Section ONE

INTRODUCTION

Drama Lesson. Since 2006 the English Department of the

Faculty of Teacher Training and Education at Almuslim University*) Bireuen of Aceh Province Indonesia has been conducting a lesson program of Drama for the students of English as a foreign language. After graduating from this University, hoped these students go to work as English teachers in secondary and High Schools or various Institutions throughout the country.

The purposes of Drama lesson helps to achieve two goals of English program. First, it provides an active approach to the study of English, putting students into situations that require practice in oral communication. Second, it provides an opportunity for the students to use creativity the English they have already learned, presenting them with situations that stimulate imaginative responses.

As the above objectives indicate, the main purpose of the drama program is to enable advanced

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students of English to practice the language productively and realistically. However, its usefulness does not stop there. The drama activity itself provides the student-teacher with a set of skills that will be useful to him as a teacher. Dramatic activity by its very nature can make the study and practice of a language interesting, enjoyable, and dynamic. The students gain much encouragement from the dialogues and improvisations they do in the class. If the student feels that drama helps him to express himself better in English, he will as a full-fledged teacher, make use of this technique and adapt it to the objectives of classrooms teaching.

Drama Activity.In early foreign language teaching, drama is very

useful to promote language. Quite apart from the benefits for pronunciation and general language use, drama also helps to build students confidence, contextualize language, develop students’ empathy for other characters, involves students in appropriate problem solving and engage them as whole people. The basic idea to the development of drama was realization that needs to play is an important developmental process in a child. Using drama to teach English results in real communication involving ideas, emotions, feelings appropriateness and adaptability; in short an opportunity to use language in operation which is absent in a conventional language class.

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The drama activity also helps the students develop the personal traits appropriate for the cultural-social activities in the classroom. Acting can develop student’s creative abilities to the utmost. And certain of the actor’s skills are useful for any teacher in his work as communicator. He must have a strong, clear voice so that he can be heard and understood in the classroom. The teacher must project his voice, so that the students can hear clearly what he is saying. And he must project an image of himself and of the language he teaches that will earn the sympathy of his participating audience. Educational circles have always acknowledged that the creative teacher, who projects his own personality in the classroom attractively, is well on the way to success.

Using drama activities can foster language skills. In the vocabulary of the English-speaking world the word 'drama' may be used to mean any one of several things. It may mean that 'art' which is concerned with plays as written and performed. Drama may mean a certain kind of composition in prose or verse presenting, mainly through dialogue and pantomime, a sequence of events intended to be acted on the stage. In learning and teaching process, drama can foster language skills such as reading, writing, speaking and listening by creating a suitable context.

Drama is a powerful language teaching tool that involves all of the students interactively all of the class period. Drama can also provide the means for connecting

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students’ emotions and cognition as it enables students to take risks with language and experience the connection between thought and action. Through drama, a class will address, practice and integrate reading, writing, speaking and listening. Drama also fosters and maintains students’ motivation, by providing an atmosphere which is full of fun and entertainment. Teaching English as a foreign language inevitably involves a balance between receptive and productive skills; here drama can effectively deal with this requirement.

The Teacher is an Actor.The teacher must be an actor. A good teacher is

one who will leave his emotional baggage outside the classroom. The classroom is a stage, and to be effective the teacher must in some cases be an actor. A teacher’s effectiveness depends on his demonstration of the affective characteristics. These are in born in some of us, but they are also within the grasp of most teachers. Most of us want to be encouraging, enthusiastic, and available, but we just have to be reminded once in a while. The classroom management techniques of peace and fairness are often over looked, but they can be crucial to effective teaching.

The Classroom Atmosphere.

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Relaxed classroom atmosphere is good in teaching and learning process. Relaxed classroom atmosphere is conducive to the learning process, especially if that process involves a good deal of communication between the teacher and the students and among the students themselves. What I have to suggest does not seek to ruin a pleasant atmosphere. I simply want to make one or two practical points on behavior that is natural in our everyday life but which should be avoided in the classroom. It is the very fact that the behavior in question is so natural to us that makes it so difficult to eradicate in the classroom.

English Through Drama.I’d say that one of the best methods in teaching

and learning English is using drama as an object of the lesson. Why? You've to know first the definitions of drama. Than try to get your English with the items in acting and practicing 'speaking', 'dialogues', 'writing a script', and others. Drama is a kind of arts which concerned with plays as written and performed. It is a certain kind of composition in prose or verse presenting, mainly through dialogues and pantomime, a sequence of events intended to be acted on the stage. Drama is a branch of literature encompassing such dramatic compositions.

Teaching and learning 'English Speaking'.

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The following areas of knowledge and competence are important in their own right, within the overall heading ‘Teaching, Learning and Assessment’ for ease of reference. Teachers’ abilities in these different aspects of teaching involve not only the practical application of knowledge, but also familiarity with and practice in using a range of different teaching techniques. It is an example in teaching 'speaking'. It refers to: the key concepts, principles and techniques used in teaching speaking skills and techniques for correcting learners' spoken language. Understanding different genre. The types of speaking and their purposes, levels of formal it. The differences between spoken and written English. The difficulties learners face ability to select appropriate models and tasks demonstration of practical application through a variety of appropriate teaching techniques in a specified context, in order to achieve desired learning outcomes.

Learn by Speaking, Listening and Watching. There is really only one way to learn how to do

something and that is to do it. We understand that learning a skill means eventually trying our hand at the skill. Remember that we need to hear things, not just see things ,in order to learn well. If we are good learners, we learn by hearing and listening. We understand and remember things we have heard. We store information by the way it sounds, and we have an easier time

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understanding spoken instructions than written ones. When it comes to school, however, instead of allowing students to learn by doing, we create courses of instruction that tell students about the theory of the task without concentrating on the doing of the task. It's not easy to see how to apply apprenticeship to mass education.

English in arts.English in arts is one of the best methods in

teaching English, specially for the teacher of English as a second or foreign language. If arts performances can be brought up to the classroom, they would be good motivations for the students in learning subjects, as in speaking, reading comprehension and composition. Kinds of arts can be performed in front of the class, like singing an English song, and reading poetry. They are not only performed in front of the class, but they can be performed on the stage, in the auditorium, or they can be filmed as the final test of the subjects. In teaching and learning English, the students can combine dialogues in speaking with arts (Singing an English song; reading poetry; telling a story; doing a speech; fragment; pantomime; debating; hosting; playing drama; film making; etc). And there are many other arts may be performed.

Drama in teaching English.

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Why should we use a drama in teaching English? Language is very easy learnt but is very difficult to understand. A suitable play provides a realistic model of the way we talk. A good playwright is attuned to capture the language as it is spoken. Naturally, the play is not an exact model of the way we talk, but it is closer than the content of most English language textbooks, which must be concerned with specific structures and perfect English. In daily conversation we rarely speak perfect English. In developing English through drama can motivate students to do a lot things; they practice their speaking, arranged their sentences in dialogues and composition.

There are many ways and methods of teaching English language students with drama especially for professional English language teachers. This is the exciting sector of teaching English language students using drama, plays and with theatre techniques. The wide range of subjects for teachers including how to plan class work, choosing appropriate texts, working with students with theatrical techniques, modifying dialogue and lines for different levels of student, stage management, and how these all work together to improve language appreciation and learning; using classic plays, suggested characters; resources beyond the textbook; using stories, using songs, making games, reading poems, dialogues and monologue, etc.

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From the very moment that students decide which role to take on they start learning a certain number of facts about themselves and about other people as⎯ we have just seen that we do in our everyday life. The emotional experience conveyed in the process is not limited to having a personal insight but also extends to understanding and feeling sympathy for the experience of others. And this is essential in any learning process. The most significant kind of learning which is attributable to experience in drama is the growth in the student’s understanding about human behavior, themselves and the world they live in.

Problems in teaching English.The problem comes when we are going to teach

‘dialogues’ in a big class. If we have a class of more than fifty students, or if we are preparing resource-based learning materials, we can’t have this live dialogue, so we have to speculate about potential misunderstandings by putting ourselves as best we can in the shoes of the learners: and try to offer something for everyone. But wherever possible, evidence is better than speculation. So the best guarantee of effective teaching is to keep our eye on the ball: concentrate on the learning and the teaching will follow. Think about the teaching and we might produce a great performance, but the main thing our students will learn is merely that we have a high opinion of ourselves as teachers.

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It is also a problem of the English or foreign language class. The English Class often causes tension, frustration, and embarrassment in students. The students find that what they say is very limited. The possibility of their making mistakes, especially simple ones, is always present. The teacher may ask the students a question that they could answer -- if they had understood the question. The emotions that result from such circumstances can cause insecurity about speaking and understanding the target language. It is therefore extremely important that the English teacher be fully aware of the feelings of his students and just how much his own behavior influences these feelings. To overcome the insecurities in his students, the teacher must create in the class a warm, accepting climate. The students develop confidence only if they meet with success and feel that understanding and speaking English are not beyond them. But feelings of confidence are rarely found in a classroom climate that is cold, impersonal, and tense.

Another problem comes from the very shy students. If you are in a classroom where everybody can move about, you tend to move toward the students you are speaking to or would like to speak to. And this is just what many teachers do when they ask a student a question : they walk up to the student. The frequent result of this is that the student speaks only loud enough for the teacher to hear--leaving most of the students out of hearing range. So, instead of walking toward the

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student, the teacher should normally back away . I say "normally" because I am aware of the difficulty with very shy students, and they should of course not be intimidated by "speak up" barked from the other side of classroom.

Are you sensitive to the impact of behavior in teaching and learning process? We know how important variety of activity is in the teaching process. But are we equally sensitive to the impact of behavior? Interaction analysis makes teachers aware of the behaviors they use automatically -- and also of the wider variety of behaviors available to the students. The interaction system most widely used in teacher training. This system has more than ten categories of behavior in relating them to the English class. The teacher's behaviors are divided into two types of influence : indirect and direct. The indirect behaviors tend to encourage and reinforce student talk. The categories are: - Accepts students' feeling. - Asks questions. - Uses students' ideas. - Praises, encourages, or jokes. - Lectures. - Gives directions. - Criticizes. - Specific. - Open ended. - Open initiated. - Silence. and - Confusion.

In the classroom, the constructivist view of learning can point towards a number of different teaching practices. In the most general sense, it usually means encouraging students to use active techniques. Constructivism gives students ownership of what they learn, since learning is based on students' questions and

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explorations, and often the students have a hand in designing the assessments as well. The best way for you to really understand what constructivism is and what it means in your classroom is by seeing examples of it at work, speaking with others about it, and trying it yourself.

What make the students happy?What make the students happy with performing

the play? The students will be happy with their performing if in presenting a play in English is success. They need everything successes, for these encourage us to strive for further success. Even though their production of the play may be less than perfect, the students will feel it is successful, for they have done it. A play should be fun. It is a chance to use English rather than study English. It removes the threat of language learning. It frees the student to relax and let his whole body absorb the language. No assigning roles immediately. Start work on the play by reading for understanding, having many students read each part. Get them interested in the project as a whole -- not in their own role. Also the student often does not want a long role -- he may prefer a smaller part. Remember, it's not just the performance that counts, but all of the English used to talk about the play, plus all of the acting exercises done to prepare for the play.

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The silent way method.The silent way is a method that has received

much less attention than it deserves. This method makes the teacher doesn't have to talk so much, he has more time to observe the students, figure out where they are, and choose just the right task to suggest next. The best means of learning more about the silent way is to participate in a workshop or at least to watch a live demonstration. Learning in the silent way thus becomes 90% productive right from the start. It is therefore production, rather than mere reflection, that is reinforced by the teacher's acceptance of what the student says. Students have a great part of the class time available for interacting with one another, and this builds group spirit and a feeling of belonging.

To be a good English teacher.The essence of teaching is difficult to qualify, but

that line leads directly into the most essential criterion. Indeed such a teacher will be able to make students discover their potential in life and also be motivated or be interested in what the teacher is delivering. Following are the characteristics of being a good teacher, according to Patricia Miller*), one who loves his students and his work. He finds it beneficial to view the process through the eyes of a student :

1. He wants a teacher who has a contagious enthusiasm for his teaching.

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2. He wants a teacher who is creative and he can add pace and humor to the class.

3. He wants a teacher who challenges the students, and takes an interest in student as a person.

4. He wants a teacher who is encouraging and patient, and who will not give up on student.

5. A teacher who knows grammar well and who can explain something on the spot if necessary.

6. A teacher who will take a minute or two to answer a question after class.

7. A teacher who will treat student as a person, on an equal basis with all the members of the class, regardless of sex, marital status, race, or the future need for the language.

8. A teacher who will leave his emotional baggage outside the classroom.

9. He wants a teacher who will treat us as a person, on an equal basis with all the members of the class, regardless of sex, marital status, race, or my future need for the language.

10. Finally, he wants a teacher who will leave his emotional baggage outside the classroom.

***

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Section TWO

The program

It is my intention to trace, in this short monograph, where we have been, where we are, and where we are going in the development of the use of drama in English language teaching. The subject of English teaching, and particularly that of English as a second or foreign language, has been the issue of many books, papers, and teaching methods. Here, however, the issue examined is narrowed to the perspective of teaching English through drama. It is a field that has evolved remarkably over the last sixty years.

To examine the subject of teaching English through drama, we must look at the development of two areas of pedagogical development. One is the evolution of the language acquisition domain and the other is the domain of drama in education and how it has melded with the domain of language teaching. Not every element or development can be examined here. But we will look at the overall movement and the significant changes of thought and focus that have influenced practitioners in both domains. Finally, we will to look at the future of the field.

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In this section we review the two teaching sequences and consider the stages, aims and range of activities available for developing English skills through drama. Teaching Drama to large groups places a number of demands on the teacher. When teaching drama we can expect: A fairly high level of conversational noise different groupings, with students standing, moving, sitting, and using space to express themselves. Different groups working at different paces towards different goals In the workshop we addressed the fact that learners may not be confident about their English, or may think that drama is just fun and games.

As teachers we are aware that the main aim of this module is to develop students’ language skills – not produce actors or actresses. For this reason we need to carefully structure our lessons so that they have clear linguistic and skills-development aims, and to communicate these aims clearly to students so that are clear on what is expected of them.

We can say that it is important to have clear language aims for lessons. We also see that a generic structure for a lesson will contain a focus on aims and expectations, warm up activities which target language as well as performance aims, a context – such as a story – within which to develop the drama, a range of drama conventions which focus on skills such as character building, expressing emotion through voice and movement and, of course, creativity and confidence with language. Lessons, or series of lessons, should provide opportunities for students to reflect on their progress and to identify areas for further development.

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The other acting illustrate the process of moving from story to script and we see how a number of different performance-based activities can be incorporated into lessons.

In order to implement the objectives described above, we designed a course that we will call Language Study through Drama. We have modified the original syllabus several times in our search for the appropriate activities and desired results. The syllabus for the current year includes a one-year compulsory learn and an optimal six-month study of a semester.

The one-year study consists of 32 sessions during an academic year. These sessions are held two hours a week for thirty two weeks. As this is eminently practical and participatory work, we permit the student to miss no more than three sessions, and absences must be duly justified. We allow only 6 students in each group of maximum 30 students in one class. These smaller groups meet three times a week to write script containing the essentials of a dramatic production: characters, plot, action, and resolution. Then the students perform the play they have written.

Key drama skills develop in the process involve characterization and staging conventions. Script writing has a number of conventions which students need to be aware of. But the fact that writing dialogue is often easier than, for example, writing a story, even lower level students will be able to achieve something they can feel proud of, given the right support from the teacher.

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Developing Autonomy.A key part of the new curriculum is the

development of learner autonomy and in the session we stated that this implies a change of attitude in, first, teachers and then students. We see autonomy as the ability and willingness of the learner to take responsibility for the direction of their learning. In class we need to provide students with opportunities to exercise autonomy and work independently of the teacher. Lessons, therefore, should include aims and stages which allow students to develop their autonomy.

The Importance of Warming up Activities. The warm-up is a key feature of a performance-

based class and should always be used even if there is only time for 5 minutes. The warm-up works on a number of levels focusing on (a) warming up the body to enable students to use a good range of movement and (b) warming up the voice so students are ready to use the full range of pitch, intonation and volume levels. For our purposes, warm ups should have a clear language focus as well. In terms of the group, this is the teacher’s key moment to bring about a sense of cohesion and collaboration in the group. Aims: To introduce and provide practice with key vocabulary. To develop range of expression through movement and encourage collaboration / cooperation. Introduce the vocabulary by showing the word cards and checking students understand the words. Human Sculptures. Introduce by demonstrating with a student. You are a sculptor; the student is the sculpting materials. Move the student to make the object (chair) written on the card. Check

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students understand what to do: if necessary, get a pair of students to demonstrate for the group.

Using Stimuli.In language teaching, we generally refer to tasks,

activities and exercises. This language can be used in drama, but there are also other terms used to refer to materials. The word ‘stimulus’ (singular) or ‘stimuli’ (plural) is used to refer to material the teacher uses to generate a focus or create a story. Stimuli can come from a range of sources as is listed below, and can be used alone or in combination. Using Stimuli is to further develop language skills in the context of a narrative. To encourage creativity and confidence with English through developing a group narrative.

Voice Work. Voice work is to develop range and control of

pronunciation. To learn about the effect of voice on creating a character. To introduce a system of notation to learners for further voice work. Sound collage is to provide opportunities for creativity, suitable to mixed level groups. To emphasize the importance of sound and sound effects increating drama.

Reflecting on Learning. The session should contain some attempt to

evaluate what has been done, what achievements students have made and what they have learnt. There are different ways to do this from simple to complex and the table below sets out some suggestions.

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The One-Year Lesson.At the beginning of the lesson we try to establish

an atmosphere in which the student-teacher can relax and express himself as freely as possible. We provide activities designed to developed the self-confidence he needs both as a learner and as a future teacher.

The student starts his drama activity by speaking about himself. The teacher can readily distinguish the students who are introverts and those who are extroverts. From the very first session the teacher’s job is to develop a spirit of cooperation and encourage the necessary sincerity and concentration. It is only through sincerity and absorption that true creative work becomes possible.

The next lesson, the teacher puts the students into situations that encourage a continuous flow of speech between two persons. For example, two students are asked to perform a short improvisation in which an overseas visitor asks a passerby for an address.

Later, the teacher introduces situations that encourage the use of English as a lingua franca between one person and a group of persons. In these situations the students must adjust their speech according to the social occasion and to the changing flow of conversation.

Finally, the teacher brings in situations involving bigger groups. This encourages students to extend and develop the range of oral practice . In all these situations the idea of the dramatic frame is enhanced, from the

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static scenes at the beginning to the combination of movement and speech.

The teacher’s role.The teacher of the class maintains a low profile.

He gives the necessary instructions, which must be clear, straightforward, and easy to understand. They should be expressed in operational terms rather than in vague, abstract language, for the students have must interpret them as quickly as possible. While the students are carrying out these instructions the teacher does not interrupt to correct mistakes in usage of words or structures. Instead, he uses a tape recorder, or infocus to register the mistakes.

After the students have acted out the situation, the tape is played back and both teacher and students listen to it and comment on the performance. These comments center around two aspects: (1) the manner of presentation, including voice problems and the appropriate use of movements and gestures, and (2) the use of words and structures meaningful to the situation.

To improve the first of these, the student must be given information about articulation, breathing, and voice placement, and some practical exercises in these areas.

We do not try to provide a complete course in voice production, however. The student will have to do special work on his own if he cannot meet our minimum

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standard. Nearly all students have the physical equipment and potential skill to make themselves heard and understood, but some are too shy to speak up, and only with constant checking and practice are they able to overcome this problem. We try to make the student aware of what is needed and help him as much as possible. The student’s needs determine the various stages that form the basis of the lesson:

The Need to Communicate.Objective: To place the students in a situation

where speech, debate, or discussion can be developed in a natural way, promoting participation by the whole group and encouraging each student to communicate more easily with his peers.

Practical Activity: Each student takes his turn standing before the class and speaking on a given subject for three to five minutes. The student chooses his own topic. When he has finished, the other students participate in the discussion. They either (a) ask questions about the subject, (b) reinforce the speaker’s position by presenting new arguments, or (c) oppose the speaker’s view. The teacher sits at the back of the room and watches the students gradually gain confidence and break down the formality of the situation through their nature desire to convince or dissuade.

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Comment: The students do this exercise after they have already tackled speech in short dialogues on aspects of everyday life.

The Need to Move and Talk.

Objective: To help the students understand that speech must be linked to movement if it is to have life

and meaning. Practical Activity: The teacher chooses a series of simulated activities in which it is important to talk and move naturally.

Comment: The students are allowed some home preparation for this work. However, there are no scripts to fall back on and they are asked to express themselves within their own immediately available knowledge of English. In this way the students acquire the discipline necessary to work at improvisation a group of students prepares and performs, on the spur of the moment, a scene based on a short story, an anecdote, or a situation more complex than those described above. Sometimes a story is not necessary to stimulate dramatic presentation: two or three objects left on a table may provide sufficient motivation.

How and When to Improvise.Objective: To show the students that they can

improvise at any time there is the necessary motivation and need for such an activity.

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Practical Activity: The teacher gives the students the outline of a story in a brief, clear paragraph written on a slip of paper that is handed to them three to five minutes before they go on the stage. The students read the outline quickly, distribute the roles among the members of the group, and determine how to begin and end the play; the rest they make up as they go. The students performing know that if one of the members cannot or does not react appropriately at any point, another has to step in and give him the necessary support to finish the play in the way they have planned.

Comment: Some encouraging results achieved in this stage of the course are worth mentioning:

1. The students develop their capacity (a) to deploy their knowledge of English rapidly and sensitively to meet the demands of changing situations, and to convert thoughts and ideas into language on the spur of the moment for genuine communication rather than merely language-like behavior; (b) to meet the challenge of problem setting and problem solving within strict time limits; (c) to “invent” situations. The imaginative work involved results in a flow of ideas that must be organized into recognizable pattern. This helps the students foresee and explore many alternatives in the process of sorting out their ideas.

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2. The students demonstrate an increased confidence in themselves and in the other members of the group, and the group works together with growing success.

The One-Semester Lesson.The purpose of the six-month lesson is to teach

the students (a) how to use drama in the classroom and (b) how to use dramatic material to illustrate a specific teaching point. We give them training in writing, directing, and performing in plays so that they will later be able to organize and direct play groups among their students.

The teacher begins by giving the students the necessary background information for writing a script. Then he conducts a general discussion with the class about the work they have done previously, and from their former experience they select scenes and incidents that appeal to them. The teacher encourages the expression of original ideas and personal initiative. The first dialogues that the students produce are quite simple.

The time allowed for preparation is 15 to 20 minutes for a simple dialogue; a longer play may have to be finished as homework. Once the dialogue has been written and corrected, a director is chosen to plan and prepare the performance.

When directing a one-page dialogue or a one-act play, the students sometimes find that there is a wide gap

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between the situation they wanted to describe and the written version of it. They then rewrite the dialogue as they go along, making sure that their intended ideas are reflected in the lines they have produced.

Evaluation of Student Performance.Every session must give the student a feeling of

progression; unless his work builds into something worthwhile he will feel no sense of achievement. Immediate evaluation of individual work in class activities takes two forms: (a) the students criticize their own work and that of their classmates, and (b) the audio-videotape record of their performance is played back and discussed. The tape, of course, does not show how movements and speech go together and how movement sometimes binders speech and communication. It would be preferable to audio-videotape or multimedia with the technical resources.

A small panel of teachers assists the teacher in charge of the course in evaluating the final improvisations. They give marks for the student’s usage of English as well as for such related skills as voice production and gestures. These marks are then averaged and given to the teacher in charge as a profile system of evaluation. Those given at the end of the semester record the student’s improvement. Perhaps the best evaluation is found in the kind of activities the student-teacher develops later on in his professional career.

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Individual achievement is measured in each session. The student gets marks for his part in writing the script in the plans presented by the director of the play, and for his performance (if he is one of the actors). A small panel of teachers assists the teacher in charge of the course in evaluating the final performance, which takes place at the last session.

Some Practical Suggestions.To any teacher who may be interested in

instituting a course in language study through drama I would like to pass on a few suggestions gleaned from experience with our students.

In whatever surroundings the drama lesson takes place, a conscious attempt should be made to create the right physical atmosphere as aid to stimulation and absorption.

The teacher must have a hall or gymnasium to work in, or at least a large classroom

where desks can be moved out of the way quickly and easily.

Using a stage helps the student concentrate on the lesson, but it should not be used too soon, as it tends to add to the difficulties of shy or self-conscious beginners.

Students should be encouraged to speak

freely; therefore the teacher must expect to

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tolerate a certain amount of noise when they are preparing or performing their dialogues.

Students should be trained in proper movement, not only because this enables them to perform more gracefully, but also because of its psychological benefit in helping to relieve tensions.

In teaching the student to combine speech

and movement we can help him develop a feel for rhythmic patterns of English, which so often tend to be difficult for the learner.

Using Songs in practicing English.One of the art activities in learning English is

singing songs. Some teachers claim that singing songs in English will improve students’ pronunciation and intonation. My purpose in using songs is to improve listening comprehension and to provide cultural topic for discussion. In places where these goals have high priority, popular songs can be of great benefit, as well as

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fun. I do not say that songs provide the best way to teach listening comprehension. I would oppose an English course called ”Proficiency through Popular Songs”. But I would like to see more songs used in our classes for listening comprehension and cultural understanding, and I would like to offer the following suggestions for their selection and use. Remember that your goal is to become a well-rounded performer. Don’t shy away from classes that challenge you. For example, if you can’t sing, take a singing course anyway. There’s more to learn than carrying a tune. As an actor breath control is vital, and there’s no better way to learn the tricks of this skill than a course in vocal music.

Guidelines for Selecting Songs. In selecting songs to use with the classes, I have found it helpful to keep in mind the following points: (a) The song should be popular among the students. It should be a song the students talk about or sing frequently. (b) The song should not be too fast or too difficult to sing. Not all popular songs can be used in the classroom; some are much too difficult or too fast to sing. (c) The words of the song should be fairly well articulated. If the goal is listening comprehension, the words must be clear enough to be understood. (d) Consider the cultural aspects as you select the song.

Suggested Procedure. (a) Prepare a script of the words of the songs. You can write the words on the blackboard for all the students to see, or you may wish to

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give each students his own duplicated copy to look at. Let the students listen to the song twice while looking at the words. (b) Let the students ask any questions they may have about the song. (c) Ask the students some general questions about the song. (d) Have the students answer specific questions about the song. Keep in mind your students’ interests and level of ability in English. (e) Have the class sing the song together.

Using Films in practicing English.Language teachers have been using films in their

classes for decades, and there are a number of reasons why film is an excellent teaching and learning tool. Learning from films is motivating and enjoyable. Motivation is one of the most important factors in determining successful second-language acquisition. Films shows are an integral part of students’ lives so it makes perfect sense to bring them into the language classroom. Film, as a motivator, also makes the language learning process more entertaining and enjoyable. Film provides authentic and varied language. Another benefit of using film is that it provides a source of

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authentic and varied language. Film provides students with examples of English used in ‘real’ situations outside the classroom, particularly interactive language – the language of real-life conversation. Film exposes students to natural expressions and the natural flow of speech. If they are not living in an English-speaking environment, perhaps only film can provide learners with this real-life language input.

Film gives a visual context. The ‘visuality’ of film makes it an invaluable language teaching tool, enabling learners to understand more by interpreting the language in a full visual context. Film assists the learners’ comprehension by enabling them to listen to language exchanges and see such visual supports as facial expressions and gestures simultaneously. These visual clues support the verbal message and provide a focus of attention. Film can also bring variety and flexibility to the language classroom by extending the range of teaching techniques and resources, helping students to develop all for communicative skills. For example, a whole film or sequence can be used to practice listening and reading, and as a model for speaking and writing. Film can also act as a springboard

for follow-up tasks such as discussions, debates on social issues, role plays, reconstructing a dialogue. It is also possible to bring further variety to the language learning classroom by screening different types of film: feature-length films, short sequences of films, short films, and adverts.

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Given the benefits of using film in the language learning classroom, it is not surprising that many teachers are keen to use film with their students, and an increasing number of them are successfully integrating film into the language-learning syllabus. Until quite recently it was difficult to find pedagogically sound film material to help students improve their language through watching film, and teachers had to spend many hours creating their own materials. However, with the advent of the internet there is now a wealth of online resources for both language teachers and their students. With so many resources, it’s sometimes difficult for teachers to see the wood for the trees.

Making and watching English Film. How will ‘watching English films’ help students in learning English? Watching movies in English will help them in many ways: 1. Listening skills – The students will hear English being used in a very natural way. Some parts may be spoken too fast for them to understand but it will be a perfect way for them to get used to hearing native speakers talk to each other. They will also hear informal English and slang words and phrases that they often do not find in books or dictionaries.2. Speaking skills – Hearing natives speaker will also help their speaking skills, especially their fluency. They will hear how to link your words together and where to

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put intonation on certain words and sentences. Why not watching films with their friends and speak about them afterwards? Or they could even find movie scripts online and act out scenes with their friends! They can then play the scene to check if their pronunciation were correct.3. Pronunciation – We all know that English pronunciation is extremely difficult and when you read words it is hard to know how they should be said. Hearing native English speakers talk to each other will help you to hear how words are pronounced. If you are using English subtitles, you will also be able to see how the words are written.4. Vocabulary – By watching English movies, you will hear many new words and phrases, especially idioms and colloquial expressions. I would suggest keeping a notebook with you and writing down any new words or phrases you hear and you would like to remember or you don’t understand. You can look up the meaning later or ask your English teacher.5. Put knowledge into practice – In your English classes you will learn a lot of vocabulary and grammar but you may not know how to use it in real life. Watching English films will help you understand how to use all the knowledge you have learnt in everyday situations.The Steps in Producing Film.

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There are twenty four steps which provide detailed and well-structured lesson plans based on producing film which save the busy teachers and students a lot of time:

A. Getting the Essentials1. Get a camera. Decide what kind of camera you

need and what kind of camera you can afford. If you already have access to a relatively cheap camcorder, consider filming a story that would work well with a homemade-look.

2. Decide how you'll edit

the film. you'll need to import the footage onto a computer. The computers come with PC. Computers come with Windows Movie Maker, Vegas Pro, or any others, basic types of editing software that will allow you to edit the footage together, mix in the sound, and even add credits. You can upgrade to more complex and professional editing software.

3. Find a place to film. Look at what locations are available to you, and consider what stories might

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evolve from that location. Without access to said convenience store, it would have been difficult going.

4. Find people willing to help. With very few exceptions, producing a film involves a large group of people who come together to serve a common goal: a great visual story that deserves telling. You'll need people to act and people to help film.

5. Dream up a visual story. Because most movies are essentially visual stories, the first step is coming up with an idea that you want to turn into a movie. What's something that you'll have to see to believe? You don't have to have every detail in place, but you should have a basic idea of the premise. Think about the movies you like to watch, or the books you like to read, and consider what makes them so interesting. Is it the characters, the action, the visuals, or the theme? Whatever it is, keep that element in mind as you plan your movie. Write out a list of all the props, locations and actors which are currently

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available locally then develop a film around this. Keep a dream journal, dreams like films are visual stories and dreams. Keep a notebook with you for writing ideas down. Read the news stories in the papers. Have a basic idea, and work with that. Narrow it down as you go along while writing the plot.

6. Expand your idea into a story. The essentials for building a story from your idea have to do with character. Who is your protagonist? What does your protagonist want? What keeps them from getting it? How will the protagonist be changed? If you can answer all these questions, you're on your way to a great story. Make sure your story has a beginning, in which the scenario and the characters are introduced, a middle, in which the conflict builds, and an ending, in which the conflict is resolved.

7. Write a screenplay. A screenplay breaks every moment of the story into an individual, film-able scene. While it may be tempting to want to costume-up and start filming every scene as it comes, you'll be in much better shape if you can plan things out before hand and think of your film scene-by-scene. A screenplay writes out all the dialog, attributed to each character, along with some physical directions, exposition, and camera

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movement. Each scene should start with a brief description of the scene.

8. Storyboard your film. It can be done on a large scale, drawing only each major scene or transition, or, if you've got a very visual story, It can also be done at the micro level, planning every shot and camera angle. This process makes a long film go more smoothly, and will help you anticipate difficult scenes or sequences to film. You can try shooting without storyboarding, but it will not only help you visualize your movie, it will help you explain your vision to the other members of the crew.

9. Develop an aesthetic for your film. Because movies are visual, it's a good idea to spend some time on the "look and feel" of the movie.

10. Design the costumes and sets. How do you want the setting of your film to look? Can you film it in a real location, or will you have to build a set?

11. Consider lighting. Some movies feature soft, almost gauzy lighting that makes the actors and the sets look significantly more appealing, and the entire film more dreamlike; others favor a lighting style that looks closer to reality, and some people push the edges and go for a really hard light that is almost cutting.

12.Dress the sets, or scout a location. If you're going to shoot on-location, find the area you want

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and make sure it's available for filming. If you're working on a set, start building and "dressing" (or adding props) them. If possible, using actual locations is easier. Green screens can look very fake in certain locations but you can use one of you want.

B. Casting the Crew. 13. Choose someone to direct. The director

controls the creative aspect of the movie, and is a key connection between the crew and the cast. If you have an idea for movie and know exactly how it should look and feel, it would be a safe bet that the director is you, but if your not good at directing people and your not comfortable bossing people around, then, you can take a different approach on directing or just hire someone else and try to give them the full picture. You'll cast the major players, oversee the filming, and offer creative input where you see fit.

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14. Choose a Cinematographer, or Director of

Photography. This person is in charge of making sure the lighting and actual filming of the movie go smoothly, as well as deciding with the director how each shot should be framed, lit, and shot. He or she manages the lighting and camera crews, or operates the camera on a small film.

15. Assign someone the set design. This person is in charge of making sure the sets correspond with the director's creative vision. Costume, hair, and makeup design could be in the same category on a very small production. On a large production, this person would choose every costume used in the film.

16. Put someone in charge of sound and

music. The sound man may be one or more people. Dialog needs to be recorded either in scene, or looped in later during production.

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Sound effects, like gunshots and grenades or an explosion, all need to be created; music needs to be sourced, recorded, and mixed; and footsteps, leather creaks, plates broken, doors slamming, etc. All the needs to be generated. The sound also needs mixed, edited, and lined up with the video in post-production. And remember, the music doesn't have to be very loud, it can be quiet in a quiet scene to the point where people aren't focusing on it as it now just acts an aid to capture the scene.

17. Cast your film. People in your community might work for screen credits in low-budget films. Of course, it would be advantageous to have a well-known name starring in your movie, but learning to play to the strengths of the actors you do have will ensure that you've got a great filmed product. If you need a cop character in your film, call one up and ask if he'd be willing to film a couple scenes some afternoon. Just make sure that the movie doesn't involve anything illegal while the police officer is there, as this could not end well. If you need a college professor, contact the school. Test the range of your actors. If you know that one of them will have to cry in a sad scene, make sure he or she can do it before you contract for the project. Avoid scheduling conflicts. Make sure your actors can be available on-set when you

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need them. Be careful of stunts if any. The actor might get injured.

C. Filming and Editing18. Gather and test your equipment. At the

very least, you'll need a video camera. You will probably also need a tripod — to mount the camera for steady shots — lighting equipment, and sound equipment. Filming some "screen tests" would be a good idea. Give your actors the chance to practice while being filmed, and give the crew a chance to coordinate their actions.

19. Plan meticulously. Keep track of which "take" is the best take for each scene, to help yourself in the editing process later. If you've got to comb through multiple missed takes and bad takes every time you want to find the scene you wanted, the editing process will be a drag. Make sure everyone's on the same page at the start of each day for filming each scene. It can get a lot to get a whole case, crew, and location appointment together at once, so it might help to write out and distribute an itinerary at the beginning of the process.

20. Film your movie. The decisions you make will result in the difference between a "home movie" or a professional looking movie. Some people say to shoot multiple takes from multiple angles because

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it will be more interesting in the end, giving multiple options for the editing process. As a very general rule, professional filmmakers shoot each scene in a wide shot, medium shot and close up of important elements.

21. Edit your film. Take your footage to your computer, upload the files, then log them, identifying what shots work. Put together a rough cut using these shots. The way that you edit your film drastically affects the way the film ends up looking and feeling. Making jump cuts will hold the viewer's interest and set the tone for an action movie, but long, lingering shots have a powerful impact as well, but done badly this can be very boring. You can also edit to music, which is a fast and effective way of editing; you can also edit to music on a quiet section of the film, by choosing music which provides the right mood. Editing between various angles can quickly show multiple things going on in the same scene. Use your editing system's split or razor tool to create smaller clips from multiple shots, and then mix and match. You'll get the hang of it quickly, and with digital movie making, your mistakes are always saved by Undo.

22. Sync sound effects and music. Make sure that your music flows with what is going on during the movie at that second, and that the live sound

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you recorded with the film comes through loud and clear.

Re-record any parts that are important. Remember that if you are planning on distributing a film using found music can cause problems, so it is best if you can get music specially composed for the film; plus there are many skilled musicians out there who would love to get experience.

23. Create the title and credits sequences. You'll want to name your cast and crew at the end of the film. You can also include a list of "thank you” to any organizations that were willing to let you shoot in their establishments. Most importantly keep it simple.

24. Export the film to a digital format DVD.

Make a teaser or trailer. If you want to promote your film online or in other theaters, select pieces of it for a promotional

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trailer. Don't give away too much of the plot, but do try to catch the viewer's interest. Also don't forget to upload your movie to youtube or your web.

***

“Suspense”

Section THREE

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WHAT IS DRAMA?

Drama is literature written for performance--or at least written in a style that would allow for stage performance. As a text form, drama can be thought of as story told though spoken remarks and stage directions.

In the vocabulary of the English-speaking world the word “drama” may be used to mean any of several things. First, it may mean that art which is concerned with plays as written and performed. Second, it may mean a certain kind of composition in prose or verse presenting, mainly through dialogue and pantomime, a sequence of events intended to be acted on the stage, Finally, it may mean that branch of literature encompassing such compositions.

The principal subject of this section is the dramatic composition – what it is, its parts, its various kinds, and the qualities which make one composition better or worse than others. We are about to study the dramatic composition, therefore, not as a self-contained work, not as literature, but as an element of the whole art

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of the drama as it exists in performance. An analogy to music may help to make the point clear. This study may be compared to the study of musical composition, not of the score as written, played, and heard.

And of all the literary forms, drama is the one in which the author/dramatist almost never speaks directly to the audience/reader. Similarly, few dramatists create characters as vehicles for their thoughts or values. For the most part, dramatists convey ideas through their characters and the plot, rather than in a direct embodiment of themselves in the way novelists do with narrators and poets do with personas.

A. Drama is an art.1. Drama is an art which is concerned with

plays as written and performed.2. Drama may mean a certain kind of

composition in prose or verse presenting, mainly through dialogue and pantomime, sequence of events intended to be acted on the stage.

3. Drama may also mean that branch of literature encompassing such compositions.

In order to make sense of the subject from this approach, it is necessary to return briefly to the first definition of drama given above: drama as an art of which composition and performance are elements, and of which the only final and complete work is the whole

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play, including composition, performance, and audience response.

Drama and Mood. There is a saying in drama that you should leave

your personal problems at the stage door. In other words, don’t let your current mood affect your performance. Remember that while on the stage or in front of the camera, you are the character you are playing, not the other way around. However, you are human, and the character you are playing is usually human. Don’t deny your feelings, but patiently observe them so that you can call upon them to breathe life into your future roles.

Drama entails a plot and characters that are governed by a certain overriding theme. As an actor, it is your duty to understand this theme and let it suffuse your work. Work within the drama and let it flow through you and the relationships that you build with other characters. You can begin by discussing the stage or screenplay with your fellow actors and or the director or dramaturgy, if one is available. Coming to a common agreement about the motivations of each character will help round out the production as a whole.

Drama Strategy. A simple strategy for creating honest drama is

through the use of mantras. While you are acting in a scene, recite an appropriate motivational phrase over and over again in your head. The mantra will subconsciously affect your performance, making it seem more natural. For example, if you are playing a love scene, you may

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want to try reciting, “I love you”, in your head during the scene. The mantra will help to add depth to your character.

Drama and Playing.Drama, and the act of performing drama, forces

us to re-engage the spirit of discovery. As students, we played and discovered. In the artificial creation of human relationship, and the mimicry of human relationships that stem from the drama, we are forced to relearn how we engage in relationships. The writer of drama must examine how to bring characters together within the plot, while the actor of drama must learn how to imitate these relationships on stage. It is perhaps why we call it “playing” a role, or even why a dramatic production is called a “play”.

Drama and Humor.Humor comedy acting is often a critical

component of drama, though it is one that is difficult to create. Because humor is subjective, one can’t be sure what will make an audience member laugh. Usually the best rule of thumb is not to try too hard. In life, many things can make us laugh, even in moments of high tension. Ideally the writer will have achieved honestly in the script, so as an actor you have only to portray the role as honestly as possible. The audience will feel manipulated and lose interest in the world you have created with your character.

Drama in the University tend to have a highly competitive admissions process. Applicants must submit to an audition process before they are granted admission. Here the drama focus on the development of acting technique, usually focusing on work in the theatre.

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Although the work is performance based, students typically also learn about stage craft. Classes on set building, lighting design, and even dramatic writing are often offered so that students get a well-rounded education.

B. The Characteristic of DramaConsidering drama as an art and comparing it

with other arts such as music, painting, and architecture, one is able to note many ways in which it differs from or resembles each of the others. The comparison reveals four characteristics of drama, which, taken together, distinguish it from other arts and also describe its own peculiar artistic make-up.

First, temporal nature. Drama is a fugitive art. Its best performance occupies only a few hours and then is gone forever. From the point of view of the theatre artist its characteristic effects must be achieved within the narrow limits of time which circumscribe a single performance.

The second characteristic of drama is that it is

mimetic. By this is meant that it re-creates, reproduces, or re-presents. What it re-creates, of course, is human life in speech and action. The thoughts, feelings, decisions, and actions of human creatures constitute the principal material from which the work of art is authored. The re-creation of these is called mimesis.

The third characteristic of drama is that it is interpretative. The ultimate work of art, the

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performance, is not an original creation; it is an interpretation performed according to a previously created scheme or composition.

The fourth characteristic relates to the form of drama. Drama as manifested in the performance is a synthesis, or blend, or fusion, of distinct elements into a complex whole. Fundamentally, the synthesis consists of the art of the playwright plus the art of the performer, but the typical production is a synthesis not any of director, designer, composer and choreographer as well.

C. The Kinds of Drama. Many literatures in drama divide drama into four

types; (1) tragedy, (2) comedy, (3) melodrama, (4) farce. This division seems to arbitrary for some overlapping occurs. However, it is possible to represent tragedy, melodrama, comedy and farce as four dominant moods or ways of looking at life. On other hand, Gassner adds one type of drama that he calls “serious drama”. In this book the writer would like to follow Gassner’s division of drama.

1. Tragedy. Tragedy looks at life not only seriously but in a mood of exalted fascination. It is no wonder since it since it sees man wrestling with his demoniac impulses and with the outward forces of cosmic, spiritual, or social antagonism. Since the struggle is so great, it may lead to

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disaster. But it raises the protagonist above were pathos, and so affirms in some way man’s capacity for greatness.

2. Comedy. It would be easy to define comedy as a play (drama) that evokes laughter. This would save a great of theorizing about the main springs of the comic spirit, especially since the specialists on the subject disagree. Comedy could be a way of looking at life with the mind rather than with the passion. And life regarded in this manner becomes comparatively light and playful. Includes smiles, if not laughter, it asks of an audience detected observation lnstead of emotional involvement.

3. Melodrama. Melodrama has much in common with farce; exaggeration, predominance with physical movement, concentration on action without weighty characterization and social reality. The mere abundance of physical action is melodramatic quality but does not make a play melodrama.

4. Farce. Farce is a light humorous play full of silly things happenings. It is well known, of cause that even comedies of great poetic or intellectual refinement may countain episode of sheer horse-play. Since farce is merely a more obvious way of including laughter than

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comedy, it is laughter for the sake of laughter, regardless how arbitrary, contrived, or obvious the means of evoking it.

5. Serious drama. This intermediate type of play has the dignity, a point of reference, tragic over stones or details, and a general tone of seriousness but it does not provide a catastrophic conclusion for the chief character or characters. In the world, a serious drama does not cause the chief characters to suffer, the conclusion may even be hopeful.

D. The Elements of DramaThe primary elements of drama are plot,

character, and theme. The theme is the central idea of the work, or the audience. The theme governs the progression of the plot. The plot in turn governs the characters, who move through the plot’s conflicts, thereby helping to further develop the theme. Other elements such as irony and symbolism can be added to lend more subtle touches to the drama, making it more human and accessible.

The principal elements seen from the few of theatre worker are:

1. Dramatic composition (the plot, language characterization, and thought);

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2. Acting (adaptation of the composition to the stage, the directing, and the actor’s work in itself);

3. Design / visual scheme(involving setting, costume, properties and lighting).

The elements of drama are similar the to the elements of fiction. Like fiction, drama usually tells a story with characters, plot and setting. Unlike fiction, drama is written to be performed for an audience. For this reason, drama is written in a special from called a script, in which lines are written has various parts.

Cast of Characters. A script usually begins with a list of the characters in the play. Often a short description appears next to character’s name.

Dialogues. A play consists almost entirely of dialogue, conversation between the characters. Both the plot of the play and the characters’ personalities are revealed through dialogue. The dialogue appears in lines next to the characters’ name.

Stage directions. A play includes instructions for the director, the performers, and the stage crew. These are called stage directions. Many stage directions

also describe the scenery – all the decorations on stage that helps create the setting. Some stage directions

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describe props – the objects the actors need during the play. Many scripts also include suggestions for lighting and sound. The stage directions in drama that are meant

to be filmed must also include camera directions. Through the medium of the camera , the audience might see a close-up of a character, a look between characters while someone else is speaking, or a quick shots of the outside a high school. These types of camera shots are carefully planned by the playwright and are an important element in the play.

Acts and scenes. The action of a play is divided into scenes. A scene changes whenever the setting-time, place, or both time and place – changes.

E. Type of Drama ActivityRole-play and Simulation are two types of

drama activities. Both are common activities in the classroom. Different interpretations by teachers and their users are often given to these two terms. They are often used together thus the term role-simulation has been formed.

Role-play. According to Richards (1985), role-play involves a situation in which a setting, participants and a goal problem are described. Participants are to accomplish the task given, drawing on whatever language resources they can. From the above definitions, role-play is thus an activity which requires a person to take on a role that is real or imaginary. It involves

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spontaneous interaction of participants as they attempt to complete a task. There is a whole range of role-play activities. It ranges from the simple to the complex, from the structured to the unstructured. Some examples of the types of role-play are socio-drama, sketches, story dramatization, mock interviewes, business meeting and even debates.

Simulation. Simulation is often a problem-solving activity to which the student brings his own personality, experience andopinions. It involves being oneself or someone else in a simulated real-life situation. Simulation was originally used as a learning technique in business and military training. The differences between role-play and simulation is not important but what really matters are the opportunities they offer to the language teacher. Role-play is frequently used in simulation and this brings about the term role-simulation.

F. The Dramatic CompositionThe composition is also called the script,

playscript, or scenario, is the written plan or scheme according to which a drama is performed. In point of time, the composition is necessarily the first element of the synthesis to develop. All the other elements, such as acting, directing, and design, are dependent upon it, develop out of it, and are incapable of exiting apart from

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it. Until the play has been written, it cannot be designed, directed or acted.

Kinds of Composition. The principal kinds of composition are those which are distinguished according to the author’s purpose, his attitude toward his subject, and his treatment of his material.

The author’s purpose. The primary purpose of the play is persuasion. Many another play is composed primarily in order to demonstrate some theory or to teach some sort of lesson.

The author’s attitude. The author’s treatment of his material.Formalities of CompositionUnifying devices.Devices for increasing impact.Device for economizing exposition.Terminal device.The Elements of Composition The plot The characterization The language The thought The dance The design

G. The PLOT.

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Plot is the scheme of action which includes the selection, arrangement, and progression of events from the beginning and the end of the play.

Plot is the thing that moves your Story. It is the main plan of your story. It is the engine that drives the story forward on course. It is the hook, or mystery, or engaging "what if" that interests the viewer. The plot extends to include all the things that make the story work. Plot is the most important part of a screenplay and is an integral part of the story. You can write out the plot, or you can weave the tangled web in your head. But you should know the basic plot.

The easiest way to plot a story is to know two things: What your characters want, and what the situation is. When the characters are put in a situation, they are going to start working to get what they want.

Plotting a story can be a lot of fun. You keep asking yourself, "What would this character do in this situation?" or, "What would happen if this happened?" And you continue throwing your characters into worse and worse situations until they finally cave in or conquer the problem. It's fun to ask others what they think someone would do. You'll find by discussing it with others you'll get a lot of ideas and write a more believable screenplay. Start getting your ideas on paper as soon as possible. This helps solidify them so they don't drift around in space forever.

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Part of the problem with plotting is that once you have planned your story through to the end, you know the ending and the thrill of discovery is finished for you. The way to avoid this is to remember that each scene is a little story in itself, so you have several little stories to write for your screenplay.

The mad rush to get it written can work in your favor. Instead of writing full scenes, write brief paragraphs about what is going to happen in the scenes or acts, so you get a brief sketch of the entire story on paper. There are always some great scenes you will want to write right away, so do it. This way the character's motivations can still drive the story, but not get out of control.

Subplot. The subplot is like the plot, but not as important. It intertwines with the plot and helps develop it. Romance is a very typical subplot.

The plot is how the author arranges events to develop his basic idea; It is the sequence of events in a story or play. The plot is a planned, logical series of events having a beginning, middle, and end. The short story usually has one plot so it can be read in one sitting. There are four essential parts of plot: a) Introduction - The beginning of the story where the characters and the setting is revealed.b) Rising Action - This is where the events in the story become complicated and the conflict in the story is revealed (events between the introduction and climax). 

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c) Climax- This is the highest point of interest and the turning point of the story. The reader wonders what will happen next; will the conflict be resolved or not? 

d) Falling action - The events and complications begin to resolve themselves. The reader knows what has happened next and if the conflict was resolved or not. 

(1). Kinds of Plots(2). The Episode(3). Articulation of Plot(4). Plot Conflict(5). Dilemma(6). Irony(7). Suspense(8). Surprise

(1). Kinds of Plots

There are three kinds of plots: simple; complex; and compound. The simple plot is one which represents a direct progression of events from some acceptable starting point to some predictable conclusion, with no major deviation from expectation.

(2). The EpisodeAn episode is a part of a dramatic work such as

a serial television or radio program. An episode is a part of a sequence of a body of work, akin to a chapter of a book. The term sometimes applies to works based on

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other forms of mass media. Episodes of news programs are also known as editions. Episodes which end in the middle of a climactic moment are often called cliffhangers, after the name used for early movie serials. Such episodes can be nearly daily occurrences in soap operas and are frequently used in season finales of many prime time shows. Episodes can be part of a larger story are stretched out over a time period covering one or more seasons, or even an entire series run.

H. The CharacterizationThe whole subject of characterization is an

exceedingly complex one because of the intricate relationship between composition and performance. In performance the behavior and speech of the character seem spontaneous. Only a few in the writing or acting will permit even momentary recognition of the fact that what the actor is saying and doing has been predetermined by the actor. Certain aspects of character are clear in any dramatic composition :

(1). Aesthetic acceptability.(2). Identification.(3). Consistency of character.(4). Motivation.(5). Revelation.(6). Contrast.(7). Conflict.However the playwright and actor also have the

choice of indirect characterization in a similar vein to the

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writer in literature. The presentation of a character for a sociological discussion only has to be as real as the discussion requires. In this way a character can be used as an iconic reference by a playwright to suggest location, an epoch in history, or even draw in a political debate. The inclusion of a stock character, or in literary terms an archetypal character, by a playwright can risk drawing overly simplistic pictures of people and smack of stereotyping. However, the degree of success in direct characterization in order to swiftly get to the action varies from play to play, and often according to the use the character is put to. In explicitly characterizing a certain character the actor makes a similar gamble. The choice of what aspects of a character are demonstrated by the actor to directly characterize is a political choice and makes a statement as to the ethics and agenda of the actor.

I. The LanguageThe language of the drama is distinguished by the

fact that its primary appeal is to the ear. It must be heard to be fully appreciated. In this respect it differs from language of other kinds and other purposes. By contrast, dramatic language is rather more pleasant to hear than to see and is designed to catch the ear.

Since drama consists of the spoken word, language plays a role in drama insofar as the language of the characters offers clues to their backgrounds, feelings,

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and personalities, and to changes in feeling throughout the play.

The requirements of Dramatic Language.The distinguishing fact of its auditory appeal

imposes upon dramatic language two cardinal necessities, The first of these is oral effectiveness. This means that the language must be such as an actor can speak easily and can manipulate to maximum dramatic effect. The second necessity is auditory effectiveness. This means that it must be the kind of language that an audience can really enjoy listening to and can understand without difficulty.

Oral effectiveness. In order to be effectively spoken, language must recognize the virtues and limitations of the human voice. For example, emotion is expressed in speech mainly by the way in which a speaker utters vowel sounds. In the best dramatic language, therefore, vowels are arranged in such a way as to allow the actor considerable leeway in voicing these sounds, sustaining them when necessary or coloring them with emotion.

Auditory effectiveness. Most of the devices which make language pleasant to hear are based on the repetition of certain sounds according to some distinct pattern.

Poetic Language.

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Poetic language gives the impression less of a mode of expression than of a character unusually well-spoken; of a character imaginative and emotional, fascinating to listen to and more than ordinary vivid in his speech.

Prosaic Language.It imitates everyday speech, In general it avoids

highly colored images and pronounced rhythms, aiming rather toward the idiom and the impression of formlessness of the language we hear about us. The difference between prose and poetry is like the difference between drawing and painting.

Some forms of Dramatic Language.For the purposes of this discussion it will suffice

to note a few of the outstanding forms of dramatic language. They are: dialogue, set speech, and soliloquy

The Dialogue. The commonest form of dramatic language is dialogue: conversation between two or more persons. The sharpest, most effective dialogue is usually that which takes place between two characters, but dialogue between three or more is capable of greater variety and of being sustained longer. Dialogue involving more than five characters is likely to be somewhat diffuse, for five is generally the largest number that a listener can keep track of without conscious effort.

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The Set Speech. It is a speech, addressed by one character to another, or to a group, which is set off somewhat from the dialogue by its greater length, more careful composition, and especial appropriateness.

The soliloquy (“speaking alone”). It is used in drama to describe a speech which is delivered either when a character is alone on the stage or when, in the presence of other characters, his speech is not addressed to them and is usually not heard by them.

J. The ThoughtThe nature of drama as a simulation of life makes

the thought content of a play a matter of considerable importance. How important the thought is depends upon how serious the play is. In farce the thought is inconsequential, for the view of life in a farce is flippant; in tragedy the quality of the thought – according to the view of life intended – is of first importance.

(1). The nature of thought in the drama.Most serious dramas are marked by the presence

of some pervading idea or “theme”, and it is according to this idea of life that the action is developed and the characters motivated.

(2). The channels through which thought is Expressed.

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The author’s thought is evident in four aspect of his work: plotting, characterization, language and the use of symbols. A symbol is a material object which represents something immaterial. In drama it may be some object featured in the action in such a way as to suggest certain meanings or emotional states not actually shown or described, or it may be some object referred to repeatedly until eventually it acquires special significance for the audience. Occasionally, though rarely, the symbol is developed from some sound or smell.

K.. The audienceThe audience is the better half of the play. With

drama the ultimate test of quality is its effect in performance. Great drama is drama of great effectiveness; it provokes thought, arouses laughter, or stirs the emotions to an extraordinary degree. As the performance takes shape moment by moment it calls forth a perceptible response from its audience which becomes increasingly definite as the play progresses. As this response develops, a reciprocity is established between performer and audience which enhances the whole experience for all involved: audience, actor, and playwright, too, if he be alive and present.

Among theatre people there is a saying that the audience is the better half of the play. What they mean by this is that the drama is at its best when its

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performance is supported by a responsive audience. Everyone who works in the theatre certainly knows how the same play can achieve at one time, with a sensitive audience, an inspired and brilliant performance, while at another time, with a dull audience, it falls woefully short of the brilliance which all know to be potential in it.

Levels of perception and effect. Every audience is composed of individuals representing many different levels of perception. These levels can be differentiated according to age, education, intellect, emotional sensitively, and experience both of life and of dramatic art.

Aftereffects. A play seldom ends when the performance is concluded. Like a piece of music, it lives on for some time in the memory of the spectator. If it has been a good play and well performed, it may live thus for many years. The more intense the pleasure during the performance and the greater the impact, the more vivid the memory is likely to be. The richer the work and the more meanings it possesses, the longer this memory is likely to persist.

Afterimages. The most vivid afterimages are usually those created by certain high points in a play when the action is momentarily arrested, and they remain in the mind like pictures.

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“Conflict”

Section FOUR

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ACTING

Acting is being, and one of the greatest challenges facing any actor is producing realistic, non-self-conscious behavior on cue while being observed by an audience. Advice on acting ranges from simple tips such as "Know your lines and don't bump into the furniture" to avant-garde exercises involving actors running around in animal masks and grass skirts trying to establish dominance over one another. Often the simplest acting advice is the best and most useful.

The director’s principal medium of expression in achieving the projection is the actors – individually and collectivity, and in their relations to each other as well as to the setting in which or before

which they move and speak.

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First

performance is rooted deeply in the play from which it springs. Its patterns of action, of dialogue, and of character are not only congruous one with the other, but are uniquely suited to a particular playscript. A good performance is composed not of random bits from other roles, other plays, and other productions, but of carefully integrated details characteristic of the style and form of the manuscript at hand.

In the second place, a good performance is continuously clear.Thirdly, a good performance is continuously interesting.Fourthly, a good Performance must seem to be spontaneous as well.Finally, a good performance is a team performance.Purpose and method of acting.The director of a dramatic production has for his

central objective – in its simplest terms – the projection

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to an audience of the form, purpose, and meaning of a playwright’s manuscript.

(2). Movement and gesture(3). Voice and Speech(4). Characterization(5). A perspective on the whole.Emotional Scenes. For many actors, learning to “cry on crew is one

of the hardest skills to learn. There are many exercises one can do to reach the emotional level where tears can come freely. The best methods may be not to try. In other words, the more we attempt to use a techniques, the less it can work for us.

Read the Entire Script You must memorize your part to be prepared,

but you also need to be familiar with the entire script to act in it effectively. If you thoroughly understand the story, then you have context for your character. Knowing the full context of your role allows you to build your character intelligently so that everything you do is in service to the story being told. A lot of actors read the entire script maybe once at the first cast read-through and after that focus on their lines.

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Reread the script repeatedly throughout the production's run so that you understand each 1. story beat and what level of energy you need to bring to your scenes to keep the story on track.

Listen. Actors are often guilty of not effectively listening to their acting partners unless they are waiting for the next cue. This is a bad habit that can ruin scenes, because the audience will quickly grow bored watching actors who are not connecting with each other. There is a lot of truth to Spencer Tracy's advice that acting is largely reacting to the other person. Perform exercises with your acting partners in which the objective is to simply listen and wordlessly react while they talk. Staying in character when the other actors are the focal point not only makes them look better, it also enhances your own performance and helps create a believable scene.

Relax. Being tense prohibits you from effectively expressing your character's state of being. When you are tense, you cannot focus on character, your fellow actors or the scene itself. It's also a mistake to think that you have to be keyed up to play a tense character, because you certainly wouldn't get drunk to play a drunk scene. Before performing, you should practice some breathing exercises and stretch your body. Warming up is one of the simplest and most effective ways to relax your mind and body before performing so that you can concentrate on the work itself.

Section FIVE

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THEATRE and STAGE

It concerns the contributions to a dramatic performance made by the theatre structure which houses the performance, and by the type of scenery which forms its décor. Theatre structure differ widely in their basic architectural organization, which dictates the relationship between actor, scenery, and audience. The most

primitive organization of the theatre space is the pure (or complete) arena, which provides merely an un localized space for the action in the midst of the audience.

In theatre or performance arts, the stage is a designated space for the performance of productions. The stage serves as a space for actors or performers and

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a focal point for the members of the audience. As an architectural feature, the stage may consist of a platform. There are several types of stages that vary as to the usage and the relation of the audience to them. The most common form found in the West is the proscenium stage. In this type, the audience is located on one side of the stage with the remaining sides hidden and used by the performers and technicians. Thrust stages may be similar to proscenium stages but with a platform or performance area that extends into the audience space so that the audience is located on three sides. In theatre in the round, the audience is located on all four sides of the stage. The fourth type of stage incorporates created and found stages which may be constructed specifically for a performance or may involve a space that is adapted as a stage.

Section SIX

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DESIGN

‘Design’ is the visual scheme of the production, including scenery, properties, and stage lighting. ‘Design’ therefore consists of all the inanimate things which contribute to the visual effect of the performance.The visual scheme of the production is developed simultaneously in both time and space. Scenery, costumes, and properties exist in space, and either separately or together they make their separately or together they make their primary appeal to the eye. At any given moment during the performance the arrangements and the effects of which they are capable respond to principles which govern the spatial arts.

Design in drama or theater can also be discussed in terms of the type of space in which it is provided. Stages and auditoriums have distinctive forms in every era and in different cultures. Design as an element of drama. When you are asked about the 'design elements' in an evaluation, they usually mean things like costume, props, lighting, all the things that you have designed to enhance your theatre. We provide comprehensive

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theatre planning and design services for all types of theatres, from professional and civic theatres to university and schools. We collaborate with theatre architects, theatre owners and performing arts organizations to design outstanding venues. Our work includes new theatres, renovations, historic restoration and adaptive re-use. With ongoing experience in the theatre design and technology, theatre systems, and operations of performing arts theatres, The Studio understands how to provide for each theatre's unique artistic goals and practical needs.

We also design architectural lighting for a wide range of clients.  From intimate restaurants to corporate offices and art installations, our designers believe thoughtful, creative lighting design, fully integrated with the architecture, completes the built environment. Our work combines artistry, technical skill, and environmental awareness with real world issues of cost,

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maintenance, constructability, and code compliance to provide winning solutions.

The aesthetic of theatre art is different from most other arts in that it really exist only for the brief space of time during which the play is being performed. One among the aesthetic factors is the need for a sound unity in the visual scheme. This unity is most simply defined as oneness. In the production which possesses it all the various parts of the design seem to belong together and to contribute to some central plan or idea. A perfectly unified design is one in which nothing is absent which could add to the total effect and in which nothing is present which does not strengthen the whole.

The Set and Costume Designer conceives the physical space and costume for performance. Stage designers need to be able to innovate and to provide inspiration for stage directors, actors, set and costume makers. Study will include projects that go from model

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box to full-realization in a range of performance spaces. Students will get to experiment with form, space and performance genres with experienced professionals. At Central, the course will indicatively include: learning to make models; producing technical and costume drawings; applying these skills in order realize public productions in our professionally equipped performance spaces; Undertaking theoretical design projects from opera to site-specific installations; working in an inter-disciplinary style with students of other courses (such as construction and craft students, who'll realize designs, lighting and sound design students, and production and stage management students, who'll bring the work to the moment of the performance).

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Section SEVEN

DIRECTION

The proper goal of every dramatic production is to project a complete and accurate theatrical effect to an audience. Such an effect is a composite pattern of visual and auditory stimuli which produces an intellectual or emotional responses on the part of the spectators; it is the direct translation of the form and purpose of a play into the expressional mode of the stage. The script initiates the production: actors, assisted by all the aspects of design, are the medium for creating the effect.

These elements alone – script, actors, design, plus a theatre and audience – have on occasion resulted in effective theatre production. At times a playwright, a theatre manager, a patron, an actor, or perhaps a “prompter” has acted as the coordinator of the production, and has performed some of the function which we now assign to a director. By reason of the individual skills of the artists themselves, it is possible today as in the past for a superior company to give an effective performance without the guidance of a director.

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A theatre director or stage director is a director/instructor in the theatre field who oversees and orchestrates the mounting of a theatre production (a play, an opera, a musical, or a devised piece of work) by unifying various endeavors and aspects of production. The director's function is to ensure the quality and completeness of theatre production and to lead the members of the creative team into realizing their artistic vision for it. The director therefore collaborates with a team of creative individuals and other staff, coordinating research, stagecraft, costume design, props, lighting design, acting, set design, stage combat, and sound design for the production. If the production he or she is mounting is a new piece of writing or a (new) translation of a play, the director may also work with the playwright or translator. In contemporary theatre, after the playwright, the director is generally the primary visionary, making decisions on the artistic concept and interpretation of the play and its staging. Different directors occupy different places of authority and responsibility, depending on the structure and philosophy of individual theatre companies. Directors

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utilize a wide variety of techniques, philosophies, and levels of collaboration.

Content. We can use the same criteria of content with drama as we used with novels and stories: character, action, and setting. With dramatic performance, however, we must add several additional elements. Putting on a play involves not only actors, but also a set designer, a costume designer, and a director. The director controls the action. The set and costume designer contribute to creating a visual representation of the setting.

(1). The Director as Administrator.(2). The Director as Leader.(3). The Director as Interpreter.

It is to be seen from this analysis that the director has highly complicated duties. As interpreter, he analyzes the script for the intent of the whole and of the parts. He conducts the rehearsals, and make various other preparations. He supplies leadership for the group in order to inspire the best effort of each associate. He so patterns the auditory and visual stimuli that the full intent of the script is imparted to the audience. And as an objective critic, he evaluates the work of all of his associates and, if need be, coaches them in those phases of their efforts that fall short of successful expression. In consequence, he is responsible for the total effect of the production.

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Section EIGHT

WHY DO WE USE DRAMA?

Why do we use drama, and what are its advantages in English Language Teaching? The teachers and students felt positive of Using drama in the English language classroom. Students of this study found that drama could create a relaxing environment; provide fun, interest and motivation; offer active participation opportunities; help in cognitive development; encourage self expression; develop creativity and imagination; facilitate the development of communication and collaboration skills; help them to learn things in depth; and provide context for language acquisition.

Regarding the teaching of literacy skills through drama, students also found the approach useful in teaching reading, writing, speaking and listening. Students generally found themselves comfortable in participating in the drama activities when they were given enough exposure to get used to the approach and could work in groups to prepare for their performances. Moreover, students revealed that most of them performed seriously in front of the class. Nevertheless, the top-ranked students and the lower-ranked students admitted that they did not make full use of their preparation time to prepare for their performances.

The positive perceptions of the use of process drama in teaching English among learners may suggest that teachers should

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adopt this approach in their language classrooms to motivate students to learn English and to develop their generic skills. Teachers can also use drama to link up the teaching of the reading, writing, speaking and listening because drama could provide meaningful contexts for students to acquire and to use the language.

Students also identified problems in adopting the process drama approach in English teaching context. They revealed that there might be discipline problems. Also, the effectiveness of the learning outcome relied on students’ learning attitudes. When students did not take the drama activities seriously, they might not be able to benefit from the lessons. Furthermore, they pointed out that large class size would be a big problem in adopting the process drama approach. It seems that many of the problems identified are related to the large classes in the University.

There are also important aspects for the University to consider. One of the major findings of the study is that in order to facilitate the use of process drama, small class teaching seems to be of paramount importance, as small classes might help to solve a lot of problems including discipline problems. One example is that some top-ranked students admitted that they played during the preparation time. With small classes, teacher can closely inspect students’ work when they are in groups, it might help to prevent students from playing. Moreover, when the classes are smaller and the students of similar English ability are grouped together, it would be easier for teachers to select teaching materials that better cater for the needs and levels of the students. Small classes can also circumvent students from getting bored by watching too many performances on the same issue. Students may then truly enjoy learning English through drama. Drama bridges the gap between course-book dialogues and natural usage, and can also help to bridge a similar gap between the classroom and real-life situations by providing insights into how to handle tricky situations.

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Drama strengthens the bond between thought and expression in language, provides practice of supra segmental and paralanguage, and offers good listening practice. If drama is considered as a teaching method in the sense of being part of the eclectic approach to language teaching, then it can become a main aid in the acquisition of communicative competence.

Drama activities facilitate the type of language behavior that should lead to fluency, and if it is accepted that the learners want to learn a language in order to make themselves understood in the target language, then drama does indeed further this end. In addition, drama could always be extended and used as a starting-point for other activities. The theme can act as a stimulus for discussion or written work going far beyond the acting out of scenes. Dramatic activities can thus be integrated into a course, which in turn could lead to them being exploited in terms of the language syllabus, for example the learning of vocabulary, even of structures. As matters stand now, drama and dramatic activities tend not to exist as a special area within the syllabus separate from all other language activities, but they often overlap with them. Perhaps one of the greatest advantages to be gained from the use of drama is that students become more confident in their use of English by experiencing the language in operation. The student - centredness inherent in all dramatic activities also improves students' maturity and motivation, and the physical involvement contained in drama along with the concept of learning language through action is an effective variation on the method of Total Physical Response2 and other holistic approaches to language teaching, where the learner rather than the language or indeed the teacher is at the centre of the learning process.

Drama in the English language classroom is ultimately indispensable because it gives learners the chance to use their own personalities. It draws upon students' natural abilities to imitate and express themselves, and if well-handled should arouse interest and

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imagination. Drama encourages adaptability, fluency, and communicative competence. It puts language into context, and by giving learners experience of success in real-life situations it should arm them with confidence for tackling the world outside the classroom.

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‘trauma’

Section NINE

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LESSON PLAN

Teaching and learning English using drama or film is increasingly common in educational contexts. The most significant kind of learning which is attributable to experience in drama is the growth in the student’s understanding about human behavior, themselves and the world they live in. When we use drama in our lessons we are unquestionably enhancing not only creativity and imagination but also sensitivity towards oneself and towards others. From the very moment that students decide which role to take on they start learning a certain number of facts about themselves and about other people ⎯ as we have just seen that we do in our everyday life. The emotional experience conveyed in the process is not limited to having a personal insight but also extends to understanding and feeling sympathy for the experience of others. And this is essential in any learning process.

An active teaching style, based on communication, thought and context, demands methods geared to meaningful and reflexive learning processes. When dramatizing, we are using our imagination to create a new reality which sets its own rules of time, space, situation and role. In a drama situation ―all students carry with them their own family, social and cultural background, and they bring it, together with their own prejudices, into the classroom. Unlike drama on stage, the purpose of a drama activity in the context of a language class is not assessed by the success of the performance itself ―to what extent the acting is relievable or not ―but by all the interactions and behaviors that are generated by the students.

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Research done in this field leads us to realize that many of the methodological techniques used in acting training can also be applied to the teaching of a language, as well as, of course, to any other school subject. Hence, drama games, role-plays, improvisations, forum-theatre, teacher-in-role, and theatrical texts become very useful strategies in our foreign language classroom. All these activities encourage students to use the language and to communicate with each other. We should remember that one of the main goals of foreign language learning is not only the acquisition of the four linguistic skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking) but communicating through speaking. We, as teachers, should aim to highlight and enhance interactive skills that will induce a coherent dialogue and understanding, and contribute to the individual’s personal growth and their fulfillment as a human being. This will enable students to establish a good and enriching relationship with speakers of other languages that belong to other countries and other cultures.

Watching movies is also a great way for you to improve your English, especially your listening and speaking skills. Films are not usually created for English language learners – they are made for native English speakers. Therefore, the language is exactly how you hear it in real life – it is spoken quickly, with native accents and pronunciation and using many idioms and colloquial expressions. It is not a good idea to use this as

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your only method of learning English; it is much more advisable to study at an English school. However, I would definitely recommend all English language students to watch films in English in their spare time for additional practice that you might not get in a classroom.

This lesson plan of teaching and learning English through drama and film will be divided into three parts. The first one, theory-based, will offer an overview of how ‘drama or film’ is present in everyday life, in any educational context and also in our language class. The second part will be focused on the application of drama and film strategies to foreign language teaching, with practical examples of how it can be done. The third part will be done by students to have performance skills in arts.

Subject :DRAMA LESSON

Seventh Semester of English Department of FKIP Almuslim University

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THE ENGLISH LITERATURE SYLLABUS(Teaching and Learning English Through DRAMA)

Bireuen – Aceh – Indonesia

The teachers have to decide why they intend to use drama activities with any particular class in order to be able to justify the decisions taken. The reasons for using drama could be its relevance to the syllabus, the chance to increase awareness of linguistic accessibility, practicability in terms of lesson time, and the possibility of using drama activities in the future. The teachers ought to have a clear idea of what they want to achieve in both general and specific terms. The teacher must therefore ask what the students will need to do in the language to successfully carry out the activity, ask if the students know any of the phrases they are likely to need to express these functions, and ask which functions will be called upon. This Syllabus of teaching and learning English through drama activities aims to :

develop students’ knowledge and understanding of, and critical thinking about drama in a variety of historical and cultural settings.

Stimulate creative exploration of ideas and the expression of these ideas through dramatic forms and dramatic conventions.

Foster enjoyment of drama and so develop the affective, cognitive and aesthetic domains of learning as well as personal and collaborative skills.

Increase their English speaking and writing.

The Course Objectives : By the end of this drama lesson, students should be able to :

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Understand play texts in relation to dramatic theory and historical context.

Integrate and synthesis skills , knowledge and processes into realizing a performance or presentation.

Develop practical skills related to the theory and practice of drama arts including the visual, aesthetic and symbol system of drama to communicate meaning.

The Learning Outcomes. A course in Teaching and Learning English through Drama should equip students with the following skills and learning outcomes:

The ability to understand play texts in relation to dramatic theory, and historical and cultural backgrounds.

The ability to analyze a play text in relation to its social context and performance conditions.

The ability to respond to and transform a dramatic text into performance.

The ability to write creatively and critically for self-expression and to communicate meaning according to purpose, audience, context and culture.

The ability to solve practical problems of performance through a variety of approaches.

The ability to use language, gestures, movement and emotion to convey meaning.

The ability to make group decisions The ability to share ideas, and to give and accept criticism. The ability to use acting devices explored in the course. The

ability to improvise to create character, mood and sense of style.

The ability to use a variety of theatrical styles. The ability to use the body and the voice as a means of

communicating feelings of varying intensity.

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The ability to express a design concept through material and other tangible means (e.g. costume, setting, sound, lighting, make up, shooting, editing and film producing, etc)

The ability to interpret a play text including its themes, characters, style, mood, structure and context.

The ability to acquire knowledge and skills in an experiential way from performers in a professional setting.

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Session

SUBJECTS - ACTIVITIES

1st Subject : DRAMA LESSON This drama lesson is divided into three parts.

The first one, theory-based, The second part will be focused on the application of drama strategies to foreign language teaching, The third part will be done by students to have performance skills in arts.

Drama lesson is a subject open to interpretation in performance.

Materials : Handout, laptop, LCD monitor. Activities: Teacher organizes starting agrees on the aims of the lesson. It aims to ensure students are clear on the learning objectives and what is expected in terms of arts, drama,

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behavior and participation.Students should have knowledge of theatre forms and traditions from different parts of the world and different periods including the social and cultural context of specific play texts. Introduction of teachers and students; getting to know each other. Introductory examination of readings related to process drama; and getting to know what process drama is.

2nd Subject : What is Drama? A drama or a play is a form of literature that

is performed for an audience, either on stage or before a camera. Drama as an art of which composition and performance are elements, and of which the only final and complete work is the whole play, including composition, performance, and audience response.

Drama is an art which is concerned with plays as written and performed.

Drama may mean a certain kind of composition in prose or verse presenting, mainly through dialogue and pantomime, a sequence of events intended to be acted on the stage.

Drama is a story intended to be performed by actors on a stage or before television or movie cameras.

Drama may also mean that branch of literature encompassing such compositions.

Drama is struggle, conflict, emotion, despair, epiphany, hope and love.

The Types of Drama: Comedy Tragedy

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Musical Farce Satirical Historical

Materials: Handout, LCD, laptop.Activities : Students discuss and talk about drama. They should be familiar with the key basic concepts intrinsic to any study of drama or theatre including ‘dramatic conventions, theatrical traditions, tension, focus, rhythm, space, movement, sound, time, symbol, mood, pace, pause, atmosphere, character, role, actor and audience relationship. The students should be able to understand the styles, conventions and different effects of theatrical presentation; Understand dramatic structure and the elements of stylistic and thematic coherence in relation to any piece of theatre.

Range of Skills. Individually the student should have the ability to acquire knowledge and skills in an experiential way from performers in a professional setting. Studying performing arts gives the student a range of skills sought after by all types of employers :

confidence; self-presentation; teamwork and collaboration; time management and organizational

skills; self-awareness; self-discipline; an open mind and the ablitity to move

beyond boundaries and experiment with different ideas;

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communication skills; analytical, critical and research skills; the ability to cope with criticism and learn

from it; stamina.

3rd Subject : The Characteristic of Drama.Considering drama as an art and comparing it with other arts such as music, painting, and architecture, one is able to note many ways in which it differs from or resembles each of the others. This comparison reveals four characteristics of drama, which taken together, distinguish it from other arts and also describe its own peculiar artistic make-up.

Four characteristics of drama : temporal nature; mimetic, interpretative; and synthesis.

Material : LCD, laptop, camera, loudspeaker.Activities :

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Teacher organizes starting circle and agrees on the aims of the lesson. The students should have knowledge of the nature and characteristics of theatre through the ages.

Performances : The other side of students activities are also doing the art-performances. Teacher ask each student to do : “The Monologue” : They may choose one of the list bellow that should be performed in front of the class and all of activities will be recorded by the cameraman with his camera :

1. Story about the life (Unforgetable Experiences).

2.. Reading poetry (Poetry reading)

3. Telling a story (Story telling)4. Reading news in brief 5. Singing a song ( English and populer songs)6. Doing a speech (Talking about drama )

4th Subject: : The Elements of Drama. Dramatic composition:(plot,

characterization, language and thought). Acting (adaptation of the composition to the

stage, the directing, and the actor’s work in itself).

Design/Visual scheme (involving setting, costume, lighting and properties).

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The elements of drama are similar to the elements of fiction. Like fiction, drama usually tells a story with characters, plot and setting. Unlike fiction, drama is written to be performed for the audience. For this reason, drama is written in a special form called a script, in which lines are written has various parts.

Detail Elements : 1. Cast of Characters. 2. Dialogues. 3. Stage directions. 4. Acts and scenes. 5. Scenery. 6. Customs and props. 7. Scripts (Scenario). 8. Plot. 9. Theme. 10. Convention. 11. Genre. 12. Audience.

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13. Stagecraft and design. 14. Conversions.

Materials : LCD, laptop, camera, loudspeaker.Activities : The students should be familiar with the elements of drama and hoped the items can be used in the play production. They also understand the basic concepts intrinsic to any study of drama including : dramatic conventions, theatrical traditions, tension, focus, rhythm, space, movement, sound, time, symbol, mood, pace, pause and atmosphere, character, role, actor, and audience relationship; The students should also be concerned with the dramatic forms (structure, plot, language, the use of spectacle); the social, cultural and political contexts of some plays; Symbolic meaning and themes of individual plays. Performances (continuous):1). “The Monologue” _ (Story about the life; Reading Poetry; Singing an English song; Telling a story; etc). The teacher asks students to do the monologue or they may choose one of the list above that should be performed in front of the class or on the stage.

2). “The Dialogues” _1. Two persons in a serious dialogues.2. Three or more people in a case3. Two persons in a debate.4. Two groups of people in a debate.

5th Subject :The Dramatic Composition The composition is also called the script,

playscript, or scenario, is the written plan or

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scheme according to which a drama is performed. In point of time, the composition is necessarily the first element of the synthesis to develop. All the other elements, such as acting, directing, and design, are dependent upon it, develop out of it, and are incapable of existing apart from it. Until the play has been written, it cannot be designed, directed or acted.

Materials : Handout – Focus on plot structures.Activities :(1). Planning and writing the script. Students learn about the basic conventions of script writing and begin to develop their own scripts. Teacher introduces the plot graph. Students divide the story up into scenes and write these on their graphs. They note the main action in each scene. Teacher checks in open class.Students make a list of the main characters in each scene. They write these on their hand out. Teacher introduces the next activity by eliciting language for how the characters feel during each scene. Students continue making a list of adjectives to describe the feelings of the characters at different points in the story.

(2). Within a small group, develop and write a script.• Select a story.– Discuss and select a simple story that would be appropriate and interesting for the audiences.– Develop a skeleton, or outline, of all the important details of the story using simple sentences and phrases.– Organize and divide the play’s actions into acts and scenes as needed.

• Develop a script.– Write a script that is original, keeping in mind time (15-20 minutes) and Logistics (where and when you will perform

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the play) limitations.– Be as creative and humorous as you think is appropriate for your audience. Don’t be afraid to rewrite the story using names, places and ideas that are interesting to your audience. – Include in your script the parts for a narrator.- Use the narrator to introduce descriptions and background information.– Include in your script stage directions as needed.– Plan how to make transitions between acts and scenes as needed.– Revise the script for grammatical accuracy keeping in mind that the characters may not be speaking in complete sentences.– Revise the script’s vocabulary and idioms for accuracy And appropriateness.– Revise the script for conciseness. Make sure you are not Using unnecessary words.

. Written Works.1. Writing a script (scenario) of drama.2. Writing an article of the experiences in

learning drama in University.

6th Subject :The Element of Composition The Plot (It is the scheme of action.

Permanently it must be added that “action” is not here thought of as mere physical activity, but as what the characters do).

The characterization. (It is the dramatist’s representation of the people whose lives and actions constitute the play.

The language. The language of drama is for

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the most part the expression of the character’s decisions, beliefs and emotions. Sometimes it is the expression of the author’s thought for which the character functions as mouthpiece.

The thought; The music; The dance; The design.

Materials :Handout, laptop, LCD, camera, loudspeaker.Activities: The students should be familiar with the aspect of production and performance including dialogue, improvisation, role play, various acting techniques; awareness of audience and the relationship between performer and audience; lighting, sound, set design, make-up, costume, masks, properties, choreography, stage movement, and dramatic sequence.

Performances (Continuous) : The teacher asks students to do “dialogue’, and ‘triple dialogues’. The activities of the performance will be recorded by the audio-video system.1. Two persons in a serious dialogues.2. Three or more people in a case3. Two persons in a debate.4. Two groups of people in a debate.

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7th Subject : Understanding The Plot, conflict, dilemma and Irony.

Plot is the scheme of action which includes the selection, arrangement and progression of events from the beginning and the end of the play.

Kinds of Plots (Simple, Complex, Compound)

Detail of Plots ( The Episode; Articulation of Plot; Plot Conflicts; Dilemma; Irony; Suspense; and Surprise).

The plot as the organization of action was traditionally conceived as a sequence of important moments arranged chronologically, with an in t roduct ion , se r i es o f compl ica t ions in tens i fy ing the conf l ic t , a climax clinching the fate of the central characters, a resolution that concludes and summarizes the issues.

Plot is the organization of a series of action or events usually moving through conflicts to a climax and resolution. The

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arrangement often implies causality and achieves certain effects.

Materials : Handout, laptop, LCD., camera, loudspeaker

Activities : The students should be able to understand and to explain clearly the meaning of plot, episode, conflict, dilemma and able to give the examples of action in the daily life.

8th Subject : The ability to create Characters. The whole subject of characterization is an exceedingly complex one because of the intricate relationship between composition and performance. In performance the behavior and speech of the character seem spontaneous. Only a flaw in the writing or acting will permit even momentary recognition of the fact that what the actor is saying and doing has been predetermined by the actor.

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Certain aspects of character are clear in any dramatic composition: Aesthetic acceptability; Identification; Contrast; Consistency of character; Motivation; and Conflict.

Materials : Handout, laptop, infocus system.Activities : The students should have the ability to create characters and to ensure that they blend/suit the ac t i on o f t he p lay i s wha t we re fe r t o as cha rac te r i za t i on . Wha t i s created is called character. Cha rac te rs re fe r t o t he peop le who ac t t he p lay . D rama i s t he mos t active form of literary art and is presented in dialogue. It is not like the novel or poetry where the novelist tells a story. The story in a play is t o l d a s p e o p l e t a l k t o o n e a n o t h e r a n d i n t e r a c t i n i n t e r -p e r s o n a l relationships. These people are referred to as characters. Characters in a play must not necessarily be human beings.

9th Subject : The dramatic Language in the Performance.

The language of the drama is distinguished by the fact that its primary appeal is to the ear. It must be heard to be fully appreciated, In this respect it differs from language of other kinds and other purposes. By contrast, dramatic language is rather more pleasant to hear than to see and is designed to catch the ear.

The requirements of dramatic language. Poetic and prosaic language.

Materials :Handout, laptop, in focus system, camera.Activities : 1. Writing Script /Scenario.

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2. Groups in dialogues.The commonest form of dramatic language is dialogue : conversation between two or more persons. The sharpest, most effective dialogue is usually that which takes place between two characters, but dialogue between three or more is capable of greater variety and of being sustained longer.Performances (Continuous) : The students do the dialogues among the groups. The activities will be recorded by the teamwork. The teacher asks students to do “dialogue’, and ‘triple dialogues’. The activities of the performance will be recorded by the audio-video system. (1). Two persons in a serious dialogues. (2). Three or more people in a case. (3). Two persons in a debate. (4). Two groups of people in a debate.

10th Subject :The nature of thought in drama.

The nature of drama as a simulation of life makes the thought content of a play a matter of considerable importance. How important the thought is depends upon how serious the play is. In face the thought is

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inconsequential, for the view of life in a farce is flippant; in tragedy the quality of the thought – according to the view of life intended – is of first importance. One of the channels of thought is symbolism. Symbol is a material object which represents something immaterial. Occasionally, the symbol is developed from some sound or smell.

The nature of thought in the drama. The channels through which thought is

expressed.Materials :Cameras, PC, LCD, Sound System.Activities :

The teacher arranges the situation to develop students’ knowledge and understanding of, and critical thinking about drama in a variety of historical and cultural settings. Symbolism provides a channel through which the dramatist is able to infer and suggest meanings not communicable through any other aspect of art performances.

Performances : A. Ceremony Program.

1). Presenter (Master of ceremony).

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2). Reading the Qur’an and recital (the meaning).

3). Poetry reading (The lyrics of the songs)4). Singing a populer song (group) 5). Speech (Talking about the script of drama)6). Watching a vidio (The favourite scene of

drama) B. Discussion about “the film” by the group. (A scene of drama).

11th Subject : Performers and Audiences. The audience is the better half of the play.

With drama the ultimate test of quality is its effect in performance. Great drama is drama of great effectiveness; it provokes thought, arouses laughter, or stirs the emotions to an extraordinary degree. As the performance takes shape moment by moment it calls forth a perceptible response from its audience which becomes increasingly definite as the play progresses.

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As this response develops, a reciprocity is established between performer and audience which enhances the whole experience for all involved : audience, actor and playwright too, if he be alive and present.

Materials :Cameras, PC, LCD, Monitor, Activities : (Doing a speech), Title : “My Comments about the Methods in teaching and learning English through dramatic activities”.

12th Subject : USE ACTING SKILL TO ADOPT CHARACTERS. The director’s principal medium of expression in achieving the projection is the actors – individually and collectively, and in their relations to each other as well as to the setting in which or before which they move and speak.

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A first principal has already been impalied : a good performance is rooted deeply in the play from which it springs. Its patterns of action, of dialogue, and of character are not only congruous one with the other, but are uniquely suited to a particular play-script. A good performance is composed not of random bits from other

roles, other plays, and other productions, but of carefully integrated details characteristic of the style and form of the manuscript at hand.

In the second place, a good performance is continuously clear. Thirdly, a good performance is continuously interesting. Fourthly, a good performance must seem to be spontaneous as well. Finally, a good performance is a team performance including the purpose and method of acting; Movement and gesture; Voice and Speech; Characterization; and A perspective on the whole.

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Materials :Camera, PC, LCD, Monitor, Loudspeaker, etc.

Activities : Practical : Use acting skills to adopt, develop and

sustain a variety of characters and roles. Use acting skills, including improvisation techniques, to interpret and perform scripted and non—scripted material.

Communicate with the audience through the appropriate use of voice and movement To realize character.

Use gesture, focus, stillness and silence in performance and in the realization.

Performances : Discussing, debating and having serious dialogues.

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13th Subject : THEATRE, STAGE and DESIGN It concerns the contributions to a dramatic

performance made by the theatre structure which houses the performance, and by the type of scenery which forms its décor.

Theatre structure differ widely in their basic architectural organization, which dictates the relationship between actor, scenery and audience. The most primitive organization of the theatre space in the pure (or complete) arena, which provides merely an un localized space for the action in the midst of the audience.

The Proscenium Theatre. The Actualism Stage.

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“Design” is the visual scheme of the production, including scenery, costumes, properties, and stage lighting. Design, therefore consists of all the inanimate things which contribute to the visual effect of the performance. The visual scheme of the production is developed simultaneously in both time and space. Scenery, costumes, and properties exists in space, and either separately or together they make their separately or together they make their primary appeal to the eye. At any given moment during the performance the arrangements and the effects of which they are capable respond to principles which govern the spatial arts.

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Aesthetic factors in design. Physical factors in the design (Setting,

Lighting and Costume).Materials :Cameras, PC, LCD, Loudspeaker. Activities :(practical):

Create an original set design or re-creat a period set for a theatrical performance, taking into account scene changes.

Design and present scaled diagrams as well as construct a set model.

Understand construction techniques related to set design.

14th Subject : DIRECTOR as A LEADER The proper goal of every dramatic production

is to project a complete and accurate theatrical effect to an audience. Such an effect is a composite pattern of visual and auditory stimuli which produces an intellectual or emotional response on the part of the spectators; it is the direct translation of the form and purpose of a play into the expressional mode of the stage. The script initiates the production; actors, assisted by all the aspects of design, are the medium for

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creating the effect. These elements alone – script, actors, design, plus a theatre and an audience – have on occasion resulted in effective theatre production. At times a playwright, a theatre manager, a patron, an actor, or perhaps a ‘prompter’ has acted as the coordinator of the production, and has performed some of the function which we now assign to a director. By reason of the individual skills of the artists themselves, it is possible today as in the past for a superior company to give an effective performance without the guidance of a director.

The director as administrator. The director as leader.* The director as interpreter.

Materials :Cameras, PC, LCD, Loudspeaker. Activities : Students should be familiar with aspect of production, direction and performance including : the preparation, interpretation and direction of play texts; *direction, *dramaturgy, *design, *technical operation, *stage management.

15th Subject : FILM as MOTIVATORMany English teachers have been using films or movies as motivation in their classes to practice students’ English as second language. We can say that using English film is an excellent teaching and learning tool. Motivation is one of the most important factors in determining successful second-language acquisition. Film, as a motivator, also makes the language learning process more entertaining and

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enjoyable. If the students want to show whole films, it’s necessary to do quite a lot of work on linguistic, cultural and cinematographic features of the film prior to actually watching the film. Creating moving images has never been easier thanks to the digital revolution, the proliferation of mobile devices, the increased ease of capturing and editing video, and the emergence of video distribution sites such as YouTube. This has led to an explosion in the production of short films and their availability. However, due to the sheer quantity of short films, it’s often very difficult for teachers to find high-quality short films they can use with their students.

Materials : Camera, PC, LCD, Monitor, Loudspeaker, etcActivities : The students are divided into many groups. Each group has to do the assignment to make or produce an English film. It is time to do the assignment. “Make a short film” . Making a short film with the availability of today’s technology has become a relatively simple endeavor for most people. Assuming that you own a respectable computer, a digital camcorder and some kind of editing software, you are basically ready to go. Add some decent actors, a simple script and you’re a filmmaker! But, first things first; you will need a

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story. Remember, most of what filmmakers do is to become a storyteller. And if this is your first attempt at creating a short film, consider a comedy or spoof on a topic that isn’t too serious. Now that you have a basic outline for your story using the cast available to you, create a bit of a character for each role. What is the personality of each character? Do they have a specific way of speaking? There are many ways to create individual characters for each role which helps when writing the final draft of the script. You might have friends that are really good actors and you have no idea. Ask around; see who is up for the excitement involved in making even a short film. Then work around what you have when writing the final draft of your script. Don’t forget that although you might only have a few characters in your story, that there will be background actors required, set dressers (to create realism) and production assistants to help organize things during the day of filming. Once all of the “pre-production” already mentioned is completed, now you are ready to start filming. Make sure your camera battery is fully charged and that you have more than enough tape required for filming your short film. Don’t worry about filming in sequence. You might have to work around people’s schedules, so shoot out of order if necessary. This can be fixed in editing. Remember to be careful not to “cut” the scene pre-maturely. Some of the best films were created during the “unscripted” moments. Also, don’t forget to take close-ups and different angles of the same scene to have plenty of footage to use when editing. Finally, it’s time for editing. Hook up the camera and import the video into your computer . Please

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note that these short films can take up a huge amount of space, so make sure you have enough space on your hard drive. In your editing software, begin placing scenes in order. You will notice, as you go along, that some scenes don’t work; that’s where editing comes in. Choose another clip from that same scene until you find one that works for you. Continue until the entire film is complete. Word to the wise: try making a very short film (5-6 minutes) before attempting a longer film. You will discover that the experience you will gain even creating such a short piece will go a long way when shooting future projects.

16th Evaluation and Assessment(Exercises For The Students)

A. General Test.

1. Of the various elements which make up the dramatic performance (script, setting, acting), which varies the most from performance to performance, and which the least? Why?

2. Has it ever happened that you have gone back to see a second performance of a play which you liked very much, and found it on second experience much less impressive than it had been the first time? Can you explain it?

3. From among the plays that you have seen, cite three or four instances of ones in which the principal characters were not human beings, but

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animals, birds, or insects?4. Do you consider drama more effective as a

means of persuasion than music, or less so? Do you believe that drama can be used more effectively than painting to put across an idea? After giving careful thought to these questions, prepare to defend your opinion, for – whether you reply “Yes” or “No” – others are certain to disagree with you.

5. What do you mean by the plot is simple, compleza, or compound?

6. From a play you have seen, recall the moments at which you experienced the greatest suspense. Describe the means which the author used to create this suspense.

7. From plays you know, of speeches which are unusually difficult to speak rapidly or clearly?

8. Distinguish clearly between emotion identification with a role early in the rehearsal period and emotional expression during performance.

9. From your experience, describe a performance in which the characters and their actions were interesting at the outset but became less so as the play progressed, and in the end seemed to “add up” to nothing of significance.

10. Can you recall an instance in which a poor performance was actually caused by a poor audience?. Specially, what was wring with the audience?

B. Composition Writing a composition, Title : “My Experiences in Learning English through Dramatic activities during the lesson at this University”.

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C. Producing FilmThere are many steps on producing film which make you (the students) a lot of time. But it should have been finished before running the final test of this lesson.

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“dilemma”

Bibliography: (Useful Sources

for Learning and Teaching English through Drama).

Burke, A.F. & O’Sullivan, J. C. (2002). Stage by Stage: A Handbook for Using Drama in the Second Language Classroom. (Portsmouth: Heinemann)

Baker, George Pierce, Dramatic Technique’ Boston : Houghton Mifflin Co,. 1986.

Biggs, J. B. (1999). Teaching for Quality Learning at University: What the Student Does. Buckingham: Open University Press.

Bolton, G. (1999). Acting in Classroom Drama: A Critical Analysis. Portland, Me.: Calendar Island Publishers.

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Bowell, P. & Heap, B. S. (2002). Planning Process Drama. London: David Fulton Publishers Ltd.

Dougill, J. (1987). Drama Activities for Language Learning. (London: Macmillan)

Gassner F.R (1994) The Use of Drama in Practising English. (London: Ablex Publishing Corporation).Hayes, Suzanne Karbowska, (1984) Drama As a Second

Language: A PracticalHandbookfor Language Teachers. National Extension College.

Holden, Susan. (1982) Drama in Language Teaching. Longman.Kao, S.M. & O’Neill, C. (1998). Words into Worlds: Learning a

Second Language Through Process Drama. London: Ablex Publishing Corporation.

Kempe, A. & Holroyd, J. (2004). Speaking, Listening and Drama. London: David Fulton Publishers.

Maley,A.,&Duff,A.(2005). Drama Techniques: “Drama Techniques for Teaching English. (Cambridge: CUP)

Patricia M., (2001) The characteristics of being good English teacher. A Critical Analysis.P. William. 1986. Principle of Theatre Art. London : Houton Miffin Company.Sujiman A. Musa. 2002. English in Arts (Teaching and Learning English Through Drama). Imans Studio & The Guliga Press. Banda Aceh.Sujiman A. Musa. 2008. The English Literature Syllabus (developing through drama). Matanggeulumpangdua : Universitas Almuslim.

**

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“Irony”

About The Author

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I am a teacher and also an artist that mostly concerned with the theater and the expressionism painting. I like reading, writing and visiting other countries. In this item I'll post for this program simple articles and I like to build my own images. Words are just one of the tools that create them. I am a little random. Some of my articles will be thoughtful and others will be fluff. I keep writing short tales, true story , love, poem, painting, family, study, honest, creativity and work. And about my Journey and visited to many countries in the world. and also about Squirrels, and other impossible stuff.

I got involved with English in arts. After graduating from the 'High School'. I continued my study in the famous University (Syiah Kuala) in Aceh province. Beside studying at this University I also tried to have some extra outsider activities, specially in arts. I began my career as an actor in one of 'The Production Houses" in Banda Aceh. Actually acting was not my family background and not my career. I never thought about, or even dreamed of, getting involved with English. Then it so happened that I was assigned the role of a

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foreigner in a play -- a role to be spoken in English. Without any idea about the English language. I set myself learning to imitate the sounds and intonations of English. When the first-night performance arrived (even now I can't believe it), people said that my acting and my English were a success! After that, I took a decided step to learn English. I gave up the theater and I went abroad to continue my study. Two years after graduating from master degree program at Macquarie University Sydney, Australia, I returned to my native town in Acah Province.

I began teaching English at Syiah Kuala University. Linguistic is my field, and I teach the so-called 'oral approach' and 'drama lesson' too. For some years, I had been trying to find new ways of teaching English. The new way for me was English through drama. At the first year of my drama lesson with a group of my students I staged an act from Shakespeare's Romeo and Yuliet and some scenes from Charles Dickens Pickwick Papers. The student actors did their best, but the acting and the language were not natural. We realized that we were facing two difficulties: on one hand, the language problem, and on the other hand, the problem of characters. Shakespeare's language is not the language that people use today in everyday conversations. And how difficult it is for an inexperienced student actor to imagine himself Romeo or Tybalt. I made up my

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mind to put on a modern play. And this 'modern play program' turned out to be Richard A. Via's "Never on Wednesday". We read the play in class and discussed it. The students were able to identify completely with the characters in the play and with the situation. Thus one problems was solved. And the play provided what the young people of today need: the language of today. Only experienced student actors took part in the play. The dialogues were acted out by students who were just first and second semester. And they did not feel at ease on the stage.With the new atmosphere of excitement and the taste of success our performance had given, we tried to transfer this spirit to ordinary class hours. The dialogues in the textbooks, which to my mind are generally too long and sometimes unnatural, were beginning to sound more natural. Through drama, English in my classroom was becoming a living experience of communication. In my work of teaching English, I have found dialogues the most useful means of improving the students' English. For a long time I have thought it would be an excellent idea to offer some sort of special-emphasis course in grammar, or phonetics, or home reading. And the special-emphasis course that I would suggests is "dialogues". A dialogue stimulates natural English in informal situations. The method that my senior lecturer has suggested for using dialogues

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is the one I've found most successful and effective.

Why should I like to use a play in my English class? I use a play in my English class, because I know a lot of benefits in practicing English for the students. A suitable play provides a realistic model of the way we talk. A good playwright is attuned to capture the language as it is spoken. Naturally, the play is not an exact model of the way we talk, but it is closer than the content of most English language textbooks, which must be concerned with specific structures and perfect English. In daily conversation we rarely speak perfect English.

The other method in teaching English that I would like to describe here is "Community Language Centre". I have experimented with it enough times so that I am sure that it is in theory even more profound than 'The Silent Way Method'. At least, it is a highly illuminating training experience for any language teacher. This method, class size is usually somewhere between six and twelve students. The students sit in a closed circle facing one another. Outside the circle are one or more speakers of the language that is being learned, who are also able to understand the native language of the students. On the positive side that the learners always know the meaning of what is being said. What is said always originates in the volition of one of the learners. After that the learners stop

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perfunctory small talk and begin to speak about things that are of deep significance to them, including their hang ups about learning the language, their attitudes toward speakers of the language, and their reactions to one another. (Sujiman A. Musa, M.A., Ph.D.).

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“Life”

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“climax”

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