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activities

1. Oral interpretation of a poem. Select a poem or short excerpt from a

story or novel and plan an oral interpretation of that text. Determine the

meaning you want to convey through your pacing, emphasis, rhythm,tone, sounds, and nonverbal cues. Then, perform your oral interpretation

for your class or create a video of your performance to be shown to the

class. Garner some responses regarding the meaning that was conveyed

through your performance to determine if the conveyed meaning

matches your intended meaning.

. Storytelling. This storytelling activity was developed by Sarah

!c"rdell !oore, !adison, #isconsin. $hose a partner, tell them a

story%any story, something that is comfortable for you. Topics could be

a childhood memory, an apology, a surprise, a recent challenge, or anynumber of things. Give the story a beginning, middle and end, give it

details. &ach person will have '() minutes. "fter both people are

finished give the students ) minutes to write down the other persons

story. *ow tell the person bac+ their own story.

'. #arm(up activities. t is always important to include warm(up

activities when engaging in drama activities to help group members

achieve a comfort and trust level in doing activities together. Go to these

or other #eb lin+s for this chapter and find some warm(up activities-

http-www.aspa.asn.au/ro0ectsenglishdgwup.htm

http-www.david(farmer.comgroup

http-www.teachit.co.u+index.asp!234"21)4S23546217S35

http-www.geocities.comshalyndria1'warmups.htm

http-www.0etprogramme.orgecurrent Drama89in89the

89$lassroom89S:S.doc

The following are some warm(up activities developed by Sarah

!c"rdell !oore, !adison, #isconsin

I Come From
http://www.aspa.asn.au/Projects/english/dgwup.htmhttp://www.david-farmer.com/grouphttp://www.teachit.co.uk/index.asp?M=6&A=15&S=68&Z=1#S68http://www.geocities.com/shalyndria13/warmups.htmhttp://www.jetprogramme.org/e/current/Drama%20in%20the%20Classroom%20SHS.dochttp://www.jetprogramme.org/e/current/Drama%20in%20the%20Classroom%20SHS.dochttp://www.david-farmer.com/grouphttp://www.teachit.co.uk/index.asp?M=6&A=15&S=68&Z=1#S68http://www.geocities.com/shalyndria13/warmups.htmhttp://www.jetprogramme.org/e/current/Drama%20in%20the%20Classroom%20SHS.dochttp://www.jetprogramme.org/e/current/Drama%20in%20the%20Classroom%20SHS.dochttp://www.jetprogramme.org/e/current/Drama%20in%20the%20Classroom%20SHS.dochttp://www.aspa.asn.au/Projects/english/dgwup.htm


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Go around the circle several times with each person saying their name

and completing the phrase ; come from.< This is a game to start

exploring all the places we come from = physical, emotional, geographic,

spiritual, all the experiences and ideas that create us as individuals. >or

example-

come from the South,

come from a spiritual father,

come from hope for the future,

come from being tired out,

come from a small house with only one bathroom

come from feeling impatient,

come from art

"fter students are comfortable with the game and you have gone aroundthe circle a number of times, stop and as+ students to answer the ?uestion

; $ome >rom< in their portfolio. Give them 0ust a few minutes, and

then go around the circle verbally one more time. @epeat some form of

this activity each day. "s+ students to +eep all their ; $ome >romurthermore the students

may get carried away and become disruptive.

5/ (6onaneiy is los

ery often the students get too caught up with #:"T to say. They hesitate to choose their wordsand do not interact spontaneously.

8/ "iming lessons is difficul

The teacher has to spend a lot of time in preparation wor+ especially for simulations. :e is notable to predict the amount of class time that will be ta+en to carry out the activity since the

ability of each class varies.

9/ Aciviies may no $e suia$le for all levels@ole(play and simulation involve a lot of conversation and discussion. Thus it may not be very

suitable for low proficiency students who do not have the necessary communicative competence

to carry out the activity. These activities would be more suitable for intermediate and advanced

learners.

The above disadvantages however can be solved if careful thought and planning could be given

before the activities are used in the classroom. The teacher himself must be convinced of the

effective use of these activities if he wants to encourage students to have a positive attitudetowards these novel ideas in language learning.

). (onclusion


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The use of drama activities Erole(play and simulationF in T&SJ can be used. as an innovative

method in language teaching. #ith the emphasis on the use of the $ommunicative "pproach in

language teaching, drama in the &SJ classroom provides a meaningful way of learning thelanguage. :owever, it should not be used in isolation but should be used in an integrated

approach for language teaching. t should not be treated as a Plast resortP when all else fails. t

should be part and parcel of the communicative classroom methodology in teaching &nglish as asecond language.

Types of Play

Throwing balls, reading books, dressing up, painting pictures children can learn

and play in so many ways! To help shoppers nd the most appropriate toys for

children, Growing Tree Toys provides information on 6 types of play for every toy on

the website, which help outline the various play behaviors associated with the toyse have separated the "play# of our toys into the following si$ types of play%

Active| Cooperative| Creative| Dramatic| Manipulative| Quiet

These types of play provide further information on what to e$pect from a particular

toy and how a child will interact with the toy &nowing the types of play for a toy is

important to customers as they assess the environment in which the child is

learning, the specic interests of the child, or the areas in which the child needs

development Through our years in the business, we understand children, their play

habits, and how they respond to the toys at our store, which has helped us create

these play classications for our toys

e feature colorful icons with every toy on the site that outline the Types of Play for

that product, which helps guide customers in their decision'making process when

determining if a toy will lead to countless hours of fun and learning for a child

(earching for a toy for a child online on our website will be so much fun, it will

become your play time )uiet and manipulative play time to be e$act!
http://www.growingtreetoys.com/types-of-play.html#activehttp://www.growingtreetoys.com/types-of-play.html#cooperativehttp://www.growingtreetoys.com/types-of-play.html#creativehttp://www.growingtreetoys.com/types-of-play.html#dramatichttp://www.growingtreetoys.com/types-of-play.html#manipulativehttp://www.growingtreetoys.com/types-of-play.html#quiethttp://www.growingtreetoys.com/types-of-play.html#activehttp://www.growingtreetoys.com/types-of-play.html#cooperativehttp://www.growingtreetoys.com/types-of-play.html#creativehttp://www.growingtreetoys.com/types-of-play.html#dramatichttp://www.growingtreetoys.com/types-of-play.html#manipulativehttp://www.growingtreetoys.com/types-of-play.html#quiet


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Active Play

Play that involves movement and physical activity *ctive play is the perfect type of

play to tucker any youngster out! hether running around in the yard or building

sand castles at a local playground, active play is an essential part of a child+sdevelopment (ome e$amples of active play are%

iding -ikes

(winging at the playground

&ickball

.ur toys will be the perfect outdoor companion, providing sporting fun and activity

galore!

Cooperative Play

Play for your child and a group of friends /ooperative play can take place almost

anywhere outside on the playground or downstairs in the basement 0n any

environment, children learn from watching other children play and interacting with

them socially (ome fun cooperative play activities are%

0nteractive pretend play

-asketball

-oard games

Game time, make believe time it+s all fun time when other children are around to

take part in play!

Creative Play

Play that ignites a child+s imagination and makes something out of nothing! * bo$ ofcrayons, construction paper, pipe cleaners, scissors and glue 1 they are all staples in

the home, but when they come together in the hands of a child, they become

magical works of art -ut, /reative Play e$tends beyond art, entering a world of

music, dance, building even dirt! /reative play includes such things as%

Painting


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(culpting play dough

-uilding or creating crafts

Providing a child a creative outlet will lead to many ama2ing things, and as you mayknow already, some not so ama2ing things if it involves drawing on furniture or a

wall!

Dramatic Play

Play that involves pretend and make believe, or whatever the imagination dreams

3ave you ever found a child in your clothes4 /arrying your briefcase4 earing your

old uniform4 hat seems commonplace to you opens a whole new world of

possibilities to a child 5ramatic play can include%

(imple role playing

sing props to create a 7new7 environment

/reating scenes or situations with dolls and puppets

/hildren love role'playing and e$ploring worlds outside of their everyday, creating

new and fun situations with every costume and prop 0magine what they think you

do at work!

Manipulative Play

Play that involves hand'eye coordination and motor skills /hildren need the

opportunity to work on ner skills that involve a little more control and direction

8anipulative play develops the sense of coordination, challenging their little ngers

to follow the lines or use their tools properly (ome e$amples of manipulative play

are%

/oloring, especially in a dened area

Paper crafts and art involving moving parts that need to be 7put together7

sing a safe and simple tool kit to help with tasks around the house

/utting out a sunshine for the window or painting within the lines all these

activities are the perfect e$ercise for this type of play


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Quiet Play

Play that keeps children+s mouths shut but their minds open Playtime for children

should have the opportunity to be )uiet the playtime for which adults are

sometimes grateful! /hildren need )uiet time to intently digest the items in their

learning environment, like books and pu22les 9uiet play provides children anopportunity to think and reason and can include such activities as%

-eading a necklace

orking on pu22les

eading or looking at pictures

-y providing a silent environment, children can focus on their toys and playthings

and really get down to the work of being a child *fter all, play is the work ofchildren!

-ack to the esources section

AMES

RIBBON OF SOUND:(it in a circle .ne person starts a sound The ne$t

person picks it up and it travels around the circle so it becomes a ribbon of

sound :ach person should pick it up and pass it on as )uickly as possible

Transform it into another sound'with the person ne$t to the one who started

the rst sound

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

COOPERATIVE STAND-UP:/hoose partners (it back to back on the


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LED BY THE NOSE: DRAMA AME

/hildren imagine that strings are attached to various parts of their bodies

they 8ove about the room led by that part :$ample% right thumb, nose,

knees :yelashes etc

;;;;;;;;;;;;;

STRIKE A POSE

1.=orm a circle :ach person chooses one other person in the circle to

secretly watch

2.:veryone closes their eyes and strikes a pose

3..n 7G.7 '' everyone opens their eyes and begins to copy the person they

chose to watch >0n posture, pose, stance, etc?

atch as the whole team morphs into the same pose!

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

BEAN BA 'VOICE PROJECTION'

This exercise demonstrate to children how important it is to project their

voices

Place t!ee "ea# "a$% !(#t ( a !() ( c&l*!e# .ne about @A

feet away from them ' the second about BA feet away, the third about CD'EA

feet away >this can obviously be changed to suit the physical environment ofthe class?

1 *sk each child to look directly at the rst bean bag, say their name and

the name of their favorite animal

2.0nstruct them to say the e$act same things to the second bean bag

3.ould they speak with the same volume4 .f course not ' the 7person7 is

further away

4.hen asked to address the third bean bag, they obviously should be

proFecting their voices as loud as they can

5.*fter the entire group has addressed the bean bags, let them know theywere really acting in a play Fust then ' reaching the rst three rows, the

middle rows, and the back rows of the theater

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;


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HOLD A FASHION SHO+, THREE DIFFERENT IDEAS

Good for Day Camp, in stages for an event ...and those full days of

programming

Props% spotlights a backdrop if possible, a raised platformH stage or catwalk

music and sound systemI

./ IDEA

F&!%t %e%%&(#:Putting on a fashion show can be fun for all players, especially

if everyone gets to choose the role they will play 0n the planning stages,

have participants decide on a theme for the show >such as fall fashions or

holiday outts? plan music and which roles children will play -oth male and

female models would be nice you+ll also need designers, emcees, a

Fournalist or two, and photographer

3elp the players plan the set up where youth will enter and e$it'''as well as

where the audience will sit 8ake a list of special clothing to wear during the

show and any other props you may need If you have the !"#$C%&'

version (elow"""you)ll also have to ma*e the out+tsI

Sec(#* %e%%&(#:Give members time to set up the show and get organi2ed

Get the audience seated a let the show begin!

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

IDEA #2ehearse a fashion show in which :J:KT30LG G.:( .LG! >.npurpose? 0tMs fun but not easy to do :$ample% The emcee trips over the

microphone cord, or models wear things that donMt t'''and donMt go

together Think of all the silliness you can!

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

IDEA .0:.ne activity that 0 facilitated while managing a summer camp was

to have a 1+ACKY HAIR-DO AND FASHION SHO+23 The staN and kids

"in fantasy fashion# back'combed, Felled and styled each others hair'''while

others designed, drew, cut'out and taped outts using .OO'P*P: They

also used paintsH markers, tape and accessories! .f course, there was alsothe fantasy make'up 0t was great fun!!! >-arb (helby?

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

READ AN EASY STORY THAT CAN BE DRAMATI4ED33 /hoose children

to participate and have them recreate the story They can make up the lines


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HEAR333

* gentle wind

nderwater sounds

* whistle

SEE

* car coming far away and towards you

* giant

*n ant

* big black spider

SMELL333

=reshly baked bread

* skunk

Perfume

.nions

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

MYSTERY BA

Blindfold children and have them use their senses to identify

objects.

TOUCH:feather, balloon, shell, sandpaper, fur, money

SMELL: coNee, perfume, onion

TASTE:raisins, corn


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Jariation% 5escribe a single aspect of food, for e$ample, the Fuice of a peachat its peak of ripeness

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

I CAN'T STAND99999, !"ler $out%&3ave each player in turn describe a food that they cannot stand to eat

:ncourage as much detail as possible so that the other group members are

disgusted by the food, too

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

BOTTLE OF +HAT !$oun' c%ilren&

-efore the meeting, gather several empty plastic bottles with caps =ill each

bottle with a diNerent material'such as dried peas, pebbles, marbles, sand,

and birdseed Put the caps back on and cover the bottles with construction

paper so the materials inside are hidden *sk group members to listen to the

sound each bottle makes and guess what is inside it

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

GOOD IDEAS

Practice diction saying T(#$7e T)&%te!%3Click here...

;;;;;;;;;;

A %&;


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M&!!(!$3

;;;;;;;;;;

0n a pair or group'%a?e a#*%5uic*ly, slowly, gently, angrily, sadly,

tenderly

;;;;;;;

8ake your a#*% take on diNerent characteristics% nervous, greedy,

6a((y, magic, +erce, gentle, strong, frightened, etc.

;;;;;;;;;

B7&l* a Te;ea!(7#* a "((?Click here for e$planation and activities!

;;;;;;;;;

Ma%?%:8ake or purchase wear in a skit, scene or play

;;;;;;;;;;

P7


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;;;;;;;;;

!(7< I;: Give a simple idea to act outI(etting up a camp in the

woods

;;;;;;;;

=orm two lines facing each other The +rst two peoplein each line "e$ a

c(#>e!%at&(# *t any point, the person ne$t to a speaker' can tap himHher

on the shoulder That speaker then goes to the end of the line and the

conversation continues between the new speakers at e$actly the point it was

interrupted

;;;;;;;;;

C((%e a e te !((; The rest of the group stands in a

circle /hoose a leader who begins and changes all movements :veryone

else should be aware of the leader but not look directly at him /hange

movements when the leader does .nce everyone has the idea, call back the

person who left the room *sk him to stand in the middle and try to gure

out who the leader is

;;;;;;;;;;

(it in a circle C((%e a ;7%&c c(#*7ct(! :veryone create a sound and

rhythm using hands, feet, voice, etc in time to the conductor+s leading

;;;;;;;;;

ithout the participantMs knowledge, stage a)uen ,%appenin'# Then have

everyone describe e$actly what happened in writing, giving as many details as

possible Compare the descriptions. $re they the same; #hy not;

PLAY ARTISTS AND BLOBS

3ave children work in B or C person teams *sk each team to pick an +*+ and

a +-+ +*+s+ are the artistsand +-+s+ are the blobs The artist >s? forms hisHher

partner into some kind of statue The blob rela$es as much as possible until

the statue is formed, then tries to hold that pose >TIP:PLAY MUSIC while


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;;;;;;;;;

P!ete#* t( &$t %l() ;(t&(# 0magine that you are under water or

in space 0magine that you are wearing heavy armor se an imaginary long

sword

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

* good resource for 5rama games4 =>= Drama games for children4 ?un and

9earning with $cting and @a*e"(elieve.-y Paul ooyackers and illustrated by

/ecilia -owman * 3unter 3ouse (mart =un -ook Purchase at *ma2oncom

1eturn to top page

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

D!a;a Me#7 L?%

1.* The Different Types of Drama click here

2.* /antomine, Tips and Games

3.* mprov Games and &xercises

.* " ariety of Drama Games"ctivities

I% you+re interested in (ostumes or ,ake $p Ideas click here.

Tags% drama games, kids, ideas, activities, sensory drama games, C bean bag

proFection

/ategories% Oiteracy% 5rama and 5rama Games

*ctions% :'mailQ /omments >A?

@elated posts

5rama% Pantomime Tips and GamesGreat mime'pantomime ideas and activities for

kids! Tips, games, and fantastic ideas to add to drama.utdoor Games R *ctivities

sing ater.utdoor water games, ideas and activities for kids! 8ore than CS ideas

for outside fun using water!(upplies R *ctivities for 5rama and 8usic /enters!*
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great list for dramatic play area including costumeHdress'up ideas, housekeeping

items, movement a

"here are many forms of Drama/ !ere is a 6arial lis *ih a sim6le e:6lanaion of each)

IMPROVISATION@LET'S PRETEND

" scene is set, either by the teacher or childrenA with little or no time to prepare a script, thestudents perform before the group.

RRRRRRRRRRRRRR

MIME 6Pa#t(;&;e8

$hildren use only facial expressions and body language to pass on a message script to the rest ofthe class.

RRRRRRRRRRRR

DRAMA AMES

n a drama game, you inhabit a world different from the one in which you live. Iou use your

imagination to portray or dramatiQe something. Cy your actions, you show others what you want

to depict. "cting out what you have prepared is an important part of ;Drama Games


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PUPPET PLAYS

$hildren use puppets to say and do things that they may feel too inhibited to say or do

themselves.

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

READER'S THEATER

@eaderBs theater was developed as an efficient and effective way to present literature in

dramatic formA it is an interpretive oral reading activity.

Students use their voices, facial expressions and hand gestures to interpret characters in

scripts or stories.

Teachers and students may adapt favorite stories for @eadersP Theater through script

writing activities. This is a wonderful activity for teachers and caregivers that are loo+ingfor ways to add fun, excitement, and meaning to oral reading activities.

The very fact that the name contains the word ;@eaders


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*ctivity >@?

9uestioning the pupils R make drawings

hich one of the animals would you like to keep as a pet4

0f you have live in a cave, how would your cave look like 5raw your own cave in a

piece of paper

*ctivity >B?=or the diNerent animal you have learned, ll in the prole card of your favourite

animal

*ctivity >C?

rite a greeting card to any animal that you like the most in the story

The /aterpillar+s Joice

Kear Three >C?

(ample >@?

(ample >B?

(ample >C?

T3: :L5

T3*L& K.

>;?

0T T*&:( * -0G 3:*T T. (3*P: K.LG 80L5(

The nternet T&SJ ournal

Blind Storyteller :ave one person sit in front of the group facing them. :ave two or three

people stand behind him with theirpuppets.The sitting person cannot see the people behind him.

:ave him tell a story about these three puppets. The ;actors< then have to act it out as he

narrates. This can have some super funny results

Puppet S#o/ :ave the group brea+ into smaller groups and come up with their own puppet

show ideas.

&motional Puppets :ave the people in the group get up one at a time and have their puppets

act out an emotion. The rest of the group must guess what emotion they are acting out.
http://iteslj.org/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puppethttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puppethttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puppetryhttp://iteslj.org/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puppethttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puppetry


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,e as a Puppet- Give each person in the group various puppet ma+ing supplies and have them

ma+e a puppet that reflects themselves. suggest stic+ing to one +ind of puppet such as a paper

plate stic+ puppet. The puppets do not have to loo+ exactly li+e the person. nstead they could

have some of the personBs attributes such as being shy, loud, having frec+les or glasses. The rest

of the puppet could be imagined, or what the person would li+e to loo+ li+e if he had the choice.

"fter ma+ing the puppets you might sit in a circle and introduce the puppets. "n interesting

script might be to say one thing or two things about your puppet that is the same as you and one

thing that is different.

0orum t#eatre Two puppets go up to the front and start a scene. They have to act out the scene

as best they can. "t one point the facilitator yells ;freeQe


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T#e Bene%its o% $sing "rama in t#e &S'&0'(lassroom

$hris Coudreault

solartrees (at(U gmail.comEJac Ja Ciche, $anadaF

"s an &nglish teacher, have often been amaQed at how effective drama is to capture the

attention of the students in the &SJ&>J classroom. Drama activities would sometimes havesurprising and unexpected results. &SJ&>J professionals need to use this medium more

because the artificial world of the classroom can be transformed into a ?uasi(real language

situation and provides an endless amount of opportunities for studentBs personal growth. #ecannot only teach grammar and phonetics with drama but also it has the power to transform theactors as well as the audience. #e shouldnBt underestimate this powerful teaching tool to reach

our students.

Introduction

#illiam Sha+espeare claimed that

"ll the worldPs a stage,"nd all the men and women merely playersA

They have their exits and their entrances,"nd one man in his time plays many parts,:is acts being seven ages.

As ;ou


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gives students opportunities for developing their communicative s+ills in authentic and dynamic

situations. Cy using drama in the &nglish classroom, we can use &nglish with our students in

intriguing and useful ways. The language can be used in context and ma+es it come to life.Drama has the potential of ma+ing the learning experience fun for the students and even

memorable because it is interactive and visual.

There are many studies about using drama to learn &nglish. #an Iee Sam tal+s about the

communicative approach, drama techni?ues, value of drama in education, advantages and

disadvantages ESam,1KK9F. "lan !aley and "lan Duff are classic sources for the benefits ofusing drama techni?uesA how it helps to learn new vocabulary, builds confidence, motivates the

students and helps shift the focus from the teacher to the students E!aley,1K5F. Drama is a

special communication situation which ma+es considerable demands on the flexibility and s+ills

of the teacher EVao,1KK5F. #e have !orrow E1K51F who gives some guiding principles behindthe use of the communicative activities. Susan :olden E1K51F adds some definitions as to what

drama is and how it provides opportunities for a person to express themselves. The personal

nature of improvisation provides many outlets for self(expression. #e even hear that children

need to play as an important developmental process.

Bene%its o% $sing "rama

This is all very relevant information concerning using drama in the &SJ&>J classroom. #e can

sum up the benefits of drama in language teaching as follows-

the ac?uisition of meaningful, fluent interaction in the target languageA

the assimilation of a whole range of pronunciation and prosodic features in a fully

contextualiQed and interactional mannerA

the fully contextualiQed ac?uisition of new vocabulary and structureA

an improved sense of confidence in the student in his or her ability to learn the

target language.< E#essels, p.19F.

Drama puts the teacher in the role of supporter in the learning process and the students can ta+e

more responsibility for their own learning. deally, the teacher will ta+e a less dominant role inthe language class and let the students explore the language activities. n the student centered

classroom, every student is a potential teacher for the group.

Drama for second language learners can provide an opportunity to develop the imagination of the

students. The students can go beyond the here and now and even Pwal+ in the shoesP of another. t

provides an opportunity for independent thin+ing E!c$aslin 1KK3F. Students are encouraged toexpress their own ideas and contribute to the whole. $reative drama will offer exercises in

critical thin+ing and the chance for the students to be creative. " good example of this is role(

plays in small groups The &SJ&>J group will have many situations where they can develop

their own ideas as well as s+ills of cooperation when interacting with classmates. The group


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wor+ builds social awareness and understanding as we wal+ in the Pshoes of anotherP. Drama

gives an excellent method for studying human nature and wor+ing in harmony. The play acting

provides the opportunity for a healthy release of emotion in a safe setting which can wor+ torelieve the tension of learning in a second language.

"rama Brings 'iterature to 'i%e

!ost teachers see the value of drama in offering training in speech. #hat is not obvious is how

even abstract learning is easier when acted or demonstrated. Drama can also be used to bringliterature to life for the students. t is more dynamic than simple text and helps the visual learners

as well as recycles new vocabulary. #hile drama does have a characteristic of recreation, the fun

aspect should not be under(estimated. #hen the students are en0oying an activity, they arelearning and letting their guard down. The shyness and fear of using &nglish very often bloc+s

learning. #hen the students are submerged in an active fun activity, they are more open to new

concepts and learning will occur. #hen the students are having fun, they let their secondlanguage guard down and become less inhibited. The student will tend to relax and stop

bloc+ing out the new language. They will forget how hard it is and start absorbing the ideaspresented. $hanging the studentsB perception of the language learning from a negative to a

positive is a huge plus for the learning process.

" good example of the attributes of drama being used outside the classroom is the game of

theatre sports. Starting out in Joose !oose Theatre $ompany in $algary, $anadaEohnstone,1KKKF. This drama activity has grown to become an international endeavour, ta+en up

by practitioners the world over, which involves the audience as much as the actors in creating a

very spontaneous event. Theatre sports demonstrates how powerful a motivating force role(playing can become for the actors as well as the audience. There are presently teams in many

different countries using different languages who put on an unrehearsed game for countless

spectators and the appeal is only growing.

"rama as a Po/er%ul Teac#ing Tool

n the &SJ&>J classroom, role(playing is a powerful tool. t teaches cooperation, empathy for

others, decision ma+ing s+ills and encourages an exchange of +nowledge between the students.

These aspects alone ma+e role(playing beneficial because the students are learning from eachother. Iet, there are many other positive aspects to the role(playing. "part from the obvious

development of communication s+ills, it encourages leadership, team wor+, compromise,

authentic listening s+ills and practice with real life savior(faire. :owever, it does not stop there.

t teaches cooperation, empathy, develops decision ma+ing s+ills, promotes the exchange of+nowledge, builds confidence and self(esteem, refines presentation s+ills, encourages self(

acceptance and acceptance of others, features of empowerment, pride in wor+, responsibility,

problem solving, management and organiQational s+ills, begets creativity and imagination.

" good drama teacher can use the practice with role(playing to contribute to the self(esteem of

the students, build their confidence in using the target language E&nglishF as well as developmany of the s+ills mentioned above which will carry over to real life. t is certain that self(


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acceptance can be encouraged in subtle ways and acceptance of others.

Drama has the potential to empower the students, give them many opportunities to have pride intheir wor+, it teaches them responsibility, problem solving, management and directing

proficiencies. The many activities of team wor+ force students to develop organiQational s+ills

and to thin+ on their feet. These are tools that can be used in all aspects of their lives. Theses+ills will be useful in the future 0ob mar+et when the students need to wor+ with others or even

in the future 0ob interview when the potential employer as+s an unexpected ?uestion and you

need to thin+ ?uic+ly.

"rama Reveals !spects o% t#e 4uman (ondition

#hen you thin+ about it, drama is a method to reveal aspects of the human condition, life is

nothing more than a grand series of improvisations E/rice 1K59F. Through the games, the

students begin to realiQe the importance of shared space, time, attention, information and ideas.The games spar+ spontaneity and minimiQe self(consciousness which often inhibits learning.

The games are also good for developing concentration and trust in the classroom. #hile thestudents are having all this fun, they are developing s+ills of coordination, imitation while

focusing on the tas+ at hand. The improvisation enables the students to flex their emotional,mental as well as physical muscles in a safe and controlled setting. " good example of this was a

role(play one group performed where they displayed their displeasure with the school principal.

There was no harm done and all the students were feeling the same.

0inal Re%lections on Improvisations and Bene%its o% "rama

Pmprovisation, then, is an organic experience where s+ills are constantly being refined. n

particular, students develop an increasing facility to meet changing or un+nown stimuli withimmediate responses. deally, improvisation leads to a blendingA the students create thepersonality traits as heshe simultaneously identifies with the character as it evolves. Obviously,

the teacher(director should never lose sight of the metamorphic and highly personal nature of

improvisationA therefore, there must never be the ?uestion of success or failure.P E/rice, p. 3F

Drama in its purest form gives the student several avenues to self(awareness. t is one of the

closest literary forms to life itself. t is a dynamic process that reveals and examines aspects ofthe complicated lives we lead E/rice 1K59F. "ll of this leads me to believe that there are many

subtle benefits to drama in the &SJ classroom.

The benefits of drama to develop the imagination should not be undervalued. n our rote schoolroutines of memoriQation and compulsory sub0ect matter, we sometimes do not spend enough

time on encouraging our students to use their imagination. t is the spar+ that ma+es the ordinary

into something incredible. magination is the magic force that is beyond facts, figures andtechni?ues which can inspire new ideas. t is with imagination that the ordinary is transformed

into something significant. There is a need to cultivate this trait in our students. magination is

closely lin+ed to dreams and inspire us to get up every morning. Drama has the capability to+eep this alive andor re+indle what our routine daily lives are burying in ourselves. #e need


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imagination to ma+e a better world. n order to accomplish anything worthwhile, we first need to

imagine and dream it. #e should not neglect this facet of human sentience. t may seem li+e a

trivial point, but dreams without imagination would be li+e life without colour. #e would all beworse off without it.

T#e Po/er o% Trans%ormation /it# "rama

#e all present ourselves in everyday life as we want to be perceived. &rving Goffman E1K)5F

tal+s in detail about how we present ourselves in everyday life from a sociological perspective.#e are all acting out theatrical performances to present ourselves in regard to how we wish to be

seen. #hen we are in the presence of others, we are to some extent on stage. #e will act and

communicate in our own interests to influence the people around us to act voluntarily inaccordance with the individuals plans EGoffman,1K)KF. #e are in essence, recreating ourselves

all the time as our social world evolves. n everyday life, first impressions are so very important.

So, how we are perceived often depends on a blin+ of a moment which may define us for a longperiod if not forever. Our communication s+ills are so important in how we are seen by others.

Our words and body language pro0ect subtle messages to those around us and others respond inaccordance to what they perceive as us. n life, we are all playing many roles, therefore, we

are wearing many mas+s.

n a sense, and in so far as this mas+ represents the conception we have formed of ourselves( the

role we are striving to live up to( this mas+ is our truer self, the self we would li+e to beEGoffman, p.'9F.

#e +now that an individual will attempt to induce the audience to see them in a certain way. Themore convincing we are in our own roles only help to create the persona that we wish for. The

better we are at communicating our ideas helps ourselves to become who we want to be.

Therefore, it ma+es sense that dramatic s+ills can help us become the person we want to be. n

this way, drama has a wider reach than simply ma+ing us more fluent in a second language. t

has the potential of ma+ing our lives better as we will be better understood and may help us

become the people we want to be. Drama is all about how we present ourselves. f the studentcan communicate better, the more li+ely others will see himher as heshe wishes to be seen.

Therefore, the s+ills of drama can help the student become the person that heshe wants to be.

Re%erences

Goffman, &rving E1K)KF, The /resentation of Self in &veryday Jife. /enguin Coo+s,Jondon.

:olden, Susan E1K51F- Drama in Janguage Teaching. &ssex- Jongman

ohnstone, Veith E1KKKF, mpro for Storytellers. @outledge Taylor and >rancis Group,

*ewIor+


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Vao, shin(!ei and $ecily OB*eill. E1KK5F #ords nto #orlds, Jearning a Second

Janguage through /rocess Drama. "blex /ublishing corp. Stamford, NS".

!aley, "lan and "lan Duff. Drama techni?ues in Janguage Jearning. $ambridge

Nniversity /ress, $ambridge. 1K5.

!c$aslin, *ellie E1KK3F. $reative Drama in the $lassroom and Ceyond. Jondon,

Jongman /ublishers

!orrow, Veith E1K51F- /rinciples of communicative methodology. n- ohnson, Veith

!orrow, Veith Eeds.F- $ommunication in the $lassroom. Jondon and *ew Ior+-

Jongman

/rice, /amela E1K59F. $reative /lay /roduction in the $lassroom. Iale, Iale /ublishers.

#hiteson, alerie E1KK3F. *ew #ays of Nsing Drama and Jiterature in Janguage

Teaching. "lexandria,"., T&SOJ.

The nternet T&SJ ournal, ol. W, *o. 1, anuary 919http-itesl0.org

http-itesl0.org"rticlesCoudreault(Drama.html

The -enets of sing 5rama to Teach :nglish

The Nnmista+eable Cenefits of using Drama with $hildren Jearning &nglish

Introduction

t is unli+ely that anyone would disagree that the most effective way to teach &SJ children is to provide them with

opportunities to learn &nglish in the context of everyday situations with the emphasis on communicational s+ills.

Cy the end of this article am sure that you will agree that drama is the ideal techni?ue to use to achieve this.

Some of the aspects we will be loo+ing at include-

@ /hildren+s natural proclivity for drama and some of the reasons

B hy teachers are nevertheless hesitant to use this method of teaching

C The role drama can play in language learning

E The problem of motivating children to learn and how drama can help
http://iteslj.org/http://iteslj.org/


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D /hoosing suitable plays

6 (ome tips for preparation R performance

"rama and c#ildren 5 a /inning com6ination

"nyone who has wor+ed with young children +nows that they learn chiefly by exploring their world using their

imagination and engaging in pretend play. The lin+ between imaginative, or pretend play, and language is

particularly strong. $ommunicational and conversational s+ills develop as children develop scenarios Ethis is our

house, and this is the baby, she is 0ust born and she has to sleep nowFA assign roles and direct the action EPll be the

mommy and Pm going shopping. IouPre the daddyA you have to go to wor+F and slip in and out of multiple roles

Enow its my turn to be the teacher F.

This imaginary play gives the child an understanding of the power of language and, by including others in his

games, he learns that words ma+e it possible for him to tell a story or organiQe a game. $hurch, in The importance of

pretend play, points out that this process plays an important part in helping the child ma+e the connection between

spo+en and written language "c+nowledging the importance of this aspect of a childPs development, most

preschool and +indergarten classrooms include a dramatic play area where children can act out their fantasies.

The combination of imagination and learning, however, need not be confined to pre(school children. >or older

children drama provides practical experience in communicating, both written and oral, gives them the opportunity to

learn to wor+ together, to develop tolerance and empathy as they begin to see the world from different perspectives,

and promotes active learning, enriching and reinforcing their more traditional school experiences. So, when it comes

to teaching &nglish as a second language, no matter the age of the student, drama and children are still a winning

combination.

!7ing t#e arguments against

Despite its obvious advantages many teachers are wary of trying to introduce drama in the classroom. This is

particularly so among the more traditional of us who feel that teaching cannot ta+e place without a textboo+ in hand.

These teachers, and many parents, see drama as PplayP and, as we all +now, learning &nglish is hard wor+ Iet one of

the findings of a three(year study Teaching Jiteracy through "rt showed that including arts education increases

fundamental literacy s+ills in elementary school students. Students involved in these programmes also scored

higher on X expression, ris+(ta+ing, creativity, imagination and cooperative learning.

"nother common fear, particularly among younger and less experienced teachers is that of losing control of the class

and many confuse the Pbusy buQQP of involved children with rowdiness.

" further argument which have fre?uently encountered is lac+ of time. The curriculum is too full, there is not

enough time to fit everything in, couldnPt possibly add drama as well. This argument is easily overcome when

teachers realiQe that drama is not an addition, but a method of teaching. >inally there are those retiring souls whoexclaim, couldnPt possibly use drama, canPt act $olleagues, it is the children who are going to act, and they are

experts

"rama and language

Cut instead of lingering over the Pwhy(notP of drama, letPs loo+ at the PwhyP, and, in particular, why we should use

drama for teaching &nglish. >irst of all, itPs authentic. Nsing drama enables children to use &nglish appropriately in


36/61

real conversations, expressing emotions and ideas and listening to the feelings and ideas of their peers. n other

words, &nglish is taught in the context in which it will be used, which is far removed from lists of vocabulary and

wor+(sheets and which ma+es students aware of the language first and foremost as a means of communication.

This conversational use of language promotes fluency. #hile learning a play, children are encouraged to listen to,

potentially read and then repeat their lines over a period of time. Cy repeating the words and phrases they become

familiar with them and are able to say them with increasing fluency. n addition, drama also teaches them to

enunciate their words properly and to pro0ect their voices when they spea+, helping them to become clear and

confident spea+ers. Nsing drama to teach &nglish also helps to improve the understanding and retention of a word.

Cy the time a child has read, rehearsed and acted out a scene focusing on the word PfrustratedP, for example, there is

little li+elihood of ever forgetting it. The same would not hold true if the word had been memorised by rote for a

vocabulary test.

Obviously, then, the active participation re?uired in a drama lesson involves not only the intellect but also childrenPs

imagination and emotions. Cy encouraging self(expression, drama motivates children to use language confidently

and creatively.

>inally, drama is an appropriate method for teaching children with different learning styles and at different levels ofunderstanding. *o one learns in exactly the same way, we all have different methods of processing information. Cy

actively involving him in his own learning process, dramatisation allows each child to absorb the language in his

own way. Similarly, children whose language s+ills are still very limited are given the opportunity to communicate

using nonverbal cues such as body movements and facial expressions.

Grab a free play here- @eady Steady Go

,otivational ,oves

"s teachers we all +now that trying to teach an unmotivated child is li+e hitting onePs head against a bric+ wall. #ith

very young children we seldom come across this problem as most +indergarten and preschool children are motivated

by curiosity and love to explore new ideas. Sadly, as a child grows older, learning is often seen as a chore.

JetPs loo+ at some of the reasons children become de(motivated and see whether the use of drama could be a factor

in overcoming them. The childPs experience of success or failure has a significant effect on his motivation to learn. f

children repeatedly fail, even when they have put a great deal of effort into their learning, they are inclined to

approach future tas+s with a negative attitude. Nsing drama as a teaching method and with the appropriate choice of

play and roles, there is no reason why all children cannot experience success.

The secret here is to ma+e the tas+ challenging, but achievable for each child. /lays are ideal for this purpose, of

handling mixed abilities, as you can give bigger parts to better students, thus +eeping them motivated and challenged

while ma+ing it significantly easier for the slower students by giving them fewer lines. n the meantime all students

will be benefiting from being present and hearing the &nglish spo+en over and over again.

The teacherPs own enthusiasm also goes a long way towards motivating a child. "nyone who has taught a classroom

of children +nows how ?uic+ly they pic+ up and reflect your moods. f you thin+ your &nglish grammar lesson is

boring, so will they Cy using drama as a teaching method and allowing children to experience language in the

simulated reality of a play they will derive far more fun from the lesson and fun is always motivating.
http://www.teachingenglishgames.com/eslplays.htmhttp://www.teachingenglishgames.com/eslplays.htm


37/61

n addition, chances are they will be considerably more motivated to use the language in similar situations in real

life. Obviously then, drama techni?ues motivate children to learn by brea+ing the monotony of the &nglish class and

lifting the tempo as children discuss and act out their roles, learn what they are going to say and decide how they are

going to say it.

#hich leads to the third ma0or factor concerning a lac+ of motivation, which is the childPs need to belong. #atch an

apathetic child in the classroom come alive on the playing fields and play his heart out for his team. That is where he

feels he fits in, his talents are respected and he is part of the team. Jumsden, in Student motivation to learn, points

out that if students experience the classroom as a caring, supportive place where there is a sense of belonging and

everyone is valued and respected, they will tend to participate more fully in the process of learning

n a drama lesson all children are e?ually and actively involved, each role is essential for the successful performance

of the play. " sense of belonging can be achieved here that is difficult to attain in the more traditional classroom

setting. n a way, drama lessons are the playing fields of the classroom.

"nother important motivational factor, related to success, is self(confidence. "s children become familiar with their

lines in a play, they become more confident in their use of language. &ven timid children, who generally withdraw

from group activities and are shy about tal+ing &nglish in front of their friends, will often come out of their shellswhen given a role which they are capable of handling. The shepherdPs role in the annual nativity play became

synonymous with our shyest children at school. :ere they could hide behind robes, headdress and croo+s. Cut the

shepherds +new how important they were and, without fail, year after year, proudly led their sheep onto the stage.

@ole(playing comes naturally to children, especially the younger ones and when playing a role they easily shed their

shyness and inhibitions. "s they discover that they can be anything, 0ust by pretending, children grow in self(esteem

n fact the power of the persona is such that children who might otherwise be hesitant about spea+ing in public are

often able to do so unselfconsciously when playing a part.

0inding suita6le plays

$hoose plays written especially for &SJ classrooms. These are short and repetitive and designed to involve the

whole group, no matter how big or how small. They combine fun and movement with language usage carefully

planned to provide optimal spea+ing practice in real life contexts. @oles should be assigned according to your

studentsP language ability levels. $hildren who are more capable and more confident can be given parts with more

lines, while shyer children or those with a more limited vocabulary can have fewer lines to say, repeat lines said by

other children or spea+ as part of a group.

t goes without saying that, when necessary, the play should be adapted for your own situation. Veep the script

simple, but develop it further or modify it if your studentsP proficiency or lac+ of proficiency in &nglish re?uires it.

Some of the lines in the play may be optional. &dit these freely to suit your needs, based on the main idea.

Tips %or preparation and per%ormance

Once you have decided on the play it is time to get down to the nitty(gritty of rehearsals. #hile older and more

capable students can be given copies of the play to read this is generally not advisable for younger and less capable

children. >or all students, no matter what level they may be on, the emphasis should be on spea+ing, acting and

movement, not on reading lines.

/re(learn the vocabulary first. Nse it in songs, on flash(cards, in games li+e SpolinPs circle game and those in 131


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&nglish Janguage Games for $hildrenA chant the words, stamp out the syllables, act them out individually = this is

really fun when using words describing emotions and actions.

Once the children are familiar with the separate words let them start practicing the lines in the play. This, too, can be

done as a game. The idea is not to have individual children word(perfect in their own roles but to let the whole class

experience using the vocabulary in context.

Only when all the children +now the +ey words and lines of the play should you put together all the elements =

words, expression and movement. "llow the children to use their own creativity in setting the scene, deciding on

props, costumes etc. @emember that, as far as the last two are concerned, these should be +ept very simple, using the

Pless is moreP principle, and they only need to be included in the final rehearsals.

Iou will find that if you give the children props too soon they will become very absorbed in them and ta+e a lot of

time arranging them and so forth instead of getting on with saying their lines Therefore give out the props when the

play runs fluently. The addition of props is then a novel element to +eep the childrenPs interest right through to the

final performance.

Once all your efforts have been rewarded and the children are able to run through their lines fluently, confidentlyand with the appropriate movements and expression, arrange at least one performance, even if it is only for the class

next door This is absolutely vital. Nsually it is possible to invite parents to arrive earlier to collect children from the

last lesson of term if you give sufficient notice, or arrange a special time. One can often perform the play at the

school, during assembly, or for a special performance. School heads are generally proud to show off to parents so

even if you are a visiting teacher running after(school classes the head of school still sees this as a plus that the

school has to offer to prospective pupils and parents.

" tip regarding putting on the play- DonPt start the show with the play but instead have pupils sing a group song or

two with actions, play some vocabulary games in front of the audience by way of a warm up and finish with the

play. This helps the children get used to suddenly being in front of an audience and will mean they are much, much

less li+ely to freeQe up with nerves when it comes to saying their lines.

/reparation of posters, invitations etc. could form the basis of another &nglish lesson. f the prospective audience

has limited &nglish s+ills perhaps a translation of the play could be made available to them. was once as+ed for

subtitles by a parent, which surprised me as the language in the play was so basic, but in fact afterwards realiQed

that it is polite and helpful to ac+nowledge the audience in this way.

>inally, if at all possible, ta+e a video of the play. *ot only will the children love seeing themselves act, it will

enable you to give them feedbac+ later and will provide you with a benchmar+ against which further development

can be determined.

*ow all that remains is to point you to some fantastic, funny, easy &SJ s+its and plays that are ideal for use in class

with beginners. Suitable for children in small groups betweent the ages of H to 1.

:ere are thefun &SJ plays for beginners

!B8$T T4& !$T48RShelley ernon has helped 1999s of teachers be an inspiration to their pupils and achieve

results x as fast. Teaching with &SJ grammar games, stories, songs and plays can improve the effectiveness of a

lesson by up to 598. @eceive free childrenPs games now &SJ @esources
http://www.teachingenglishgames.com/eslplays.htmhttp://www.teachingenglishgames.com/eslplays.htmhttp://www.teachingenglishgames.com/http://www.teachingenglishgames.com/eslplays.htmhttp://www.teachingenglishgames.com/


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-ibliography

:arly /hildhood Oearning &nowledge /entre >BAA6? Oet the children play% Lature+s answer

to early

learning etrieved @ *pril BAAU from

wwwcclccacaH//OHeportsHOessons0nOearningHOinOBAA6@A@A

/hurch, :- >nHd? The importance of pretend play (cholastic etrieved @ *pril BAAU from

contentscholasticcomHbrowseHarticleFsp4idV@A@WD

"rama in Teac#ing &nglis# as a Second 'anguage -

! (ommunicative !pproac#

W!9 :&& S!,

>niversiy of Malaya

1.; Introduction

n recent years much emphasis has been put on the Teaching of &nglish as a Second Janguage

ET&SJF using the $ommunicative approach E$"F. This has brought about changes in theapproach to T&SJ. The learner is now seen as an active participant in the process of language

learning in the classroom. Teachers who advocate the $ommunicative "pproach are expected to

come up with activities that would promote self(learning, group interaction in authentic

situations and peer teaching. t is a tas+ not easy for the teacher.

The purpose of this paper is not to discuss the merits or demerits of the $" and the controversies

that come along with it. This paper is an attempt to relate the use of drama to the $" in T&SJ. t

first discusses the general concept of the $" and $ommunicative "ctivities. t then discusses

some definitions related to drama and the value of drama in education. This is followed by adescription of two dramatic techni?ues ( role(play and simulation. The merits and demerits of

these techni?ues and how these techni?ues can be used in the &SJ classroom will also be

discussed.

2.; T#e (ommunicative !pproac#

The term approach refers to the theories about the nature of how language is learnt. E@ichards,

1K5)F. t ta+es into account the basic units of language structure and the nature of language

proficiency. t also considers the psycholinguistic and cognitive processes involved in languagelearning and the conditions that allow for effective learning to ta+e place.


40/61

The $ommunicative "pproach thus refers to the beliefs and theories of language teaching which

emphasiQe that the goal of language learning is communicative competence. E@ichards, 1K5)F.

$ommunicative competence here refers not only to a +nowledge of the grammatical rules of alanguage and how to form grammatical sentences but also to +now when, where and to whom to

use these sentences in a speech community. E@ichards, 1K5), and :ymes, 1KL1F.

$ommunicative !ethodology refers to the different ways of teaching language using the

communicative approach. The term Ptechni?uesP refers to different classroom activities. n thispaper they will be called communicative activities.

Das E1K5HF, tal+s about the #hat and :ow of language teaching and learning in the

$ommunicative "pproach. The PwhatP refers to the contents to be taught to the learners. Theemphasis is more on the use of language for communication of meaning than learning the

language structures, forms and vocabulary E#il+ins, 1KL3 and #iddowson, 1KL3F. :owever, this

does not imply that the grammatical and lexical aspects are neglected. n fact, they do have a

place in the $ommunicative !ethod of language teaching.

n the $" the language needs of the learner is given important consideration. Nltimately the

PwhatP aims towards Pcommunicative competenceP in the language i.e. the ability to use the

language reasonably PaccuratelyP and PappropriatelyP.

The PhowP of language teaching and learning refers to the specific techni?ues and proceduresused to unconsciously Pac?uireP and consciously PlearnP a language through communication.

"ccording to Crumfit E1K5HF, a PfluentP and an PaccurateP user of the language would be facilitated

by the use of the PcommunicativeP activities.

2.1 (ommunicative !ctivities

P$ommunicative activitiesP refers to the techni?ues which are employed in the communicative

method in language teaching. &xamples of such activities are games, exercises, practices and

pro0ects which ma+e use of the Target language. The activities involve PdoingP things withlanguage e.g. ma+ing choices, evaluating and bridging the information gap. The language(using

activities for communication is not restricted to conversation and may involve listening,

spea+ing, reading, writing or an integration of two or more s+ills.

$ommunicative activities have the following characteristics-

1. They are purposeful. They are beyond strictly practising particular structures.

. They are interactive. The activities are often conducted with others and often involve

some form of discussion.

'. "uthentic materials are used. The situations in which the learners have to use language

should be as realistic as possible. The language models given should be authentic.


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H. They are based on the information gap principle.

!orrow E1K51F has provided some guiding principles behind the use of communicative activities

as language teaching and learning techni?ues. They are as follows-./ 7?no* *ha you are doing7

This principle ma+es sure that each part of the lesson focuses on some operation which thestudent would want to perform in the target language. >or example in teaching listening, the tas+

could be to listen to the arrival and departure times of the aeroplane.0/ 7"he *hole is more han he sum of is 6ars7

n communication, it is necessary to wor+ in the context of the whole. $ommunication cannot

easily be analysed into its various components without its nature being destroyed in the process.>or example you may teach the component of various forms of greeting but it is no guarantee

that the student will be able to use it appropriately in a given situation.

1/ 7"he 6rocesses are as im6oran as he forms7The processes of communication- information gap, choice, feedbac+, should be as far as possible

replicated in trying to develop the ability of the student to communicate in the target language.

2/ 7"o learn i# do i7Only by practising communicative activities would students learn to communicate. The role of

the teacher thus changes. She no longer dominates the learning situation. She is there to provide

all the help the student needs to play an active role in his own learning.

3/ 7Misakes are no a@*ays misakes7There is the need for flexibility in deciding to treat different things as Pmista+esP at different

stages of the learning process towards communicative competence.

The use of communicative activities is a techni?ue to achieve one of the aims of the

communicative approach, which is to obtain communicative competence. The essence of thisapproach is to communicate with another person in the classroom and in the long term, the

society. Drama used in the classroom can be considered a communicative activity since it fosterscommunication between learners and provides opportunities to use the target language in variousPma+e believeP situations.

3.; "rama and "ramatic Tec#ni


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3.1 T#e alue o% "rama in &ducation

The basic idea to the development of creative drama was the realiQation that the need to play is

an important developmental process in a child E@edington, 1K5'F. #hen educationists realiQedthis need, more attention was given to the use of drama in education.

Celow is a summary of the values of drama in education as given by educators and researchers in

linguistics.

1. Drama according to !aley and Duff E1KL5F releases imagination and energy and this

could be considered as an educational ob0ective. >ernandeQ and $oil, E1K53F stated thatdrama encourages students to exercise their sensitivity and imagination and thus ma+es

learning more realistic and meaningful.

. "s an educational tool, the use of drama fosters the social, intellectual and the linguistic

development of the child EDougill, 1K5LF. &arly and Tarlington E1K5F concurs with

Dougill and states that drama centers around language development, personal awareness,group co(operation, sensory awareness, and imaginative growth.

'. Drama increases motivation and provides the incentive to wor+ hard E!ordecai, 1K5)AScharengnivel, 1KL9F. The activities using drama tend to be purposeful. The student sees

the need to communicate and concentrates on how to go about a tas+ since drama

provides him with a meaningful context.

H. Drama fosters a sense of responsibility and co(operation among the students E&arly andTarlington, 1K5'A Scharengnivel, 1KL9A !ordecai, 1K5)F. Drama activities normally ta+e

the form of group wor+ and students cannot afford to stay passive for too long. There is a

need to belong to the group and to complete the tas+. The students develop a sense ofselfworth of themselves as they wor+ together.

). Drama has a therapeutic effect. t can help solve emotional and behaviourial problems

EStern, 1K59A Scharengnivel, 1KL9F. t is a way for a Ptroublesome +idP to expend his

energy and encourage the shy and uncooperative student to participate.

3. >ernandeQ and $ol E1K53F, state that drama encourages students to exercise theirsensitivity and imagination. Temporary suspension of the ego occurs when students

participate in dramatic activities. They have to perceive an experience through the roles

they, ta+e on which are often different from their own. n role(play for example, a student

is given a chance to understand and relate to the feelings of others. This develops a senseof empathy in the student as he learns to loo+ beyond himself. Drama develops moral and

social ?ualities in a student EScharengnivel, 1KL9F.

L. t motivates the teacher to meet the needs of the student E!ordecai, 1K5)F. The dramaactivities provide opportunities to understand the thoughts and feelings of the students as

they express themselves in the drama activities. >rom the constant feedbac+ provided by


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the activities, the teacher can plan better strategies for more effective learning and

teaching.

5. Drama can lead pupils to an appreciation of drama as an art form EScharengnivel, 1KL9F.

/erhaps the value of drama can be summed up by Susan Stern E1K59F who loo+ed into drama insecond language learning from a psycholinguistic point of view. She stated that drama

heightened self(esteem, motivation, spontaneity, increased capacity for empathy, and lowered

sensitivity to re0ection. "ll these facilitate communication and provide an appropriatepsycholinguistic climate for language learning.

3.2 T#e $se o% "rama In T&S'

"ccording to ia E1K5)F, drama has been used for language teaching since the middle ages.

"bout 19 years ago, many teachers used to scoff at the idea of using drama to teach a secondlanguage. The change in attitude towards the use of drama in language teaching came about due

to a greater emphasis on meaningful communicative activities instead of mechanical drills.

Drama can be used in the teaching of &nglish as a Second language for a variety of purposes.

1. Janguage is used in meaningful situations EScharengnivei, 1KL9A &arly and Tarlington,

1K5A !ordecai, 1K5)F. Drama contextualises the language in real or imagined situationsin and out of the classroom. Janguage in the class that uses drama activities is explored,

tried out and practised in meaningful situations.

. Drama activities can be used as a means of reinforcement of language learnt E!ordecai,1K5)A >ernandeQ and $ol, 1K53F. t helps to extend, retain and reinforce vocabulary and

sentence structure through role(play and communication games.

'. Drama improves oral communication. "s a form of communication methodology, drama

provides the opportunity for the student to use language meaningfully and appropriately.!aley and Duff E1KL5F state that drama puts bac+ some of the forgotten emotional

content into language. "ppropriacy and meaning are more important than form or

structure of the language. Drama can help restore the totality of the situation by reversing

the learning process, beginning with meaning and moving towards language form. Thisma+es language learning more meaningful and attempts to prepare the student for real(

life situations.

H. Jearning a second language can be en0oyable, stimulating and meaningful whencombined with drama activities E!ordecai, 1K5)F.

). The problem of mixed ability is reduced when drama activities are used. Students who

are more fluent can ta+e the main roles which re?uire more oral communication, while


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the wea+er students compensate for their lac+ of linguistic ability by paralinguistic

communication e.g. body language and general acting ability EmimingF.

3. &arl Stevic+ E1K59F, states that language learning must appeal to the creative intuitiveaspect of personality as well as the conscious and rational part. Drama activities can be

used to provide opportunities for the student to be involved actively. The activitiesinvolve the studentPs whole personality and not merely his mental process. &ffective

learning ta+es place as the student involves himself in the tas+s and is motivated to usethe target language.

The above are 0ust some of the uses of drama in T&SJ. The list is not exhaustive. Generally it

can be said that the use of drama and drama activities in T&SJ do adhere to the principles of the$ommunicative "pproach. One of the aims Eas it is in the $ommunicative "pproachF is for the

learner to achieve communicative competence. t is the hope of the advocators of the dramatic

techni?ues, that the learner will become more imaginative, creative and sensitive as he becomes

more self(confident in the process of learning &nglish as a Second Janguage.

3.3 Role-Play and Simulation

@ole(play and simulation are two types of drama activities. Coth are common activities in the

classroom. Different interpretations by teachers and their users are often given to these two

terms. They are often used together thus the term role(simulation has been formed. >or thepurpose of this paper, role(play and simulation are defined separately.

3.3.1 Role-play

"ssuming a role is an essential element in drama. Some theorists see it as intrinsic to all human

behaviour whether in games children play Por roles that adults play each day. :eathcote, E1K5HFconcurs that role(ta+ing is so flexible that when applied in education, it will suit all personalities

and teaching circumstances.

Generally spea+ing, role(play involves being an imaginary person usually in a hypothetical

situation and sometimes in a real one Eenugopal, 1K53F. t also involves a finite interactionbetween characters within a range of possibilities.

Jivingstone E1K5'F sees role(play as a class activity which gives the students the opportunities to

practise the language aspects of role(behavior, the actual roles they may need outside theclassroom.

"ccording to @ichards E1K5)F, role(play involves a situation in which a setting, participants and a

goal problem are described. /articipants are to accomplish the tas+ given, drawing on whatever

language resources they can.


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>rom the above definitions, role(play is thus an activity which re?uires a person to ta+e on a role

that is real or imaginary. t involves spontaneous interaction of participants as they attempt to

complete a tas+.

There is a whole range of role(play activities. t ranges from the simple to the complex, from the

structured to the unstructured. Some examples of the types of role(play are socio(drama,s+etches, story dramatiQation, moc+ interviews, business meetings and even debates.

3.3.2 Simulation

Simulation can be defined as a structured set of circumstances that mirror real life and

participants act as instructed EDougill, 1K5LF.

ones E1K5F defines simulation as reality of function in a simulated and structured environment.

:e further states that reality of function is the +ey concept in simulation.

Cehaviour is not controlled in a simulation and the participants bring to the situation their owns+ills, experience and +nowledge.

Simulation is often a problem(solving activity to which the student brings his own personality,

experience and opinions EJivingstone, 1K5'F. t involves being oneself or someone else in a

simulated real(life situation. "uthencity and credibility are important elements in simulation.Often documents and materials of validity and even realia to fix the setting are used to ma+e the

simulation as true to life as possible.

Simulation was originally used as a learning techni?ue in business and military training. Theoutcome of the simulation is of paramount importance. :owever, in the &SJ class, the end

product of the decision reached is of less importance than the language used and generated to

achieve it.

The definitions of role(play and simulation show that there is no clear distinction between thetwo. They tend to overlap in characteristics and functions. Jivingstone E1K5'F pointed out that

the differences between role(play and simulation is not important but what really matters are the

opportunities they offer to the language teacher. @ole(play is fre?uently used in simulation and

this brings about the term role(simulation.

3.3.3 Role-simulation

n role(simulation, the participant remains the same individual while reacting to a tas+ that has

been simulated on the basis of his own personal experience or professional training Eenugopal,1K53F.


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3. !dvantages and "isadvantages in t#e $se o% Role-play and Simulation In an &S'

(lassroom

The value of drama and its uses in the classroom discussed earlier can also be considered asadvantages for role(play and simulation since the aims and goals are similar. Celow are more

specific advantages of the use of role(play and simulation in the &SJ classroom.

3..1 !dvantages

./ (imulaes auhenic conversaions

@ole(play and simulation activities stimulate authentic learner(to(learner conversational

interaction E@ichards, 1K5)F. The activities also develop conversational competence among

second language learners.0/ Is a fluency aciviy

Crumfit E1K5'F refers to role(play as a fluency activity where opportunities arise for the learner

to use language freely and creatively. @ole(play focuses on using language as a conversationalresource.

1/ Is suia$le for consolidaion

Since role(play and simulation activities are more practicerevision activities than teachingactivities, they are useful and more suitable for consolidating and practising aspects of

conversational proficiency than teaching new forms.

2/ Creaes sensiiviy and a sense of a*areness@ole(play and simulation brings the outside world into the classroom. This could have affective

effects in terms of social interaction and cultural awareness.3/ Increases moivaion

@ole(play and simulation prompts mental and bodily activity. The activities re?uire activeparticipation. $oncentration is also often re?uired and it is not easy for a student to stay passive

for long. Situations are created for the students to use the language meaningfully and this would

motivate the students towards participation. The less motivated students will be gradually drawninto the activity when they see the rest of the group having a good time.

4/ A $reak from rouine

The use of role(play and simulation activities is a brea+ from the usual textboo+ teaching and thePchal+ and tal+P method of the teacher. The students have opportunities to mix around and to act

out different roles. The atmosphere in the classroom is less formal and this can reduce tension.

5/ Pre6are sudens for real life and un6redica$iliy@eal life situations and communication are unpredictable. " student may learn all the correctforms of communication but may not +now when to use them appropriately. @ole(play and

simulation provide opportunities to react to these situations and to give the students a taste of real

life.


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3..2 "isadvantages

./ Aciviy is arificial

@ichards E1K5)F observed that although role(play is supposed to provide authentic situations forstudents to use language, the situations sometimes created were artificial and not relevant to the

needs of the students.0/ Aciviies are difficul o monior#ith so much activity both physical and verbal going on, it is sometimes difficult for the teacher

to monitor a studentPs performance. There is the fear among teachers that the students are having

too much fun and that no learning is ta+ing place.

1/ Causes em$arrassmenn some situations, especially among adult learners, role(play and simulation activities cause a

lot of embarrassment, aw+wardness and very little spontaneous language use. The choice of

appropriate roles for different students is thus very important.2/ Encourages incorrec forms

Since the teacher is not encouraged to correct mista+es immediately so as not to discourage

students, this provides opportunities for learners to produce and practise ungrammatical andinappropriate forms.

3/ !as culural $ias

"ccording to @ichards E1K5)F, these activities are more suited for learners from cultures wheredrama activities and learner ( directed activities in teaching is common. in cultures where the

teacher(dominated classroom is still the norm, the learners may not respond willingly to the

activities.

4/ "eachers7 fear of losing conrolSince the activities re?uire the full participation of the students and minimum participation from

the teacher, the teacher may fear that he may lose control of the class. >urthermore the students

may get carried away and become disruptive.

5/ (6onaneiy is losery often the students get too caught up with #:"T to say. They hesitate to choose their words

and do not interact spontaneously.8/ "iming lessons is difficul

The teacher has to spend a lot of time in preparation wor+ especially for simulations. :e is not

able to predict the amount of class time that will be ta+en to carry out the activity since theability of each class varies.

9/ Aciviies may no $e suia$le for all levels

@ole(play and simulation involve a lot of conversation and discussion. Thus it may not be very

suitable for low proficiency students who do not have the necessary communicative competenceto carry out the activity. These activities would be more suitable for intermediate and advanced

learners.

The above disadvantages however can be solved if careful thought and planning could be given

before the activities are used in the classroom. The teacher himself must be convinced of theeffective use of these activities if he wants to encourage students to have a positive attitude

towards these novel ideas in language learning.


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Galarcep, !.>.E1KL1F/uppets in teaching &nglish.E


50/61


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himself in an imaginary situationA or to portray another person in an imaginary situation. Drama

is concerned with the world of ZpretenseP. t provides an opportunity for a person to express

himself through verbal expressions and gestures using his imagination and memory. "ccording

to #an E1KK9F, drama ta+es what it shares with &nglish, an emphasis on developing the means of

communication and extends this means to include all the paralinguistic aids to meaning which

ta+es communication beyond 0ust writing to gestures and physical interaction.

Drama activities draw on the natural ability of every person to imitate, mimic and express

himself. The students are encouraged to draw on their natural capacity to live parts of his past

experience that might otherwise never emerge. #hen students are brought together they bring

along with them different life and different bac+ground into the classroom.

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"ccording to the Oxford Dictionary E1KK)F, drama is defined as a literary composition to be

performed by actorsA play or the art of acting, writing or producing plays. Cut for the purpose of

this paper, drama refers more to informal Ecreative dramaF as it is used in the language classroom

and not on stage. Drama is doing. Drama is being. Drama is such a normal thing. t is something

that we all engage in daily when faced with difficult situation. This is clearly illustrated by Tricia

E1K5HF when she ?uotes, ;Getting on with our day(to(day live re?uires a series of mas+s


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Drama in education is a mode of learning. Through the pupilsP active identification with the

imagined role and situations in drama, they can learn to explore issues, events and relationships

EOP*eil, 1KKHF. n drama, students draw on their +nowledge and experience of the real world in

order to create their own experience they have as well as their +nowledge, which they have

gained from boo+s, films or television. "lthough, these imaginary situations may at first seem

superficial and only action oriented, through the teacherPs guidance and careful intervention it

should be possible for the wor+ to grow in depth. n creating a ma+e believe world students can

come to understand themselves and their real world in which they live.

n order to engage in drama activities students do not need sophisticated theatre s+ills. :owever,

they must be willing to EOP*eil, 1KKLF-

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