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The Internet TESL Journal

The Benefits of Using Drama in the ESL/EFL


Classroom
Chris Boudreault
solartrees [-at-] gmail.com
(Lac La Biche, Canada)
As an English teacher, I have often been amazed at how effective drama is to capture the
attention of the students in the ESL/EFL classroom. Drama activities would sometimes have
surprising and unexpected results. ESL/EFL professionals need to use this medium more
because the artificial world of the classroom can be transformed into a quasi-real language
situation and provides an endless amount of opportunities for students personal growth. We
cannot only teach grammar and phonetics with drama but also it has the power to transform the
actors as well as the audience. We shouldnt underestimate this powerful teaching tool to reach
our students.
Introduction
William Shakespeare claimed that
All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages.
As You Like It Act 2, scene 7, 139143

If so, then maybe we need to use drama more in the schools. Using drama in the ESL classroom
is not a new concept. Drama provides an excellent platform for exploring theoretical and
practical aspects of the English language (Whiteson,1996). The improvisation aspect of drama
gives students opportunities for developing their communicative skills in authentic and dynamic
situations. By using drama in the English classroom, we can use English with our students in
intriguing and useful ways. The language can be used in context and makes it come to
life. Drama has the potential of making 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 English. Wan Yee Sam talks about the
communicative approach, drama techniques, value of drama in education, advantages and
disadvantages (Sam,1990). Alan Maley and Alan Duff are classic sources for the benefits of
using drama techniques; how it helps to learn new vocabulary, builds confidence, motivates the
students and helps shift the focus from the teacher to the students (Maley,1982). Drama is a
special communication situation which makes considerable demands on the flexibility and skills
of the teacher (Kao,1998). We have Morrow (1981) who gives some guiding principles behind
the use of the communicative activities. Susan Holden (1981) 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. We even hear that children
need to play as an important developmental process.
Benefits of Using Drama
This is all very relevant information concerning using drama in the ESL/EFL classroom. We can
sum up the benefits of drama in language teaching as follows:
the acquisition of meaningful, fluent interaction in the target language;
the assimilation of a whole range of pronunciation and prosodic features in a fully
contextualized and interactional manner;
the fully contextualized acquisition of new vocabulary and structure;
an improved sense of confidence in the student in his or her ability to learn the
target language. (Wessels, p.10).
Drama puts the teacher in the role of supporter in the learning process and the students can take
more responsibility for their own learning. Ideally, the teacher will take a less dominant role in
the language class and let the students explore the language activities. In 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 'walk in the shoes' of another. It
provides an opportunity for independent thinking (McCaslin 1996). Students are encouraged to
express their own ideas and contribute to the whole. Creative drama will offer exercises in
critical thinking and the chance for the students to be creative. A good example of this is role-
plays in small groups The ESL/EFL group will have many situations where they can develop
their own ideas as well as skills of cooperation when interacting with classmates. The group
work builds social awareness and understanding as we walk in the 'shoes of another'. Drama
gives an excellent method for studying human nature and working in harmony. The play acting
provides the opportunity for a healthy release of emotion in a safe setting which can work to
relieve the tension of learning in a second language.
Drama Brings Literature to Life
Most teachers see the value of drama in offering training in speech. What is not obvious is how
even abstract learning is easier when acted or demonstrated. Drama can also be used to bring
literature to life for the students. It is more dynamic than simple text and helps the visual learners
as well as recycles new vocabulary. While drama does have a characteristic of recreation, the fun
aspect should not be under-estimated. When the students are enjoying an activity, they are
learning and letting their guard down. The shyness and fear of using English very often blocks
learning. When the students are submerged in an active fun activity, they are more open to new
concepts and learning will occur. When the students are having fun, they let their second
language guard down and become less inhibited. The student will tend to relax and stop
blocking out the new language. They will forget how hard it is and start absorbing the ideas
presented. Changing the students perception of the language learning from a negative to a
positive is a huge plus for the learning process.

A good example of the attributes of drama being used outside the classroom is the game of
theatre sports. Starting out in Loose Moose Theatre Company in Calgary, Canada
(Johnstone,1999). This drama activity has grown to become an international endeavour, taken 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.
Drama as a Powerful Teaching Tool
In the ESL/EFL classroom, role-playing is a powerful tool. It teaches cooperation, empathy for
others, decision making skills and encourages an exchange of knowledge between the
students. These aspects alone make role-playing beneficial because the students are learning
from each other. Yet, there are many other positive aspects to the role-playing. Apart from the
obvious development of communication skills, it encourages leadership, team work,
compromise, authentic listening skills and practice with real life savior-faire. However, it does
not stop there. It teaches cooperation, empathy, develops decision making skills, promotes the
exchange of knowledge, builds confidence and self-esteem, refines presentation skills,
encourages self-acceptance and acceptance of others, features of empowerment, pride in work,
responsibility, problem solving, management and organizational skills, begets creativity and
imagination.

A 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 (English) as well as develop
many of the skills mentioned above which will carry over to real life. It is certain that self-
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 in
their work, it teaches them responsibility, problem solving, management and directing
proficiencies. The many activities of team work force students to develop organizational skills
and to think on their feet. These are tools that can be used in all aspects of their lives. These
skills will be useful in the future job market when the students need to work with others or even
in the future job interview when the potential employer asks an unexpected question and you
need to think quickly.
Drama Reveals Aspects of the Human Condition
When you think about it, drama is a method to reveal aspects of the human condition, life is
nothing more than a grand series of improvisations (Price 1980). Through the games, the
students begin to realize the importance of shared space, time, attention, information and
ideas. The games spark spontaneity and minimize self-consciousness which often inhibits
learning. The games are also good for developing concentration and trust in the
classroom. While the students are having all this fun, they are developing skills of coordination,
imitation while focusing on the task at hand. The improvisation enables the students to flex their
emotional, mental as well as physical muscles in a safe and controlled setting. A 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.
Final Reflections on Improvisations and Benefits of Drama
'Improvisation, then, is an organic experience where skills are constantly being refined. In
particular, students develop an increasing facility to meet changing or unknown stimuli with
immediate responses. Ideally, improvisation leads to a blending; the students create the
personality traits as he/she simultaneously identifies with the character as it evolves. Obviously,
the teacher-director should never lose sight of the metamorphic and highly personal nature of
improvisation; therefore, there must never be the question of success or failure.' (Price, p. 6)

Drama in its purest form gives the student several avenues to self-awareness. It is one of the
closest literary forms to life itself. It is a dynamic process that reveals and examines aspects of
the complicated lives we lead (Price 1980). All of this leads me to believe that there are many
subtle benefits to drama in the ESL classroom.

The benefits of drama to develop the imagination should not be undervalued. In our rote school
routines of memorization and compulsory subject matter, we sometimes do not spend enough
time on encouraging our students to use their imagination. It is the spark that makes the ordinary
into something incredible. Imagination is the magic force that is beyond facts, figures and
techniques which can inspire new ideas. It is with imagination that the ordinary is transformed
into something significant. There is a need to cultivate this trait in our students. Imagination is
closely linked to dreams and inspire us to get up every morning. Drama has the capability to
keep this alive and/or rekindle what our routine daily lives are burying in ourselves. We need
imagination to make a better world. In order to accomplish anything worthwhile, we first need to
imagine and dream it. We should not neglect this facet of human sentience. It may seem like a
trivial point, but dreams without imagination would be like life without colour. We would all be
worse off without it.
The Power of Transformation with Drama
We all present ourselves in everyday life as we want to be perceived. Erving Goffman (1958)
talks in detail about how we present ourselves in everyday life from a sociological
perspective. We are all acting out theatrical performances to present ourselves in regard to how
we wish to be seen. When we are in the presence of others, we are to some extent on stage. We
will act and communicate in our own interests to influence the people around us to act
voluntarily in accordance with the individuals plans (Goffman,1959). We are in essence,
recreating ourselves all the time as our social world evolves. In everyday life, first impressions
are so very important. So, how we are perceived often depends on a blink of a moment which
may define us for a long period if not forever. Our communication skills are so important in how
we are seen by others. Our words and body language project subtle messages to those around us
and others respond in accordance to what they perceive as "us". In life, we are all playing many
roles, therefore, we are wearing many masks.

In a sense, and in so far as this mask represents the conception we have formed of ourselves- the
role we are striving to live up to- this mask is our truer self, the self we would like to be
(Goffman, p.30).

We know that an individual will attempt to induce the audience to see them in a certain
way. The more 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 makes sense that dramatic skills can help us become the person we want to be. In
this way, drama has a wider reach than simply making us more fluent in a second language. It
has the potential of making 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. If the student
can communicate better, the more likely others will see him/her as he/she wishes to be
seen. Therefore, the skills of drama can help the student become the person that he/she wants to
be.
References
Goffman, Erving (1959), The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life. Penguin Books,
London.
Holden, Susan (1981): Drama in Language Teaching. Essex: Longman
Johnstone, Keith (1999), Impro for Storytellers. Routledge Taylor and Francis
Group, NewYork
Kao, shin-Mei and Cecily ONeill. (1998) Words Into Worlds, Learning a Second
Language through Process Drama. Ablex Publishing corp. Stamford, USA.
Maley, Alan and Alan Duff. Drama techniques in Language Learning. Cambridge
University Press, Cambridge. 1982.
McCaslin, Nellie (1996). Creative Drama in the Classroom and Beyond. London,
Longman Publishers
Morrow, Keith (1981): Principles of communicative methodology. In: Johnson, Keith /
Morrow, Keith (eds.): Communication in the Classroom. London and New York:
Longman
Price, Pamela (1980). Creative Play Production in the Classroom. Yale, Yale Publishers.
Whiteson, Valerie (1996). New Ways of Using Drama and Literature in Language
Teaching. Alexandria,VA., TESOL.

The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. XVI, No. 1, January 2010
http://iteslj.org/

http://iteslj.org/Articles/Boudreault-Drama.html

The Benefits of Using Drama to Teach
English
The Unmistakeable Benefits of using Drama with Children Learning English
Introduction

It is unlikely that anyone would disagree that the most effective way to teach ESL children is to provide them with
opportunities to learn English in the context of everyday situations with the emphasis on communicational skills.
By the end of this article I am sure that you will agree that drama is the ideal technique to use to achieve this.
Some of the aspects we will be looking at include:
1. Children's natural proclivity for drama and some of the reasons
2. Why teachers are nevertheless hesitant to use this method of teaching
3. The role drama can play in language learning
4. The problem of motivating children to learn and how drama can help
5. Choosing suitable plays
6. Some tips for preparation & performance
Drama and children a winning combination

Anyone who has worked with young children knows that they learn chiefly by exploring their world using their
imagination and engaging in pretend play. The link between imaginative, or pretend play, and language is
particularly strong. Communicational and conversational skills develop as children develop scenarios ("this is our
house, and this is the baby, she is just born and she has to sleep now"); assign roles and direct the action ("I'll be the
mommy and I'm going shopping. You're the daddy; you have to go to work!") and slip "in and out of multiple roles"
("now its my turn to be the teacher ").

This imaginary play gives the child an understanding of the power of language and, by including others in his
games, he learns that words make it possible for him to tell a story or organize a game. Church, in The importance of
pretend play, points out that this process plays an important part in helping the child "make the connection between
spoken and written language" Acknowledging the importance of this aspect of a child's development, most
preschool and kindergarten 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. For older
children drama provides practical experience in communicating, both written and oral, gives them the opportunity to
learn to work 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 English as a second language, no matter the age of the student, drama and children are still a winning
combination.
Axing the 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 take place without a textbook in hand.
These teachers, and many parents, see drama as 'play' and, as we all know, learning English is hard work! Yet one of
the findings of a three-year study Teaching Literacy through Art showed that including arts education increases
fundamental literacy skills in elementary school students. Students involved in these programmes also "scored
higher on expression, risk-taking, creativity, imagination and cooperative learning."

Another common fear, particularly among younger and less experienced teachers is that of losing control of the class
and many confuse the 'busy buzz' of involved children with rowdiness.

A further argument which I have frequently encountered is lack of time. "The curriculum is too full, there is not
enough time to fit everything in, I couldn't possibly add drama as well." This argument is easily overcome when
teachers realize that drama is not an addition, but a method of teaching. Finally there are those retiring souls who
exclaim, "I couldn't possibly use drama, I can't act!" Colleagues, it is the children who are going to act, and they are
experts!
Drama and language
But instead of lingering over the 'why-not' of drama, let's look at the 'why', and, in particular, why we should use
drama for teaching English. First of all, it's authentic. Using drama enables children to use English appropriately in
real conversations, expressing emotions and ideas and listening to the feelings and ideas of their peers. In other
words, English is taught in the context in which it will be used, which is far removed from lists of vocabulary and
work-sheets and which makes students aware of the language first and foremost as a means of communication.

This conversational use of language promotes fluency. While learning a play, children are encouraged to listen to,
potentially read and then repeat their lines over a period of time. By repeating the words and phrases they become
familiar with them and are able to say them with increasing fluency. In addition, drama also teaches them to
enunciate their words properly and to project their voices when they speak, helping them to become clear and
confident speakers. Using drama to teach English also helps to improve the understanding and retention of a word.
By the time a child has read, rehearsed and acted out a scene focusing on the word 'frustrated', for example, there is
little likelihood 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 required in a drama lesson involves not only the intellect but also children's
imagination and emotions. By encouraging self-expression, drama motivates children to use language confidently
and creatively.

Finally, drama is an appropriate method for teaching children with different learning styles and at different levels of
understanding. No one learns in exactly the same way, we all have different methods of processing information. By
actively involving him in his own learning process, dramatisation allows each child to absorb the language in his
own way. Similarly, children whose language skills 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: Ready Steady Go!
Motivational Moves
As teachers we all know that trying to teach an unmotivated child is like hitting one's head against a brick wall. With
very young children we seldom come across this problem as most kindergarten 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.

Let's look at some of the reasons children become de-motivated and see whether the use of drama could be a factor
in overcoming them. The child's experience of success or failure has a significant effect on his motivation to learn. If
children repeatedly fail, even when they have put a great deal of effort into their learning, they are inclined to
approach future tasks with a negative attitude. Using 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 make the task challenging, but achievable for each child. Plays are ideal for this purpose, of
handling mixed abilities, as you can give bigger parts to better students, thus keeping them motivated and challenged
while making it significantly easier for the slower students by giving them fewer lines. In the meantime all students
will be benefiting from being present and hearing the English spoken over and over again.

The teacher's own enthusiasm also goes a long way towards motivating a child. Anyone who has taught a classroom
of children knows how quickly they pick up and reflect your moods. If you think your English grammar lesson is
boring, so will they! By 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.
In addition, chances are they will be considerably more motivated to use the language in similar situations in real
life. Obviously then, drama techniques motivate children to learn by breaking the monotony of the English 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.

Which leads to the third major factor concerning a lack of motivation, which is the child's need to belong. Watch 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. Lumsden, 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"

In a drama lesson all children are equally and actively involved, each role is essential for the successful performance
of the play. A sense of belonging can be achieved here that is difficult to attain in the more traditional classroom
setting. In a way, drama lessons are the playing fields of the classroom.

Another important motivational factor, related to success, is self-confidence. As children become familiar with their
lines in a play, they become more confident in their use of language. Even timid children, who generally withdraw
from group activities and are shy about talking English in front of their friends, will often come out of their shells
when given a role which they are capable of handling. The shepherd's role in the annual nativity play became
synonymous with our shyest children at school. Here they could hide behind robes, headdress and crooks. But the
shepherds knew how important they were and, without fail, year after year, proudly led their sheep onto the stage.

Role-playing comes naturally to children, especially the younger ones and when playing a role they easily shed their
shyness and inhibitions. As they discover that they can be anything, just by pretending, children grow in self-esteem
In fact the power of the persona is such that children who might otherwise be hesitant about speaking in public are
often able to do so unselfconsciously when playing a part.
Finding suitable plays
Choose plays written especially for ESL 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 speaking practice in real life contexts. Roles should be assigned according to your
students' language ability levels. Children 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 speak as part of a group.

It goes without saying that, when necessary, the play should be adapted for your own situation. Keep the script
simple, but develop it further or modify it if your students' proficiency or lack of proficiency in English requires it.
Some of the lines in the play may be optional. Edit these freely to suit your needs, based on the main idea.
Tips for preparation and performance
Once you have decided on the play it is time to get down to the nitty-gritty of rehearsals. While 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. For all students, no matter what level they may be on, the emphasis should be on speaking, acting and
movement, not on reading lines.

Pre-learn the vocabulary first. Use it in songs, on flash-cards, in games like Spolin's circle game and those in 161
English Language Games for Children; 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 know the key words and lines of the play should you put together all the elements
words, expression and movement. Allow the children to use their own creativity in setting the scene, deciding on
props, costumes etc. Remember that, as far as the last two are concerned, these should be kept very simple, using the
'less is more' principle, and they only need to be included in the final rehearsals.
You will find that if you give the children props too soon they will become very absorbed in them and take 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 keep the children's 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, confidently
and 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. Usually 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.

A tip regarding putting on the play: Don't 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 likely to freeze up with nerves when it comes to saying their lines.

Preparation of posters, invitations etc. could form the basis of another English lesson. If the prospective audience
has limited English skills perhaps a translation of the play could be made available to them. I was once asked for
subtitles by a parent, which surprised me as the language in the play was so basic, but in fact afterwards I realized
that it is polite and helpful to acknowledge the audience in this way.

Finally, if at all possible, take a video of the play. Not only will the children love seeing themselves act, it will
enable you to give them feedback later and will provide you with a benchmark against which further development
can be determined.
Now all that remains is to point you to some fantastic, funny, easy ESL skits and plays that are ideal for use in class
with beginners. Suitable for children in small groups betweent the ages of 4 to 12.
Here are the fun ESL plays for beginners
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Shelley Vernon has helped 1000s of teachers be an inspiration to their pupils and
achieve results 2x as fast. Teaching with ESL grammar games, stories, songs and plays can improve the
effectiveness of a lesson by up to 80%. Receive free children's games now! ESL Resources
Bibliography
Early Childhood Learning Knowledge Centre. (2006). Let the children play: Nature's answer to early
learning. Retrieved 1 April 2008 from
www.cclcca.ca/CCL/Reports/LessonsInLearning/LinL20061010

Church, E.B. (n/d) The importance of pretend play. Scholastic. Retrieved 1 April 2008 from
content.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=10175

Drama in Teaching English as a Second Language -
A Communicative Approach
WAN YEE SAM
University of Malaya


1.0 Introduction
In recent years much emphasis has been put on the Teaching of English as a Second Language
(TESL) using the "Communicative approach" (CA). This has brought about changes in the
approach to TESL. The learner is now seen as an active participant in the process of language
learning in the classroom. Teachers who advocate the Communicative Approach are expected to
come up with activities that would promote self-learning, group interaction in authentic
situations and peer teaching. It is a task not easy for the teacher.
The purpose of this paper is not to discuss the merits or demerits of the CA and the controversies
that come along with it. This paper is an attempt to relate the use of drama to the CA in TESL. It
first discusses the general concept of the CA and Communicative Activities. It then discusses
some definitions related to drama and the value of drama in education. This is followed by a
description of two dramatic techniques - role-play and simulation. The merits and demerits of
these techniques and how these techniques can be used in the ESL classroom will also be
discussed.

2.0 The Communicative Approach
The term "approach" refers to the theories about the nature of how language is learnt. (Richards,
1985). It takes into account the basic units of language structure and the nature of language
proficiency. It also considers the psycholinguistic and cognitive processes involved in language
learning and the conditions that allow for effective learning to take place.
The Communicative Approach thus refers to the beliefs and theories of language teaching which
emphasize that the goal of language learning is communicative competence. (Richards, 1985).
"Communicative competence" here refers not only to a knowledge of the grammatical rules of a
language and how to form grammatical sentences but also to know when, where and to whom to
use these sentences in a speech community. (Richards, 1985, and Hymes, 1971).
Communicative "Methodology" refers to the different ways of teaching language using the
communicative approach. The term 'techniques' refers to different classroom activities. In this
paper they will be called communicative activities.
Das (1984), talks about the "What" and "How" of language teaching and learning in the
Communicative Approach. The 'what' refers to the contents to be taught to the learners. The
emphasis is more on the use of language for communication of meaning than learning the
language structures, forms and vocabulary (Wilkins, 1976 and Widdowson, 1976). However, this
does not imply that the grammatical and lexical aspects are neglected. In fact, they do have a
place in the Communicative Method of language teaching.
In the CA the language needs of the learner is given important consideration. Ultimately the
'what' aims towards 'communicative competence' in the language i.e. the ability to use the
language reasonably 'accurately' and 'appropriately'.
The 'how' of language teaching and learning refers to the specific techniques and procedures
used to unconsciously 'acquire' and consciously 'learn' a language through communication.
According to Brumfit (1984), a 'fluent' and an 'accurate' user of the language would be facilitated
by the use of the 'communicative' activities.

2.1 Communicative Activities
'Communicative activities' refers to the techniques which are employed in the communicative
method in language teaching. Examples of such activities are games, exercises, practices and
projects which make use of the Target language. The activities involve 'doing' things with
language e.g. making choices, evaluating and bridging the information gap. The language-using
activities for communication is not restricted to conversation and may involve listening,
speaking, reading, writing or an integration of two or more skills.
Communicative activities have the following characteristics:
1. They are purposeful. They are beyond strictly practising particular structures.
2. They are interactive. The activities are often conducted with others and often involve
some form of discussion.
3. Authentic 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.
4. They are based on the information gap principle.
Morrow (1981) has provided some guiding principles behind the use of communicative activities
as language teaching and learning techniques. They are as follows:
1. 'Know what you are doing'
This principle makes sure that each part of the lesson focuses on some operation which the
student would want to perform in the target language. For example in teaching listening, the task
could be to listen to the arrival and departure times of the aeroplane.
2. 'The whole is more than the sum of its parts'
In communication, it is necessary to work in the context of the whole. Communication cannot
easily be analysed into its various components without its nature being destroyed in the process.
For 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.
3. 'The processes are as important as the forms'
The processes of communication: information gap, choice, feedback, should be as far as possible
replicated in trying to develop the ability of the student to communicate in the target language.
4. 'To learn it, do it'
Only 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.
5. 'Mistakes are not a/ways mistakes'
There is the need for flexibility in deciding to treat different things as 'mistakes' at different
stages of the learning process towards communicative competence.
The use of communicative activities is a technique to achieve one of the aims of the
communicative approach, which is to obtain communicative competence. The essence of this
approach 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 fosters
communication between learners and provides opportunities to use the target language in various
'make believe' situations.

3.0 Drama and Dramatic Techniques
Susan Holden (1981) defines drama as any activity which asks the participant to portray himself
in an imaginary situation; or to portray another person in an imaginary situation. Drama is thus
concerned with the world of 'let's pretend'. It provides an opportunity for a person to express
himself through verbal expressions and gestures using his imagination and memory.
In this paper, drama refers more to informal drama (creative dramatics) as it is used in the
language classroom and not on stage. The participants in the drama activities are thus learners
and not actors.

3.1 The Value of Drama in Education
The basic idea to the development of creative drama was the realization that the need to play is
an important developmental process in a child (Redington, 1983). When educationists realized
this need, more attention was given to the use of drama in education.
Below is a summary of the values of drama in education as given by educators and researchers in
linguistics.
1. Drama according to Maley and Duff (1978) releases imagination and energy and this
could be considered as an educational objective. Fernandez and Coil, (1986) stated that
drama encourages students to exercise their sensitivity and imagination and thus makes
learning more realistic and meaningful.
2. As an educational tool, the use of drama fosters the social, intellectual and the linguistic
development of the child (Dougill, 1987). Early and Tarlington (1982) concurs with
Dougill and states that drama centers around language development, personal awareness,
group co-operation, sensory awareness, and imaginative growth.
3. Drama increases motivation and provides the incentive to work hard (Mordecai, 1985;
Scharengnivel, 1970). The activities using drama tend to be purposeful. The student sees
the need to communicate and concentrates on how to go about a task since drama
provides him with a meaningful context.
4. Drama fosters a sense of responsibility and co-operation among the students (Early and
Tarlington, 1983; Scharengnivel, 1970; Mordecai, 1985). Drama activities normally take
the form of group work and students cannot afford to stay passive for too long. There is a
need to belong to the group and to complete the task. The students develop a sense of
selfworth of themselves as they work together.
5. Drama has a therapeutic effect. It can help solve emotional and behaviourial problems
(Stern, 1980; Scharengnivel, 1970). It is a way for a 'troublesome kid' to expend his
energy and encourage the shy and uncooperative student to participate.
6. Fernandez and CoIl (1986), state that drama encourages students to exercise their
sensitivity and imagination. Temporary suspension of the ego occurs when students
participate in dramatic activities. They have to perceive an experience through the roles
they, take on which are often different from their own. In role-play for example, a student
is given a chance to understand and relate to the feelings of others. This develops a sense
of empathy in the student as he learns to look beyond himself. Drama develops moral and
social qualities in a student (Scharengnivel, 1970).
7. It motivates the teacher to meet the needs of the student (Mordecai, 1985). The drama
activities provide opportunities to understand the thoughts and feelings of the students as
they express themselves in the drama activities. From the constant feedback provided by
the activities, the teacher can plan better strategies for more effective learning and
teaching.
8. Drama can lead pupils to an appreciation of drama as an art form (Scharengnivel, 1970).
Perhaps the value of drama can be summed up by Susan Stern (1980) who looked into drama in
second 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 rejection. All these facilitate communication and provide an appropriate
psycholinguistic climate for language learning.

3.2 The Use of Drama In TESL
According to Via (1985), drama has been used for language teaching since the middle ages.
About 10 years ago, many teachers used to scoff at the idea of using drama to teach a second
language. 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 English as a Second language for a variety of purposes.
1. Language is used in meaningful situations (Scharengnivei, 1970; Early and Tarlington,
1982; Mordecai, 1985). Drama contextualises the language in real or imagined situations
in and out of the classroom. Language in the class that uses drama activities is explored,
tried out and practised in meaningful situations.
2. Drama activities can be used as a means of reinforcement of language learnt (Mordecai,
1985; Fernandez and CoIl, 1986). It helps to extend, retain and reinforce vocabulary and
sentence structure through role-play and communication games.
3. Drama improves oral communication. As a form of communication methodology, drama
provides the opportunity for the student to use language meaningfully and appropriately.
Maley and Duff (1978) state that drama puts back some of the forgotten emotional
content into language. Appropriacy 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. This
makes language learning more meaningful and attempts to prepare the student for real-
life situations.
4. Learning a second language can be enjoyable, stimulating and meaningful when
combined with drama activities (Mordecai, 1985).
5. The problem of mixed ability is reduced when drama activities are used. Students who
are more fluent can take the main roles which require more oral communication, while
the weaker students compensate for their lack of linguistic ability by paralinguistic
communication e.g. body language and general acting ability (miming).
6. Earl Stevick (1980), states that language learning must appeal to the creative intuitive
aspect 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 activities
involve the student's whole personality and not merely his mental process. Effective
learning takes place as the student involves himself in the tasks and is motivated to use
the target language.
The above are just some of the uses of drama in TESL. The list is not exhaustive. Generally it
can be said that the use of drama and drama activities in TESL do adhere to the principles of the
Communicative Approach. One of the aims (as it is in the Communicative Approach) is for the
learner to achieve communicative competence. It is the hope of the advocators of the dramatic
techniques, that the learner will become more imaginative, creative and sensitive as he becomes
more self-confident in the process of learning English as a Second Language.

3.3 Role-Play and Simulation
Role-play and simulation are two types of drama activities. Both 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. For the
purpose of this paper, role-play and simulation are defined separately.

3.3.1 Role-play
Assuming a role is an essential element in drama. Some theorists see it as intrinsic to all human
behaviour whether in games children play 'or roles that adults play each day. Heathcote, (1984)
concurs that role-taking is so flexible that when applied in education, it will suit all personalities
and teaching circumstances.
Generally speaking, role-play involves being an imaginary person usually in a hypothetical
situation and sometimes in a real one (Venugopal, 1986). It also involves a finite interaction
between characters within a range of possibilities.
Livingstone (1983) 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 the
classroom.
According to Richards (1985), role-play involves a situation in which a setting, participants and a
goal problem are described. Participants are to accomplish the task given, drawing on whatever
language resources they can.
From the above definitions, role-play is thus an activity which requires a person to take on a role
that is real or imaginary. It involves spontaneous interaction of participants as they attempt to
complete a task.
There is a whole range of role-play activities. It ranges from the simple to the complex, from the
structured to the unstructured. Some examples of the types of role-play are socio-drama,
sketches, story dramatization, mock 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 (Dougill, 1987).
Jones (1982) defines simulation as reality of function in a simulated and structured environment.
He further states that reality of function is the key concept in simulation.
Behaviour is not controlled in a simulation and the participants bring to the situation their own
skills, experience and knowledge.
Simulation is often a problem-solving activity to which the student brings his own personality,
experience and opinions (Livingstone, 1983). It involves being oneself or someone else in a
simulated real-life situation. Authencity and credibility are important elements in simulation.
Often documents and materials of validity and even realia to fix the setting are used to make the
simulation as true to life as possible.
Simulation was originally used as a learning technique in business and military training. The
outcome of the simulation is of paramount importance. However, in the ESL 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 the
two. They tend to overlap in characteristics and functions. Livingstone (1983) 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. Role-play is frequently used in simulation and
this brings about the term role-simulation.

3.3.3 Role-simulation
In role-simulation, the participant remains the same individual while reacting to a task that has
been simulated on the basis of his own personal experience or professional training (Venugopal,
1986).

3.4 Advantages and Disadvantages in the Use of Role-play and Simulation In an ESL
Classroom
The value of drama and its uses in the classroom discussed earlier can also be considered as
advantages for role-play and simulation since the aims and goals are similar. Below are more
specific advantages of the use of role-play and simulation in the ESL classroom.

3.4.1 Advantages
1. Stimulates authentic conversations
Role-play and simulation activities stimulate authentic learner-to-learner conversational
interaction (Richards, 1985). The activities also develop conversational competence among
second language learners.
2. Is a fluency activity
Brumfit (1983) refers to role-play as a fluency activity where opportunities arise for the learner
to use language freely and creatively. Role-play focuses on using language as a conversational
resource.
3. Is suitable for consolidation
Since role-play and simulation activities are more practice/revision activities than teaching
activities, they are useful and more suitable for consolidating and practising aspects of
conversational proficiency than teaching new forms.
4. Creates sensitivity and a sense of awareness
Role-play and simulation brings the outside world into the classroom. This could have affective
effects in terms of social interaction and cultural awareness.
5. Increases motivation
Role-play and simulation prompts mental and bodily activity. The activities require active
participation. Concentration is also often required 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 drawn
into the activity when they see the rest of the group having a good time.
6. A break from routine
The use of role-play and simulation activities is a break from the usual textbook teaching and the
'chalk and talk' 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.
7. Prepare students for real life and unpredictability
Real life situations and communication are unpredictable. A student may learn all the correct
forms of communication but may not know when to use them appropriately. Role-play and
simulation provide opportunities to react to these situations and to give the students a taste of real
life.

3.4.2 Disadvantages
1. Activity is artificial
Richards (1985) observed that although role-play is supposed to provide authentic situations for
students to use language, the situations sometimes created were artificial and not relevant to the
needs of the students.
2. Activities are difficult to monitor
With so much activity both physical and verbal going on, it is sometimes difficult for the teacher
to monitor a student's performance. There is the fear among teachers that the students are having
too much fun and that no learning is taking place.
3. Causes embarrassment
In some situations, especially among adult learners, role-play and simulation activities cause a
lot of embarrassment, awkwardness and very little spontaneous language use. The choice of
appropriate roles for different students is thus very important.
4. Encourages incorrect forms
Since the teacher is not encouraged to correct mistakes immediately so as not to discourage
students, this provides opportunities for learners to produce and practise ungrammatical and
inappropriate forms.
5. Has cultural bias
According to Richards (1985), these activities are more suited for learners from cultures where
drama 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.
6. Teachers' fear of losing control
Since the activities require the full participation of the students and minimum participation from
the teacher, the teacher may fear that he may lose control of the class. Furthermore the students
may get carried away and become disruptive.
7. Spontaneity is lost
Very often the students get too caught up with WHAT to say. They hesitate to choose their
words and do not interact spontaneously.
8. Timing lessons is difficult
The teacher has to spend a lot of time in preparation work especially for simulations. He is not
able to predict the amount of class time that will be taken to carry out the activity since the
ability of each class varies.
9. Activities may not be suitable for all levels
Role-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 attitude
towards these novel ideas in language learning.

5. Conclusion
The use of drama activities (role-play and simulation) in TESL can be used. as an innovative
method in language teaching. With the emphasis on the use of the Communicative Approach in
language teaching, drama in the ESL classroom provides a meaningful way of learning the
language. However, it should not be used in isolation but should be used in an integrated
approach for language teaching. It should not be treated as a 'last resort' when all else fails. It
should be part and parcel of the communicative classroom methodology in teaching English as a
second language.

References
Barrows, J. and Zorin James (1983). "Fifteen concise role-plays and how to use them". Forum
21:1, pp.23-27.
Bird, Allan (1972) "The use of drama in language teaching". ELT Journal 33:4, pp.290-96.
Crookall, David (1984) "The use of non-ELT simulation". ELT Journal 38:4, pp.262-273.
Dass, Birkam K. (ed.) (1984) "Communicative Language Teaching". (Anthology Series 14).
Singapore: Singapore University Press.
Dougili, John(1987) Drama Activities for Language Teaching. London: Macmillan.
Early, M. and Tarlington C. (1982) "Off stage: Informal drama in language learning". ELT
Documents 113.
Ellis, Rid, 1982. Informal and formal approaches to communicative language teaching. ELT
Journal36:2, pp.73-81.
Fernandez, James (1984) "Communicative Methodology and the Malaysian teacher". Jurnal
Pendidikan dan Pembelajaran, 1:1, pp.6-10.
Fernandez, L. and Coil, A. (1986) "Drama in the classroom". Practical Teaching 6:3, pp.18-21.
Galarcep, M.F.(1971)"Puppets in teaching English". ELT Journal 25:2, pp167-l70.
Harmer, Jeremy (1982) "What is communicative?" ELT Journal 36:3, pp.164-168.
Holden, Susan (1981) Drama in Language Teaching. England: Longman.
Holden, Susan (1983) "Role-play and simulation". Second Selection from Modern English
Teachers. London: Longman, pp.89-102.
Jones, Ken (1980) Simulations: A Handbook for Teachers. London: Kegan Paul.
Johnson, K. and Morrow K. (1971) Communication in the Classroom. London: Longman.
Li Xiaoju, (1984) "In defence of the communicative approach". ELT Journal 38:1 pp.2-31.
Littlewood,W.(1984) Communicative Language Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.
Livingstone, Carol (1983) Role-play in Language Learning. Singapore: Longman.
Long, M. and Castanos F.(1976) "Mime in the classroom" Practical Teaching 6:3 pp.18-21.
Maley, Alan (1983) "A room full of human beings". Guidelines-Drama, 5:2, pp.1-12.
Maley, A. and Duff, A. (1978) Drama Techniques in Language Learning. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
Medges, Peter (1986) "Queries for a communicative teacher". ELT Journal 40:2, pp.107-112.
Mordecai, Joyce (1985) "Drama and second language learning". Spoken English, 18:2, pp.12-15.
Moss, W.E. (1971) "The play's the thing". ELT Journal, 25:2 pp.161-164.
Raj, Devinder (1984) "Communicative methodology". Jurnal Pendidikan dan Pembelajaran, 1:1
pp.1-5.
Redington, C. (1984) Can Theatre Teach? Oxford: Pergamon Press.
Richards, Jack (1985) "Conversational competence through roleplay". RELC Journal l6:1, pp.82-
100.
Stern, Susan (1980) "Why drama works: A psycholinguistic perspective". In OIler, Jr. J.W. &
Richard Amato, P.A. (Eds.), Methods that work. Rowley: Newbury House Publishers Inc.
Scharengnivel, R.C.(1970) "The development of oral expression through guided and
spontaneous dramatic activities in English medium primary schools in Singapore". A paper
presented at the RELC conference, 1980.
Swan, Michael (1985) "A critical look at the communicative approach: (I) & (II)". ELT Journal
39:1, pp.2-12. 39:2, pp.76-87.
Ur, Penny (1981) Discussions that work. Task-centered fluency practice. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.
Venugopal, Shanta (1986) "The use of drama in ELT: A perspective". The English Teacher,
Journal 15:1, pp.41-48.












Definition of Terms
Drama
How do we, as teachers of English as a Second Language bring drama into today's classroom?
Though some teachers have tried using drama in their classroom, they are still in a state of
confusion. This is not because they do not know how to teach it, but simply because they are not
sure of its purpose in education. The use of communicative activities is a technique to achieve
one of the aims of the communicative approach, which is to obtain communicative competence.
The important aspect of this approach is to communicate with another person in the classroom
and in the long term, the society (Wan, 1990).
Drama used in the classroom can be considered a communicative activity since it fosters
communication between learners and provides opportunities to use the target language in various
make believe' situations. Thus, drama is any activity, which asks the participant to portray
himself in an imaginary situation; or to portray another person in an imaginary situation. Drama
is concerned with the world of pretense'. It provides an opportunity for a person to express
himself through verbal expressions and gestures using his imagination and memory. According
to Wan (1990), drama takes what it shares with English, an emphasis on developing the means of
communication and extends this means to include all the paralinguistic aids to meaning which
takes communication beyond just 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. When students are brought together they bring
along with them different life and different background into the classroom.



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According to the Oxford Dictionary (1995), drama is defined as a literary composition to be
performed by actors; play or the art of acting, writing or producing plays. But for the purpose of
this paper, drama refers more to informal (creative drama) as it is used in the language classroom
and not on stage. Drama is doing. Drama is being. Drama is such a normal thing. It is something
that we all engage in daily when faced with difficult situation. This is clearly illustrated by Tricia
(1984) when she quotes, Getting on with our day-to-day live requires a series of masks.
Generally, drama is considered as a type of activity in which the learners are given fairly
controlled scenarios to interpret. But the term drama is often viewed with confusion because
different people use it in different ways to suit different contexts. As such, it seems necessary to
define the terms from the perspective of teaching and learning English as a Second Language
(ESL).
Drama takes into account the socio-psychological aspects of learning as it involves the whole
person and his total response. For some students drama techniques can be an alternative means of
learning the language and may produce far more positive results than normal classroom teaching
(Mordecai, 1985).

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Drama in the ESL Classroom
Generally, drama involves being an imaginary person usually in an imaginary situation and
sometimes a real one (Venugopal, 1986). The learners are given fairly controlled scenarios to
interpret. Drama is defined by the scope of the task of problem-solving in order to achieve their
goals. Students need to know of their ability to learn from each other as well as to learn
independently. They should be aware that they are working towards a goal within a given time
limit. This will sharpen their concentration and at the end of the lesson they should have
satisfaction of having achieved that goal (Venugopal, 1986).



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Drama in education is a mode of learning. Through the pupils' active identification with the
imagined role and situations in drama, they can learn to explore issues, events and relationships
(O'Neil, 1994). In drama, students draw on their knowledge and experience of the real world in
order to create their own experience they have as well as their knowledge, which they have
gained from books, films or television. Although, these imaginary situations may at first seem
superficial and only action oriented, through the teacher's guidance and careful intervention it
should be possible for the work to grow in depth. In creating a make believe world students can
come to understand themselves and their real world in which they live.
In order to engage in drama activities students do not need sophisticated theatre skills. However,
they must be willing to (O'Neil, 1997):
1. Make believe with regard to objects, for example,
a. a table-top can become a wagon or raft;
b. a circle of chairs may represent a starship;
c. cupped hands may contain a precious object.
2. Make believe with regards to actions and situations, for example,
a. creeping across the school hall may be means of escaping from the jail;
b. a group sitting huddled on the floor may be passengers on an emigrant ship;
c. stealing a bunch of keys may represent a test of stealth and cunning for the warriors.
3. Adopt a role, for example,
a. settlers who seek a new life in a foreign country;
b. poor children living on the streets;
c. teenagers who have left home.
4. Maintain the make believe verbally, for example,
a. describing the doorway in which they spent the night;
b. presenting the facts about child labour to the committee for reform;
c. discussing the problems to be faced on a voyage.
5. Interact with the rest of the group, for example,
a. agreeing to join the crew of the starship;
b. choosing a leader for the community;
c. teaching a skill to a friend;
In drama activities, students are given the opportunities to draw together all the bits of language
they have learnt and practice it in situations they are likely to encounter outside the classroom. In
any drama activity, learners must create the interactions themselves on the basis of their roles
rather than perform in ways that have been predetermined by the teacher (Littlewood, 1981).
This freedom of choice offers the students the chance to use their English learnt to develop the
character, therefore promoting spontaneity in activities similar to real-communication. Drama
in a way helps students to improve oral and verbal communication despite gaps in their
knowledge. However, the use of picture cards and other visual cues will narrow these gaps.
Drama activities are essentially social activities and involve contact, communication and the
negotiation of meaning. The nature of the work will impose certain pressures on the students but
will also bring considerable rewards. Co-operative activities are very rare in the Malaysian
schools. Too often students are trained to work as individuals and to be both competitive and
possessive about their achievements. Drama on the other hand, works from the strength of the
groups.
Drama is an individual's spontaneous behavior reacting to others in a hypothetical situation. The
essential core of the activity is understanding the situation of another person, and to do this well
the player' needs to come to grip with the other participants' roles, not just his own. In practice,
this works when a player' is given the basic information about who he is, what he is like, and
what he wants to do. He must interact with others and relate his situation to theirs and gain a
greater understanding of the roles, the relationship and the language involved (Revell, 1979).

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Specific Qualities of Drama Activities
Drama activities require imagination and inventiveness. For example, how will they express
themselves in the role of a rat that refuses to be changed into a horse for Cinderella's carriage?
What rules will they establish for their newly founded society on a remote island? These are not
the usual workbook exercises associated with traditional classroom learning. They require
higher-order thinking processes that are at the heart of every creative venture (Ruth, 1993).
It is often said that drama is a rehearsal for living. Through drama, children can pretend to be
people or things they find interesting and significant. They can relive the experiences of others
and their everyday life and fantasy world. They can experiment with social roles and in the
process identify and empathize with others, learning their concerns, confronting their problems
and experiencing their successes and failures (Ruth, 1993).



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Empathy is the ability to see life from another's perspective and to feel with that person. Students
begin to develop empathy as their thinking matures and they move away from egocentricity.
Through drama students have the opportunity to see the world from another point of view and to
respond as that person would respond. If students can experience walking in another person's
shoes', more understanding of others and more effective communication will result (Ruth, 1993).
However, it must be understood that drama activities cannot be substituted for conventional
teaching methods. It merely serves as a complement to the conventional methods. They are
activities that give the students an opportunity to use their own personality in creating the
material on which part of the language class is to be based. These activities draw on the natural
ability of every student to imitate, mimic and express him or herself through gestures. They
draw, too, on the student's imagination and memory, and natural capacity to bring to life parts of
his or her past experience that might never otherwise emerge. They are dramatic because they
arouse our interest, which they do by drawing on the unpredictable power generated when one
person is brought together with others. Each student brings a different life, a different
background into the class. We would like students to be able to use this when working with
others (Maley and Duff, 1978).
Another source of motivation is drama activities have close resemblance to adult society. Many
claim that schooling prepares students for life in society, yet too many students feel no personal
involvement in school and are only geared towards the purely academic pursuits it represents.
Since, drama activities often portray the adult society to which the students will soon belong,
they can give the students a real feeling of preparing for society. The activities usually encourage
the students to make responsible responses in complex situation, which they may encounter later
in life. This is a valuable experience for the students. However, the activities should be within
the scope and capabilities of the students, otherwise the activities will be boring, meaningless,
and even irritating (Hymes, 1972).
The most significant kind of learning which is attributed to experience in drama is a growth in
the students' understanding about human behavior, themselves and the world they live in. This
understanding which will be different from the usual way of thinking and feeling should be the
primary aim of drama activities. The teacher, at the same time must bear in mind the increasing
competence of the students in drama activities and the satisfaction they get from working within
these activities.
Rationale for Using Drama Activities in ESL Teaching and Learning
Literary text and drama activities complement each other for integrated activities in the English
language classroom. Drama activities comprise movement and mime, role play, group
improvisation and simulations. The incorporation of the two components in the English language
classroom can make learning a stimulating and motivating experience. But many teachers are
being skeptical, if not horrified at the idea of using drama activities in their language classrooms
(Edwin, 1992).



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Drama activities can be used to teach language skills and also develop the cognitive, affective
and cultural needs of the students. The utilization of drama activities will help bring back some
of the important emotional content into the language learning experience which is often lacking
in communicative language classrooms. Drama activities should not be misconstrued as
performing plays but rather they should be considered as teaching tools, which facilitate and
deepen the learning process.
From the educational point of view, drama activities are not new. Only their use in the English
Language classroom is a recent development. Nevertheless, drama is a useful technique of
teaching and learning especially in encouraging interactions, practicing the language used and in
acquiring fluency. From the perspective of teaching and learning English as a Second Language,
the rationale for using drama rests on the premise that authentic language use develops when the
participants have a purpose for communicating (Brumfit and Johnson, 1979).
More often than not teachers are faced with problems of how to get their students motivated to
their learning tasks. It is not an exaggeration to say that the answer could be drawn from the use
of drama activities. This is one of the important strengths drama has to offer which is to stimulate
the interest of learners. If the students are young children there will be no problem as they are
natural actors and clowns who like nothing better than a game. But, if the students are
adolescents, the teachers have to cope with the inevitable tension they suffer because of their
developing sexuality and physical changes. If they are adults, they will tend to associate
education and learning with being serious and working hard (Ladousse, 1991).
Some shy students do not wish to appear foolish in front of their classmates. They just do not
want to be embarrassed because of the mistakes and errors that they could make. Drama helps
many shy students by providing them with a mask' (Ladousse, 1991). The learner has the
support and protection of a mask' to hide behind but will speak as the character in the situation
and not as himself (Morrow, 1981). Here, inhibited or shy learners can become more responsive,
thus showcasing how drama enhances participation amongst learners.
Merits of Drama Activities
Drama activities provide numerous avenues for group work and studies on second language
learners show that using drama activities in the language classroom has increased students'
motivation, self-esteem and spontaneity (Edwin, 1992).
The following are specific merits of the use of drama in the ESL classroom (Wan, 1990).
1. Stimulates authentic conversation
Drama activities stimulate authentic learner-to-learner conversational interaction. The activities
also develop conversational competence among second language learners (Richards, 1985).
2. Fluency activity
Brumfit (1984) refers to drama as a fluency activity where opportunities arise for the learners to
use language freely and creatively. Drama focuses on using language as a conversational
resource.
3. Increases motivation
Drama prompts mental and bodily activities. The activities require active participation.
Concentration is also often required 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
students towards participation. The less motivated students will gradually be drawn into the
activity when they see the rest of the group having a good time (Wan, 1990).



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4. A break from routine
The use of drama activities is a break from the usual textbook teaching and the chalk talk
method of the teacher. The student has opportunities to mix around and to act out different roles.
The atmosphere in the classroom is less formal and this can help to bring down the Affective
Filter thus, reducing tension (Wan, 1990).
5. Prepare students for real life and unpredictability
Real life situations and communications are unpredictable. A student may learn all the correct
forms of communication but may not know when to use them appropriately. Drama provides
opportunities to react to these situations and gives the students a taste of real life (Wan, 1990).
6. Creates sensitivity and a sense of awareness
Drama brings the outside world into the classroom. This will have positive effects in terms of
social interaction and cultural awareness (Wan, 1990).
Demerits of Drama Activities
Some students have fixed ideas as to what a good class teacher is. They usually expect a rigid,
fixed procedure in their teaching. Students are used to being passive and expect teaching to be
teacher-centered. Attitudes like these have to be changed. Before this can be done, the teacher's
attitude needs to be changed too. She must accept her new role where she does not dominate the
class anymore and allow the students to take over without having the fear of losing control (Lee,
1991).
Drama takes a lot of time and therefore it depends on the ability of the class to perform the tasks.
The teacher thus has to know the class well so as to assign the students' activities to suit their
abilities.
The lack of space and the large number of students can make the organization of the activities
difficult. Noise levels will also be high. Monitoring of the different groups may also be a
problem. The teacher thus has to adapt and improvise accordingly, for instance, looking for an
alternative place or even carrying out the activity outdoors (Lee, 1991).
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