DRAMA IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING AT PRIMARY SCHOOL

Learning a second or foreign language can be very challenging for students, especially if they are not exposed to the target language on a regular basis and are not able to practice the language in authentic situations. The teacher in the second or foreign language class may, thus, encounter major obstacles in his/her class, especially since many of the learners may lack the confidence to communicate in the target language or to respond to questions in class. The teacher who is prepared to experiment with innovative methods of teaching may however be able to make a meaningful contribution to the development of communicative competence among the learners. In this regard, drama-in-education could have a constructive role to play in second/foreign language classes: it aims to encourage language acquisition and to reward learning experiences. In this thesis I intend to explore the use of drama as a method for foreign language learning at a primary school level, and I will argue that drama based learning and teaching can provide an excellent setting for foreign language learning.