Drama in the Foreign Language classroom:
The present post aims to study the use of drama in the Foreign Language classroom. In order to do so, I will concentrate on the main characteristics and advantages of using drama in our lessons.
One of the functions of language is to represent reality. This means that by using language, we can describe to others different situations, landscapes, feelings, etc, that they have not experienced directly. For example we can explain to a friend what we did during the weekend.
This representational function of language applies not only to the L1 but also to the L2 or foreign language. Although, of course, students of a Foreign Language can only use the representational function of the FL in a limited way because they may lack vocabulary and structures necessary to express themselves. However, sometimes we do not need language to express: we can also communicate with mime, body language, with movement, with gestures, sounds...
Drama constitutes a resource for building spontaneity and creativity through self-expression. It also helps the development of social skills. Students are regarded as "creative performers" in their own educational production.
Moreover, The Council of Europe recommends the use of direct, interactive and communicative methods in the learning process.
The main advantages of the use of drama will be the following:
- It provides variety to the range of learning situations.
- The pace of the lesson may be changed.
- More formal teaching can be "lightened".
- Hidden practice of specific language patterns, vocabulary and pronunciation.
- Attention spam and concentration are improved.
- Students' participation is encouraged.
- Student to student communication is increased.
- Distance between teacher and students can be reduced.
- Areas of weakness and the need for further language work can be revealed.
In addition, "Integrating drama helps children in various ways. In this fantastic resource: 'The Arts as Meaning Makers', written by Claudia E. Cornett and Katharine L. Smithrim, there are 12 essential points that I strongly agree to be important to consider:
1. Drama is part of real life and prepares students to deal with life's problems.
2. Drama engages students in creative problem-solving and decision making.
3. Drama develops verbal and nonverbal communication
4. Drama can enhance students' psychological well-being
5. Drama develops empathy and new perspectives
6. Drama builds cooperation and develops other social skills
7. Drama increases concentration and comprehension through engagement
8. Drama helps students consider moral issues and develop values
9. Drama is an alternative way to assess by observing (ex. Externalization)
10. Drama is entertaining
11.Drama contributes to aesthetic development
12. Drama offers a learning avenue that enhances other areas of the curriculum".
Daily life situations and stories or tales provide many chances for drama and children enjoy recreating them. The first step then would be creating a context. Students need to be helped to recreate the reality that surrounds a fictional situation, regarding place, furniture and
clothes. It is very useful to have a collection of props in the class to create an atmosphere. We define the context and provide students with a vision over the place that will give them more security. For example, we can ask studens to think of a play related to a restaurant, and reflect about:
- If you were... what would you say? (to provide set phrases and practise vocabulary)
- What would you wear if...?
Drama activities can help sudents to overcome shyness and inhibitions and encourage them to work cooperatively as a group. However, some children feel inhibited at the beginning to participate in the drama. For this reason, we can break the ice by doing a warm-up activity before performing the role-play, such as:
-Handshakes: studentss walk around the classroom in any direction they want. You tell them when to stop. Then they shake hand with the nearest person and practise sentences previously selected by the teacher (e.g.where are you from?, how old are you?..)
We can also arrange different activities to help students to express their feelings:
-Feeling happy: focuses on facial expression and body language. Tell your students that they are going to walk around the class and
show different emotions trough their facial expressions. Students start moving and you call out for instance "now you are sad" or nervous, etc. Background music can also be used.
Concerning the topics for role playing, we can use all sorts of situations:
-Acting out a poem or a song.
-Related performances about culture or festivals.
-Use a comic as a base for a drama performance.
-Video: use short-clips without sound, students create a short script.
- Build a story in groups recreating a daily life situation or an absolutely fictional one.
-Monologues.
-Radio programmes.
Conclusion:
As a conclusion, I would say that many psychological, pedagogical and methodological reasons sustain the use of drama in the FL class. Drama is excellent way to use real life vocabulary and structures in a "safe" environment. Using drama to teach English results in real communication involving ideas, emotions, feelings appropriateness and adaptability.
But they are also an important way to introduce socio-cultural aspects of the target language. In addition, drama adds positive values like variety, motivation, participation, creativity. For all these reasons drama should be an essential part of the teachers' repertoire of pedagogical strategies.
*************Finally I would like to mention that The Titirimundi International Puppet Theatre Festival has been held recently at indoor venues as well as on the streets of Segovia. Companies from different countries has presented a range of performances, ranging from traditional puppets to acrobatic groups and street entertainment. Children and adults alike can enjoy this theatrical art every year... It would be great if you have the chance to attend it in the future! :) ***********************
References:
- Brewster J, Ellis G and Girard D, "The Primary English Guide", '92, Penguin
- Eccles A., "English through drama", Hutchinsm.
- Cornett, Claudia E. and Katharine L. Smithrim. The arts as meaning makers. Toronto, Ontario: Pearson Education Canada Inc., 2001.
May 29th, 2014.