Task 1 (Section b)

How to Develop Childrens Language and Aesthetic Value

Through Drama

Nowadays, the use of drama for teaching English as the second language in school has
been widely applied to figure out and unleash pupils true potential and inner ability in
comprehending and appreciating context. Without a doubt, drama can foster language skills
such as reading, writing, speaking and listening by creating a suitable context. It is also a
powerful language teaching tool that involves all of the students interactively all of the class
period. However, the main focus here is how far drama can be exploited to develop pupils
language and aesthetic values?
According to Maley(2005), drama integrates language skills in a natural way. Careful
listening is a key feature. Spontaneous verbal expression is integral to most of the activities; and
many of them require reading and writing, both as part of the input and the output. To rephrase,
drama will help to develop pupils reading, speaking, listening and reading skills. Based on the
story selected, teacher can adapt it to suits the pupils level and exploit it in various way to teach
English and develop pupils language. Using the adapted script, teacher can carry out readers
theatre activity. In a readers theatre activity, pupils read stories that have been scripted like a
play, and they act out the story together. Pupils may practice their parts several times before
acting the story out in front of the class, which gets them thinking about their characters and the
plot in a focused way. Rather than using elaborate props, costumes, or scenery, pupils can be
encouraged to use vocal, facial, and physical expression to engage with the script and their
character. As pupils continue their repeated readings of the script, they are improving their
reading skills and comprehension. They also will have the opportunity to practice speaking
skills, such as pronunciation, inflection, expression, and varied volume. Since the activity is
meant to practice reading, pupils don't need to memorize their lines, which keep the spotlight on
the reading practice, not the performance. Using the adapted script of The Ant and The Dove,
teacher can use the scene when the ant is struggling in the water seeking for help. For example,
Help! Help! Anyone please help me!. Teacher can help the performers to bring the text alive
and make the activity lively by guiding them using correct voice, facial expressions, and some
gestures.

Moreover, radio drama also one of the activity that can foster pupils language in
developing pupils speaking skills, especially with regard to pronunciation and intonation.
Educationally, radio drama production has many benefits for students. It develops pupils
collaborative skills since production involves group work (Schuchat, 2005). It is a flexible group
activity in that, by modifying the script, any number of pupils can take part in a radio play.
Further, by modifying the script, the teacher can also organize radio drama activities to cater for
mixed-ability class. Using the adapted script of the story, teacher can conduct the radio drama
activity in the class.
Apart from that, drama also can help to develop pupils aesthetic values. Eaton and
Shepherd, AECA (1998), state that aesthetics simply refers to a value or judgment relating to
what is considered pleasing within nature and is a response through the senses of sight, touch,
smell, taste and sound. There are so many ways to instill aesthetic values in the pupils. Teacher
can ask pupils to create or make props of the drama by themselves. Besides, teacher can ask
pupils to create mask that represents character from the story for the mask drama activity. For
example, the mask of the animals such as dove and ant. By doing this, pupils aesthetic value
will be develop as they use their own creativity and imagination in designing and making the
props and the mask. Moreover, teacher can use puppetry activity to enhance pupils aesthetic
values as puppets have the capacity to enthral, fascinate and delight children. Puppets then can
be used as highly motivating tools to either gain pupil's attention, to get a particular message
across or to entice pupils to participate in some type of language activity. Using the script,
teacher can guide the pupils to create a puppet show and present it in the class. For example,
for the sock puppet, teacher can prepare materials such as sock, collage material such as curly
wool for hair, small pieces of fabric for clothes and others and let the pupils create their own
puppets using their own creativity and imagination.
Furthermore, for inculcating aesthetics values by doing drama, teacher must look into
the moral values consisted in the story.Teacher plays an important role in developing pupils
aesthetic value and one of the easiest ways is through drama activity. Most stories exhibit
notable moral values that are appropriate for pupils such as love, friendship, responsibilities and
many more. Teacher must play their role to enlighten the lesson of the story as maybe some of
the pupils unable to get what the story is about. Example of aesthetic value that can be learned
in this story is helping those who in needs. For this story, it teaches pupils that each action has
consequences and a good deed is rewarded by another good deed. It is proven when the ant
whose had been saved by the dove from drowning in the river, had recompense by saving the
dove from the hunter. Throughout this, it will open up pupils mind about the value of friendship
and the importance of helping others. Thus, they will learn to cooperate and help each other in
their life. Moreover, teacher can nurture the appreciation of the good character in the story by
asking the pupils which character they have in mind to become their favourite character.
Teacher can add on some critical question relate with the character and story such what
happened to the ant if the dove does not help him? Such question will make the pupils think
outside the box and it will eventually develop their aesthetic values.
Based on the above suggestion, there are still lots of ways and activities that can be
done teacher to develop pupils language and aesthetic values as teacher need to creative and
innovative in order to produce an excellent pupil.