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In this article, I try to define what I mean by language learning through drama/theatre texts, outline
some of the benefits it can bring to the language learning classroom and some of the differing
methods and approaches that can be utilised to fully exploit the potential of drama and theatre texts.
Writers such as Maley, and Duff, (1978) and Wessels, (1987) have pointed to the values and uses of
drama:
'Drama can help the teacher to achieve 'reality' in several ways. It can overcome the
students' resistance to learning the new language:
o by making the learning of the new language an enjoyable experience
o by setting realistic targets for the students to aim for
o by creative 'slowing down' of real experience
o by linking the language-learning experience with the student's own experience of
life
Drama provides cultural and language enrichment by revealing insights into the target culture and
presenting language contexts that make items memorable by placing them in a realistic social and
physical context.
By allowing reading and the adding of some characterisation to a drama /theatre text, learners
became personally and fully involved in the learning process, in a context in which it is possible for
learners to feel less self-conscious and more empowered to express themselves through the multiple
voices (Vygotsky, 87 Bakhtin, 1981, 1986) of the differing characters.
One of the drawbacks in the use of literary texts such as novels and poems is that many of them
contain language forms that learners of a language find difficult to understand. This could be
overcome by simplifying them, often leading to a loss of 'literariness' - leading to criticism that the
texts became pale imitations of the original writing. The lack of suitable texts in the traditional
body of literature, in my view opens the door for the inclusion of drama in language learning
curricula as it tends to use much more naturalistic language than in poems and novels. Drama texts
help to address the need for sufficient texts for worthwhile reading in which suitable materials can
be accessed.
Classroom method
Below, I outline the stages of a type "b" approach to introducing a drama/theatre text to a class of
EFL learners. The process involves linking standard approaches in drama/theatre to approaches
suitable for the classroom. Classroom practice, then, may follow a (1) (physical) warm up - (2) text
reading/listening - (3) extension activities format.
Stage 1
Standard methods in the type "b" approach involve warmer activities to get the learner to
anticipate what they're going to meet in the language in the text using guessing, pre-
discussion, pictures.
Its aims are to stimulate oral communication, reading for pleasure and to enrich thinking
and expression for this reason, drama techniques focussing on waking the imagination, and
the body including the vocal chords in preparation for reading or even enacting the text
could easily precede this stage.
Use of text can be one of the more in depth and sophisticated drama activities.
The idea is that the pre-reading/listening stage will sensitise the learner to the language and
concepts to be encountered and engage prior knowledge and experience. Pictures, the book
cover, prompt questions, learners' own memorabilia etc are used.
Stage 2
The second stage may involve two task types:
1. The while listen/reading task involves the learner having a task to fulfil based on his/her
reading, such as finding out a piece of information from the text.
2. Tasks inserted into the text such as one where learners complete the task using their own
ideas.
Stage 3
The third stage could incorporate...
3. Text attack questions require the learner to realise certain meanings in the text and the
way they are achieved in the language use.
4. Interpretation and response tasks/question: What's the message from the author? What
general meanings can we infer from the antagonists' statements / actions? What conclusions
can we draw about the character and motivations of the antagonists? How is that expressed
through the language? How do you feel about the character? How did you feel as the
character? Response calls for the learner to express an opinion or feeling and to often say
why they feel this or have this opinion.
Conclusion
Of the main approaches I have outlined a) Developing literary competence to understand and
appreciate and b) Experiencing literature, I, like Rod Ellis (2000), believe there is no absolute
dichotomy between them. Differing approaches need to be incorporated in language
teaching/learning for their relative merits.
References
Austin, JL, 1962. How To Do Things With Words Harvard University Press
Bakhtin, M M. 1981. The Dialogical Imagination: Four Essays. University of Texas Press: Austin,
TX,
Bakhtin, M M. 1986. Speech Genre and Other Late Essays. University of Texas Press: Austin, TX,
Belcher, D and Hirvela, A. 2001. Coming Back to Voice: The Multiple Voices and Identities of
Mature Multilingual Writers JSLW (journal od second language writing) Volume 10, Number 1/2
Brumfit, C and Carter, R a (Eds), 1986. Literature and language teaching Oxford: OUP (2nd ed:
1987)
Brumfit, C and Carter, R, 1986. English Literature and English Language. In Brumfit, C and
Carter, R (eds) Literature and Language Teaching. OUP
Carter, R and Long, MN, 1987. The Web of words: exploring literature through language. CUP
Collie, J and Slater, S, 1987. Literature in the Language Classroom. Cambridge University Press.
Coulthard, M, 1977. An Introduction to discourse analysis London: Longman (2nd ed: 1978)
Cummins, J. 2000 Language Power and Pedagogy: Bilingual Children in the Crossfire. Clevedon,
UK: Multilingual Matters.
Ellis, Rod Feb 2000. 'Literature in ELT Lecture Series'. MA in Applied Linguistics, St Mary's
College, Surrey University
Gower, R, 1996. Can stylistic analysis help the EFL learner read literature? ELT Journal 40: 125 -
30
Jones, A (ed), 1999. Performing the body: performing the text. London: Routledge
Maley, A and Duff, A, 1982 (2nd Edition). Drama Techniques in Language Learning CUP
Short, M, 1989. Discourse Analysis and Drama in Carter, R and Simpson, P, 1989. Language,
Discourse and Literature, Routledge
Soyinka, W, 1984. Six Plays: (inc) The Trails of Brother Jero, Methuen
White, R.V. 1988, The ELT Curriculum: Design, Innovation and Management. Oxford: Blackwell
Wessels, Charlyn, 1987. Drama (Resource Books for Teachers) Oxford University Press.
Vygotsky, LS.1987 Thinking and speech. In Rieber and A Carton (eds). The Collected works of L
Vygotsky. New York: Plenum