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Applying drama as pedagogy in the English language classroom : case studies in three Singapore primary schools
Author
Madhu Arjandas Sakhrani
Supervisor
Wales, Prudence Ellen
Abstract
The dissertation explores the use of drama as pedagogy in the English Language classroom. With so many schools (Wales and Gilmer, 2012) grappling with using drama effectively in the language classroom and given the demands in terms of knowledge, skills, abilities and competencies a teacher requires in order to engage the art form for learning, the study evaluates the effectiveness of the training employed by three schools to support their teachers in the use of drama pedagogy. It includes considerations for schools and institutions (e.g. The English Language Institute of Singapore, The National Arts Council, Singapore Drama Educators Association) that wish to employ drama teacher trainers in both Drama and English as well as provide insights for future training conducted by the Curriculum Planning & Development Division (English Language) at the Ministry of Education, for their English teachers.
It documents the work of three teachers in three case studies as they employ drama for English Language teaching and learning. It employs an ethnographic approach to highlight the successes, challenges and struggles of teachers in the use of drama pedagogy and to illustrate how the teachers’ passion, beliefs, knowledge and skills shape the way they use drama.
It compares the different ways drama is used in the three classrooms and reveals how teachers’ perceptions of what characterises a ‘drama-based’ classroom affect the effective use of drama pedagogy in their classrooms.
It shows that where drama is used superficially in the classroom, it does little for student learning and student agency in learning. Its findings emphasise the need for schools and institutions to broaden their understanding of drama when employing it as a pedagogy.
It documents the work of three teachers in three case studies as they employ drama for English Language teaching and learning. It employs an ethnographic approach to highlight the successes, challenges and struggles of teachers in the use of drama pedagogy and to illustrate how the teachers’ passion, beliefs, knowledge and skills shape the way they use drama.
It compares the different ways drama is used in the three classrooms and reveals how teachers’ perceptions of what characterises a ‘drama-based’ classroom affect the effective use of drama pedagogy in their classrooms.
It shows that where drama is used superficially in the classroom, it does little for student learning and student agency in learning. Its findings emphasise the need for schools and institutions to broaden their understanding of drama when employing it as a pedagogy.
Date Issued
2017
Call Number
PN1701 Mad
Date Submitted
2017