USE OF DRAMA IN ESL TEACHING (COMMUNICATIVE APPROACH)

USE OF DRAMA IN ESL TEACHING (COMMUNICATIVE APPROACH)

1. what does "Communicative Approach" mean?

   • A Learning model largely focused on communicative competence achievement, from a broad point of view
     • Its METHODOLOGY involves
       • DOING "useful", "meaningful" things with language
         • IN different communicative situations
           • conversation
           • listening
           • reading
           • writing
         • mixed
       • ACTIVITIES
         • PURPOSEFUL
         • INTERACTIVE
         • bASED on INFORMATION GAP PRINCIPLE
         • REALISTIC MATERIALS - SITUATIONS

2. What does "Drama" refers to?

   • .. THE WORLD OF "LET'S PRETEND"
     • = An opportunity to express oneself...
       • A. COMBINING DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
         • VERBAL (linguistic and paralinguistic aspects)
         • Body-language
         • ...
       • B. USING ONE’S IMAGINATION, EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE, SENSITIVENESS AND EMPATHY, MEMORY..
       • ITS VALUE IN LANGUAGE TEACHING
         • 4. IMPROVEMENT ORAL SKILLS (ACCURATED USE OF REGISTERS AND EXPRESSIONS; FLUENCY, ..)
         • 2. EXPLORE, TRY OUT AND PRACTISE NEW VOCABULARY
         • 3. CONSOLIDATE LANGUAGE LEARNT
           • HELPS TO RETAIN - EXTEND SENTENCE STRUCTURES, USUAL EXPRESSIONS
         • 1. PROMOTES AWARENESS OF
           • A) SOCIAL INTERACTION RULES
           • B) SELF COMMUNICATIVE COMMAND
           • C) BODY EXPRESSIVENESS
           • D) CULTURAL VALUES
       • ITS VALUE IN EDUCATION
         • IT
           • 1. ENCOURAGES SENSITIVITY & IMAGINATION EXERCISE
           • 2. FOSTERS LINGUISTIC, INTELLECTUAL AND SOCIAL DEVELPMENT
             • by STIMULATING
               • LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT
               • SENSORY AND PERSONAL AWARENESS
               • GROUP COOPERATION
               • CREATIVITY GROWTH
           • 3. INCREASES MOTIVATION
             • by means of pURPOSEFUL TASKS IN MEANINGFUL CONTEXTS
               • STUDENTS SEE (LIVE) THE NEED TO COMMUNICATE
           • 5. IS THERAPEUTIC!
             • A. HELPS DEVELOP SELFWORTH SENSE
             • B. A WAY TO TACKLE EMOTIONAL - BEHAVIOURAL PB'S
               • such as
                 • SHYNESS
                 • UNCOOPERATIVE ATTITUDES
                 • ...
             • C. EASES SOCIAL INTEGRATION
           • 4. AROUSES ACTIVE, ENGAGED, CO-OPERATIVE ATTITUDES
           • 6. BROADENS MIND
             • FORCING STUDENTS TO EXPLORE, EXPERIENCE OTHER POINTS OF VIEW AND SITUATIONS
           • 7. LET TEACHERS GET TO KNOW THEIR PUPILS
             • their NEEDS, AIMS, INTERESTS..
           • 8. AROUSE IN STUDENTS LIKING FOR DRAMA AS A LIVING ART FORM
       • TECHNIQUES
         • ROLE-PLAY
         • SIMULATION
         • MIXED

3. PROS & CONS

   • PROS: SEE ABOVE
   • CONS
     • 7. A MINIMUM COMPETENCE LEVEL MAY BE REQUIRED
     • 6. TIMING LESSONS = DIFFICULT!
     • 5. SITUATIONS CAN EASILY GO WILD (OUT OF CONTROL)
     • 4. INCORRECT FORMS CAN BE ENCOURAGED
     • 3. FEAR OF LOKING RIDICULOUS
     • 2. DIFFICULTIES TO MONITOR IMPROVEMENT IN LEARNING PROCESS
     • 1. dIFFICULTIES TO CREATE "AUTHENTIC" AND RELEVANT SITUATIONS