Building speaking confidence in the workplace: The Read-Personalize-Glance method for EOP

Abstract

This article introduces the Read-Personalize-Glance (RPG) method, a rehearsal-to-performance routine for building speaking confidence in A1-A2 English for Occupational Purposes (EOP), illustrated through hospitality and tourism classes in Vietnam. In workplace-focused courses like these, learners often hesitate to speak when classroom talk feels evaluative and high-stakes. RPG responds by treating short role-play scripts not as one-off activities but as material learners work through in stages. Classes begin with brief movement-based warm-ups that ease learners into the task, followed by a supported Read phase in which students table read, use gestures to anchor meaning, and shadow models to develop rhythm and intonation. Learners then personalize the script by replacing fixed details with their own information, while the teacher circulates to offer brief, explicit corrections or flags common issues for later discussion. In the Glance phase, attention shifts toward speaking from memory, with learners attempting short stretches “off-book” and quickly checking the script as needed. Students record a short take, use a simple rubric for formative self- and peer feedback, and then record again with one targeted improvement in mind. When technology is used, artificial intelligence (AI) supports materials preparation, such as generating or differentiating scripts and vocabulary support, rather than serving as the learning activity itself. Based on classroom observations, this routine reduces initial silence, improves prosody and delivery, and helps learners move from scripted safety toward more confident, workplace-relevant speaking.