Topic 19

19. DRAMA TECHNIQUES IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING.

DRAMATIZATION OF EVERYDAY LIFE SITUATIONS AND
REPRESENTATION OF TALES, CHARACTERS, JOKES, ETC. GROUP
WORK IN CREATIVE ACTIVITIES. THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER.

1. DRAMA TECHNIQUES IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING

1.1. ADVANTAGES OF DRAMA

1.2. THEORETICAL SUPPORT FOR THE USE OF DRAMA IN FLT

1.3. HOW TO USE DRAMA IN THE CLASS

2. DRAMATIZATION OF EVERYDAY LIFE SITUATIONS AND

REPRESENTATION OF TALES, CHARACTERS, JOKES, ETC.

2.1. DRAMATIZATION OF EVERYDAY SITUATIONS

2.2. REPRESENTATION OF TALES AND CHARACTERS

2.3. PUPPET SHOWS

2.4. JOKES

2.5. MIMING

3. GROUP WORK IN CREATIVE ACTIVITIES

3.1. ADVANTAGES OF PAIR WORK AND GROUP WORK

3.2. ORGANISING PAIR WORK AND GROUP WORK

4. THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER

5. CONCLUSION

6. BIBLIOGRAPHY

7. LEGAL FRAMEWORK

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The profile of the students in Primary Education demands the use of communicative
elements. Their immature minds make it almost impossible for them to cope with
abstract concepts. In addition to that, the Communicative Approach highlights that the
learners’ needs, interests and knowledge must be always considered. Therefore,
Educational Authorities have fostered the use of authentic, stimulating and familiar
materials and techniques, such as drama, to motivate the pupils and make them
participate in the classroom.

Based on this view, we will deal with the use of drama in the English classroom. We
will start by concentrating on its advantages and the theoretical support for its use. We
will continue by analysing some drama techniques such as simulations, role-plays or
representation of tales. After that we will focus on group work in creative activities, to
finish with the role of the teacher when using drama techniques.

We deal with an essential topic since students’ motivation and interests are among the
most important factors when learning a foreign language, and drama contributes to
create positive feelings towards English due to their connection with real life. The
Foreign Language Curriculum for Primary Education emphasizes the significance of
this topic by including in its first block of contents the production of oral texts,
previously known through active participation in dramatizations.

1. DRAMA TECHNIQUES IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEARNING

Communication is the basis of understanding among human beings. Genuine

communication involves, first of all, interaction between a listener and a speaker that
are constantly changing roles. The language that they use depends on several factors
such as the purpose of the message, the context and the channel used.

Apart from verbal communication, there is another level of communication which is

more general and affects the transmission and reception of the message: non-verbal
communication. It includes aspects such as body position and movement, gestures,
facial expression, accent, intonation or auditory and visual aids.

Drama is very suitable to train students in the use of verbal and non-verbal language in
interactions. In addition to that, children feel at home in imaginary worlds, where they
can act out a role, dress up and for a short while become another person. Therefore, they
enjoy the use of drama techniques.

Drama is not only a final performance of a play. It is part of the process of language
learning, since children become actively involved in a text and this personalization
makes language meaningful and memorable.

Let’s now concentrate on the advantages of drama in FLT.

ADVANTAGES OF DRAMA

According to Bolton, drama is a unique tool, vital for language development. It enables
the teacher to introduce, reinforce or recycle contextualised vocabulary and grammar,
and improves pupils’ pronunciation, developing both the segmental and suprasegmental
features of the language.
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Using drama to teach English results in real communication involving ideas, emotions
and feelings. It offers a context for listening and oral production, encouraging learners
to use their own language resources. It also fosters reading and writing. Drama is
particularly useful when working with literary texts, as it helps to analyse the plot, the
characters and the relationships between them. Research has shown that it increases
children’s curiosity about literature before independent reading begins (McMaster,
1998).

Drama creates a pleasant atmosphere in the classroom and motivates both good and
weak students, because they are so engaged that they forget that they are learning
English. This helps to develop positive attitudes towards the language.

Social skills are developed through drama. Acting together is a shared social experience
that develops the class identity. It also improves the relationship between the teacher
and the students, because the distance between them is reduced.

Finally, some of the plays or stories to be performed are authentic resources.

Consequently, they provide examples of the way in which language is used by its native
speakers, developing the students’ socio-cultural competence and fostering attitudes of
respect towards foreign cultures.

THEORETICAL SUPPORT FOR THE USE OF DRAMA IN FLT

There are two authors that support the use of music to learn a foreign language.

STEPHEN KRASHEN

According to Krashen’s acquisition-learning hypothesis, there are two ways to develop

knowledge of a foreign language: acquisition and learning. Acquisition occurs if
learners are exposed to examples of the language that they understand. Learning takes
place through a conscious process of study and attention. In order for acquisition to
occur, learners need to be exposed to input that is just beyond their current level of
competence in the language: Krashen referred to it as comprehensible input.

As it was mentioned before, language is contextualised in drama activities. Therefore,

students are exposed to comprehensible input. This language will be learnt
unconsciously and acquisition will take place, since learners’ attention is focused on
drama rather than on the language used.

In the affective filter hypothesis, Krashen explained that a learner who is tense, angry or
bored may filter out input, making it unavailable for acquisition. He defined the
affective filter as an imaginary barrier which prevents learners from acquiring language
from the available input. The use of motivating materials like drama helps to weaken
the affective filter, as they create a pleasant atmosphere in the classroom.

HOWARD GARDNER

Gardner claimed that individuals have al least eight different intelligences that can be
developed over a lifetime: mathematical, visual, kinaesthetic, musical, interpersonal,
intrapersonal, verbal and naturalist.
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Traditionally, schools have just focused on the development of linguistic and

mathematic intelligences. Therefore, teachers need to design activities that focus on the
eight intelligences, not only to facilitate language acquisition among diverse students,
but also to help them realize their full potential.

Drama is connected to a variety of intelligences. Among others, we can mention

interpersonal intelligence, since acting is a social activity; kinaesthetic intelligence,
because students employ non-verbal language to communicate and verbal, as they use
their four linguistic skills in an integrated way.

HOW TO USE DRAMA IN THE CLASS

When the teacher plans a drama activity, s/he needs to know his/her aims. There are
activities for accuracy and fluency work, to practise language skills, to revise language
from previous lessons...

The children’s age also affect the kind of activity planned. Younger children find it
more difficult to work in groups so whole-class activities are better for them. Older
children may work better in smaller groups in which they take more initiative. Other
factors that also influence the success of drama activities are the amount of drama they
have done before, the kind of teaching environment they are used to or the atmosphere
in the classroom.

Not all children are good at acting, so drama needs to be introduced in small steps, using
easy and guided activities, like miming animals or actions. As children gain confidence,
they can move on to less controlled activities such as plays. Total Physical Response
activities in which children respond physically to commands before they produce verbal
responses are an excellent way to introduce dramatization.

The organisation of the physical environment in which drama activities take place is of
paramount importance, since students have to stand up and move around the room. The
classroom can be arranged in different ways: the desks and chairs can be places against
the walls or a semicircle can be formed by using desks or chairs. However, if there are
real space problems puppets can be a solution.

Finally, it is necessary to give feedback on what children have done, not only the final
product but also the process they went through, the way they cooperated ad how they
came to decisions. If constructive feedback becomes regular, children will gradually
improve their dramatizing abilities and their language.

2. DRAMATIZATION OF EVERYDAY LIFE SITUATIONS AND

REPRESENTATION OF TALES, CHARACTERS, JOKES, ETC.

DRAMATIZATION OF EVERYDAY SITUATIONS

Children act out scenes and stories from the age of about three or four. They play at
beings adults in situations like shopping and visiting the doctor, which are part of their
lives. They practise the language used in the situation and experience the emotions
involved, knowing that they can switch back to reality whenever they want to.

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Such dramatization prepares children for real-life situations that they will meet later on,
developing their creativity and imagination. At the same time they use language that is
outside their daily needs.

Language teachers can use this natural desire to act out situations. According to
behaviourism, learners react at a given stimulus and produce a response. The pattern
stimulus/response needs to be contextualised so that students know the appropriate
language to use within a given situation. Therefore, by dramatizing everyday life
situations in the English class, students are ready to communicate in real life. This
dramatization can be carried out through simulations or role-plays.

A role-play is a type of drama activity in which students take roles and pretend they are
someone else in a particular situation. When the students’ competence is not very high
the role-play is guided (the teacher provides them with the language to use). Older
students can be given some useful structures, but they use the language more freely.

Like role-play, simulations involve pretending. However, students are asked to be

themselves in an imaginary situation. The teacher establishes a problem that they need
to solve.

Simulations and role-plays are useful oral activities because pupils learn to interact in a
respectful way, they use complete bits of language rather than words and they make use
of non-verbal communication: voice, stress, intonation, facial expressions…

REPRESENTATION OF TALES AND CHARACTERS

This activity is suitable for older students, since it involves interpreting a story orally.
According to Donn Byrne, the process is more important than the product.
Consequently, the goal is for students to develop communication skills, not acting sills.

The teacher must select a tale which is suitable in terms of language level and length.
S/he will probable have to adapt the vocabulary and structures to the students’ level of
competence. The plot and dialogues must be simple and the subject interesting and
amusing.

Puppets or pictures can be used to introduce the characters. Before starting rehearsing,
students must become familiar with the text. The teacher can read the text or, if
possible, play a recording of it. Later on, children can read it out in groups. All the
children must participate in the play, whatever their abilities or their circumstances.
However, children mustn’t be forced to speak until they are ready. Therefore, shy
students can be asked to be in charge of the scenery, props or posters.

After having spent time on preparing a play, it is important that children give at least
one performance. This is motivating for the actors, since their motivation and self-
esteem are increased, and for the audience, that sees what can be done with English.

PUPPET SHOWS

With this technique students also act out a tale or story, but instead of being the actors
they use puppets.
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The only difference with the previous technique is the need for puppets and a puppet
theatre. Making puppets is a very motivating activity that is related to the subject of Art.

The use of puppets in the English class is not restricted to puppet shows. They can be
used by the teacher to introduce dialogues in the presentation stage, or by the students to
practise different aspects of the language or to communicate freely.

JOKES

Although telling jokes is difficult in any language, it’s a common part of our daily lives.
Jokes bring fun to the English class and can be used for linguistic and cultural purposes.

Telling jokes in English has to be rehearsed to ensure fluency and the right stress and
intonation. The following steps must be followed:

1. The teacher selects a joke which is easy for the students to understand and tells it
to the class, asking questions to ensure that everybody has understood.
2. S/he gives socio-cultural background and tells the joke again.
3. Students imitate the lines of the joke and act it out in pairs or small groups.

MIMING

The main objective in Primary Education is that children acquire communicative

competence. This term, coined by Hymes in the 1960s, refers to the ability to use and
interpret language appropriately in a variety of situations.

Miming is a non-verbal technique based on Total Physical Response. It involves the

representation of an idea or situation through gestures and body language. The goal is to
develop the skill of non-verbal communication in the foreign language so that learners
learn strategies to compensate for breakdowns in oral communication. In this way,
miming contributes to the development of strategic competence, which is a component
of communicative competence.

Miming is very motivating for children. They can be asked, for instance, to mime
simple actions or feelings so that the rest of the class can guess.

3. GROUP WORK IN CREATIVE ACTIVITIES

Since the 1970’s, the belief that language is a means of communication has inspired a
new approach in English teaching: the Communicative Approach. Due to its influence,
nowadays language is taught and learnt in a very practical way in the classroom. Our
pupils will be provided with tasks that reproduce the characteristics of communication
in real life. However, the classroom is not the best place to learn a language because of
its space and time limitations.

Pair and group work are important techniques to improve the students’ use of English
and they are very useful in large classes, where students have few opportunities to
participate. These techniques involve the whole class working separately, in pairs or
small groups at the same time. Their use in creative activities contributes to the
development of fluency.
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ADVANTAGES OF PAIR WORK AND GROUP WORK

Pair work and group work increase the amount of speaking time of the students. Group
work provides a richer climate for interaction than pair work, since there is a greater
scope for discussion.

Some students feel more comfortable when they use the foreign language in front of few
people. In pairs and groups, children work and interact without the control of the
teacher, therefore promoting their independence and self-confidence.

Pair and group work improve personal relationships because children have the
opportunity to help each other, fostering cooperation and making the classroom a more
relaxed and friendly place. Students can learn from one another too, especially if the
members or the pair or group have different levels.

These techniques have advantages for the teacher too because they save time and other
tasks can be done. In this way, students won’t get bored because of the variety of
activities and their own participation in the lesson.

ORGANISING PAIR WORK AND GROUP WORK

Pair and group composition will depend on the activity used. If it requires an ability
level, it is better to group weak students with weak students and able students with able
students, so that children work at their own pace. This enables the teacher to give weak
students the special help they need, and to provide stronger students with more
challenging tasks to perform. In cooperative activities, mixed ability groups are
recommended, since students can help each other. It’s often useful to have a group
leader who is responsible for coordinate the activities, explaining details to the group…
This role must be given to different pupils.

Before the activity starts, a short demonstration with one or two students is advisable, so
that children know exactly what they have to do and the language they need to use.

While students are working the teacher must observe their performances. In controlled
activities, they can be corrected since the aim is accuracy. However, if students are
working in freer activities the teacher mustn’t correct mistakes. S/he will write them
down and refer to them later or in subsequent lessons.

Feedback is the final stage of pair and group work, particularly in creative activities.

4. THE ROLE OF THE TEACHER

Teachers use many metaphors to describe what they do. Sometimes they say that they
are like actors because they are always on the stage. Others feel like gardeners because
they plant the seeds and then watch them grow. The range of images use to talk about
themselves indicate the range of views they have about their profession.

In recent years the teacher’s role has changed greatly and it is very far from the
authoritarian figure of traditional teaching. This is due to the influence of humanistic
and communicative theories, which give emphasis to learner-centred teaching.
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As a consequence, the teacher takes a less dominant role in the classroom. With drama
techniques, learners will be asked to speak to a partner, to walk freely in the class, to use
their imagination or to solve problems. The teacher’s role may change from one activity
to another or from one stage of an activity to another. These are the main roles of
teachers in drama activities:

One of the most important roles of the teacher is that of an organiser. This involves
engaging the students, giving them information about how they are going to do the
activity, putting them into pairs or groups and finally stopping the activity when the
students have finished or when other factors show the teacher and the students that is
time to stop.

Once the activity has started, the teacher acts as an encourager, telling students how
well they are doing. Sometimes children ask how to say something or what a word
means. The teacher is one of the most important resources they have, giving information
on vocabulary and structures.

Finally, teachers must monitor what students do in order to give useful group and
individual feedback. They also observe in order to judge the success of the different
materials and activities so that they can, if necessary, make changes in the future.

5. CONCLUSION

In this topic we have analysed to use of drama techniques in the foreign language
classroom, focusing on its advantages and the best way to do so. The use of several
drama techniques has been explained as well. To finish, group work in this type of
activities and the teacher’s role has been dealt with.

6. BIBLIOGRAPHY

BREWSTER, J. et al. (2003): The Primary English Teacher’s Guide. Penguin English.
HARMER, J. (2003): The Practice of English Language Teaching. Longman.
PHILLIPS, Sarah (2004): Drama with Children. Oxford University Press.
VARELA, R. et al. (2003): All About Teaching English. Centro de Estudios Ramón
Areces.

7. LEGAL FRAMEWORK

- Organic Education Act (LOE) 2/2006 of May 3rd.

- Royal Decree 82/1996 of January the 26th, which establishes the Organic
Regulation for both Infant and Primary Education Schools.
- Royal Decree 1513/2006 of December 7th, which establishes the Minima
Teaching Requirements and the Basic Competences for Primary Education.
- Decree 22/2007 of May 10th, which establishes the Primary Education
Curriculum for the Autonomous Region of Madrid.
- Order 1028/2008 of February 29th, which regulates the evaluation of Primary
Education.