Integrating drama in teaching English as a foreign language in China : a South African perspective

Abstract

This study investigates drama as a pedagogical tool for teaching English as a foreign language in China from a South African perspective. The research evaluates the effectiveness of using drama in the English as a foreign language (EFL) teaching approaches in practice in China and as an additional tool to traditional instructional methods of language teaching and learning. The purpose is to build on empirical knowledge and bridge the gap for South African teachers to use drama as a pedagogical tool to teach EFL in China. Therefore, this investigation seeks to fulfil the following objectives: 1. Assess the benefits of using drama in the EFL classroom 2. Suggest practical procedural strategies to use in the EFL classroom with relevant examples 3. Determine how to integrate drama into the foreign language lesson 4. Research the best applicable ways to incorporate drama into the traditional instructional methods of teaching EFL in China 5. Promote using drama as a teaching method in EFL and, if possible, in other foreign language learning A methodical qualitative approach was adopted to explore this topic, guided by interpretivism as the most suitable theoretical paradigm for the investigation. The epistemological stance of this study is the sociocultural theory based on constructivism. The sociocultural theory approach linked well with the theoretical framework of the study based on learning through social interaction and assisted me in understanding how drama skills can assist foreign language teaching and learning to create a suitable contextual environment. The sociocultural theory as a theoretical guideline has assisted me in moving from theory to data and from data to theory. The study’s sample comprises the purposive selection of three school types in Mainland China: public schools, international schools, and training centres. The participants are ten South African teachers currently teaching EFL in Tier-1 cities in Mainland China. The data collection comprises interviews, questionnaires, and observations. Key terms Drama-based pedagogy, Teaching tools, Drama integration, English as a foreign language, Language acquisition, English language teaching