The Effect of Drama and Role-Play Activities on Oral French Proficiency Among Students in Kaduna State

Drama and role-play pedagogies have been theorised as particularly effective for developing oral communicative competence in foreign language learning, as they simulate authentic interaction, reduce inhibition, and create motivating contexts for language use. Yet experimental evidence for their effectiveness in Nigerian secondary school French classrooms is sparse. This study examines the effect of structured drama and role-play activities on oral French proficiency among senior secondary school students in Kaduna State. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was used, with two experimental groups receiving drama-integrated instruction over an eight-week period and two control groups receiving conventional grammar-translation instruction. Oral proficiency was assessed before and after the intervention using the French Oral Communication Assessment Scale adapted for the Nigerian secondary school context. Results show statistically significant improvements in oral proficiency for experimental group students on measures of fluency, vocabulary range, and interactive competence. Control group improvements were modest and not statistically significant. Student engagement ratings were significantly higher in drama-integrated classes, with increased voluntary speaking behaviour noted through structured classroom observation. Teacher perceptions of the approach were positive but expressed concerns about time demands and class size constraints. The study recommends phased integration of drama and role-play activities into French lesson planning at the secondary level in Kaduna State, supported by teacher professional development workshops in drama-based language pedagogy. Keywords: drama pedagogy, role-play, oral proficiency, French language, Kaduna State