Using Tabletop Role-Playing Games (TRPGs) as a Method of Improving Speaking Skills in Teaching English as a Foreign Language

Golob, Luka (author), Skela, Janez (mentor)

This MA thesis examines the use of Tabletop Role-Playing Games (TRPGs) in English as a foreign language education. The first part of the dissertation deals with gamification and game-based learning, defines what TRPGs are and how they compare to other types of games, their benefits, detriments, and how they may be used in a language learning classroom. The main skills found to receive some improvement are speaking skills and foreign language speaking confidence. The second part of the dissertation describes the action study which took place in Ljubljana, with a group of general high school students. The TRPG system used was Dungeons & Dragons, 5th Edition. Based on personal observations and student feedback, students managed to improve their speaking skills and speaking confidence in English and a majority reported having fun during the meetings.

• Language: English
• Keywords: gamification, Tabletop Role-Playing Game (TRPG), Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), English as a Foreign Language (EFL), high school
• Work type: Master's thesis/paper
• Organization: FF - Faculty of Arts
• Year: 2023
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-150789
• Publication date in RUL: 23.09.2023

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Uporaba namiznih iger igranja vlog (TRPG-jev) kot metoda za izboljšanje govornih veščin pri poučevanju angleščine kot tujega jezika

Abstract

Magistrsko delo obravnava uporabo namiznih iger igranja vlog (ang. Tabletop Role-Playing Game, oz. TRPG) za namene poučevanja angleščine kot tujega jezika. Prvi del se ukvarja z igrifikacijo in na igri-temelječega učenja, definira, kaj TRPGji so in kako se primerjajo z drugimi vrstami iger, kakšne prednosti in slabosti imajo, ter kako bi se jih dalo uporabiti pri učenju jezika. Veščine, kjer je opaziti napredek, so predvsem govorne spretnosti in pa govorna samozavest v tujem jeziku. Drugi del magistrskega dela opisuje raziskavo, ki je bila izvedena v Ljubljani s skupino gimnazijcev. Uporabljeni TRPG sistem je bil Dungeons & Dragons, 5. edicija. Na podlagi osebnega opazovanja in povratne informacije so učenci uspeli izboljšati svoje govorne sposobnosti in govorno samozavest v angleščini in trdijo, da so jim bila srečanja zabavna.

• Keywords: igrifikacija, namizne igre igranja vlog (TRPG), Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), poučevanje angleščine kot tujega jezika (EFL), gimnazija