DRAMA IN THE EFL CLASSROOM

 DRAMA IN THE EFL CLASSROOM

Using theater during ESL classes is not very common, as it provides help as a platform to explore theoretical and practical aspects of the English language (Whiteson, 1996).

Improvisation in theater helps students with opportunities to develop their communication skills in authentic and dynamic situations. Theater in the English classroom can be used with students in interesting and useful ways for learning the language. Language can be used in context and brings it to life. Drama allows for a learning experience as it can be fun for students and even memorable because it is interactive and visual.

There are different studies on the use of theater during English classes. According to Wan Yee Sam says that the communicative approach, drama techniques, the value of drama in education, advantages and disadvantages (Sam, 1990). Alan Maley and Alan Duff are classic fonts that provide benefits for the use of dramatic techniques; which allows the learning of new vocabulary, allows students to build confidence which motivates students and helps to change the focus from teacher to students (Maley, 1982). The theater is important for the special communication that imposes considerable situations on the flexibility and skills of the teacher (Kao, 1998).

We have Morrow (1981) chose some guiding principles behind the management of communication activities. Susan Holden (1981) includes some meanings about what drama is and how it provides opportunities for a person to express themselves. Natural improvisation allows many outlets for self-expression. We even heard that children need to play as an important skill development process.

Benefits of Using Drama:

The use of theater in the ESL / EFL classroom is important as the benefits of theater by teaching languages as follows:

·         The acquisition of a fluent and meaningful interaction in the target language;

·         The assimilation of a whole range of pronunciation and prosodic characteristics in a fully contextualized and interactive way;

·         The fully contextualized acquisition of new vocabulary and structure; 

A greater sense of confidence in the student in their ability to learn the target language "(Wessels, p. 10).

 

During the theater it allows the teacher to take on the role of support in the learning process as the students can take more responsibility for their own learning. The teacher will also assume a less dominant role in the language class as it will allow students to investigate language activities. In the classroom it is student centered and each student is a potential teacher for the group.

Theater provides students with an opportunity to develop imagination. It also allows students to think independently (McCaslin 1996).

Since students can express their own ideas and contribute to the whole. Drama is creative and offers critical thinking exercises and the opportunity for students to be creative. The theater allows us to study human nature and work in harmony. It also allows for the healthy release of emotions in a safe environment and can work to relieve the stress of learning a second language.