Enhancing Participation and Writing Motivation through Role-Playing and Dubbing: An Action Research Study

Abstract

This study addresses the persistent challenges of low classroom participation and weak writing motivation among first-year associate-degree students (Junior College to Bachelor's Degree Program) in a large University English class. Conducted as an action research project, the study implemented a one-week pedagogical intervention involving role-playing and dubbing activities. Seventy students from Chinese Language and Preschool Education majors were grouped to select, prepare, and perform dubbed versions of video clips, often translating Chinese comedic works into English. The results demonstrated a remarkable positive shift: typically, passive students actively engaged, and the classroom atmosphere transformed through collaborative creativity and performances enhanced by physical comedy. The findings are discussed through the theoretical lenses of Krashen's Affective Filter Hypothesis and collaborative learning, arguing that the activity successfully lowered learning anxiety and built communicative confidence. The study concludes that such scenario-based, student-centered tasks are an effective strategy for engaging passive learners in large classes. Furthermore, it suggests that the confidence and linguistic fluency gained from successful oral communication can serve as a crucial foundation for fostering motivation in more complex tasks like writing. This research offers practical implications for EFL teachers seeking innovative methods to enhance student engagement in similar educational contexts.