How Drama Can Help In TEFL

DRAMA!

We thought we’d start this blog post with a flourish because this week we’re talking about the sheer variety of activities TEFL teachers have when it comes to drama. Don’t say we can’t establish a tone around here.

By drama, of course, we don’t mean confrontations with students. We’re talking about some of the ways teachers can use the dramatic arts in their lessons. From role-playing activities to acting out scenes, there’s so much that teachers can do, and multiple forms of media that educators can integrate into lessons.

Whether it’s getting pupils to provide some drama, or using films, TV and media in the classroom, we think it’s time to don our best costumes, pull the curtains and set the spotlight on how drama can help in the TEFL world.

Shakespeare himself would be proud.

Body language and expressions

So, why can drama and role play be so integral to TEFL learning? Well, it’s about a few different things. The first is language beyond vocabulary. Using accents, stage directions and expressions, TEFL teachers can indicate what they mean , using dramatic/literary devices like irony, sarcasm and hyperbole. While English may not be as physically expressive as some other languages, there’s certainly a role to be played by expression and gesture .

And drama can inspire confidence. Having some classmates read a scene together can inspire the quieter members of your class to speak up in future. Or, you might have students that flourish in creative scenarios, but not so much in written exercises. Practical, immersive lessons through drama can drive a nourishing lesson.

Tone and pronunciation are also important to get right. Acting out scenes where characters have certain motives or want to implicitly express an idea, for example, can help students understand how varied their use of English can be. It’s a neat learning device, and it’s good fun to practice whether you’re a teacher or a student.

Total Physical Response (TPR) teaching has become increasingly popular in TEFL classrooms, primarily because practical, physical lessons can reduce stress and aid comprehension. Everything from a game of “Simon Says” to using props in a classroom can work - and it’s very obvious to see where a bit of drama fits in here.

Scenes

In your most dramatic voice, we can hear you asking, “But where can we find scripts to use with our students?!?!”. It’s a good question, but it’s much easier than you think.

If physical copies of plays aren’t quite what you’re looking for, there are resources like IMSDb , which has an incredible archive of old and new film scripts. For television, try Simply Scripts . There will be film or television scripts for any audience, and if a class is familiar with the material, then they’ll know how to express the words on the page.

Or, you could even encourage your students to write little scenes. By working in groups, they can act out scenes that have been written in English, and experiment with stage directions, tone, volume and other elements of English speaking. You can set different kinds of scriptwriting tasks; something for radio, something for an animated sitcom, whatever you like!

It sounds advanced, but it doesn’t have to be. A good writing exercise might be asking students to finish a scene. Use an example they’re likely to be familiar with and ask students how they’d finish the scene if they were in charge.

It’s an exciting way to get your TEFL students to learn the language. Using creative methods of teaching , and by using popular media, you can craft fun, engaging lessons that leave pupils smiling and waiting for your next class!

Tips

Hopefully we’ve explained how impactful drama can be in the TEFL classroom. It’s a pretty simple concept that can bring out real confidence in your learners. In the internet age, there is a wealth of material that you can use, and it’s a fun way to keep classes interesting and practical.

Simple though it may be, there are some nuggets of advice to help you along.

Don’t over-correct - let students figure things out

When it comes to using drama, students need to feel immersed, in the moment, learning as they go. They’ll inevitably make mistakes - a mispronunciation here, a misjudgement of tone there. Don’t over-correct and interrupt. Letting learners figure things out as they go is more productive, according to studies .

Use familiar clips and scenes

When you introduce drama as a learning concept, it can be a bit of a (positive!) shock for learners. They might not have expected lessons with such immersion, or using popular media. Sticking with what’s familiar will not only boost morale, it also means that a student is more likely to know how a scene is meant to be portrayed.

If you have learners aged 5-10, say, you might yield good results from using programmes like Hey Duggee , Bluey or Peppa Pig . If they’re aged between 25-40, programmes like Friends or The Simpsons . Know your audience, obviously and you might want to take suggestions from students before assigning them with a particular film or television scene.

Keep it light

This should go without saying but it’s not a good idea to use dense, dramatic material with political, militaristic or violent themes for TEFL lessons. While you could argue that Shakespeare, with all of its gore and skullduggery, is taught to schoolchildren, there’s a difference between using a scene from Macbeth to teach a language lesson and, say, Reservoir Dogs .

Keep it light. Your TEFL students might not come back if you start acting out scenes from Full Metal Jacket or Apocalypse Now.

Let drama inspire!

By now, we hope we’ve perfectly demonstrated, with dramatic flair and linguistic flourish, that drama is a great way to inspire students. As both a practical means of learning tone, pronunciation and gesture, and as a creative endeavour for writing skills.

Whether it’s the focus of your lesson, or a fun way to end a session with learners, drama can get the quietest students out of their comfort zone and into an immersive, fruitful learning experience. It can also bring out the best in students who love the theatrical or like to engage with text in a practical way.

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