“Significance
Drama is a very important element in teaching. The objective of every teacher is to make students understand and excel in their studies. In languages the objective is to help students gain fluency in the language they are studying. Every educator wants to implement a method of learning that is as effective as possible (Coldewey & Streitberger p. 13). However there have been controversies over what can be considered as the best method for teaching. Teaching English as a second Language has especially been a major source of concern. Among the methods that have been debated in the past include the bilingual education which was later replaced by Structured English Immersion (SEI). The second method is the immersion method. In the former students are placed in SEI classes and they are said to experience feelings of frustration anger and anxiety. Therefore this method of teaching fails to achieve the major objective of educators. In this case the method is not able to teach students the English Language effectively (Coldewey & Streitberger p. 14).
The result of this method of teaching is that students do not have confidence in expressing themselves using their languages. In addition there is a general lack of motivation towards learning the language (Taylor & Warner 34). This poses a big problem to educators. It is important to note that the motivation level of a student as well as their emotional and self-image can have a very significant effect in their acquisition of a second language. For instance if students morale is down and they are not motivated it will be very hard for them to learn the language. Similarly anxious students will also find it hard to learn a second language. The methods of teaching which are dependent on mimicking are not effective and they do not help to gain the confidence of students. Here the students are passive factors and thus they will not be able to gain fluency in speaking. In this case their anxiety will be high.
In trying to help the students to learn a second language effectively the first initiative that the educator should embark on will be to win the morale of the students. They should find ways in which they can motivate the students. In addition the educators should find out teaching methods that will help to reduce the students anxiety as well as raise their level of confidence (Wooster p. 9).
Among the methods that can be used to increase the confidence and motivation of students is the use of drama as a teaching method. Use of drama in teaching English as a second language will help students to gain fluency when speaking the language. In addition use of role-play skills will also serve the purpose of reducing anxiety in students; increase their confidence as well as fluency. It is important to note that drama is not only important to students but it can also be very important to help teachers who teach a second language. It will help them achieve their target goals to teach the language effectively. In fact some educators may also not be very fluent in the language and thus drama will be a very important teaching tool for them. According to Wagner drama is powerful because of its unique balance of thought and feeling makes learning exciting challenging relevant to real life concerns and enjoyable (p. 9).
Moreover drama gives learners an opportunity to speak and practice the language. It is usually noted Practice makes perfect. Therefore as students make more and more practice through drama they get to have a better understanding of the language. They advance their fluency. In fact the method has worked remarkably well for those students who are engaged in drama and the key role plays during their learning time (Wagner p. 11). Research has indicated that students who are engaged in drama are more confident when speaking in English than their counterparts who do not participate in drama. In addition such students have a lower level of anxiety. They have a high motivation and are considerably interested in learning the language hence they understand it much better. In fact these students have great courage when they address a group of people. Notably drama is enjoyable and thus students are motivated to learn English so that they can communicate well when they are playing drama.
In the Arab countries English is a second language. This poses a difficulty to learners when they are trying to learn English as a second language. In the current world English is increasingly becoming a major language for communication since most nations across the world are now using it as an official language. Therefore students should be well equipped with the language so that they can express themselves using the language fluently and confidently. Thus students in the Arab countries should learn the language too. Educators need to come up with methods that are better than current methods used in teaching. Drama is not widely used by educators as a tool of teaching. As a result it has become difficult to teach English in Arabic speaking countries. In fact educators in Arabic countries have dismissed use of drama in teaching as a waste of time. Therefore students lack morale to learn the language and their anxiety increases. They also do not have confidence when speaking in English.
I have had much difficulty in teaching languages since the curriculum is old fashioned and the method of teaching is through mimicking which is not very effective. This has caused a lot of concern to me since I find it difficult to achieve my goals as an educator. Despite the fact that drama is not widely used and it is highly dismissed as a waste of time; I am determined to make a change in the education process. I wish to introduce the use of drama and role-play as a tool of teaching in English classes. This research paper is aimed at describing the importance of drama in teaching and how drama can be used to effectively teach English.
Definition of Drama
Drama can have various definitions depending on the context in which the term is being used. In fact the question on the exact definition of drama is has been asked by many people (Wee p. 7). While drama can be used in the context of entertainment it can also be used in the context of education as well as in the case of an event that is controversial or drawing much attention from the general crowd. The main concern of this paper is educational drama. However the paper will start by giving the general definition of the term drama.
A drama can be defined as a composition that is in a prose form and is presented through action on stage through dialogue. In most cases there is the main character and the contrasting character. It is a fiction story that is presented through stage action (Siewert p. 53). The term drama was adapted from Greek word that means action. Drama is performed on stage mainly in a theater and before a crowd of people who are referred to as the audience. The story being presented through drama is conveyed by use of theatre elements. The elements include scenery acting costumes sound music as well as props and lighting (Hines p. 7). Drama has some impact on the people who are watching it as well as the performers. The impact is either emotional or it can be intellectual.
In the educational context drama can be used in the teaching of languages. Here a student is required to portray him or herself in an imaginary situation. The students can also be required to portray themselves as other individuals in an imaginary situation. The students pretend that they are in an imaginary situation and then they portray themselves in that situation on stage. The actors can act as a persona to the different persons who they present. It is important to ensure that students are able to do the representation alone or they can do it while in a group of other students. In most cases a drama is performed by more than one character. The character can act in a controlled way. In this case the actor is supposed to follow a list of linguistic guidelines that have been laid down by the educator. On the other hand the student can do the presentation freely by following his own parameters. No matter how the student does his representation the bottom line is that he will be able to interact with other people. The student will react to whatever he does or say and draw his knowledge of language to communicate meaningfully (Coldewey & Streitberger p. 13).
According to Basom drama in education uses the art form of drama in educating students (para. 4). It is used as an educational pedagogy. It facilitates the development of the learners social physical emotional and cognitive development (Basom para. 4). In fact drama can be referred to as a multisensory mode of learning. It is designed such that it can raise the understanding of ones mind body and voice as well as understanding of others collaboration and empathy. Drama also has the capability to improve the communication clarity and creativity when one is conveying both verbal and non-verbal ideas. In addition drama can enhance the understanding of human behavior history and motivation. It enriches the learning experience of an individual.
Layman defines educational drama as an approach of teaching whereby a student is given a chance to freely express a self imposed discipline of knowledge and experience that they pose (Layman p. 1). In fact drama makes one express even the knowledge that cannot be expressed through other means. It expresses the dormant knowledge which has been dormant due to the little opportunity available for it to be expressed. This is very important in language learning since the learner will have a detailed understanding of the language. The learner will gain confidence as well as the motivation to learn.
Drama can be viewed as a mirror where the participants examine themselves. Individuals can also deepen their human motivational and behavior understanding. In addition drama helps the participants broaden their perspective via stories that portray life from varying points of view as well as different cultures and periods.
Anxiety
Anxiety is a psychological state whereby the individual has feelings of emotions and worry. It is characterized by cognitive somatic and behavioral components. One has a feeling of fear and concern (Jantz & McMurray p. 10). When one has a feeling of anxiety it is because he is anticipating some trouble in the future or at the present. Therefore individuals develop fear feel worried and have a feeling of uneasiness. It is important to note that anxiety is not the same as fear. Anxiety is actually more dreadful than fear. In fact it is a feeling that is usually intimidating. It can even overcome an individual. It is a reaction to a stressor. Therefore anxiety can be said to follow a stressing situation (Peters & Peters p. 5).
Moreover anxiety can cause nervousness in an individual and thus affects the way people affected behave. It can be manifested through physical symptoms. It affects the cognitive behavior of an individual as well as the ability of a person to comprehend and interpret situations. Therefore problem solving might be affected (DiTomasso p. 43). In fact anxiety can be very serious to cause a disorder that is referred to as the anxiety disorder. The disorder manifests its effects on the psychological and physiological states of the individual.
Anxiety can affect people of all ages. It can affect the young ones as well as the old. In the case of the young ones it is likely to affect their learning. The acquisition of a second language by a student has been closely associated with anxiety. The methods used to teach the second language could raise the anxiety of a student and hence hinder his or her ability to comprehend the language. According to Drnyei anxiety has a significant effect on the second language performance by students (p.198). The higher level of anxiety that a student has limits his or her ability to learn the second language. The anxiety that the student has is dependent on the methods that the educator applies to teach the language. Therefore an educator has to ensure that the tools he uses in teaching a second language serve the purpose of lowering the level of anxiety of the students (Drnyei p. 199).
Horwitz explains that the anxiety for a foreign language is not affected or influenced by other causes (p. 113). Such anxieties include test taking public speaking and innate personality. Therefore there is no correlation or rather; the correlation that exists between a foreign language anxiety and other causes of anxiety is negative. Some academicians and observers maintain that anxiety is caused by poor performance in the acquisition of a second language. However it is anxiety that leads to poor performance in the second language acquisition. A student fears that other students might reject him or her in case he or she makes a mistake while speaking in the second language. A student fears about what others are likely to think about him in case he makes a mistake (Horwitz p. 121). The fear then develops to cause anxiety and negatively affects the learning process of the second language. This fear that a student develops is mostly because of lack of self-confidence. Second language is not natural to students. Thus they do not have the confidence to speak in it since they fear they might be making mistakes as they speak. A student is even likely to lose interest on the language completely if the anxiety does not put to an end.
Confidence
Confidence is very important in anything that one does since it will have an implication of the results to be achieved. If individuals are not confident in whatever they are doing then it is very likely that the results will be negatively affected and vice versa (De p. 5). Confidence is a state where individuals are certain that whatever course of action they are taking will be successful. They do not fear that it might fail them along the way. Having confidence is very important since individuals can pursue whatever they wish without fear thereby enhancing chances of success. Lack of confidence might even hinder the chances of one trying out something completely; hence no success is likely to be achieved. It is said that if one tries out something there is a probability of success; however if one does not try then the probability of success is zero. This is where the aspect of confidence gains its importance. However it is important to be wary of being over-confident since the results may turn out to be negative. It is important to note that confidence allows an individual to achieve his objective goals (Yeung p. 4).
Confidence helps an individual to build a self-image. When individuals have a positive self-image they will be able to believe in themselves. This will boost their level of self-confidence as compared to a person who has a negative self-image. In young language learners self-image is very critical since the student can communicate using the language without fear. In this case the students are always confident that they are correct in whatever they are saying (Harris p. 164). That way the educator will be able to notice mistakes that they make and correct them. As the students continue to practice they will eventually gain confidence and will excel in the second language.
Communicative competence
The success of language depends on the ability to communicate fluently and understand it. This means that the individual has a good knowledge of the language as well as proper knowledge of grammar (Paulston p. 37). It also refers to the social know how of when to use certain utterances how to use them and where to use them. It is important to note that communication is the process whereby information is passed from one party to another and the other party gives their view in response. One has to be competent with the language for the process to be successful. Therefore the term communicative competence is the ability to interact successfully with other people. For the language to be well communicated it has to be accurate clear appropriate effective coherent and comprehensive. For it to achieve this the one communicating should possess grammatical knowledge of languages including the phonological syntax and morphological aspects (Paulston p. 40). The users of a language should have a grammatical competence for them to be in a position to communicate effectively.
According to Rickheit and Strohner communicative competence has a great influence on the ability of an individual to achieve their goals in social life (p. 15). Dell Hymes introduced the concept of communicative influence for the first time in the 1960s. He emphasized on the importance of an individual to understand the grammatical rules of a language. However Hymes went further to state that the knowledge of grammatical rules is not sufficient to help an individual speak the language fluently (Rickheit & Strohner p. 15). The ability to communicate effectively will depend largely on the fluency and the accuracy that one has on the language.
Fluency
Language fluency is the ability of an individual to deliver information in an expertise manner and with perfection (Wood p. 9). The term can be used to refer to a high level of language proficiency and especially the second language. However language fluency is not the same as language proficiency. Nevertheless it is necessary for one to have language proficiency (Benati p. 15). A person who is fluent in a language can speak without difficulties in the way he or she utters words. The speech comes in a manner that seems natural (Stone et al p. 443). One should be able to communicate in a manner that both the native speakers and the non-native speakers can understand him or her.
Language fluency can be acquired through constantly speaking and practicing the language (Ray & Ray p. 12). The students are offered this platform when they participate in drama. When students have language fluency they are able to communicate effectively (Segalowitz p. 107). In addition they have the confidence to speak in front of a crowd and they are motivated to learn since they gain an aspect of interest.
Accuracy
Accuracy is a term that can be used to refer to closeness to perfection. Something that is accurate is either perfect with no error at all or it is very close to being error free. Language accuracy is whereby an individual hardly makes a mistake when speaking in a language especially the second language. At times it becomes quite difficult to distinguish accuracy from fluency since a person who is fluent in a language does not make mistakes while speaking and thus he is accurate. Fluency and accuracy jointly contribute to communication competency. Accuracy can be used to measure the number of mistakes that a speaker makes when communicating. A speaker can measure his or her second languages by use of any of the following measures: morphological accuracy measure syntactic accuracy and lexical accuracy (Polio p. 101; Agustin p. 129).
Effectiveness of Drama in Second language Learning
Teaching of a second language is a task that poses a big challenge to the educators. In this case they are supposed to make students develop and become confident speakers of the language. On the other hand the process is also a challenge to the learners since they are also supposed to understand and be able to communicate confidently in a language that is completely new to them. The students become anxious about the language and they are not confident since they do not understand the language. Therefore it is the duty of the educator to help the students overcome the fear and anxiety.
For a long time it has been argued that use of drama in English classes is one of the most effective methods to teach English in classrooms. However some people have rubbished this claiming that use of drama will be a waste of time and that it has no positive implications to the language teaching. Drama gives the student an opportunity to practice his or her language fluency while performing the plays. In addition drama has helped students gain confidence and they will be able to communicate with no fear in front of a crowd (Chan Chin & Titima p. 286). Drama is interesting and a student who is participating in drama will gain interest to learn more language aspects so that they can perfect in drama.
According to Burke and OSullivan drama can be very effective in overcoming the anxiety that a student is likely to develop as a result of the second language (p.67). Drama also helps the student to get rid of shyness and thus he or she will be able to gain confidence. In addition drama is engaging and thus it can stimulate the students interest to learn the language. In fact students even forget that they are learning and they will just communicate freely due to the interest they gain. They forget their fears and hence overcome the anxiety involved when one is learning a new language (Chan Chin & Titima p. 287).
The objective of drama in learning is primarily to make the student understand the language rather than playmaking. However the process will have to involve a play for it to be successful. The drama eventually becomes a natural way through which an individual learns throughout his or her developmental history. Drama can foster skills that one needs to develop language proficiency. These are skills such as reading and writing as well as listening and speaking. Drama is a very powerful tool that can be used to teach English language or any other second language (Brauer p. 162).
There are various benefits associated with the use of drama in second language acquisition. This includes the fact that drama can be effective in helping individuals understand their personal and human experiences. The students can enter into a reality of situations that are imaginary and present them on stage (Richards p. 74). The effect of this is that students will be able to explore their emotions attitudes relationships as well as attitudes towards the language.
The other benefit that drama has on the learning ability of a student is that it helps them think in an effective manner. This is because drama demands a person to be constantly imaginative. Therefore individuals will develop the ability to think effectively. They will be able to develop the abilities to invent analyze and judge efficiently (OMalley & Chamot p. 7).
Limitations in implementing Drama in TESOL
Implementation of drama in TESOL has not been an easy task since there is so much resistance from people who view it as a waste of time. Various limitations can be identified about the implementation. This includes the fact that interest in drama is an issue of talent and not all students may be interested. This will mean that the strategy is not likely to work for all students. Those who are not interested in drama will feel that they are being forced into what they do not like or being intimidated and this will affect them negatively. In addition drama may not be in a position to teach the students on the theoretical rules of grammar. It may also not have a very significant effect on the writing ability of the student and thus it will not be effective if used alone.
Conclusion
Learning a second language is an issue that poses a big challenge to all the parties involved. It is a challenge to the educators as well as to the learners. Implementing a strategy that can make the process as effective as possible has not been easy. Among the strategies that are currently being used there is no one that can effectively help students become confident and fluent speakers of the English language in the Arabic countries. Drama can be effective in increasing the confidence of the student as well as reducing the anxiety. In this case while students are doing drama they are practicing to speak the language. In addition they perform in front of an audience and thus gain confidence. Notably participating in drama will help the student gain motivation. Drama is interesting and engaging and thus it will win the interest of students. Therefore it is important for teachers and institutions to embrace the use of drama in teaching English or any other second language.”

  

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