Using drama to teach English result in real communication involving ideas, emotions,

feelings appropriateness and adaptability; in short an opportunity to use language in operation

which is absent in a conventional language class. Such activities add to the teachers repertoire
of pedagogic strategic giving them a wider option of learner-centered activities to choose from
for classroom teaching, thereby augmenting their efficiency in teaching English. (Vani Chauhan,
2004).

The preferred drama technique use to teach English is role playing. As in Collins
Dictionary Online (2016), it refers role play as the act of imitating the role of a different person at
a time and at the same time possesses the right emotions according to the characters chosen.
In using this technique, teacher should prepare a situation and dialogue to be role played by the
children. The language and grammar of the dialogue is indeed needed to be verified by the
teacher if the children were to create their own dialogue. The most important part is, the teacher
need to teach the vocabulary, pronunciation and meaning of every sentences owing to they
need to really understand and get familiar with language content itself rather than just focusing
on developing the art and skills of role playing.(McCaslin, 1990). One of the reasons role play
technique is effective in teaching English is that it is fun and motivating where quitter students
get the chance to express themselves in a more forthright way as advocated by Jeremy Harmer
(2001). Other than that, role play also sharpen the childrens communication and language skills
as they could prepare the children with speaking skills in any social situations. (Kowalska,
1991). For example, children learn to apologize, greet and ask in an appropriate language used.

Next, the technique used above would be followed up with an activity to further enhance the
understanding of the children on certain storyline of the drama and as well as for the enjoyment
and engagement of the children in the lesson. The chosen activity is puppetry. Using puppets
is a way of helping those children who are shy and have a lower confidence to stand in front of
the class to perform actions of characters and thus this is supported by the statement of Merryl
Goldberg (n.d) saying that puppetry enables students to use language orally and build
confidence in their speaking and communication skills without having to show their faces or
expression to the crowd. In carrying out this activity, the teachers in ESL primary classroom
could set up the puppet stage in classroom by doubling up the table so that the performers
could stand at the back and only put up their hands with the puppets on. In this way, the
children could feel more confident when talking through the puppets. Some young learners feel
hesitant to speak in English because they feel unsure of which correct words to use and right
pronunciation to express the meaning. In this case, puppets is the better way to help those
children with low self-esteem and problems in speaking to support them psychologically.(Denise
zdeniz,n.d.). in addition, puppets would arouse the childrens motivation to learn and listen in
the class rather than the teacher themselves talking and delivering the knowledge. For example,
teacher could teach grammar elements through puppets in an interesting way.

n conclusion, role playing and puppetry could be used as one of the techniques and
activitiies in drama in teaching English language to the Malaysian primary ESL classroom
Reference

Collins Dictionary. (2016). Role Playing. Retrieved from February 4, 2016 from
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/role-play

Denise. O. (n.d.). Puppet in primary classroom. Retrieved from February 4, 2016 from
www.hltmag.co.uk/mar01/sartmar017.rtf
Harmer, Jeremy, 2001, How to Teach English, Edinburg: Pearson Education
Limited

Kowalska, Barbara. 1991. Let them talk in English. Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Szkolne i
Pedagogiczne.

McCaslin , N., (1990) Creative Drama in the classroom. 5thed. Studio City,
player press Inc.

Merryl. G.(n.d.) Poets and Puppets: Learning English. Retrieved from February 4, 2016 from
https://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/educators/how-to/supporting-individual-needs/ell-poetry-
and-puppets
Vani Chauhnan, 2004. Drama teaching for teaching English. Retrieved from February 4, 2016
from http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Chauhan-Drama.html