AN INTRODUCTION TO DRAMA

 

What is Drama?

In terms of language teaching,  various authors have tried to define drama.  Although these definitions seem different from the other,  they complete each other.  First of all, Boulton (1968) stated that drama is “not really a piece of literature for reading his definition emphasizes hat the text of a  drama is meant to be transformed into actions,  dialogues, or sights. However,  to act out a  drama,  the performer should first carefully read and analyze the text. Thus, if students are assigned to perform a drama, they must start by dealing with the language structures and language items of the work. The results of the reading and analysis are then used to communicate in a contextualized setting.

Although the employment of drama in the  English classrooms is basically for developing language competence and imagination,  not for exhibition,  teachers  should never discourage their students to act out their scenes to the rest of the class or a larger audience if they wish to. Supporting them to perform the rehearsed drama activities can promote higher enthusiasm and creativity