This study aims to investigate the effects of ice breakers as a classroom activity on foreign language speaking production. The findings revealed that participants in the experimental group, who had received the treatments on ice breakers, significantly enhanced better performance in a speaking test. In quantitative data analysis the researcher also measured the effect of ice-breakers on four factors of vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and fluency. Descriptive factor analysis showed positive effect of ice-breakers in improving all four factors, the effect on pronunciation and fluency were more than vocabulary and grammar. Also, it was proved that by applying icebreaker activities, the degree of improvement for males and females were exactly the same. As a last result, interview with teachers of the study proved that as a communication strategy, use of ice-breakers makes oral communication between learners easier and it is a good way for skipping from language barriers.

Autorentext

Dr. Parisa YEGANEHOUR is a Teaching assistant at Agri Ibrahim een University, Faculty of Science and Letters, Department of English Language and Literature. She completed her her Ph.D. in Turkey, and MA at IAUT, Iran, both in English Language Teaching. Her research interests include Language Teaching Methodology and individual differences.