Role-playing games to reduce language anxiety and improve oral English skills in higher education

Learning a foreign language can cause students to feel unmotivated and anxious (Horwitz et al., 1986); thus, teachers must use playful and pedagogical resources that help them overcome disinterest and promote safe learning environments (Janampa, 2021). This study examined whether the use of role-playing contributes to reducing anxiety levels and improving oral skills among a group of university students taking a beginner’s English class. A mixed methodology was used, including a pretest and posttest application of the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale, two role plays evaluated by an analytical rubric, and a semistructured questionnaire. The results suggested that role play helped to reduce anxiety levels from moderate (95.125 points) to low (85 points). Similarly, the means of the oral skill components, assessed with the rubric, indicated that from game 1 to game 2, there was an average increase of 1 band (one level within the rubric), which favored oral expression. In addition, the questionnaire revealed that the students felt that the games helped them learn and use the content in real communication situations. It is concluded that this playful strategy promoted not only communicative competence but also values and attitudes such as creativity and teamwork.