The perception of students on the benefit of drama in improving speaking skills in language class

Abstract

In the past few years there has been a need for a student centered approach in education. As a result, several studies have focused on drama as a tool to improve the learning process, and have showed that drama activities could have significant advantages for language learning. Besides, acquiring communication skills in class is problematic, often because of panic or anxiety. It has been asserted that drama techniques assist students to improve their skills and minimize their anxiety during their work. However, the perspective of the students on this technique has not been extensively discussed. Thus, the current paper is a pilot study that offers a voice to students who participate in speaking classes who use educational drama techniques. The research included a mixed approach of quantitative and qualitative data, specifically interviews and questionnaires. Nonetheless, the COVID 19 pandemic made the collection of data very challenging because the majority of students were not comfortable meeting in person and direct observation was not possible. Despite the challenges, the results revealed that most students have a positive opinion on the use of drama, and there is potential for further research in the area.