THE USE OF

DRAMA
IN ELT
 MENU
1.1 What is Drama?
1.2 Why Use Drama in ELT
1.3 Pros and Cons of Using Drama in ELT
1.4 Disadvantages, but...
1.5 Suggestions
1.6 Conclusion
1.7 Any Question?
WHAT IS
DRAMA?
 W H AT D I D T H E Y S AY
 Drama is doing. Drama is being. Drama is such a normal thing.
(Charlyn Wessels, 1987)
 Drama heightened self-esteem, motivation, spontaneity, increased
capacity for empathy, and lowered sensitivity to rejection. All these
facilitate communication and provide an appropriate psycholinguistic
climate for language learning. (Susan Stern, 1980)
 As an educational tool, the use of drama fosters the social, intellectual
and the linguistic development of the child (Dougill, 1987).
 WHY USE DRAMA IN ELT?
 To give learners an experience (dry-run) of
using the language for genuine communication
and real-life purposes; and by generating a need
to speak

 To make language learning an active,

motivating experience
 WHY USE DRAMA IN ELT?

To help learners gain the confidence and self-esteem

needed to use the language spontaneously
To bring the real world into the classroom (problem-
solving, research, consulting dictionaries, real time &
pace, cross-curricular content)
 WHY USE DRAMA IN ELT?

To emulate the way children naturally acquire language

through play, make-believe and meaningful interaction

To make what is learned memorable through direct

experience and affect (emotions)for learners with different
learning styles
 WHY USE DRAMA IN ELT?

To stimulate learners’ intellect and imagination

To develop students’ ability to empathize with others

and thus become better communicators
Helps learners acquire language by focusing on the
message they are conveying, not the form of their
utterances
 PROS AND CONS OF
DRAMA USING IN ELT
 PROS
 Stimulates authentic conversations

 Is a fluency activity
 Is suitable for consolidation

 Creates sensitivity and a sense of

awareness
 PROS
 A break from routine
 Prepare students for real life and
unpredictability
 Increases motivation
 CONS
Activity is artificial
Activities are difficult to monitor
Causes embarrassment
Encourages incorrect forms
 CONS
Has cultural bias

Teachers' fear of losing control

Spontaneity is lost
Timing lessons is difficult

Activities may not be suitable for all

levels
DISADVANTAGES, BUT...

The above disadvantages however can be solved if

careful thought and planning could be given before the
activities are used in the classroom. The teacher
himself must be convinced of the effective use of these
activities if he wants to encourage students to have a
positive attitude towards these novel ideas in language
learning.
 SUGGESTIONS FOR TEACHERS
 Choose the right activity!
 Give spesific feedback to your children!

 Start small!
 Control the classroom!
Let them participate your side ( Language )
 CONCLUSION
The use of drama activities (role-play and simulation) in
TESL can be used as an innovative method in language
teaching. However, it should not be used in isolation but should
be used in an integrated approach for language teaching. It
should not be treated as a 'last resort' when all else fails. It
should be part and parcel of the communicative classroom
methodology in teaching English as a second language.
ANY QUESTION?
THANK YOU!