The following study is a result of an action research carried out in an English as a foreign language class in a subsidized Chilean school, where 77 % of its population is at social risk. 38 of the participants are seventh grade students. The study addresses students' willingness to participate in speaking activities in English class before and after the implementation of a drama based pedagogy strategy known as scripted role-play. The students showed great commitment to scripted role-play as a way to learn English. Participants had the chance to work collaboratively with their peers in a safe and engaging environment, improving their social skills as they performed different roles. The study concludes that students are willing to participate in speaking activities after the use of scripted role-plays. This result is also coherent with the students' perceptions of the intervention.