Silja Weber (Bloomington) p1-21
2017 Issue 1
Abstract
Drama pedagogy is widely reported to have positive effects on additional language learning, but formal evidence is still sparse. This study contributes to bridging the gap between experimental methodology and fluid classroom reality for this teaching approach. Building on Piazzoli’s (2011) research on drama pedagogy and anxiety in Italian, this study uses a mixed-method, pre-and posttest design to investigate anxiety in two parallel sections of intermediate German as a foreign language. One of the classes included drama activities; the other included similarly interactive formats, but no fictional roles. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected through surveys, student feedback, external observation reports, and a teacher journal. Results from quantitative data suggest that the drama group shows decreased anxiety in whole-class speaking situations after the study. Qualitative data support this and show that students can overcome even fairly high speaking anxiety in dramatic scenarios due to creative social engagement and responsibility for their part in the scene. Based on study results and an example from the classroom, implications for studying and teaching with drama in the L2 classroom are discussed, in particular the importance of adding drama to the standard pedagogical toolbox to support empathy, inclusive teaching, and critical pedagogy.