THE USE OF P-E-E-L TECHNIQUE AS A BRAINSTORMING TOOL FOR SPEAKING: IS IT EFFECTIVE?

Abstract

Speaking is widely recognised as one of the most challenging skills for second language learners (ESL). Research has consistently shown that most ESL students struggle with speaking tasks in the classroom and during assessments. One of the primary reasons is due to their difficulties in generating ideas. While various strategies exist to address this issue, the P-E-E-L (Point-Elaboration-Example-Link) technique has proven to be one of the effective ways of facilitating idea generation, particularly in writing. However, its potential application in speaking remains underexplored. Therefore, this preliminary study aims to investigate the effectiveness of the P-E-E-L technique as a brainstorming tool for speaking rather than writing. A quantitative approach was adopted, involving 42 ESL pre-university students who shared their experiences using P-E-E-L for speaking tasks. The findings indicate that the technique significantly enhances students’ ability to systematically generate and organise ideas for their speaking activities and assessments. Furthermore, ESL pre-university students expressed a strong willingness to recommend the P-E-E-L technique to be used for speaking despite its traditional association with writing. These findings offer valuable insights for ESL educators since they highlight the potential of P-E-E-L as one of the effective strategies that can be utilised to enhance students’ speaking skills and overcome idea-generation challenges in the ESL classroom.