Аннотации:
This experimental study evaluates the effects of retelling Yassawi’s hikmets on the
speaking performance and vocabulary size of English as a Foreign Language (EFL)
learner. Sixty EFL students recruited from a university in Kazakhstan were asked to
narrate monologues based on previously read hikmets of their choice during out-ofclass meetings once a week over 10 weeks. The results reveal that this intervention
significantly improved participants’ speech fluency, lexical complexity and vocabulary
size as opposed to their counterparts who did not engage in the retelling experience.
However, the analysis of covariance revealed that only fluency and lexical complexity
showed significant differences after controlling for the pre-test scores of these variables
and vocabulary size. It was also found that pre-test vocabulary size and fluency had a
moderating influence on post-test fluency. In a nutshell, retelling hikmets brought
about gains in learners’ vocabulary and speaking performance especially in terms of
fluency. This evidence underscores the effectiveness of oral text reproduction exercises
in improving the speaking abilities and vocabulary of EFL learners even when the
recited text is out-of-date and not really engaging. The findings advance our
understanding of effective language teaching methods and offer practical guidance for
EFL teachers, curriculum developers and researchers.
