AN INTRODUCTION TO DRAMA

 What is drama?

It is a composition, especially one telling a serious story, that is intended for representation by actors impersonating the characters and performing the dialogue and action. 

Important Terms

1. Playwright/Dramatist – It is a person who writes plays. 

2. Script – It is the text of the play. 

3. Lines – They are the words the playwright has written for the actors to speak.

4. Cast – Consists of the actors and actresses in a play

The Structural Elements of Drama

1. Act – An act is a major division in a play. In an act, there is usually a major development which begins, has its climax, and ends.

2. Scene – A scene is a subdivision of an act. In a scene, a specific development takes place i) at a specific time, and ii) in a specific place.

3. Exposition – At the beginning of a play the dramatist often gives a certain amount of essential information about the plot and the events which are to come. Information can also be given about what has already happened in the exposition.

4. Conflict – Conflict is the tension in a situation between characters, or the actual opposition of characters.

5. Climax – The climax is the point at which a crisis is reached; it is the most intense part of the conflict.

6. Denouement – The denouement is the event/s following the major climax, or the resolution of the conflict.

7. Peripeteia – Peripety is a reversal of fortune, a fall. In drama, usually the sudden change of fortune from prosperity to ruin, or vice versa.

8. Characterization - Characterization is the method used by a playwright to develop a character. The method includes: (1) showing the character's appearance (costume, etc), (2) displaying the character's actions (stage directions), (3) revealing the character's thoughts (soliloquy/monologue), (4) letting the character speak, and (5) getting the reactions of others.

Types of Plays

1. Tragedy – This type of play generally captures and maintains a mood that emphasizes that it is about something serious, even though there may be moments of comic relief. 

2. Serious Drama – Like tragedy, this has a serious tone and a serious purpose. 

3. Melodrama – In this type of drama there is a villain whose actions threaten the well-being of other characters with whom the audience sympathizes. The situations in these plays tend to be extreme and are often violent. 

4. Comedy – The writers of this type of drama treat the topics with which it deals in a lighthearted manner (at least on the surface). In comedy, we are sometimes made to laugh at the villain, who in the end, either sees his mistakes and reforms or gets some form of punishment. 

5. Farce – Farce is like comedy in that it arouses laughter. The main difference is that, in farce, the situations are exaggerated. 

DRAMA IN THE EFL CLASSROOM

 Why use drama in the EFL classroom?

Drama techniques encourage the use of the entire body. In this way, these techniques encourage learners to “think” with their bodies, not only with their minds. It allows learners to be creative in a totally different way and it appeals to more physical learners. It can build confidence in shy learners – learners that are shy to speak in English are given a way to communicate more easily. Finally, it promotes the fact that language is not only about words but also about body language.

Benefits of Using Drama in EFL Classrooms

Drama and children – a winning combination

Anyone who has worked with young children knows that they learn chiefly by exploring their world using their imagination and engaging in pretend play. The link between imaginative, or pretend play, and language is particularly strong. Communicational and conversational skills develop as children develop scenarios.

Axing the arguments against

This is particularly so among the more traditional of us who feel that teaching cannot take place without a textbook in hand. These teachers, and many parents, see drama as 'play' and, as we all know, learning English is hard work! Yet one of the findings of a three-year study Teaching Literacy through Art showed that including arts education increases fundamental literacy skills in elementary school students. Students involved in these programmes also "scored higher on … expression, risk-taking, creativity, imagination and cooperative learning."

Drama and language

But instead of lingering over the 'why-not' of drama, let's look at the 'why', and, in particular, why we should use drama for teaching English. First of all, it's authentic. Using drama enables children to use English appropriately in real conversations, expressing emotions and ideas and listening to the feelings and ideas of their peers. In other words, English is taught in the context in which it will be used, which is far removed from lists of vocabulary and work-sheets and which makes students aware of the language first and foremost as a means of communication.

Motivational Moves

As teachers we all know that trying to teach an unmotivated child is like hitting one's head against a brick wall. With very young children we seldom come across this problem as most kindergarten and preschool children are motivated by curiosity and love to explore new ideas.The secret here is to make the task challenging, but achievable for each child. Plays are ideal for this purpose, of handling mixed abilities, as you can give bigger parts to better students, thus keeping them motivated and challenged while making it significantly easier for the slower students by giving them fewer lines. 

Finding suitable plays

Choose plays written especially for ESL classrooms. These are short and repetitive and designed to involve the whole group, no matter how big or how small. They combine fun and movement with language usage carefully planned to provide optimal speaking practice in real life contexts. Roles should be assigned according to your students' language ability levels. 

The Benefits of Using Drama Activities in the Classroom: https://study.com/academy/lesson/the-benefits-of-using-drama-activities-in-the-classroom.html

DRAMA ACTIVITIES

 Drama Activities for EFL Learning

Drama encompasses lots of teaching activities such as drama, role-play, mime, stimulation, scripted play, and improvisation. Some of these activities are more recommended and used in class in order to foster students’' participation and can be prepared for acting. The activities are described briefly in the next paragraphs.

Drama Game

Games are suitable for every age and level. Obviously, they have to be adapted according to the students' needs and interests. These short activities such as ice-breakers and warm-up activities include detailed and specific objectives. For example, teachers can use warm-up activities in order to introduce a new topic and encourage students in the learning process by letting them feel more confident and comfortable.

Role-Play

This kind of activity allows students to take part in a play either individually or collectively. In fact, role-play is an imitation of reality by speaking and acting properly to the context and situations previously chosen. Likewise, role-play represents real-life episodes which provide actors and actresses the opportunity to acquire more knowledge through experiences, develop critical thinking, or search for solutions to solve problems. This activity lets students develop their skills such as communication, group work, self-confidence, or initiative.

Mime

It is a non-verbal representation that enables students to use their body, gestures, or expression to convey something. Students use all of the aspects mentioned before to act a story without using words. Thus, the use of non-verbal languages takes an important role in this activity and makes students not feel worried about making mistakes in the language. This kind of activity can be used as a warm-up and its visual component can give students to memorize the language by visual associations. Even though the use of words is not permitted in a performance, they can be used to complete an explanation, clarify an instruction, or assess and evaluate the performance in group discussions or debates.

Simulation

It is an interactive experience wherein students reflect on what they find in specific environments; therefore, simulations create a meaningful environment for the participants. In addition, students are provided with specific tasks to perform or problems to solve in a simulation. Sometimes, role-play and simulation can get confused, but it is essential to say that simulations do not need to be close to real-life. Thus, students bring their personality, opinions, and experiences with the task. Simulations give students the opportunity to practice the language with enjoyment.

Scripted Play

 It is a scene that is performed by students in front of the teacher and classmates. The scenes can be written by the learners or even can be original. It is useful to practice and learn the English language since people should read the script in order to understand the context and meaning. Students may discuss and analyze the script and prepare the material for the performance. Besides, students must memorize the script to act in the scenario. Scripted play allows learners to improve their speaking skills, interact with others which are a reason to acquire more vocabulary and functional language too.

Improvisation

 It is a spontaneous activity that does not require any memorization of a script or even though a rehearsal. Here, students convey their ideas, opinions, feelings, and emotions, in order to be active participants and collaborate in the classroom. The teacher can provide their students with activities to develop improvisation and engage students by working in small groups in order to develop and improve the English language.

REFERENCES

1. http://www.wbsenglish.com/uploads/5/4/5/0/54506731/drama_handout.pdf