Incorporating role-play as an innovative approach to fostering English Foreign Language students’ creativity and critical thinking

Abstract

Communicative activities introduce learners to real-life situations that require speaking in the target language. As a didactic strategy, role-play is assumed to be an effective method of learning and developing social skills, creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication using simulated scenarios. In the present investigation, role-playing is used in an educational setting specifically in English foreign language classes. This research paper sheds light on the importance of including innovative approaches when teaching; moreover, it investigates the impact of role-plays in developing speaking qualifications, social knowledge, and personal skills. The sample comprised 35 EFL students at the University of Ain Temouchent, Algeria. To guarantee research validity and reliability, a mixed methods approach was applied to collect and analyze data. The findings demonstrate that students could increase their speaking qualifications and overcome speaking difficulties and using role-plays can develop students’ creativity and critical thinking by engaging them in real-life situations. Keywords: Communicative skills; creativity; critical thinking; role-plays; speaking qualifications.