaking anxiety was not significant (F (2; 31) = 2.98; p=.069>0.05), although the ESL learners with low anxiety level had the highest oral communicative competence. However, the two-way interaction effect of treatment and speaking anxiety was statistically significant (F (1; 31) = 5.710; p=.025<0.05) in favour of learners with low speaking anxiety in the Theatrical Storytelling ESL classroom. Therefore, with a prolonged period of theatrical storytelling in ESL instruction, learners’ oral communicative competence could improve. Therefore, ESL teachers in Nigeria should adopt the strategy.
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