以戲劇演練降低英語演講焦慮之控制試驗

Implementing Applied Theatre Practice to Reduce EFL Public Speaking Anxiety: A Controlled Trial

本研究目的在於探討應用戲劇公演融入英語演講教學以降低學生演講焦慮之成效。本研究持續一學年，受試者為台灣中部某科技大學應用英語系兩班修習研究者的英語演講課程之大四學生，一班為控制組（共36人）不接受英語戲劇公演經驗，另一班為實驗組（共47人）接受兩次英語戲劇公演經驗，研究過程中比較兩組的訓練成果以驗證戲劇對於大學生英語演說焦慮程度之影響。本研究之研究工具改編自「溝通焦慮問卷─24」，兩組學生在學年初、第一次公演後、以及第二次公演後填答此問卷共計三次，研究者比較分析兩組學生前後三次問卷的調查結果，以追蹤探討應用戲劇訓練降低英語演講焦慮成效之進展。研究結果顯示控制組在整個研究期間的英語演講焦慮無顯著不同，第一次英語戲劇公演對實驗組的英語演講焦慮沒有顯著降低之效果，但第二次英語戲劇公演對實驗組的英語演講焦慮有顯著降低之效果。本文最後提出研究限制及後續研究的建議。

This study was intended to explore the effects of public theatrical performances in reducing EFL college students’ public speaking anxiety (PSA). The research lasted for one academic year. The subjects were two classes of Applied English seniors who took EFL public speaking classes with the researcher in a central Taiwan university of science and technology. The two classes were arranged in two experimental conditions: (a) one class (N=36) as the control group without English drama experience; (b) the other class (N=47) as the experimental group receiving English drama experience of two English theatrical performances. The research instrument was adapted from Personal Report of Communication Apprehension-24. Progress was tracked by comparing the two classes’ PSA perception as reflected in three surveys conducted: 1) at the beginning of the research, 2) after the first public performance, and 3) after the second public performance near the end of the academic year. The results revealed that there were no significant differences in the control group’s PSA over the research period. There was no significant reduction in the PSA of the experimental group with the first English theatrical performance added to the EFL public speaking training, but the second English theatrical performance produced efficacious PSA reduction in the experimental group. Limitations and suggestions for further research are discussed at the end of the paper.