2018 IJRSLL – Volume 7 Issue 4
Author/s:
Gill, Chamkaur*
Bond University, Australia (cgill@bond.edu.au)
Abstract:
This discussion paper refers to the views of various authors regarding specific target language (TL) oral output issues and discusses problems faced by Asian learners of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL), focusing on their ineffective verbal and non-verbal communication skills in an English language setting like Australia. An attempt is made to show that these problems can result in their avoiding extensive oral output in English for fear of being embarrassed. It suggests that drama-based cultural adjustment is a potential means of addressing these issues and problems. The paper proposes that, by incorporating elements of the host nation’s culture in drama-based TL speech activities, the teacher can make lessons more interesting, thereby potentially increasing the learners’ motivation to produce increased speech which, in turn, provides valuable practice which can lead to eventual improvement.
Keywords: oral English; Asian learners’ problems; Australian English; drama; culture immersion
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrsll.2017.1888
*Corresponding Author