Process drama in the classroom: A case study of developing participation for advanced EAL learners in an international school

Dearbhla McDonnell; Aisling O'Boyle

doi:10.33178/scenario.15.1.3

Autor/innen

Dearbhla McDonnell
Aisling O'Boyle Queen's University Belfast

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33178/scenario.15.1.3

Schlagwörter:

Process Drama , Participation, Primary science education , International school , EAL

Abstract

This paper reports on a study of the use of process drama in an international primary school in the Netherlands. The research investigated the extent to which using process drama could develop participation for advanced EAL learners. In addition, we sought to understand pupils’ perspectives. Using a qualitative methodology, we undertook a case study approach focusing on six advanced EAL learner pupils (9-10-year-olds). We implemented the process drama approach during a series of nine science lessons. We collated and analysed Video recording of lessons, the class teacher’s written observations, a research journal, two interviews and a focus group with the case study participants using an arts-based framework of participation, previously employed by Pérez-Moreno (2018). We deployed embodied research methods. The findings suggest that using process drama as a teaching methodology increased participation, but not immediately. In addition, pupils who had not previously spoken out in lessons began to volunteer their ideas. All case study pupils reported that they considered that their participation increased.

Autor/innen-Biografien

Dearbhla McDonnell

Dearbhla McDonnell works as a Primary Education Teacher and Whole School Music Specialist in the Netherlands. She has taught extensively throughout Europe. Dearbhla has an MA, MEd and PGCE from the University of Cambridge and was awarded the Barbara Pointon prize for the most exciting and innovative materials for use in school music. Dearbhla completed her EdD through Queen's University Belfast which focused on Process Drama.
Aisling O'Boyle, Queen's University Belfast

Aisling O’Boyle is Lecturer at Queen’s University Belfast and Director of the Centre for Language Education Research. Her research explores the relationships between dialogue and education. This leads to methodological interests in corpus linguistics and discourse analysis and applied research in English Language Education, particularly in the topics of academic discourse and the socially embedded nature of English language teaching and learning in refugee and gender equality concerns.

Literaturhinweise

Arts, A. (2020). If you can’t say it, take a puppet. Scenario, 14(1), 98-102. https://doi.org/10.33178/scenario.14.1.6

Atas, M. (2015). The reduction of speaking anxiety in EFL learners through drama techniques. Procedia – Social and Behavioural Sciences, 176, 961-969. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.01.565

Bolton, G. (1979). Towards a theory of drama in education. Longman

Bournot-Trite, M., Belliveau, G., Spilotopoulos, V., & Seror, J. (2007). The role of drama on cultural sensitivity, motivation and literacy in a second language context. Journal for Learning through the Arts, 3(1), 1-35. https://doi.org/10.21977/D93110058

Bowell, P., & Heap, B. (2017): Putting process drama into action: The dynamics of practice. Taylor & Francis. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315717975

Bozyigit, N., Onan, T. S, Özçinar, A., & Erdem, A. (2014).?An in-class project model: Active learning and effective participation.?Journal of Education and Future 6, 15-24.

Braund, M., Moodley, T., Ekron, C., & Ahmed, Z. (2015): Crossing the border: Science student teachers using role-play in grade 7. African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education,?19(2), 107-117. https://doi.org/10.1080/10288457.2015.1016711

Creswell, J. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). Sage

Dorion, K. R. (2009). Science through drama: A multiple case exploration of the characteristics of drama activities used in secondary science lessons. International Journal of Science Education,?31(16), 2247-2270. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500690802712699

Even, S. (2008). Moving in(to) imaginary worlds: Drama pedagogy for foreign language teaching and learning. Die Unterrichtspraxis/Teaching German,?41(2), 161-170. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1756-1221.2008.00021.x

Farmer, D. (2012).?Learning through drama in the primary years. Published by Drama Resource. www.dramaresource.com

Fink, R., & Heath, J. (2006). Lifecycles the musical. Bad Wolf Press.

Freebody, K. (2010). Exploring teacher-student interactions and moral reasoning practices in drama classrooms. Research in Drama Education,?15(2), 209-225. https://doi.org/10.1080/13569781003700094

Geneuss, K., Obster, F., & Ruppert, G. (2020). I have gained self-confidence. Exploring the impact of the role-playing technique STARS on students in German lessons. Scenario, 14(1), 44-64. https://doi.org/10.33178/scenario.14.1.4

Hardman, D. (2008): Teaching for Very Long-Term Retention and Better Ways of Thinking. Psychology Teaching Review, 14(2), 24-27

Haseman, B. (1991): Improvisation, process drama and dramatic art. The Drama Magazine, July, 19-21.

Hulse, B., & Owens, A. (2019). Process drama as a tool for teaching modern languages: Supporting the development of creativity and innovation in early professional practice. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 13(1), 17-30. https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2017.1281928

Jackson, A., & Vine, C. (2013). Learning through theatre: New perspectives on theatre in education. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203116753

Karavoltsou, A., & O'Sullivan, C. (2011). Drama in education and self-directed learning for adults. Journal of Adult and Continuing Education, 17(2), 64-79. https://doi.org/10.7227/JACE.17.2.7

Lee, B. K., Patall, E., Cawthon, S., & Steingut, R. (2015). The effect of drama-based pedagogy on preK–16 outcomes: A meta-analysis of research from 1985 to 2012. Review of Educational Research, 85(1), 3-49. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654314540477

Lune, H., & Berg, B. L. (2017). ?Qualitative research methods for the social sciences. Pearson.

McCarthy, M. (2010). Spoken fluency revisited. English Profile Journal, 1(1), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1017/S2041536210000012

McEwen, L., Stokes, A., Crowley, K., & Roberts, C. (2014).?Using Role-Play for Expert Science Communication with Professional Stakeholders in Flood Risk Management. Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 38(2), 277-300. https://doi.org/10.1080/03098265.2014.911827

Mercer, N., Warwick, P., & Ahmed, A. (2017). An oracy assessment toolkit: Linking research and development in the assessment of students' spoken language skills at age 11-12. Learning and Instruction, 48, 51-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2016.10.005

Miles, M., & Huberman, M. (2002): The qualitative researcher's companion. Sage. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412986274

Murphy, C., Lundy, L., Emerson, L., & Kerr, K. (2013). Children’s perceptions of primary science assessment in England and Wales. British Education Research Journal, 39(3), 585-606.

Nfor, S. (2020). Multimodal scaffolding teaching: Role-taking or role-creating in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) oral communication class in Japan. Scenario, 14(1), 24-43. https://doi.org/10.33178/scenario.14.1.3

O’Boyle, A. (2014). 'You' and 'I' in university seminars and spoken learner discourse. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 16(1), 40-56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2014.08.003

O'Neill, C. (1995).?Drama worlds: A framework for process drama.?Heinemann Drama.

O’Sullivan, C. (2018). Role-play and research. In L. Cohen; L. Manion & K. Morrison (Eds.), Research Methods in Education (8th ed., pp. 606-627). Routledge

O’Toole, J. (1990). Process, art form and meaning. Paper presented at the 14th National Association for Drama in Education (NADIE) Conference, Sydney.

O’Toole, J. (1992). The process of drama: Negotiating art and meaning. Routledge.

Piazzoli, E. (2018). Embodying language in action: The artistry of process drama in second language education. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-77962-1

Pérez-Moreno, J. (2018). Making music in early childhood: A study of the formats of participation. British Journal of Music Education,?35(2), 117-132. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0265051717000328

Ponelis, S. (2015). Using interpretive qualitative case studies for exploratory research in doctoral studies: A case of information systems research in small and medium enterprises. International Journal of Doctoral Studies, 10(1), 535-550. https://doi.org/10.28945/2339

Reed, J., Aguiar, B., & Seong, M.-H. (2014). University students' perceptions of an activity-based EFL drama course at a Korean university. Journal of Pan-Pacific Association of Applied Linguistics,?18(1), 241-259.

Sloman, K., & Thompson, R. (2010). An example of large?group drama and cross?year peer assessment for teaching science in higher education. International journal of science education,?32(14), 1877-1893. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500690903229312

Spolin, V. (1986). Theater games for the classroom: A Teacher's handbook. Northwestern University Press.

Tombak, A. (2014). Importance of drama in pre-school education. Procedia-Social and Behavioural Sciences,?143, 372-378. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.07.497

Varis, K., Jäppinen, I., Kärkkäinen, S., Keinonen, T., & Väyrynen, E. (2018). Promoting participation in society through science education. Sustainability, 10(10), 3412. https://doi.org/10.3390/su10103412

Walqui, A., & Heritage, M. (2018). Meaningful classroom talk: Supporting English learners' oral language development. American Educator,?42(3), 18-23.

Weber, S. (2019). Performance for introverts? Discourse evidence for students' collaborative shaping of social space. Scenario, 13(2), 139-156. https://doi.org/10.33178/scenario.13.2.9

Wells, T., & Sandretto, S. (2017). I'm on a journey I never thought I'd be on: Using process drama pedagogy for the literacy programme.?Pedagogies: An International Journal,?12(2), 180-195. https://doi.org/10.1080/1554480X.2016.1245147