drama techniques in the english as a foreign language

Universidad Austral de Chile

Facultad de Filosofía y Humanidades

Pedagogía en Comunicación en Lengua Inglesa

Lead Advisor:

PhD. Amalia Ortiz de Zárate Fernández

Drama Techniques in the English as a Foreign Language Teacher

Training Programme at Universidad Austral de Chile:

A Perceptional Case Study

Seminario de Tesis para optar al Título de Profesor en Comunicación en Lengua Inglesa

y al Grado de Licenciado en Educación

Natalia Martin González

Daniela Lobos Ortiz

Valdivia, Chile

2013

Acknowledgements

At the end of my process as an undergraduate student, I would like to express

how grateful I am for all the people who have been an important part of it.

Firstly, I would like to dedicate this work to my mother, Myriam González, the

first person to teach me about spiritual strength and the value of courage. She taught me

not to give up and smile even when everything seems to be tragedy. Her memory is a

constant inspiration in my life and a motivation to persist on being as happy as she

would like me to.

Also, I would like to thank the constant support of two very special people. First,

my brother Gabriel who lit the spark of knowledge and free thought in my mind. Thank

you for being the unconditional partner who always believed in me. Then, I would like

to thank the patience and constant advice provided by Delia Sáez, my grandmother. She

has been a fundamental support throughout these years.

Likewise, I want to thank my family and friends whose help in every little detail

of my life has been fundamental. I feel blessed with all the marvellous people that

surround me, with whom I intend to continue building dreams.

Finally, I want to express my gratitude to our lead advisor Ph.D. Amalia Ortiz de

Zárate, whose kind and honest guide in this process was essential.

Natalia Jennifer Martin González

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank Natalia for having invited me to join this research project; it

was a smooth and non-traumatic process (stressful at some instances? YES!). Also to

Amalia, our lead advisor, it was a great experience to work with a PhD who is chummy

and kind to us.

To all the people who asked me for help to study a certain subject, without them I

would not have discovered how much I love teaching and learning. Also, to my

university friends for the good times we are still sharing.

Finally, I thank so much my closest family members, who have strongly loved

and supported me during my entire life.

Daniela Paz Lobos Ortiz

DRAMA TECHNIQUES IN THE EFL TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAMME AT UACh

i

Abstract

The main objective of this research project is to determine the EFL teachers’ perception of the

impact of the Drama Technique courses given by the English as a Foreign Language Teacher

Training Programme at UACh regarding personal, professional and pedagogical development.

Along with it, this analysis aims at depicting the teacher trainees’ motivation to take the

courses, identifying the way in which their performance is influenced and developing a set of

suggestions for improvement of these courses. To accomplish the objectives, the researchers

conducted a series of interviews and a survey answered by two different groups of

participants, the results of both tools were analysed under the concepts of Teacher Trainees’

Motivation and EFL Teachers’ Performance. The conclusions drawn assert that the Drama

Technique courses do make an impact on the EFL Teachers’ career. However they are

perfectible, therefore a set of suggestions was designed so as to be applied in future editions

of the courses.

Keywords: Teacher Training, Drama Techniques, Teachers’ Performance, EFL Teaching

Table of contents

Page

Abstract………………………………………………………………………………. i

List of Figures………………………………………………………………………... ii

Introduction…………………………………………………………………………... 1

Antecedents…………………………………………………………………………... 4

Chapter I: Theoretical Framework…………………………………………………… 6

1.1. State of the art……………………………………………………….. 6

1.1.1. Drama Techniques in EFL classrooms in the World……… 6

1.1.2. Drama Techniques in EFL classrooms in Chile…………… 8

1.2. Drama Techniques to teach EFL Classrooms………………………. 11

1.2.1. Definition of Drama techniques…………………………… 11

1.2.2. Examples/Types of activities in EFL Classrooms………… 12

1.2.3. Advantages and disadvantages of Drama Technique

activities in EFL Classrooms…………………………………….. 14

1.3. Teacher Training…………………………………………………….. 16

1.3.1. Ideal Teacher Training…………………………………….. 16

1.3.2. Corporality and Body Awareness…………………………. 18

1.4. Drama Technique Courses at the English as a Foreign Language

Teacher Training Programme at UACh…………………………………. 20

1.4.1. ILIN 123 Storytelling……………………………………… 21

1.4.2. ILIN 109 Telling Stories through the Body ………………. 22

1.4.3. ILIN 223 Drama Techniques in the Classroom…………… 23

1.4.4. ILIN 154 Dramatics……………………………………….. 23

Chapter II: Methodological Framework……………………………………………… 25

2.1. Type of Research …………………..……………………………….. 25

2.1.1. Type of Case Study ……………………………………….. 25

2.1.2. Subjects of the Study………………………………………. 25

2.2. Data Collection Methods……………………………………………. 27

2.2.1. Survey……………………………………………………… 27

2.2.2. Semi-Structured Interviews………………………………... 28

2.3. Criteria of Analysis………………………………………………….. 29

2.3.1. Teacher Trainee’s motivation……………………………… 30

2.3.2. Teacher performance………………………………………. 30

Chapter 3: Outcomes And Results…………………………………………………… 31

3.1. Results per Criteria…………………………………………………... 31


3.1.2. Teacher’s performance……………………………………. 34

3.2. Discussion………………………………………………………... 37


3.2.2. Teacher performance………………………………………. 41

Suggestions…………………………………………………………………………… 46

Conclusions………………………………….……………………………………….. 50

References……………………………………………………………………………. 54

Annexes ……………………………………………………………………………… 56

List of Figures

Figure

Page

1. Reasons to Take Drama Technique Courses………………………...

31

2. Reasons not to Take more than Two Drama Technique Courses …...

32

3. Teacher Trainees’ Motivation to Take the Courses………………….

33

4. Trainees’ Feelings during the Classes……………………………….

34

5. Influence of the Courses on the Interviewees’ Teaching

Performance…………………………………………………………...

35

6. Types of Drama Technique Activities Developed by the

Interviewees…………………………………………………………...

35

7. Influence of the Drama Technique Courses on the Relationship with

the Educational Community………………………………………….

36

DRAMA TECHNIQUES IN THE EFL TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAMME AT UACh 1

Introduction

Just like society changes, so does teaching. In the case of EFL learning the

challenge is the acquisition, a task that becomes very complex in a context in which the

new generations of students is one that is increasingly receiving media and technological

stimuli from daily life. By contrast, Chilean EFL teaching is widely dominated by

grammar translation teachers. Throughout this research, experiences about an alternative

teaching approach are presented: Drama Techniques. About the use of these, Chris

Boudreault (2013) states that “ESL/EFL professionals need to use [drama techniques]

more because the artificial world of the classroom can be transformed into a quasi-real

language situation and provides an endless amount of opportunities for student’s

personal growth” (p.1). As mentioned by Boudreault, through the use of Drama

Technique activites, teachers take a less dominant role in the classroom, turning

themselves into supporters of the learning process and students are more responsible of

their own language acquisition (Boudreault, 2013, p.2). In this manner, learning

becomes an autonomous process for each student and the teacher becomes a guide to

facilitate this path instead of a dictionary to translate the foreign language.

Since the re-opening of the English as a Foreign Language Teacher Training

Programme at UACh in 2004, the faculty has been searching for the integration of

innovative didactic approaches to prepare competent teachers for the Chilean society

who promote collaborative work (Filosofía y Humanidades UACh). In this context, from

2009 a set of four courses related to Drama Techniques has been offered. The following

research paper is a case study that aims at knowing the influence these courses have had


on the teaching praxis of the former trainees who took them. After that, a set of

suggestions will be provided in order to contribute with the improvement of the courses.

This paper is composed by three chapters. The first one is the theoretical

framework, in which the state of the art regarding Drama Techniques is exposed. This

chapter takes a glimpse at the international and national context of the Universities that

offer Drama Techniques within their teacher training programmes. Also some concepts

about the topics covered in this paper are explained and exemplified. By the end of this

chapter, a brief description and the main objectives of every Drama Technique courses

offered by the EFL Teacher Training Programme at UACh is provided in order to

understand the courses that will be later analysed.

The next chapter is advocated to the methodological framework. In this section all

the procedures considered to carry out this investigation are stated. For example, the

subjects of study of this paper are the Newly Qualified Teachers (NQTs) or teacher

trainees that have taught EFL in real contexts. The subjects have provided important

information by answering either a survey or an interview. The criteria of analysis

correspond to two topics: The first is the trainee’s motivation to take the Drama

Technique courses and the second is the influence of these courses on the NQTs’

performance.

The final chapter of this research is divided into two sections. The first part

exhibits the main results obtained from the data collection tools, while the second part is

a discussion in which the answers provided by the participants are analysed and

contrasted with the theoretical framework. The most relevant results are organised

according to the tool that was applied: the survey and the interview. On the one hand,


the answers to the surveys give information about the reasons why trainees decide to

take the Drama Technique courses and why they eventually stop taking them. On the

other hand, interviews retrieve information about the influence of these courses on the

performance of the NQTs. Both tools hand the participants’ opinion about aspects to be

improved in the courses, which is the last part of the research.

To conclude this paper, a set of suggestions is proposed. These are based on the

information provided by the participants, the theoretical framework and the conclusions

of the researchers. There are two types of suggestions, the first type deals with general

suggestions which are aimed to be applied in the set of Drama Technique courses; the

second are suggestions per course, which propose specific implementations for each of

the courses.


Antecedents

Research Question

The research Question that this research seeks to answer is: What is the perception of

the Teaching Practice trainees and Newly Qualified Teachers who took the Drama Technique

Courses given by the English as a Foreign Language Teacher Training Programme at UACh

regarding the impact of these courses on their teaching experience?

Objectives

General Objective

To determine the teachers’ perception of the impact of the Drama Technique courses

given by the English as a Foreign Language Teacher Training Programme at UACh regarding

personal, professional and pedagogical development.

Specific Objectives

1. To depict the motivation for trainees of the English as a Foreign Language Teacher

Training Programme at UACh to take Drama Technique courses.

2. To identify the way in which the Drama Technique courses influence the Newly Qualified

Teachers’ performance in terms of personal, professional and pedagogical development.

3. To develop a set of suggestions to improve the syllabi of the Drama Technique courses

given by the English as a Foreign Language Teacher Training Programme at UACh.

Justification

Since 2009 Drama Technique courses in the English as a Foreign Language Teacher

Training Programme at UACh have been given with the purpose of contributing to the

development of the future teachers’ personality as well as pedagogical skills through the use

of Drama as a didactic approach to teach English. These courses are called ILIN 109


Storytelling, ILIN 123 Telling Stories through the Body, ILIN 233 Drama Techniques in the

Classroom and ILIN 154 Dramatics. It is ideal that the students take them as a sequence, since

these are planned in a correlational manner, being the content of one course fundamental for

the understanding of the following one.

Even though the effectiveness of teaching English through drama techniques has been

internationally recognized, as a programme, there has not been a study that could indicate if

the teachers who took these courses are conscious of this knowledge and if they identify their

benefits. Also, this is a good instance to receive feedback from people that may have put into

real practice the activities developed in classes; therefore, it is expected that useful

suggestions may emerge from the subjects of this research. The importance of this research

lies on the improvements that can be made on these courses through the analysis of its impact

on the teachers, which will mean that the future teachers from the English as a Foreign

Language Teacher Training Programme at UACh will be better prepared and consequently,

their students will receive a better qualified education.


Chapter 1: Theoretical Framework

1.1.State of the Art

1.1.1 Drama Techniques in EFL Classrooms in the World

It is widely recognised how profitable the use of drama is in the EFL classrooms.

Different uses of drama are helpful not only for EFL learners, but also for teachers.

According to Mark Almond (2005), drama requires learners to have a holistic view of

communication, acting helps build confidence. When building a character, learners

become aware of other people’s needs and traits and they learn how English language is

used in the real world. Then, one can infer that drama also contributes to a better

command of the target language. In Gerd Bräuer’s (2002) words:

Via and many other teachers, researchers and students have found that the value

of drama in language education stems from the opportunities it provides for

students to express themselves in English for a meaningful purpose, going

beyond vocabulary and grammar drills. (p.161)

Therefore, teachers who use drama as a teaching tool contribute to the acquisition of the

target language and to improve the performance of the students when they use what they

have learned in the classroom, in real life contexts.

Drama by itself does nothing. It is only what teachers do with drama that makes

the difference (Neelands, in Anderson & Dunn, 2013). Including drama activities in EFL

classrooms requires teachers to be skilled in both, the English language and drama

techniques. Michael Anderson and Julie Dunn (2013) consider that the acquisition of the

language will not be guaranteed just by the implementation of drama techniques in the


classroom. Therefore, teachers or facilitators must be proficient in both drama and

language pedagogy. When this happens:

Learning is contextualised within a dramatic fiction;

participants are able to work in embodied and enactive ways, contributing

within the drama to develop agency in the target language; and

learners are empowered to create their dual scaffolding by applying their

developing metacognition of language learning. (Anderson & Dunn, 2013, p.

215)

This exposes the relevance of including drama and teaching techniques in teachers’

skills in order to have proficient EFL learners.

As well as students enrich their learning experience through drama activities,

teachers also improve their teaching practice when they bridge drama and teaching

techniques. According to Almond (2005) the obvious connection between teacher and

actor is that both have an “audience” to which ideas, feelings and knowledge must be

transmitted in a captivating, entertaining and memorable way (p. 12). Almond puts

special emphasis on the understanding and awareness teachers must have about their

voice, body movement, classroom space and humour. Unfortunately not all the

institutions imparting teacher training include drama courses as part of their syllabi.

In England, there are fifty institutions that impart TESOL (Teaching English to

Speakers of Other Languages) or MFL (Modern Foreign Language) teacher training

programmes. Among them one can find universities and colleges that offer a wide range

of options, from full time studies to distance learning, fluctuating from one-year in-


service training to four-year Masters degree. Subjects such as Creative Teaching or

Innovating in the Classroom are part of the curricula, but drama subjects are not

explicitly mentioned in any of them. Some universities offer Performing Arts as a major,

therefore, it might be possible for students to take drama courses, however it is not

evident.1

1.1.2 Drama Techniques in EFL Classrooms in Chile.

In the current Chilean educational system, classes are planned according to the

guidelines given by the Ministry of Education (MINEDUC). These state the objectives

and minimal contents to be learned in every grade. Then, teachers must follow these

guidelines at the moment of teaching, since the achievements of the objectives stated by

the Ministry are constantly measured by standardised tests such as SIMCE and PSU.

The last adjustment in the curriculum of the English Language subject was made by

MINEDUC in the year 2009. According to this document “the curricular adjustment

introduces higher learning expectations of the productive abilities, giving equal

relevance to the development of the four abilities of the language, proposing

1 English institutions providing FL teacher training: Anglia Polytechnic University, Bath Spa University

College, Bradford College, Brunel University, Canterbury, Christ Church University, Cheltenham &

Gloucester College, Chester College, York St John College, University of Leicester, Edge Hill University,

Goldsmiths College, Homerton College, Institute of Education, King Alfred's College, Kingston

University, Leeds Metropolitan University, Liverpool Hope University, Liverpool John Moores

University, Manchester Metropolitan University, Middlesex University, Newman College of Higher

Education, The Nottingham Trent University, Oxford Brookes University, Sheffield Hallam University,

South Bank University, University of Cumbria, St Mary's College, Leeds Trinity University, University of

Chichester, University of Northampton, Worcester College, Birmingham City University, University of

Brighton, University of Central England, University of Derby, University of Durham, University of East

Anglia, University of East London, University of Greenwich, University of Hertfordshire, University of

Hull, University of Leeds, University of Leicester University Road, The University of Manchester,

University of Newcastle upon Tyne, London Metropolitan University, Northumbria University, The

University of Reading, University of Southampton Highfield, University of Sunderland, University of

Roehampton, University of the West of England, University of Warwick. For more detail see Appendix A.


fundamental objectives and minimal contents for each one of them (MINEDUC,

2009).”2

It might seem that from that adjustment teachers would try methodologies in

order to reach acquisition. However, the way in which proficiency is measured by

MINEDUC is not coherent with its own expectations, since all tests they have applied

are focussed only on reading comprehension. In 2010 the TOEIC Bridge was used as a

SIMCE test to assess 11th

graders. Then in 2012 MINEDUC used the KET test, since

this test is supposed to be easier. None of these tests consider the development of the

four language skills promoted by MINEDUC (Gallardo & Henríquez, 2013).

After knowing this, it becomes logical to think that teachers have planned their

classes according to the abilities their students will be assessed for. This means teachers

will prepare class materials focused on receptive skills. On the contrary, as Maley &

Duff (2005) say, drama techniques “draw on the natural ability of everyone to imitate,

mimic and express themselves through gesture and facial expression.” Therefore, these

activities are focused on productive skills. This mismatch between the national

curriculum and the methods used to assess could be a source of reluctance for teachers to

carry out activities related to production and communication, such as the drama based

ones. Assessment is a major concern for teachers, since their student’s marks are also an

evaluation for themselves. Therefore, promoting the four abilities (reading, listening,

speaking and writing) during the lessons, if only two (reading and listening) will be

considered in the standardised tests, it seems unpractical. This point can be exemplified

2 “Por estas razones, el ajuste curricular introduce mayores expectativas de aprendizaje par a las

habilidades productivas asignando igual relevancia al desarrollo de las cuatro habilidades del lenguaje y

proponiendo objetivos fundamentales y contenidos mínimos para cada una de ellas.” (MINEDUC 2009)


through researches like Sandra Mckay’s in Chile (2003). She has asked teachers from

different kinds of institutions (public, private and semi-private) about the way in which

they embrace communication in their classrooms. When she asked if they considered

that group work should be used to reach a communicative classroom “teachers gave

answers like the following: Not necessarily because you have communication between

teachers and students or through a video or tape. You can have the written part too”

(p.143).

As it can be deduced, not only has the national curriculum affected the

pedagogical decisions of every teacher when planning but also the syllabi of the EFL

teacher training programmes. Chilean governments have expressed their desire of

progressively becoming a bilingual country. Accordingly, from the 58 Universities that

are in the country, at least 35 offer an EFL teacher training programme. Out of these 38

universities, only two exhibit courses related to drama techniques or bodily expression.3

As it could be expected, most of the programs are based on grammar and receptive

skills.

Although it could seem that, in the general Chilean context, drama techniques are

not valued as important tools for enhancing communication, Universidad Austral has

3 This information has been obtained from the web pages of the following universities:

Católica de Chile, Católica de Valparaíso, Academia de Humanismo Cristiano, Adolfo Ibáñez, Adventista

de Chile, Alberto Hurtado, Austral de Chile, Autónoma de Chile, Católica del Norte, Central de Chile, de

Arte y Ciencias Sociales, de Atacama, de Chile, de Concepción, de La Frontera, de Las Américas, de La

Serena, del Bío-Bío, del Desarrollo, de Los Lagos, de Magallanes, de Playa Ancha de Ciencias de la

Educación, de Santiago de Chile, de Talca, de Tarapacá, de Viña del Mar, Diego Portales, Finis Terrae,

Gabriela Mistral, Iberoamericana de Ciencias y Tecnología, Internacional SEK, Mayor, Metropolitana de

Ciencias de la Educación, Nacional Andrés Bello, San Sebastián, Santo Tomás, Técnica Federico Santa

María, Tecnológica de Chile – INACAP, Tecnológica Metropolitana, Bolivariana, Chileno - Británica de

Cultura, de Aconcagua, de Artes, Ciencias y Comunicación, Los Leones, Miguel de Cervantes, Pedro de

Valdivia, del Pacífico, Arturo Prat, Católica Cardenal Raúl Silva Henríquez, Católica de La Santísima

Concepción, Católica del Maule, Católica de Temuco, del Mar, de Antofagasta, de Ciencias de la

Informática, de Valparaíso, de Los Andes and Bernardo O Higgins. For more detail see Appendix A.


implemented a series of courses to encourage students to explore new methods related to

the use of the body and creativity with the objective of reaching communication

naturally. A deeper description of these courses is given further in this chapter.

1.2. Drama Techniques to teach EFL Classrooms

Foreign Language classrooms require a variety of activities and techniques.

These techniques may change according to the context, students’ age, language level,

etc. Drama techniques in FL classrooms are resources that allow students and teachers to

employ their own personalities in the creation of learning materials (Maley & Duff,

2005). Therefore, it is of great importance for a FL teacher to implement drama as a

teaching method in order to improve students’ comprehension and acquisition of the FL.

1.2.1 Definition of Drama Techniques

It is highly important to clarify what Drama Techniques are; Charlyn Wessels

(1987) defines Drama as it follows:

Drama is doing. Drama is being. Drama is such a normal thing. It is something

that we all engage in daily when faced with difficult situations. You get up in

the morning with a bad headache or an attack of depression, yet you face the

day and cope with other people, pretending nothing is wrong. You have an

important meeting or an interview coming up, so you “talk through” the issues

with yourself beforehand and decide how to present a confident, cheerful face,

what to wear, what to do with your hands, and so on. (p. 7)

According to the above stated, one can infer that Drama Techniques are the skills

people develop in order to improve their communicative competence. These techniques


provide people with the endowment that supports them to enrich and enhance their

speech, which helps listeners to convey meaning.

Regarding the FL learning context, drama techniques are activities that draw on

the natural ability of everyone to imitate, mimic and express themselves through gesture

and facial expression as well as on students’ imagination and memory, and they also

bring to life memories that would not emerge through a different type of activity (Maley

and Duff, 2005.) From the previously explained, one can notice that drama techniques

are not only a tool to teach a foreign language, but also a source of self-expression for

people of all ages when their language level might limit the accuracy of their

communication.

1.2.2. Examples/types of activities in EFL classrooms

For teachers or facilitators, it is not necessary to have been trained as drama

experts, although some training, especially voice training is desirable. Maley and Duff

(1987) advice that teachers themselves need to believe drama activities will work in EFL

classrooms, since teachers are the key to the success of these activities. Also, they

recommend using an “open” body language, a firm but friendly tone of voice, giving

helpful and non-threatening feedback.

Maley and Duff propose to work on four areas of language teaching using Drama

technique activities:

a) Non-verbal warming up: These activities are meant to be done at the beginning

of the lesson. Their aim is to lower and/or release the nervousness students may


feel when they are just beginning. An example of these activities is called "Hand

Catching" where students also get prepared for more sustained exercises.

b) Non-verbal relaxation/cooling down: In general terms, these activities lead

students to get concentrated and focused on the tasks. "Feeling your Muscles" is

an activity that develops body awareness and control over the muscles of the

whole body. At the same time, it is a relaxation activity that prepares students for

the following exercises.

c) Activities involving language: The objectives of this type of activities are mainly

to generate a reaction over verbal stimuli and to create bonds among the group or

class. "Childhood Memories" leads students to share their past, stimulating

genuine oral exchange.

d) Group formation activities: As their name says, these ones contribute to allocate

people when carrying out pair or team work. They help students to work with

peers they would probably not work with without this tool. "Strings" is a good

example, couples are formed in a totally random way.

As one can notice, drama techniques are not simply related to performing a play on a

stage. Apart from performing or role-playing, these techniques offer a vast range of

options for teachers to find innovative and entertaining means of revision, improvisation,

classroom management and arrangement, among others. As stated before, teachers do

not need to be drama experts to put these activities into practice, although, some

previous knowledge is required in order to succeed.


1.2.3. Advantages and Disadvantages of Drama Technique Activities in EFL

Classrooms

Considering the broad amount of information about drama activities, it becomes

clear that they are beneficial to both teachers and students, nevertheless at the same time

they might not be suitable for all. This leads to search for the positive and negative

aspects drama techniques imply when putting them into practice, in order to become

aware about their pros and cons.

The positive aspects of teaching a FL using drama techniques are pointed by

Maley and Duff (1982).

It integrates language skills in a natural way. Careful listening is a key feature.

Spontaneous verbal expression is integral to most of the activities; and many of them

require reading and writing, both as part of the input and the output.

It integrates verbal and non-verbal aspects of communication, thus bringing together

both mind and body, and restoring the balance between physical and intellectual

aspects of learning. It draws upon both cognitive and affective domains, thus

restoring the importance of feeling as well as thinking.

By fully contextualizing the language, it brings the classroom interaction to life

through an intense focus on meaning.

The emphasis on whole-person learning and multi-sensory inputs helps learners to

capitalise on their strengths and to extend their range. In doing so, it offers unequalled

opportunities for catering to learner differences.

It fosters self-awareness (and awareness of others), self-esteem and confidence; and

through this, motivation is developed.


Motivation is likewise fostered and sustained through the variety and sense of

expectancy generated by the activities.

There is a transfer of responsibility for learning from teacher to learners – which is

where it belongs. (p. I)

When learning anything, six elements must be present in order to acquire and

retain what is being studied; according to Wessels (1987) these six elements are:

situation, problem, solution (surface reality), background, emotions, and planning

(underlying reality/foundation). When communicating those six elements are present,

therefore when carrying out Drama activities in EFL classrooms, learners are not only

putting into practice what they are studying, but also they are helping themselves to

reach language acquisition.

As reported by Wessels (1987) drama should be viewed as a technique of

communicative language teaching. It focuses on the role of the students as active

participants rather than passive receptors. Among the cons, it is found that it often

becomes difficult to link the theory with the practice. From the teacher’s side Wessels

(1987) affirms that many teachers view drama techniques simply as something enjoyable

that can be used with easy-going, extrovert students. This results in teachers avoiding to

include drama techniques as a permanent teaching tool.

Another negative aspect of drama techniques is related to the misconception its

name evokes, leading many people to think about plays. McGregor et al. (1977) sustain

that “for most of those who are not directly involved in drama teaching, drama and

theatre are the same thing – they are about plays, writers, actors, directors, rehearsal and

performance” (p. 6). This misconception can be easily broken when the teacher or


educator knows about the different uses proposed for drama techniques in the EFL

classroom.

1.3. Teacher Training

The following chapter will be focused on the way teachers should be trained to

accomplish the objectives that Drama Techniques seek to reach. Also corporality and

body awareness will be analysed as fundamental issues to carry out activities that relate

to non-verbal communication.

1.3.1 Ideal Teacher Training

It is widely known that teachers are meant to be skilful people who must be

enabled to develop multiple tasks within the classroom, school environment and

community. However, in the case of EFL teachers, knowing the language is not enough

if they mean to transmit it. In Lin Wright’s (1985) words “the challenge is to prepare

teachers to move beyond safe lessons devoted to reading scripts or following lesson

plans in texts to truly creative improvisation based on structured but flexible situations

that have real meaning for the students” (p.1). This point becomes logic if it is

considered that real life situations happen naturally, therefore, acquisition should take

place in the same kind of natural settings, where improvisations are constant and actions

do not happen as single and unconnected phrases. Hence, the teacher should be a

creative leader to encourage their students towards acquisition. Wright’s proposal is a

big challenge in the Chilean context, considering the situations mentioned earlier in this

chapter, therefore, this is a task to carry out progressively and patiently.


In relation to this, it is also necessary to think about the features of a teacher

trainer in a drama oriented classroom, where teaching strategies must be complemented

through the use of drama. In order to do so, they must be creative leaders that favour

appropriate playable dramatic action for the group. Hence, the first thing a teacher

should aim at is getting to know their students, since it will facilitate individual and

group involvement in the drama activity. Also, it will help the teacher to guide

individuals within the group towards an understanding of the drama activity just created,

which is fundamental for trainees, since they will be able to adapt any activity as long as

they understand it. Another advisable activity for teacher trainers is demonstration and

modelling of these teaching strategies, so that trainees analyse the situations,

contextualise them into different settings and finally discover how to make a decision

within the lesson (Wright, 1985).

It is possible to say that drama technique activities provide many

communicational opportunities in terms of personal development as in improving

language skills. So, teacher training programmes should emphasise this area in order to

have teachers who are able to perform such activities. By contrast, as mentioned before,

most universities that offer teacher training programmes are focussed on grammar and

receptive skills. Most teachers teach the same way they were taught, where the influence

of teaching through methods that privilege the use of grammar rules and their

understanding through textbooks, tapescripts and worksheets is evident. These are

situations, where the practice of language teaching cannot take place without a textbook

in hand (Vernon, n.d.), which makes teaching English through drama an unusual

situation, while this should be a common thing to see.


1.3.2 Corporality and Body Awareness

Being conscious of the body language projected is a relevant skill teachers are

advised to foster. Firstly, it is important for teachers to reach a more profitable

comprehension of their students’ behaviour and attitudes, and secondly it is helpful for

teachers in order to improve the comprehensible input their students receive so they can

convey meaning easily and at the same time, it might help to lower students' affective

filter.

Knowing the people in the classroom is of great importance for teachers. This

opens different paths to approach students, and one way of doing this, is by paying

attention not only to the vocabulary they use when they express their ideas or opinions,

but also to their gestures. Ahmet Benzer (2012) states that

Body language gives very important clues about people's feelings, attitudes and

thoughts, and it helps us to understand their behaviour according to their

appearance at the point of decision. These clues are important in understanding

and assessing both ourselves and other people. (p.467)

The above stated is closely related to what Benzer explains about the teaching

practice: the process of making a pedagogical decision. It becomes hard for teachers to

determine an activity for a group when they do not know the way their students feel and

think. It is also common to observe that some people do not say what they feel, or they

struggle to tell their feelings since they often cannot describe them. This is an even more

recurrent situation in the classroom, where students are building their identity and

understanding themselves as individuals. Therefore, perceiving students' reactions


towards activities or content should be a constant indicator to be measured, for it can

lead us to better pedagogical decisions. Furthermore, if teachers are able to perceive

beyond what is explicitly said by the students, they will have a more suitable range of

methodologies to carry out their activities.

Regarding body language, not only students should be carefully examined but

also the teachers, since their performance has great influence on the acquisition of the

knowledge in terms of the acceptance of it. People leave impressions on their peers

during the process of communication by voice and body language (Mahrebian and

Ferris, 1967). It has emerged that the content of speech has 7 % of influence, tone and

quality has 38 %, while body language has an impact of 55 % (Benzer, 2012, p. 467).

This explicitly shows the importance for teachers to become aware of corporality and

body awareness.

In addition, body language is closely related to the students’ affective filter. Our

body is able to tell people how we feel about ourselves and others, which can influence

the students’ predisposition towards the teacher and the class. Stephen Krashen, states

that

The presence of the affective filter explains how two students can receive the

same (comprehensible) input, yet one makes progress while the other does not.

One student is open to the input while the other is not. (2003, p. 6)

Hence, being aware of the communicational possibilities teachers can use in

their favour, is a great skill they can develop in order to be understood rapidly and

efficiently. Taking the previously stated into account, it becomes essential to privilege


the use and understanding of communication not only from the grammar perspective, as

it has been done traditionally, but also from the one of reaching effective

communication. Then, at the moment of designing teacher training programmes, body

language should become an indispensable subject for the development of future teachers

and the effective learning of their students.

1.4. Drama Techniques in the English as a Foreign Language Teacher

Training Programme at UACh

Throughout the eight semesters that the English as a Foreign Language Teacher

Training Programme lasts at UACh, four courses related to Drama Techniques to teach

EFL are offered. These are elective courses which can be taken by trainees from the

third semester onwards. Courses including Drama Techniques have always been part of

the curricula of the programme. “Storytelling” and “Dramatics,” were offered since the

reopening in 2004; however, these were not correlative with each other. Since 2009, in

the context of a research project called “S2009-16 English: Acting out Language,” two

new courses were added: “Telling Stories through the Body” and “Drama Techniques in

the Classroom.” Then, the contents of the four courses were adjusted in order to

correlate.

This project was developed by teachers of the EFL Teacher Training Programme

and one of its objectives was to “apply teaching methodologies related to drama

techniques that encourage student’s oral production, involving them in an effective and

responsible way in their learning process to reach real acquisition of English as a


Foreign Language” (Ortiz de Zárate, A. et al, 2009)4. From that year on, these four

courses have been designed to be taken, preferably, in a sequential way, since every

course builds up on the contents of the previous one. Nevertheless, as these are electives

and they do not have any prerequisites, students tend to take some of the courses

randomly.

In terms of methodology, all courses are developed as workshops. That means

they are more practical than theoretical and the final aim of each course is directly

related to an activity linking the students with the educational community. Also the

room for the classes is different; it is a special room designed to carry out drama

oriented activities, here, relaxation and breathing exercises can be easily developed. It is

expected that a student who participated in all the courses should be able to effectively

communicate through body language and teach using drama resources. In order to

understand and contrast every course, a description of each will be detailed in the

following points.

1.4.1 Storytelling

ILIN 123 Storytelling is the first course in the sequence of Drama Technique

courses. It is mainly oriented to the improvement of oral production. The objective is to

“develop the trainees’ skills to understand and express orally short stories in English,

using adequate linguistic components of the oral discourse” (Renftel, 2012, p.1)5.

During the semester, students work on basic drama techniques to tell stories, so they go

4 All translations from Spanish into English have been carried out by the authors of this paper.

“. . . aplicar metodologías de enseñanza relacionadas con técnicas teatrales que motiven la producción oral

de los alumnos y los involucren efectiva y responsablemente en el proceso de aprendizaje, culminando en

una adquisición real del inglés como lengua extranjera” (Ortiz de Zárate, 2009).

5 “[…] desarrolla en el estudiante la habilidad para comprender y expresar oralmente historias cortas en

inglés haciendo uso adecuado de los componentes lingüísticos propios del discurso oral”. (Renftel, 2012)


gradually progressing on their fluency and pronunciation. Besides, they have to create

stories and design didactic material to complement the stories. The topics covered in the

course are related to the context of storytelling as a cultural tradition, the different types

of stories and the benefits of adapting them in an educational setting. By the end of the

course, students are expected to be able to tell a story with a teaching purpose,

specifically in primary education contexts (Renftel, 2012).

1.4.2 Telling Stories through the Body

ILIN 109 Telling Stories through the Body is the second course and, as well as

“Storytelling”, it is dedicated to primary education. This course focuses on the

awareness of body language, its objective is that “trainees develop the skills to

understand and express short stories in English orally and through body language (Ortiz

de Zárate et al, 2009b, p.1)6. Throughout the semester, students read stories aloud and

adapt texts from different genres, so they continue perfecting their fluency and

pronunciation. However, the backbone of this course is the transversal objective that is

in every activity to concentrate and get conscious of the use of voice, body and space.

Also, students are asked to work on their creativity by creating characters and didactic

material, using a variety of elements as props to tell stories such as puppets or masks,

which must be tailored by themselves. When the course ends, students are expected to

understand the importance of the influence of body language in communication in order

to use it as a teaching tool combined with different drama elements (Ortiz de Zárate et

al, 2009b).

6 “[…] desarrolla en el estudiante la habilidad para comprender y expresar oralmente y utilizando su

lenguaje corporal historias cortas en inglés.” (Ortiz de Zárate, 2009)


1.4.3 Drama Techniques in the Classroom

ILIN 233 Drama Techniques in the Classroom is a course which focuses on the

“practical application of drama techniques and ludic activities to acquire a foreign

language” (Ortiz de Zárate et al, 2012, p.1)7 and emphasises the importance of

stimulating a suitable environment for the learning process. This course works

intensively on breathing techniques, relaxation and voice production in order to improve

the trainees’ teaching performance. Every activity developed has an explicit pedagogical

purpose. Consequently, the instructor provides a theoretical background about

researches on the field of didactic strategies to teach EFL through ludic and dramatic

approaches. Critical analysis of the use of these approaches is discussed in class as well.

The final outcome of this course is to plan and teach through ludic activities with the

aim of learning contents and language, which is assessed by carrying out a micro lesson.

At this point students should combine the elements from all three courses in order to

innovate in the classroom with drama techniques (Ortiz de Zárate et al, 2012).

1.4.4 Dramatics

ILIN 154 Dramatics is the last of the sequel. The language level needed to

develop the activities is higher and students must have an intermediate level8 and at least

partial knowledge of the contents of the previous courses. The objective of this course is

the “practical application of drama techniques for the interpretation of theatrical texts

and the teaching of a foreign language” (Ortiz de Zárate et al, 2011, p.1)9. Classes begin

with theoretical background based on the “Shakespearean Theatre” and its features. In

7 “Aplicación práctica de técnicas dramáticas y lúdicas para la adquisición de una lengua extranjera.”

(Ortiz de Zárate et al, 2012) 8 It is suggested that “Language IV” should have been passed to take this course.

9 “Aplicación práctica de técnicas dramáticas en la interpretación de textos teatrales y la enseñanza de una

lengua extranjera” (Ortiz de Zárate et al, 2011)


contrast with the previous course, the outcome expected is a much more elaborated

performance by the end of the semester, since the trainees must study, adapt (shorten)

and perform a play by Shakespeare in the original language.

During the whole semester, students work on the process of performance, which

requires a considerable amount of time and effort since relaxation, breathing and voice

control techniques are more methodically developed, adding memorization techniques.

Rehearsals are also prepared very carefully, stage position, props and all the

organization is very strict because the final performance is in front of an audience.

Finally, the performance of this play should concentrate all the knowledge and skills

developed through the four courses and be the visible example of the benefits of using

drama techniques as a teaching tool (Ortiz de Zárate et al, 2011).


Chapter 2: Methodological Framework

2.1. Type of Research

This research is catalogued as a case study following C.R. Kothari’s (2004)

description: “a very popular form of qualitative analysis and involves a careful and complete

observation of a social unit, be that unit a person, a family, an institution, a cultural group or

even the entire community.” (p.113). The analysis of the information was done from

a qualitative approach, which is “concerned with subjective assessment of attitudes,

opinions and behaviour” (Kothari 2004). This research deals with those aspects, since it aims

to measure the perception of people.

2.1.1. Type of Case Study

This investigation is a descriptive and explanatory study. On the one hand it describes

the way in which the Drama Technique courses are given and their purpose, which matches

with the definition given by Ranjit Kumar (2011) about descriptive studies: “[which attempt]

systematically to describe a situation, problem, phenomenon, service or programme, or

[provide] information about or attitudes towards an issue” ( p.383). On the other hand, this

study also intends “to clarify why and how there is a relationship between two aspects of a

situation or phenomenon” (Kumar, 2011, p.385); in this case, the relationship between the

teachers’ performance and the training given by the courses.

2.1.2. Subjects of the Study

The first step to consider was the subjects of study to participate in the research since

“in every discipline it is considered unethical to collect information without the knowledge of

the participants, and their expressed willingness and informed consent” (Kumar, 2011, p.244).

Therefore, before the tools were applied, the researchers had a previous contact with the


participants and delivered a formal document called “Informed Consent”, which let them

know the objectives of the research, as well as informed them about all the aspects of their

participation and their importance in the investigation. Then they were asked to consent to be

part of the study.

To obtain the final amount of subjects of study, a list of all the students who took the

Drama Technique courses between 2009 and 2012 was gathered, resulting in 135 subjects.

Then the list was narrowed, discarding those who have not had a formal teaching experience.

After that, the number of subjects of study remained in 67. Then, in a second stage, the

subjects were divided into two groups because different information was expected from them,

so different data collection tools were designed for each group. The first was composed by 28

Teaching Practice trainees or EFL Teachers who took at least three of the four courses. The

second group made of 39 Teaching Practice trainees or Newly Qualified EFL Teachers who

are currently working that took one or two of the courses. From this group, 21 replies were

obtained, representing a 54% of response. In total, the average response of the subjects was of

52 %. A set of interviews was conducted with the first group, since the researches considered

that, due to the higher exposure they had to Drama Techniques, their knowledge about the

topic would allow them to give deeper and varied information. The second group answered an

online survey, since; unlike in the group of the interviews, the information required from them

did not need further explanations. The level at which teachers are working has not been

considered as criteria to discard subjects because the issues covered in this research are

transversal, because Drama Technique activities can be adapted to be performed at any level.

Besides the personal development acquired in these courses are tools that are supposed to be

useful at any stage of their career as well.


In terms of the context of the participants, most of them are young adults between 22

and 31 years old, who are beginning or have recently started their teaching careers. Therefore,

it can be inferred that they have had recent contact with contemporary teaching approaches.

Regarding gender, 80% of the sample is female, which is a tendency in the English as a

Foreign Language Teacher Training Programmes at a national level.

2.2. Data Collection Methods

The data collection tools were designed according to the specific objectives of the

research. In this case, the tools were a survey and an interview. The first was created to gather

the information related to depict the motivation of trainees from the English as a Foreign

Language Teacher Training Programme at UACh to take Drama Technique courses (specific

objective number one) and to obtain the NQTs’ opinions about the courses and suggestions to

improve the syllabi of the Drama Technique courses given by the EFL Teacher Training

Programme at UACh (specific objective number three). The second tool was a semi

structured interview, which was designed to identify the way in which the Drama Technique

courses influence the NQTs’ performance in terms of the personal, professional and

methodological development (specific objective number two) as well as the two specific

objectives previously mentioned.

2.2.1. Survey

Regarding the large amount of people that were contacted, the geographical distance

among the participants and the lack of free time they had, a survey fits the needs better than

any other data collection tool. On the internet, there are some free programs designed to carry

out surveys such as “Survey Monkey”, which is a popular software that allows the researchers

to send the questions via e-mail, so the participants can decide the best moment to answer it.


There are advantages and disadvantages when a survey is used as a data collection

tool. Some of the benefits set by Kothari (2004) are that the respondents answer in their own

words, they have enough time to give well thought answers and thus the results are more

dependable and reliable (p. 101). Another benefit associated to this tool is that it “enables the

researcher to collect data in field settings, and the data . . . are more amenable to

quantification” (Nunan, 2004, p.143). However, drawbacks are also mentioned in Kothari’s

work (2004) they relate to a low rate of return of the duly filled in surveys and the possibility

of ambiguous replies or omission of replies altogether to certain questions (p. 100). The last

negative aspect to be considered is that if the participants who answered the surveys had any

doubt regarding the questions, the researchers were not able to solve them. That is the reason

why the next data collection tool was designed.

2.2.2. Semi-Structured Interviews

The interview was the data collection tool that answered to the three specific

objectives and thus, also to general objective: to determine the teachers’ perception of the

impact of the Drama Technique courses given by the EFL Teacher Training Programme

at UACh regarding the personal, professional and methodological development.

This tool was selected because it fits the requirements to obtain deeper information.

Kothari (2004) mentions two very important features of this tool; first, personal information

can be easily obtained under this method, being this highly relevant for a research that is

asking for the perception of the subjects. The second important characteristic is that through

interviews the researcher can collect supplementary information about the respondent’s

personal attributes and environment which is often of great value in interpreting results (p.

98). Other reason to choose this tool is that semi structured interviews are more flexible, due


to the fact that they give the opportunity to rearrange and clarify questions and answers. Also,

samples can be controlled more effectively since the researcher can make sure all the points

are covered and none question remains without an answer, so non-response remains very low.

Finally, unlike surveys, this tool avoids the misinterpretations of the questions (p. 98).

In this research, in order to obtain the mentioned benefits, a semi structured interview

was applied because it is not excessively rigid, which might produce an uncomfortable

atmosphere, but at the same time it is not too general, which could make the analysis of

information difficult (Kothari 2004). According to David Nunan (1992) in a semi-structured

interview, “the interviewer has a general idea of where he or she wants the interview to go,

and what should come out of it, but does not enter the interview with a list of predetermined

questions”. Therefore, this tool seems to be the most adequate type, since it gives the chance

to have an interview that looks like a conversation and be more precise when required. At the

same time the respondents knew (through the informed consent) that the interviews were

recorded in audio format.

2.3. Criteria of Analysis

The results obtained from the data collection tools were analysed within the

parameters of some criteria set in order to organize and understand them. These criteria are

based on the specific objectives, since the interview and the survey were designed with the

purpose of gathering information about the issues proposed in the specific objectives. Also,

the concepts analysed in the literature review for the theoretical framework were taken into

account so as to give a consistent support to the discussion.


2.3.1. Teacher Trainees’ Motivation

Since depicting the teacher trainees’ motivation to take the Drama Technique courses

is one of the specific objectives of this research, this was one of the criteria analysed.

Therefore, through the interview and the survey, questions regarding this topic were designed

in other to identify if the reasons why students decide to take or leave these courses are related

to some kind of intrinsic motivation or extrinsic motivation.

2.3.2. Teachers’ Performance

Another criteria analysed is the influence of the Drama Technique courses in the

teaching performance of the subjects who took at least 3 of them. NQTs were asked to share

their experiences regarding the use of Drama Techniques, the complications and benefits of

putting them into practice in the classroom. Also, the influence in their personal development

was taken into account in order to know if they noticed any improvements as professionals in

terms of the way in which they build communication either when facing the classroom or

when approaching the school community.


Chapter 3: Outcomes and Results

3.1. Results per Criterion

In the following section, the results obtained from the data collection tools, the

21 surveys and 14 interviews carried out, are exposed taking into account the two

criteria previously described.


Surveys

As mentioned before, surveys were answered by 21 NQTs or teacher trainees

who took not more than 2 courses. Therefore, one of the aims of this survey was to know

why they did not finish taking the sequence of Drama Technique courses. Results

showed that most of the participants began the sequence of courses with Storytelling and

the main reason to start with the sequence was the interest on the themes proposed by

the courses as showed in the following pie chart.

Figure 1. Reasons to Take Drama Technique Courses.

52%

19%

29% Interest on the topic

Advise

No more choices


When asked about why they decided not to keep on taking all the courses, the

main two justifications they gave were that they felt uncomfortable with their

performance in the courses (embarrassment) or that they lost interest in the topics. This

can be seen through the following pie chart:

Figure 2. Reasons Not to Take more than Two Drama Technique Courses.

Nevertheless, an important part of the subjects surveyed (67%) declared to be

willing to eventually take similar courses in the future. Some of the reasons they gave

were that this kind of courses provided trainees with communicative skills to improve

their teaching performance and that it was a good experience. Also, some participants

admitted that even though the courses were useful, they felt that their personalities or

skills were not appropriate to take more Drama Technique courses. Actually, 86% of the

participants stated that they would advise a person to take courses like these because

they help to develop their personality and supplied trainees with many innovative

teaching methods. Similarly, some of them explained that even though they left the

courses because they felt they were not apt at performing, they would recommend

someone who has the skills to take them.

43%

50%

7%

Lack of interest

Uncomfortable feeling

Dislike of teachers


Interviews

The interviews, which were taken by the participants who took at least 3 courses,

showed four branches of interest to take the Drama Technique Courses, the majority of

them had previous experiences related to Performing Arts or Drama and they found

interesting to keep developing their skills and knowledge. The second place was

occupied by trainees who wanted to improve their social skills in order to be more

confident when approaching a group of students or colleagues. It is important to mention

that half of them considered themselves shy or introverted. The participants who took

these courses having the certification as a main reason to do so, enjoyed the classes and

found them useful for their teaching careers, therefore, they continued taking Drama

Technique courses. The littlest percentage was composed of participants who expected

to improve their teaching skills, seeing these subjects as a complimentary source of

methodologies. It is worth mentioning that a participant from this section expressed that

their main aim to take these courses was to learn how to teach young children.

Figure 3. Teacher Trainees’ Motivation to Take the Courses.

47%

18%

23%

12%

Previous interest

Certification

To improve Social Skills

To improve Teaching Skills


During the in-classroom time, 66% of the participants felt comfortable, 14% felt

uncomfortable because one of the trainers was too demanding. The last 14% did not feel

confident at the time of performing in front of classmates and instructors since it was

something unusual and too challenging. At the same time, knowing that they were

assessed according to their performance was an additional source of stress.

Figure 4. Teacher Trainees’ Feelings during the Lessons.


The main influence Drama Technique courses revealed on the participants'

teaching performance (57%) was related to the development of varied teaching

approaches in their classes. Among the subjects interviewed, 29% considered that they

used the voice projection and body language skills as their most frequent teaching tool.

A smaller amount of interviewees (14%) related the development of their social skills to

the learning outcomes of the courses.

36%

14%

36%

14% Comfortable

Uncomfortable

Progressive change

Uncomfortable in one specific subject


Figure 5. Influence of the Courses on the Interviewees’ Teaching Performance.

All the interviewees had the opportunity to implement Drama Activities in their

teaching career. The types of Drama Technique activities the participants put into

practice showed a tendency to performing and/or Role Playing. The pie chart below

pictures the percentage corresponding to each type of activity mentioned by the

participants.

Figure 6. Types of Drama Technique Activities Developed by the Interviewees.

It is relevant to mention that the activities developed with primary students

worked as expected or even better, being a good experience for the students (according

to the teacher’s perception). It is not the same case with secondary students, who showed

reluctance to participate at the beginning, or lack of engagement to the activities while

29%

57%

14%

Voice Projection & Body Language

Teaching Approaches

Social Skills

28%

56%

5% 11%

Mimicry

Performing/Role Playing

Group Formation

Relaxation/Breathing


university students participated very actively when given the opportunity. Relaxation

and breathing exercises were carried out with the aim of lowering the students' affective

filter and to provide them with comprehensible input.

When participants were asked about the use they gave to the knowledge they

acquired throughout the courses in their educational community, the majority (57%) said

that the courses had not influenced their behaviour with other people. However, 22% of

the subjects recognized to have increased their empathy with others in different contexts,

a 14% stated that they became more confident due to the voice and body awareness they

gained in the courses. Finally, it is interesting to notice that one participant recognised to

have intentionally put the skills/knowledge into practice with other people from the

school community – with the aim of complementing one’s spoken language with body

language and voice management – but the participant was misunderstood by the

interlocutors, who considered the behaviour as exaggerated.

Figure 7. Influence of the Drama Technique Courses on the Relationship with

the Educational Community.

Regarding personal development, the subjects exposed that the main tools/skills

they obtained from the Drama Technique courses were linked to professional

57% 14%

22%

7%

No influence

To feel more comfortable

To become empathic

Yes, but not efficiently


development. Two participants (14%) related a noticeable personal development to the

contents they studied and acquired in the courses. Both participants increased their

empathy with people in general and they put this into practice in their professional

career as well.

In terms of the interviewees' perception of the instructors' competence as

communicators, all of them considered that their instructors' attitude was a fundamental

aspect in order to create a positive atmosphere in the classroom, with students and

among them (teacher-student and student-student). A small percentage of the

participants (7%) was prejudiced against one of the instructors, but this attitude changed

throughout the development of the course due to the techniques the instructor used to

approach students. Finally, a 14% of the subjects felt uncomfortable and stressed due to

one of the instructor's attitude, which was perceived as too demanding, leading them to a

stressful and uncomfortable experience.

3.2. Discussion

The following section discusses the topics exposed in the theoretical framework.

These are contrasted with the results obtained from the data collection tools in order to

be analysed in the light of two criteria of analysis. The first criterion of analysis, Teacher

Trainees’ Motivation, aims to depict the motivation of teacher trainees to take the Drama

Technique courses and develop the specific objective number one of this research (To

depict the motivation for trainees of the English as a Foreign Language Teacher Training

Programme at UACh to take Drama Technique courses). The second, Teachers’

Performance, points out the teachers' performance and is related to the specific objective


number two of this research (To identify the way in which the Drama Technique courses

influence the Newly Qualified Teachers’ performance in terms of personal, professional

and pedagogical development).


It is important to clarify that in the first criterion analysed in the discussion is

divided into the two groups of participants, the ones that did not take more than 2

courses (survey) and the ones that took least 3 courses (semi structured interviews). This

division is necessary since the motivation of the subjects vary according to the courses

they took.

Surveys

The first group gives information about the reasons that lead them to start taking

the Drama Technique courses. This group of subjects begins the process of the Drama

Technique courses but leaves it incomplete. It is interesting to notice that more than half

of them (52%) decide to begin with it because they are interested in the topics they

expect to be covered. It means that this percentage has some positive prospects on these

courses. Apart from the cases mentioned above, an important percentage (29%) declares

that they have taken the courses (any of them) because they have not had any other

choice. The difference between the latter and the former subjects is the lack of intrinsic

motivation. Therefore, it can be inferred that the resilience of these subjects in the sequel

of courses can be reduced. Following Wright’s (1985) ideas, teacher trainers should be

creative leaders who encourage an appropriate atmosphere within the classroom. Thus,

at this point the teacher trainers of these courses have to give their most to engage

students so that they persist on the series of courses.


Later in the survey, participants give reasons to stop taking the courses. Half of

them feel uncomfortable with the activities developed because, though they recognize

the value of drama techniques, they feel embarrassed or think they do not have enough

skills to take the following courses. In this sense, Benzer (2012) shares some thoughts

about how important it is for a trainer to know their students. First, he points out, the

trainer must pay attention to the body language of the trainees; second the trainer must

really consider it in order to make good pedagogical decisions. Among participants, 43%

of them lack interest on the topic; however, it is relevant to point that an amount of them

loses the interest they have towards Drama Technique courses due to the frustration that

comes up during certain activities involved in the process.

Considering Almond’s (2005) words when he states that “drama requires learners

to have a holistic view of communication” (p.6), it can be said that all the rules of

coexistence between trainers and trainees must be clearly established, worked and

reworked from the beginning of the process onwards. This is considered of primal

importance for the trainees to become aware of the equality and partnership that should

be maintained during the whole process. This constructivist way of building confidence

might help decreasing the levels of frustration and increase the collaborative work,

which is essential when it comes to drama techniques in particular and daily life in

general, where all kind of personalities must coexist. There must be an explicit

development of a sense of belonging toward the participants of the courses to foster

continuity, which is a main issue taking into account that 58% of the trainees who take

these courses do not take the whole sequel.


Interviews

A different scenario is presented by the subjects who take at least 3 courses. The

main contrast with the previous group (survey) is that 47% of participants enter the

Drama Techniques courses because they have some previous knowledge about the topics

that are covered throughout the process. The second majority begins these courses

because they want to improve their social skills; similarly, they already have a clear

expectation of the benefits they are going to obtain. These results highlight the

importance of the awareness of the students in relation to the process they undergo. This

secures their continuity in the courses.

In addition, it is relevant to consider the feeling toward the courses of the

participants who answered the interview. In terms of their affective response to the

course, 36% of them feel comfortable during the courses and another 36% feel anxious

or nervous at the beginning but they start to relax and feel comfortable progressively.

These subjects are aware of their evolution and progress and they appreciate it. They

become confident about their performance in classes; therefore, motivation takes place

easily. As Maley & Duff (1982) say, drama technique activities “foster self-awareness

(and awareness of others), self-esteem and confidence; and through this, motivation is

developed” (p.9). In this case, trainees keep a low affective filter and a positive

disposition towards the courses. Finally, once motivation settles, the challenge for the

trainer is to find ways to bring together both kinds of trainees, those who are confident

and feel comfortable with the activities or exercises and the ones who do not. As

mentioned before, it is a collaborative and continuous work to be developed along with

the contents of the courses.



In order to corroborate if subjects identify the influence of the Drama Courses in

their performance, results from the interviews are compared to the description of each

course in terms of the teachers’ praxis that is expected from them as future teachers and

the main objective of this research.

The first course of the sequence is ILIN 123 Storytelling. It can be said that this

course is the gate to the rest of the sequel, since it offers the basic principles of Drama

Techniques. In methodological terms, this course “develops the students’ skills to

understand and orally express short stories in English” (Renftel, 2012, p.1). As described

in the objective of the course, it is expected that NQTs use storytelling with a teaching

purpose in their classrooms. However, as seen in Figure 6. Types of Drama Activities

Developed by Teachers, storytelling is not mentioned by any of the interviewees.

Therefore, it can be inferred that even though they might use this resource, they do not

consider it relevant to be mentioned to the interviewer in relation to other activities they

carry out in class.

Nevertheless, the expected outcomes of this course are wider than the specific

activity of storytelling. Also the improvement of oral production is a major concern.

When asked about the impact of the Drama Technique courses, 29% of the interviewees

declare that these are helpful for improving their voice projection and body language,

which is one of the aims of Storytelling. Another activity developed in this class is the

design of original didactic resources such as puppets or big books, which according to

Maley & Duff (2005) allows students and teachers to employ their own personalities in

the creation of learning. Hence, evidence shows that teachers do not explicitly recognize


the use of storytelling activities; however, the influence of the course is proved through

the answers they give regarding features of their personal skills.

The second course in the sequence is ILIN 109 Telling Stories through the Body,

which focuses on the awareness of body language. When the course ends, students are

expected to understand the importance of the influence of body language in

communication and to use it as a teaching tool, as studied in the theoretical framework,

body language plays an essential role for teachers. The effectiveness of communication

relies, in a good part, not only on what is said but on how it is said. Appropriate use of

body language improves teachers’ performance and encourages acquisition in many

ways. First, it enhances the comprehensible input students receive, since by being aware

of body language people are able to manage better communicative skills which enable

them to adapt their performance to different contexts. Also, the use of body language

can lower the students’ affective filter, making it easier for them to accept the contents

the teacher presents.

In addition, becoming aware of the information the body gives, is a powerful tool

in the process of making pedagogical decisions, since it helps teachers to know their

students, and consequently, to plan coherently according to their students learning styles

and interests. Results show that NQTs are conscious about the benefits they obtain from

these courses regarding this topic, actually, 23 % of the subjects decide to take them

because they want to develop their social skills through drama approaches. Then, 29% of

them say that body language influences them the most, helping them to face the

classrooms in a more confident way and approaching the school community more

empathically and comfortably. It has been evidenced that after taking at least three


Drama Technique courses, NQTs give body language a relevant place in their

performance, since all of them carry out some kind of activity in which students learn

through their bodies.

The third part of the sequence is ILIN 233 Drama Techniques in the Classroom, a

course which focus is the “practical application of drama techniques and ludic activities

to acquire a foreign language” (Ortiz de Zárate et al, 2012, p.1). During these classes,

every activity has an explicit pedagogical purpose. This becomes evident when taking a

glance at the results of the interview, since they show that all the NQTs are performing

activities like the ones promoted in this subject. By doing so, the skills development of

their students is promoted, like the ones Maley and Duff (2005) refer to when they say

that drama techniques activities “draw on the students’ ability to imitate, mimic and

express themselves through gesture and facial expression”, as well as on their

imagination and memory. In this sense, the benefits of drama techniques in terms of

didactic approach to develop personal skills such as creativity can be inferred.

Most of the NQTs do role playing and mimicry with their students since those

activities are the ones they feel better prepared to perform. All NQTs consider drama

techniques as a valuable tool for their practice; however, they also acknowledge they

have trouble dealing with their students at the moment of using drama techniques,

mainly in secondary level. Several participants recognised they have found themselves

without enough classroom management skills to face the students who are reluctant to

carry out the activities and exhibit a bad behaviour during the lesson. To summarize,

according to teachers, the most notorious influence of these courses in their teaching


performance, are the teaching strategies they learn in order to develop innovative

activities.

The end of the sequence of courses is ILIN 154 Dramatics. Being this the last

step, it closes the process with a “practical application of drama techniques for the

interpretation of theatrical texts and the teaching of a foreign language” (Ortiz de Zárate

et al, 2011, p.1). By the end of the semester, a Shakespearean play is adapted and

performed in its original language. Here, all the knowledge from the last courses is put

into practice; this is why it can be more laborious to develop this course without having

passed the previous ones. It is considered by the interviewees as one of the most difficult

courses of the series, but also one of the most rewarding, since the final presentation is a

very challenging experience that enhances personal development. As Maley & Duff

(2005) point out, this kind of activities “foster self-awareness (and awareness of others),

self-esteem and confidence; and through this, motivation is developed”.

Along with the hard work, this course requires a huge amount of time inside and

outside the classroom due to its complexity. Some examples of the tasks they must carry

out are: the reading and understanding of a Shakespearean play in its original language,

adaptation of the play (shortening), creation of a character with all its features,

memorization of texts, planning and blocking of movements on stage, voice and body

projection on stage, and at least six to eight rehearsals for the final presentation. Trainees

who take this course feel defied by it but gradually – through permanent physical and

cognitive training – develop the necessary skills to face the challenge. However, it can

be said that, considering all the difficulties students have to overcome, this is the most

significant course in terms of the influence it has on the trainees when developing


different aspects of being an EFL teacher. This is because this course deals with the

personal features each trainee must develop so as to prepare a successful final

presentation Along with all the skills needed to carry out the activities previously

mentioned, which in some cases are far from being part of the previous knowledge of

the participants.

Finally, when reviewing the requirements proposed by the Ministry of Education

(MINEDUC) in the National Curriculum for EFL, it is worth mentioning the coherence

existing between the objectives sought by the MINEDUC and the objectives the Drama

Technique courses aim to achieve. As mentioned in the Theoretical framework of this

investigation, from the last adjustment for the EFL area in 2009, the MINEDUC has

emphasized the relevance that should be given to develop not only receptive skills, but

also productive skills in the same manner. Wessels (1987), as previously cited states that

drama focuses on the role of the students as active participants rather than passive

receptors. For that reason, it can be said that drama techniques are a useful and

complementary approach to achieve the goals that the Ministry of Education settles.

According to the results of the interviews, all the NQTs who took at least 3 courses use

Drama Techniques successfully during their performance. These results show not only

the effectiveness of the courses when duly taken, but also their consistency in the

context of the National EFL Curriculum.


Suggestions

The following section is a set of suggestions designed in order to strengthen the

weaknesses found not only in courses but also in the trainers’ performance. These are

proposed according to the information provided by the participants and the information

retrieved in the theoretical framework. The following suggestions can be applied to all the

Drama Technique courses.

General suggestions

1. An introductory course to Drama Techniques should be implemented. It might be better

that this course would be compulsory for all the trainees within the programme, so the

ones who have no previous experience or knowledge related to this topic do not miss the

opportunity to discover a possible interest in these techniques or skills they can develop

by enrolling in these subjects.

2. Trainees should be asked to relate the activities they develop to different learning styles,

multiple intelligences and TPR approach. Also, it is important for the trainees to develop

the ability to create adaptations according to age range, contents, context, and amount of

students, among other variables.

3. Trainees should have a bank of activities and resources to organise all the material they

gather throughout the courses.

4. A workshop-like branch in each course related to resources and teaching material to

optimise time and economical resources. Then, trainees will be able use their creativity to

complement their lesson in and efficient way (saving time and money); therefore, by the


time they take their Teaching Practice they will have developed the skills to carry out a

lesson with less manufactured teaching materials.

5. Since Drama Techniques are taught in Foreign Language classrooms, it would be of great

contribution to instruct trainees on the creation of rubrics for Drama-based activities. This

could be done with the activities they develop within the courses or for possible “classes”

they might design. Through this, EFL teachers will be trained to assess learners through

contextualised activities instead of the traditional written or listening tests.

6. It is part of the objectives of the drama courses to perform a final activity in a school, in

favour of this, a formal collaboration agreement with one or more schools should be

signed.Hence it is guaranteed that there will be an appropriate context to carry out the

final task.

7. Finally, in order to guarantee the improvements are implemented without downplaying

the contents that are already being taught and that are known to work well with the

trainees, it would be crucial to add another 90-minute-session per week to each course.

By adding this session, trainers will also have more time to cover and reinforce the

current topics.

Suggestions per course

Since Story Telling is the first course of the set, there are two important aspects to

reinforce with the aim of engaging trainees in this field.

1. To promote collaborative work, leading to develop a sense of community and inter-

dependence within the group. This should be one of the objectives of this course.


2. There is a second aspect that should be intensely worked; this is related to preparing

trainees to overcome shyness, which should be carefully treated, in order to smoothly

evolve from bashfulness to self-confidence. In this sense using puppets, masks or big

props in order to enhance voice projection, articulation and intonation should be part of

the objectives of the course.

The second course in the sequel - Telling Stories through the Body – should continue

strengthening relationships within the classroom.

1. To begin the course with activities aimed at building friendly and cordial manners of

giving and receiving feedback among instructors and trainees. This is highly important

because in this course trainees learn how to approach and audience conveying meaning

with their own bodies.

The third subject among the Drama Technique courses is Drama Techniques in the

Classroom.

1. This course needs to strengthen the communication among instructors.

2. To clarify the articulation between contents and evaluations because it was a source of

anxiety for trainees when they were not sure about how to relate the tasks they had to

develop to the contents they were studying.

Concerning Dramatics, the last course of the sequel, the following are the suggestions

proposed.

1. To assess each task trainees develop, with an understandable rubric so they have clear

goals (the step-by-step instructions have been clear during the last years).


2. A complementary skill trainees might be likely to develop is to tutor their peers in

specific tasks (developing a character, voice projection, proper use of the space on the

stage, etc.). In that way, trainees might assess in each class the different skills to carry out

the task assigned, so they can find the aspects their peers could improve and help them in

this process. This activity could be done in couples or small groups with each student

assessing a weakness of his/her partner and vice versa. In order to do this, small spaces

could be created so as to let trainees work in their groups without the intervention of the

instructor.


Conclusion

After the investigation carried out throughout this research paper, it can be said that

the objectives have been accomplished, since the information retrieved helps to achieve the

general objective of the investigation: To determine the teachers’ perception of the impact of

the Drama Technique courses given by the English as a Foreign Language Teacher Training

Programme at UACh regarding personal, professional and pedagogical development. In order

to achieve this objective, three specific objectives were developed.

The first aims at understanding the trainees’ decision process that motivates them to

enter these courses or leads them to drop the sequence. The key concepts regarding this topic

are, on the one side, the lack of confidence, which is one of the reasons why some trainees

feel uncomfortable and decide to quit the sequel of courses. On the other side, previous

knowledge and awareness of the benefits of the courses are key concepts for the continuity of

trainees in the sequel, since that motivates them to attend the lessons and actually enjoy them.

Therefore, it can be said that, being stress and anxiety sources of reluctance towards the

courses, creating a comfortable classroom environment that fosters all types of learning styles

becomes crucial for the permanence of trainees since it contributes to lowering the trainees’

affective filter.

The second specific objective was to identify the way in which the Drama Technique

courses influence the teachers’ performance in terms of personal, professional and

pedagogical development. Through the interviews, participants shared their experiences as

trainees and NQTs, as well as their perception about the use of Drama Techniques in EFL

classrooms. They affirmed that the Drama Technique courses are an important contribution to

their development as professionals. They are currently preparing activities focused on didactic


approaches related to Drama Techniques. Also, interviewees are conscious of the impact of

body language. They consider this issue and essential matter for communication inside the

classroom. Moreover, participants who undergo all the Drama Technique courses state that

after taking these courses, they feel better prepared to face an audience, in this case, a

classroom. They declare that this is a rewarding process, whose benefits regarding

methodological, personal and professional aspects have been proved in their teaching practice.

Even though, participants’ answers evidence the use and influence of these courses,

there is still work to be done in some aspects. For example, some of skills that these courses

seek to develop were mentioned by just a few of the participants and in a very shallow way.

This situation is pictured by the low amount of teachers who carry out breathing and

relaxation activities for concentration, either for their personal nurturing or their students

training, which is a transversal matter covered in all the courses. Similarly, most of them

acknowledge the benefits of these courses in terms of communicative skills, however, only

few of them are aware of the influence these have had on their social skills, for instance, when

relating to the rest of the school community.

In its final specific objective, this research intends to contribute with the outcomes

obtained by developing a set of suggestions to improve the syllabi of the Drama Technique

courses given by the EFL Teacher Training Programme at UACh. These suggestions are

designed according to the comments received from the participants of the research, as well as

the information gathered in the theoretical framework and the researchers’ analysis. The

recommendations proposed are aimed at improving the outcomes of the courses in terms of

the classroom atmosphere, the relationship among trainers and trainees, the practical use of

the Drama Technique activities in different contexts and the awareness of this didactic tool as


a resourceful device for all aspects related to teaching. It is expected that, by the

implementation of the suggestions, learners will manage themselves more efficiently in the

Drama Technique area by creating innovative material, adapting it to different scenarios,

monitoring their own learning and the one of their partners, applying assessment strategies

suitable for their purposes and working collaboratively in order to make the most of their

teaching experience.

The findings of this study have shown a partial scenario of the influence of the Drama

Technique courses. However, new material for further research has emerged within the two

criteria of analysis. After analysing the first criterion, which is related to the trainees’

motivation take the courses, it was exposed the discomfort of the group of participants who

decided not to take more than two courses. Therefore, it would be useful to thoroughly study

this issue in order to obtain a better understanding of the process these students undergo. Most

of them declare that, even though they recognise the benefits of Drama Techniques, they feel

incompetent to take these courses. Paradoxically, these courses aim at developing the skills

that this group lacks; therefore, these trainees should be the ones who make the most of these

courses.

Another investigation that might be required in the future is related to the same aspects

this research examined but with the new generation of teachers. Since from 2009 – the year in

which the sequence of Drama Technique courses in the EFL Teacher Training Programme at

UACh was implemented – many changes have been implemented in the syllabi, planning and

contents of these courses. This is due to the fact that these courses are still in the process of

setting their guidelines; therefore, many changes will continue to be made. In this moment

these courses are being reviewed, since it is expected that after taking the four courses


trainees should be School Monitors of Theatre in English, which will be official after the

approval of the regulation for the certification by all the pertinent authorities. Nevertheless,

some changes have to be made in order to reach the necessary requirements requested by

Universidad Austral de Chile. How these changes will influence the teacher trainees is the

interrogation that will remain for the future.

54

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A-1

Annex A: Lists of Universities

List of Chilean Universities which offer an EFL Teacher Training Programme

Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso

Inglés

http://www.ucv.cl/p3_carrera/site/pags/20031229104847.html

Universidad Adventista de Chile

Pedagogía en Inglés

http://www.unach.cl/index.php/2011-08-15-07-10-58/educacion-y-ciencias-

sociales/pedagogia-en-ingles

Universidad Alberto Hurtado


http://www.uahurtado.cl/pdf//Ped._en_Ingles_Libro_Pregrado_2013_MALLA.pdf

Universidad Austral de Chile

Pedagogía en Comunicación en Lengua Inglesa

http://www.uach.cl/dw/admision/plandeestudio.php?car=1785

Universidad Autónoma de Chile


http://admision.uautonoma.cl/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/ped-ingles1.pdf

Universidad Católica del Norte

Inglés

http://www.ucn.cl/facultades/SitioDeInteres/?cod=7&codItem=117&codPrincipal=1155

Universidad Central de Chile

Pedagogía en Lengua y Cultura Inglesas

http://www.ucentral.cl/prontus_ucentral2012/site/artic/20131111/asocfile/20131111204445

/lengua_cultura.pdf

Universidad de Atacama

Licenciatura en Educación y Pedagogía en Inglés

http://www.uda.cl/images/pdf/mallas-fac-humanidades/malla-ped-ingles.pdf

Universidad de Concepción


http://www.ucv.cl/p3_carrera/site/pags/20031229104847.html

http://www.unach.cl/index.php/2011-08-15-07-10-58/educacion-y-ciencias-sociales/pedagogia-en-ingles

http://www.unach.cl/index.php/2011-08-15-07-10-58/educacion-y-ciencias-sociales/pedagogia-en-ingles

http://www.uahurtado.cl/pdf/Ped._en_Ingles_Libro_Pregrado_2013_MALLA.pdf

http://www.uach.cl/dw/admision/plandeestudio.php?car=1785

http://admision.uautonoma.cl/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/ped-ingles1.pdf

http://www.ucn.cl/facultades/SitioDeInteres/?cod=7&codItem=117&codPrincipal=1155

http://www.ucentral.cl/prontus_ucentral2012/site/artic/20131111/asocfile/20131111204445/lengua_cultura.pdf

http://www.ucentral.cl/prontus_ucentral2012/site/artic/20131111/asocfile/20131111204445/lengua_cultura.pdf

A-2

http://admision.udec.cl/themes/garland/mallas/concep/mallapedagogiaeningles.pdf

Universidad de La Frontera


http://admision.ufro.cl/index.php/ver-carreras/105

Universidad de Las Américas


http://www.udla.cl/portales/tp9e00af339c16/uploadImg/File/malla/2014/pedagogia-ingles-

diurna.pdf

Universidad del Bío-Bío


http://www.ubiobio.cl/postulantes/

Universidad de Los Lagos

Pedagogía en Educación Media en Inglés y Traducción

http://admision.ulagos.cl/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=100&Itemid=1

51

Universidad de Magallanes

Pedagogía en Inglés para Enseñanza Media y Básica

http://www.umag.cl/admision/2014/mallas/mallaN13.pdf

Universidad de Santiago de Chile


http://www.admision.udesantiago.cl/sites/default/files/mallas_carreras/pedagogia_en_ingle

s.pdf

Universidad de Tarapacá


http://www.uta.cl/facultad-de-educacion-y-humanidades/web/2012-09-13/173728.html

Universidad de Viña del Mar


http://www.uvm.cl/carreras/pedagogia_ingles/pedagogia_ingles.shtml

Universidad Diego Portales


http://www.udp.cl/descargas/facultades_carreras/educacion/pdf/MallaCurricular_ED_ingles

.pdf

http://admision.udec.cl/themes/garland/mallas/concep/mallapedagogiaeningles.pdf



http://www.udp.cl/descargas/facultades_carreras/educacion/pdf/MallaCurricular_ED_ingles.pdf

http://www.udp.cl/descargas/facultades_carreras/educacion/pdf/MallaCurricular_ED_ingles.pdf

A-3

Universidad Internacional SEK


http://www.uisek.cl/carreras/mallas/pedagogia/PED%20INGLES.jpg

Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación UMCE

Licenciatura en Educación con Mención en Inglés y Pedagogía en Inglés

http://pregrado.umce.cl/documents/malla_ingles.pdf

Universidad Nacional Andrés Bello


http://www.unab.cl/admision/pedagogia-en-ingles.aspx

Universidad San Sebastián

Pedagogía Media en Inglés

http://www.uss.cl/carreras/pedagogia-media-en-ingles/?contenido=malla-

curricular#breadcrumbs

Universidad Santo Tomás


http://www.santotomas.cl/ust/facultad/portada/educacion/carrera/155/pedagogia-en-ingles

Universidad Chileno - Británica de Cultura


http://www.ubritanica.cl/Admin/App_Uploads/Carrera/174067_Mallafinal2009PE.pdf

Universidad Pedro de Valdivia

Pedagogía en Educación General Básica Mención Inglés

http://www.upv.cl/mallas/general.pdf

Universidad Arturo Prat


http://www.unap.cl/admision/carreras/pregrado/2014/mallas/23069.pdf

Universidad Católica Cardenal Raúl Silva Henríquez


http://ww3.ucsh.cl/resources/upload/5e09e6947bebbcc901085f00a6c48907.pdf

http://www.uisek.cl/carreras/mallas/pedagogia/PED%20INGLES.jpg

A-4

Universidad Católica de La Santísima Concepción

Pedagogía Educación Media en Inglés

http://educacion.ucsc.cl/carreras/pedagogia-educacion-media-en-ingles/?content=malla-

curricular

Universidad Católica del Maule


http://www.ucdelmaule.cl/uploads/media/Ped._Ingles_01.pdf

Universidad Católica de Temuco


http://admision.uct.cl/mallas/ped-ingles.pdf

Universidad de Ciencias de la Informática, UCINF


http://www.ucinf.cl/files/Pedagogia_En_Ingles.pdf

Universidad Bernardo O Higgins

Pedagogía en Inglés en Enseñanza Básica y Media

http://www.ubo.cl/admision/mallas/educacion/pedagogia-ingles.pdf

http://admision.uct.cl/mallas/ped-ingles.pdf

A-5

List of English Universities which offer EFL/MFL Teacher Training Programmes

University of Brighton

TESOL Diploma

http://arts.brighton.ac.uk/study/postgrad/teaching-english-to-speakers-of-other-languages-

diploma

University of East London

Secondary Modern Foreign Languages PGCE

http://www.uel.ac.uk/study/courses/secondarymflpgce-post.htm

University of Greenwich

Secondary Education Modern Foreign Languages (French), PGCE

http://www2.gre.ac.uk/study/courses/pg2013/seced/mfl

University of Hertfordshire

TESOL MA

http://www.herts.ac.uk/courses/search?query=TESOL&collection=herts-

courses&meta_Y=2013

Secondary Education ML (PGCE)

http://www.herts.ac.uk/courses/search?query=TEacher&collection=herts-

courses&meta_Y=2013

University of Leeds

BA (Hons) English, Language and Education

http://www.education.leeds.ac.uk/undergraduates/english-language-education/

University of Leicester University Road

TESOL MA

http://www2.le.ac.uk/study/postgrad/taught-campus/education/tesol

The University of Manchester

English Language for Education BA (3 Years) [BA]

http://www.manchester.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/search2014/bysubject/09173/english-

language-for-education-ba-3-years-ba/

University of Newcastle upon Tyne

Applied Linguistics and TESOL MA

http://www.ncl.ac.uk/postgraduate/courses/degree/applied-linguistics-tesol

http://www.brighton.ac.uk/

http://www.uel.ac.uk/

http://www2.gre.ac.uk/

http://www.herts.ac.uk/

http://www.herts.ac.uk/courses/search?query=TESOL&collection=herts-courses&meta_Y=2013

http://www.herts.ac.uk/courses/search?query=TESOL&collection=herts-courses&meta_Y=2013

http://www.leeds.ac.uk/

http://www.leeds.ac.uk/

http://www.le.ac.uk/

http://www.man.ac.uk/

http://www.ncl.ac.uk/

http://www.ncl.ac.uk/postgraduate/courses/degree/applied-linguistics-tesol

A-6

London Metropolitan University

TESOL and Applied Linguistics – MA

http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/2013/tesol-and-applied-linguistics---ma/

Northumbria University

TESOL MA

http://www.northumbria.ac.uk/?view=CourseDetail&code=DTFSOL6

The University of Reading

Applied Linguistics or English Language Teaching Postgraduate Certificates

http://www.reading.ac.uk/Study/courses/taught/certAppliedLinguisticsEnglishLanguageTea

ching.aspx

Applied Linguistics or English Language Teaching Postgraduate Diploma

http://www.reading.ac.uk/Study/courses/taught/dipAppliedLinguisticsEnglishLanguageTea

ching.aspx

University of Southampton Highfield

PGCE Modern Languages

http://www.southampton.ac.uk/education/postgraduate/taught_courses/pgce_modern_langu

ages.page?

University of Sunderland

TESOL

http://www.sunderland.ac.uk/course/472/teaching_english_to_speakers_of_other_language

s_tesol

University of Roehampton

English as a Foreign Language (leads to Teacher Training)

http://www.roehampton.ac.uk/templates/pages/CourseOverview.aspx?id=2147489965

University of the West of England

Secondary Initial Teacher Education Modern Languages (postgrad)

http://courses.uwe.ac.uk/R9X1/2014

University of Warwick

Teaching and Learning Foundation Degree

http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/study/cll/degrees/foundationdegrees/teachingandlearning/

http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/

http://www.northumbria.ac.uk/

http://www.northumbria.ac.uk/?view=CourseDetail&code=DTFSOL6

http://www.rdg.ac.uk/

http://www.soton.ac.uk/

http://www.southampton.ac.uk/education/postgraduate/taught_courses/pgce_modern_languages.page

http://www.southampton.ac.uk/education/postgraduate/taught_courses/pgce_modern_languages.page

http://www.sunderland.ac.uk/

http://www.sunderland.ac.uk/course/472/teaching_english_to_speakers_of_other_languages_tesol

http://www.sunderland.ac.uk/course/472/teaching_english_to_speakers_of_other_languages_tesol

http://www.roehampton.ac.uk/home/

http://www.roehampton.ac.uk/templates/pages/CourseOverview.aspx?id=2147489965

http://www.uwe.ac.uk/

http://www.warwick.ac.uk/

A-7

Anglia Polytechnic University

English Language and English Language Teaching

BA (Hons)

http://www.anglia.ac.uk/ruskin/en/home/prospectus/ugft/xq13.html

Brunel University

Does not provide EFL/MFL Teacher Training

Cheltenham & Gloucester College

CELTA

http://www.gloscol.ac.uk/courses-and-departments/course-

details/EF121870/celta/?BackToSearchURL=%3fPageNo%3d1%26CurrentPageLocation%

3dByDepartment%26Qualification%3d%26SubjectArea%3d%26Keywords%3d%26Locati

onCheltenham[]%3dtrue%26LocationCheltenham[]%3dfalse%26LocationFoD[]%3dtrue%

26LocationFoD[]%3dfalse%26LocationGloucester[]%3dtrue%26LocationGloucester[]%3d

false%26LocationTewkesbury[]%3dtrue%26LocationTewkesbury[]%3dfalse%26StudyMet

hodHoursFT[]%3dtrue%26StudyMethodHoursFT[]%3dfalse%26StudyMethodHoursPT[]

%3dtrue%26StudyMethodHoursPT[]%3dfalse%26StudyMethodTimeOfDayDaytime[]%3d

true%26StudyMethodTimeOfDayDaytime[]%3dfalse%26StudyMethodTimeOfDayEvenin

g[]%3dtrue%26StudyMethodTimeOfDayEvening[]%3dfalse%26Department%3d15%26St

artingAfter%3d

York St John College

MFL - 3-year Undergraduate Primary Education

http://www.yorksj.ac.uk/education--theology/faculty-of-etrs/initial-teacher-

education/programme-information/mfl---3-year.aspx

University of Leicester

PGCE Secondary

http://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/education/pgce/secondary/subjects/modern-

languages/structure

Edge Hill University

BA (Hons) Secondary Modern Foreign Languages Education with QTS*

http://www.edgehill.ac.uk/study/courses/secondary-modern-foreign-languages-education-

with-qts

Goldsmiths College

PGCE (Secondary): Modern Languages

http://www.gold.ac.uk/pgce/secondary-mfl/

http://www.apu.ac.uk/apu/en/home.html

http://www.brunel.ac.uk/

http://www.yorksj.ac.uk/

http://www.le.ac.uk/

http://www.goldsmiths.ac.uk/

A-8

Homerton College

MFL Education

http://www.homerton.cam.ac.uk/subjects/education

Institute of Education

Post-Compulsory PGCE: Literacy and ESOL

http://www.ioe.ac.uk/study/IPGC_AL999P.html

Kingston University

Education (English Language Teaching) PgDip/MA

http://www.kingston.ac.uk/postgraduate-course/education-english-language-teaching-ma/

Liverpool Hope University

Education (MA) & English Language

http://www.hope.ac.uk/postgraduate/postgraduatecourses/educationmaenglishlanguage/

Liverpool John Moores University

PGDE in Modern Foreign Languages PgDip

http://www.ljmu.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/course.asp?CourseID=401

Manchester Metropolitan University

PGCE Primary Education including MFL – Crewe Campus

http://www2.mmu.ac.uk/dbs/crewe-campus-courses/pgce-primary-education-including-mfl/

PGCE Secondary Modern Foreign Languages

http://www2.mmu.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/taught/2014/11208/

Middlesex University

PGCE Secondary Education: MFL

http://www.mdx.ac.uk/Assets/PGCE_Secondary_Progr_prog_spec.pdf

Newman College of Higher Education

PGCE Primary (including MFL and EAL)

http://www.newman.ac.uk/school-experience/2054/pgce-primary-including-mfl-and-eal


http://www.newman.ac.uk/postgraduate/594/pgce-secondary-modern-foreign-languages-

qts#tab-struc

http://www.homerton.cam.ac.uk/

http://www.kingston.ac.uk/

http://www.mmu.ac.uk/

http://www.mdx.ac.uk/

http://www.newman.ac.uk/

A-9

The Nottingham Trent University

PGCE Primary Education

http://www.ntu.ac.uk/apps/pss/course_finder/603281/7/pgce_primary_education.aspx#cour

se

Oxford Brookes University

PGCE Education - Secondary

http://education.brookes.ac.uk/courses/ite/

Sheffield Hallam University


http://www.shu.ac.uk/prospectus/course/209/content/

South Bank University

MastersEnglish Language, literature and learning

http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/faculties-and-departments/arts-and-human-

sciences/education/school-direct

University of Cumbria

PGCE Secondary Education: Modern Foreign Languages

http://www.cumbria.ac.uk/StudentLife/Videos/ModernForeignLanguages.aspx

Secondary with QTS: Modern Foreign Languages

http://www.cumbria.ac.uk/Courses/Subjects/Education/Postgraduate/PGCE/SecondaryMod

ernForeignLanguages.aspx

Leeds Trinity University

PGCE Secondary: MFL

http://www.leedstrinity.ac.uk/intro/postgraduate/pgcesec/subjects/pages/mfl.aspx

University of Chichester

PGCE Primary Education (Modern Languages)

http://www.chi.ac.uk/department-education/i-want-be-teacher/pgce/pgce-primary-

education-modern-languages

PGCE Secondary: MFL

http://www.chi.ac.uk/department-education/we-are-partner-school/secondary-school-

experience/pgce-secondary

http://www.ntu.ac.uk/

http://www.brookes.ac.uk/

http://www.shu.ac.uk/

http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/

http://www.cumbria.ac.uk/Home.aspx

A-10

University of Northampton

Postgraduate Certificate in Education (Primary) (PGCE) (QTS)

http://www.northampton.ac.uk/study/courses/courses-by-subject/teaching/postgraduate-

certificate-in-education-primary-pgce-pgcert

School Direct (Primary and Secondary) PGCE QTS or QTS only

http://www.northampton.ac.uk/study/courses/courses-by-subject/teaching/school-direct--

primary-and-secondary

Worcester College

PGCE Modern Foreign Languages

https://www.worc.ox.ac.uk/Undergraduate-Admissions/Subject-Information/Modern-

Languages

Birmingham City University

Primary and Early Years Education - PGCE

http://www.bcu.ac.uk/courses/pgce-primary-education

http://www.northampton.ac.uk/study/courses/courses-by-subject/teaching/postgraduate-certificate-in-education-primary-pgce-pgcert

http://www.northampton.ac.uk/study/courses/courses-by-subject/teaching/postgraduate-certificate-in-education-primary-pgce-pgcert

B-1

Annex B: Data Collection Tools

Semi Structured Interview Guideline

This interview aims at accomplishing the following objectives:

To depict the motivation for trainees of the English as a Foreign Language Teacher


To identify the way in which the Drama Technique courses influence the Newly

Qualified Teachers’ performance in terms of personal, professional and pedagogical

development.

To develop a set of suggestions to improve the syllabi of the Drama Technique courses


Interview guideline

- “Consentimiento informado” (Informed Consent)

- Introduction to the topic.

- Confirmation that the interviewee knows the context.

- Confirmation of the courses taken

Story Telling

Telling Stories through the Body

Drama Techniques in the Classroom

Dramatics

1. Why did you decide to take these courses?

B-2

2. Were you clear about the knowledge or skills you were expected to acquire with these

courses?

3. How did you feel during the courses? Relaxed, comfortable, anxious, stressed…

4. Do you think these courses influenced your performance as a teacher?

5. Do you think that what you learned in these courses has helped you to communicate

with people from the educational community?

6. Have you been able to develop Drama Techniques as an EFL teacher?

Yes * Can you give me an example?

* What were the outcomes of these activities? (Classroom management,

vocabulary, grammar, etc)

* Have you had any problem when performing Drama technique activities?

No * Why not?

* Would you eventually apply them? What would you need?

7. What is the most significant learning outcome you obtained from the courses?

8. Is there anything you did not like about the courses?

9. Do you think the instructors’ attitude influenced the development of the course?

10. What would you suggest to improve the courses?

11. Would you advice a student to take the Drama Technique courses? Why?

B-3

Survey

This survey aims at the accomplishment of the following objectives:

To depict the motivation for trainees of the English as a Foreign Language Teacher


To develop a set of suggestions to improve the syllabi of the Drama Technique courses


*This survey is to be delivered via e-mail, using the Monkey Survey platform.

Antecedents (before the survey completion)

- Personal information (Name, Rut)

- Acceptance of knowing the context of the survey,

1. Which Drama Technique courses did you take?

Storytelling

Telling Stories through the Body

Drama Techniques in the Classroom

Dramatics

2. Where have you performed as an EFL teacher?

Primary School

Secondary School

Language Institute

Other

3. Why did you take the Drama Technique course/s? (1)

I was interested in the topics developed in the courses.

Somebody advised me to take it/them.

B-4

I did not have any other choice between the elective courses.

Other

4. Why did you decide not to take more than 1 or 2 courses? (1)

I was not interested in the topics of the courses.

I did not feel comfortable with the classes.

I did not like the teachers.

I would have taken more courses but I could not.

Other

5. Would you take similar courses if you had the chance again? (1)

Yes

No

6. Would you advice anyone to take the Drama Technique courses? (1)

Yes

No

7. What improvements would you make to these courses in terms of the instructors?

8. What improvements would you make to these courses in terms of the schedule?

9. What improvements would you make to these courses in terms of the activities?

10. What improvements would you make to these courses in terms of the facilities?

drama techniques in the english as a foreign language

Documents