Turning Pages into Voices: Supporting Listening and Speaking and Affective Growth in Intermediate Phase English ^†

Abstract

Intermediate Phase reading often emphasises reading aloud and comprehension tasks, which can heighten anxiety, limit participation, and reduce authentic speaking and listening opportunities. Drama reading provides a context in which these affective challenges can be addressed while simultaneously developing oral engagement. This paper reports on Cycle Two of a Participatory Action Learning and Action Research (PALAR) project, investigating how pre-service English teachers integrated listening and speaking into drama reading lessons to support learner motivation, confidence, and reduce anxiety. Findings indicate that pre-service teachers perceived drama reading as providing a scaffolded environment in which oral engagement could occur safely, reflecting on its potential in supporting learner participation and confidence.

1. Introduction

In South African English Home Language (EHL) classrooms, many learners are second language learners. In these EHL classrooms, the expectations might exceed what they are currently able to do with the language. In the South African context, ‘English Home Language’ refers to the level at which English is offered within the curriculum and does not necessarily indicate that English is the learners’ first language or the language they predominantly use at home. This is important to consider when discussing linguistically diverse classrooms, where learners may be classified within EHL streams despite having different levels of English proficiency and different linguistic repertoires. These circumstances may create tension between curriculum language demands and learners’ current English proficiency [1,2]. Thus, learners who lack confidence in English often avoid speaking for fear of errors or peer ridicule, a difficulty frequently linked to limited vocabulary and uncertainty with spelling [3]. African learners in such contexts experience persistent affective barriers, including anxiety and low self-esteem, which constrain their classroom participation and language development [4]. This means teachers must balance curriculum requirements with suitable language and instructional support for learners who are still building proficiency in English. Further, these realities underscore the need for innovative strategies that support learners’ motivation, confidence, and engagement, and for equipping pre-service teachers to respond effectively within such demanding classroom contexts. However, because there is a disconnect between how pre-service teachers are trained and the realities they face in classrooms [5], this gap needs to be addressed so that pre-service teachers are better prepared for real classroom challenges.

The broader study, on which this paper is based, aimed at exploring how Intermediate Phase pre-service English teachers could enhance second language learners’ motivation, confidence, and engagement in EHL classrooms through reflective practice, and by collaboratively designing interventions to address these affective factors. It further investigated how participation in PALAR contributed to pre-service teachers’ transformative learning and professional growth. This paper focuses on Cycle Two, the collaborative design and implementation of strategies to address affective challenges, and the impact on learners’ language development and affective outcomes. One strategy that was planned was a drama reading lesson.

Wells et al. highlight the importance of creating opportunities for pre-service teachers to connect theoretical knowledge with classroom practice through active and embodied learning experiences [6]. In the present study, this connection was possible through the PALAR approach and a revised assessment process that moved beyond the submission of lesson plans to require pre-service teachers to implement the lesson during Teaching Practice and reflect on decisions made and how the lesson unfolded. In this study, drama reading refers to the use of a dramatic text as the basis for an English language lesson in which learners engage with the text through reading, role-play and related drama activities, with particular attention to listening and speaking. The drama reading lesson therefore provided the pedagogical context in which pre-service teachers could apply their understanding of affective factors in an authentic classroom context, which is during Teaching Practice. This paper focuses on pre-service teachers’ reported experiences and perceptions of learners’ affective responses following the implementation of the drama reading lesson, particularly in relation to listening and speaking.

2. Literature Review and Theoretical Framework

Learners’ willingness to participate in speaking activities in the classroom is shaped by affective factors such as confidence, anxiety and the classroom environment which includes teachers and peers [7]. This is due to their fear of making mistakes or peer ridicule [3]. Drama reading activities can address second language learners’ affective factors. For example, Galante highlighted that drama-based activities enhance learners’ oral experiences by creating a more supportive environment [8], while Dutton and Rushton argue that drama-related instruction creates participatory learning environments where learners can construct knowledge through interaction and performance [9]. “Drama involves inviting students out of their seats to engage in well-planned learning activities that bring into play body, space and social context” [9] (p. 162). These studies show the significance of drama reading activities in acting as a support for addressing emotional barriers to learning, while encouraging active involvement.

Drama can contribute to the development of oral language and communication skills [10,11] as it creates opportunities for learners to rehearse and produce spoken language in meaningful contexts, while also requiring them to attend to, interpret and respond to the language of others [12]. In terms of our study, this makes dramatised reading particularly relevant to the development of both oral expression and listening comprehension. Bora, for example, found that drama pedagogy can support second language speaking development [13]. Thus, dramatised reading can be seen not merely as an approach to improving reading fluency, but as a practice that links reading with listening, speaking, and classroom participation, which is important for our study.

Research indicates that scaffolding offers significant advantages in intermediate phase classrooms by facilitating more effective language learning [14]. Unfortunately, there is a gap between teachers’ stated and actual practices in teaching speaking, highlighting the need for stronger pedagogical knowledge and targeted professional development to improve speaking skills [15]. Our study attempts to address this gap.

This study is grounded in Mezirow’s Transformative Learning Theory (TLT) [16] and Krashen’s Affective Filter Hypothesis [17], with particular attention to affective variables such as motivation, anxiety, and self-confidence. Krashen’s Affective Filter Hypothesis functions as a conceptual lens for interpreting the role of affect in second language learners within a Home Language classroom context, while TLT is used to explain the shift in pre-service teachers’ teaching practices and professional development through reflection.

Mezirow defines transformative learning as a process in which individuals critically examine and revise their assumptions and habitual thinking [18]. For the pre-service teachers in this study, this means moving beyond traditional methods of teaching English to second language learners, addressing listening and speaking in using activities they might not have used in their classrooms before. Within PALAR, transformative learning supports co-designed strategies that enhance motivation, reduce anxiety, and build learners’ confidence, thereby improving practice. In this study, TLT shapes the design of the PALAR cycles. By designing lesson plans, implementing them during Teaching Practice and reflecting on this process, pre-service teachers undergo transformative learning. The theory offers a lens for understanding how PALAR participation influences their professional growth, identity, and agency [5]. Mezirow identified ten phases of this transformation, a recurring pattern in higher education [19], and the pre-service teachers in this study displayed some of these phases.

Krashen’s Affective Filter Hypothesis conceptually guides the listening and speaking interventions in the broader PALAR study. In this paper, it helps pre-service teachers understand how affective factors shape learners’ participation in listening and speaking activities. The Language Acquisition Device (LAD) explains children’s innate capacity for language learning [20]. According to this hypothesis, a high affective filter can block the intake of language input, which in this paper refers to how it affects learners’ willingness to speak and the extent to which they participate in activities that involve listening and speaking. Teaching should therefore aim to lower this filter by creating a low-anxiety, supportive classroom, building learners’ confidence, involving them in designing oral and listening activities, and increasing their motivation to participate. These strategies create optimal conditions for listening and speaking. In South African classrooms, many second language learners experience high anxiety and low confidence when they must follow lessons and respond orally in English Home Language classrooms [3,4]. In this study, pre-service teachers use Krashen’s hypothesis to design listening and speaking interventions in drama reading lessons that lower the affective filter.

3. Methodology

This study applied a PALAR design with a qualitative research approach to better understand the experiences, development and transformation of pre-service teachers [21]. This paper reports on the second cycle of three cycles, focusing on listening and speaking activities during drama reading activities that support learner motivation and confidence and reduce anxiety. The study involved nine Intermediate Phase pre-service teachers and two lecturers from a South African university. In the PALAR process, the two lecturers acted as co-researchers and facilitators, working with the pre-service teachers. In the cycle reported in this paper, the pre-service teachers implemented the lesson plans during Teaching Practice. The lecturers supported the process by facilitating reflection, discussing pedagogical ideas and helping pre-service teachers critically evaluate their lesson designs and implementation. Thus, the pre-service teachers were the primary data generators in this cycle, while the lecturers supported the participatory process and contributed to data interpretation. These participants were selected purposively due to the direct involvement in two modules designed for pre-service teacher training that includes direct engagement with the key theories that form part of this study. Pseudonyms were used to protect participants’ identities in the discussion of the data.

Data for this paper were generated during Cycle Two when drama reading activities were conducted during Teaching Practice by the pre-service teachers. Teaching Practice takes place within the normal classroom schedules and dynamics of the school, under the supervision of a mentor teacher. Prior to conducting these lessons, pre-service teachers received training and guidance on planning and implementing drama reading activities, including activities in their modules in the Bachelor of Education programme, as third-year students. Data were generated during Action Learning Set discussions and reflective journal writing after Teaching Practice. Pre-service teachers reflected on their experiences, focusing particularly on learner participation, motivation, confidence, anxiety, and the challenges experienced during the drama-based activities.

4. Data Analysis and Discussion

Data were inductively coded using ATLAS.ti 25. Similar codes were then grouped into categories based on recurring patterns. The categories were then organised into three themes, following the iterative process of thematic analysis [22]. Findings indicated that pre-service teachers viewed drama reading as providing a scaffolded environment in which oral engagement could occur safely, supporting learner participation and confidence. They reflected that learners appeared more willing to participate, remained engaged, and seemed less anxious, while the pre-service teachers themselves reported increased confidence in facilitating listening and speaking activities and a transformation from teacher-led recitation to more dialogic, interactive approaches. Although balancing curriculum pacing with extended discussion was challenging, drama reading fostered learner motivation, confidence, and reduced anxiety. Three themes emerged: scaffolding oral engagement, enhanced participation and confidence, and transformation of teaching practices.

4.1. Theme 1: Scaffolding Oral Engagement

Pre-service teachers’ lesson plans were evidence of having implemented speaking and listening activities that were scaffolded by using pre-, during- and post-activities such as an emotion activity, paired reading, group discussions, games, and role-play to enhance oral engagement. In their reflective journals, the pre-service teachers reported that during the lessons in Teaching Practice, after implementing scaffolded activities, learners appeared to be more confident in listening and speaking activities in that they showed better interest and paid more attention. The findings in this theme reinforce the importance of scaffolding as an instructional strategy for promoting effective language acquisition [14].

Various pre-listening and speaking activities, across pre-service teachers’ lesson plans, were used to scaffold the drama reading lesson. For example, the use of a pertinent question to start the lesson appeared to be effective. In her reflective journal, Snothi noted, “The pertinent question initiated a discussion where learners gave surprisingly interesting answers that turned into meaningful discussion. Learners related their own experiences to pertinent questions.” She further reflected that “the discussion laid a strong foundation for the introduction because learners remained interested and emotionally connected to the lesson.” This is evidence that the discussion, as a pre-listening and speaking activity, helped with learners’ oral engagement.

As a during listening activity, Snothi reflected that learners appeared to enjoy her acting skills, when she read the play. She perceived that the activity contributed to a less anxious classroom atmosphere and supported learners’ readiness to engage in the main activity. This shows that modelling what is required is also a significant scaffolding technique [23]. Lillie made an important observation by providing an example of a specific learner—she shared that “the learner gradually moved from listening to actively contributing verbally, which highlights growth in confidence.” The learner’s gradual progression from listening to active verbal participation could reflect enhancing self-confidence over the course of the lesson. From Krashen’s perspective, this suggests that as the learner’s affective filter decreased, and the learner became increasingly willing to take risks in communication tasks, engaging more verbally [17].

4.2. Theme 2: Enhanced Participation and Confidence

Unlike traditional speaking activities, which may place learners under immediate pressure, drama-based approaches create environments that are collaborative and supportive, allowing learners to rehearse language, receive feedback, and develop confidence [6]. In this study, lesson plans incorporated interactive, collaborative drama tasks that encouraged learners to actively participate. Pre-service teachers’ reflections showed that learners seemed to enjoy acting (Nommie; Snothi), discussing the texts (Nommie), and working with classmates (Mimi; Bonnie; Lillie). The pre-service teachers noted in their reflections that learners appeared more involved, showed enthusiasm, and increased confidence in speaking, especially when they were allowed time to rehearse and work together, either in pairs or groups.

In her reflective journal, Mimi noted that “learner motivation increased significantly by the playful nature of the role-play.” She also wrote about how the role-play activity, in which a few learners performed different emotions while the rest of the class rated them, “excited the entire class”, and even learners who seldom volunteered were keen to participate in the activity. Similarly, Nhlaka expressed that most of his learners “were so excited when they heard that [the] lesson was not the old traditional written work, but it involved drama, movement, role-play and speaking activities.”

Predominantly, pre-service teachers perceived that the use of group work or pair work helped to alleviate learners’ anxiety. Nommie shared that she paired learners to talk through their roles and lines prior to performing the role-play, which she associated with greater enjoyment of the lesson and increased motivation amongst her learners. While Mimi noted that learners appeared less anxious when she used structured pair activities and small group practice before their final role-play performance, Bonnie shared that the “group-based performances created a healthy and supportive environment” and “helped learners focus on participation rather than mistakes” suggesting that these activities created conditions that could reduce anxiety. Bonnie further reflected that she observed shy learners becoming more comfortable with speaking, displaying greater confidence which was evident in their willingness to speak in front of the class.

A significant finding, as shared by Bonnie, is that not only did learners’ confidence increase, but they “were able to write a summary” and then retell what they listened to, which shows the relationship between creating collaborative opportunities that are anxiety-reducing and understanding of content. A different perspective was shared by Lillie: “A notable teaching moment occurred with a learner who is often labelled as “naughty” in other classes. During this lesson, the learner was fully engaged and well-behaved, particularly during group discussions and oral activities.” Lillie’s reflection further highlights the importance of collaboration in enhancing learners’ participation. This was a notable experience as Lillie reflected that the learner contributed actively to a mind map—something that was out of the ordinary. Of importance is that rather than seeing the learner’s participation as mere improvement in classroom behaviour, Lillie rethought her understanding of the learner’s participation in class; the learner took an active role in creating a mind map, which suggests that participation is shaped by the opportunities created in the classroom and by the social and instructional conditions under which learning takes place [24]. This underscores the significance of designing meaningful activities for learners to contribute, collaborate with peers, and be recognised in the classroom, and shows how such changes in teaching and learning can prompt teachers to question their practices and move beyond deficit-based labels. Lillie’s experience also shows that when learners receive engaging, purposeful opportunities to speak, their classroom conduct improves because they feel recognised and part of the group in which they are working [25].

4.3. Theme 3: Transformation of Teaching Practices

In Cycle One of the broader study, pre-service teachers lacked an understanding of how to address anxiety, motivation and confidence; they did not focus on structured activities. Cycle Two showed a transformation in their practices accompanied by reflection on improvements in their usual practices. One of the main aspects was strategies where students made a conscious effort to include physical artefacts and opportunities for learners to act and roleplay as alluded to in the previous themes. Literature indicates that despite teachers endorsing interactive teaching, they often revert to teacher-centered approaches, and if they do include interactive activities, these activities are often weakly aligned to the specific lesson outcomes [26,27,28]. Participants made a conscious attempt to create opportunities for interactive activities often supported using artefacts. Snothi made paper coins, reflecting that learners were engaged and curious about the lesson after receiving these coins. Motso used pictures to engage learners and indicated that “learners who usually sit quietly at the back of the classroom became interested”. Lillie indicated that the inclusion of role play led to improved interaction, sharing opinions, and improved confidence when leaners responded to questions. Motso stated that “The role-play activity during the reading was the biggest confidence and motivation booster.” She reflected on the fact that the learners shared that she should include more activities of this nature, realising that learners felt that their contributions were acknowledged and mattered to her as a teacher. Something that would never have happened if the lesson remained teacher-centered.

Participants also reflected on the aspect of repetition of activities, time to practice, and time management. Participants reflected that due to time constraints or the lack of planning, learners are not given the opportunity to re-do an activity or practice a certain skill. Mimi indicated that learners that usually struggle gained confidence “through repeated rehearsal”. Zee and Nommie also indicated that ensuring that learners get time to practice, added positively to the teaching and learning experience aiding in mastering the aspect of speaking in the class. The added practice time however brought about the reflection on time management and classroom management. Nhlaka indicated that “some groups became unruly and noisy during rehearsals.” Mimi stated that in the future she will make use of a timer to ensure that all groups are allocated the same amount of time, whilst Bonnie indicated that some groups required more time than others to practice and she did not account for that during her lesson planning. The difficulty of managing time and classroom atmosphere is, however, a general difficulty even for experienced teachers when using drama, role play, and acting. Astiandani and Mustofa indicate that these difficulties can be managed and planned for to ensure that the learning outcomes are achieved [29].

The findings suggest that drama reading activities created opportunities for meaningful participation in listening and speaking activities, while pre-service teachers reported observing increased confidence and motivation among learners. In keeping with Krashen’s Affective Filter hypothesis, the scaffolded and collaborative nature of the activities assisted in reducing learners’ anxiety and encouraging participation [17]. Furthermore, the reflections indicate evidence of transformative learning [16], as pre-service teachers critically reflected on their practices and designed and implemented more learner-centred approaches to integrating listening and speaking within reading lessons, using drama. These findings suggest that drama reading can support both learner engagement and pedagogical transformation.

5. Conclusions and Recommendations

Cycle Two of the broader PALAR study reflected pre-service teachers’ implementation of drama reading interventions in the Intermediate Phase English classroom. This paper highlights the benefits of interactive activities that focus on learners’ affective factors in enhancing listening and speaking. Pre-service teachers in this study reflected that learners during their Teaching Practice experience appeared more willing to participate, remained engaged, and seemed less anxious, while the pre-service teachers themselves reported increased confidence in facilitating listening and speaking activities and a transformation from teacher-led recitation to more dialogic, interactive approaches. Although balancing curriculum pacing with extended discussion was challenging, pre-service teachers perceived drama reading as having played a role in addressing issues of affect, as reflected in their reflections that learners appeared more engaged, confident, and less anxious. The study also highlights how reflective, collaborative practice within PALAR can help pre-service teachers support learners’ engagement and oral confidence. The importance of implementing activities during Teaching Practice is also emphasised.

Overall, pre-service teachers acknowledged the advantage of incorporating learner-centred methods and expressed feeling more confident in designing and implementing listening and speaking activities, using drama as a pedagogical tool. They indicated a transition away from teacher-centred reading instruction—which caused anxiety and a lack of learner participation—towards more dialogic, participatory teaching approaches.

While this paper is based on Cycle Two of a three-cycle PALAR project, the study recommends that teacher education programmes overall incorporate opportunities for pre-service teachers not only to design lesson plans but also implement them during Teaching Practice followed by structured reflections, as well as possible re-implementation. These experiences support a better integration of pre-service teachers’ theoretical knowledge and classroom practice, allowing them to develop as teachers. Actual classroom implementation with a follow-up structured reflection, versus a mere submission of a lesson plan for assessment, allows pre-service teachers to identify and respond to real classroom challenges such as time management, learner engagement and affect, pacing of content, and issues of classroom management. In turn, they will be able to recognise the need to adapt instruction in response to learners’ needs.

The study could be improved by repeating the cycles of implementation in terms of drama reading lessons and including structured reflections by the mentor teachers in each school. Reflections by mentor teachers bring additional perspectives on the pre-service teachers’ implementation of drama activities and the effect thereof on anxiety and lack of learner participation. Mentorship involvement could further support deeper reflection by participants [30].