Teaching and learning english literature through dramatization a case study at ho chi minh city open university

Besides, another purpose of this study is to explore the learners’ and the teachers’ attitudes toward learning and teaching English literature through dramatization by determining the ex

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY– HO CHI MINH CITY

UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

FACULTY OF ENGLISH LINGUISTICS AND LITERATURE

-000 -

TEACHING AND LEARNING ENGLISH LITERATURE THROUGH DRAMATIZATION: A CASE STUDY

AT HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of English Linguistics & Literature

in partial fulfillment the Master’s degree in TESOL

By

PHẠM THỊ MỸ DUYÊN

Supervised by

Nguyễn Hoàng Tuấn, PhD

HO CHI MINH CITY, MAY 2020

i

ABSTRACT

This thesis investigated the integration of drama in English literature teaching at

a British literature course for English majors at Ho Chi Minh City Open University It attempted to explore the underlying teaching strategies through dramatization and identify the teachers’ and students’ attitudes towards this alternative teaching technique The primary data was collected through quantitative and qualitative methods including the observation, the questionnaire designed for the students and the semi-structured interview with the teachers The study revealed several significant findings First, dramatization bears some resemblance of to Process Drama (Kao & O’Neill, 1998) in its techniques Therefore, the researcher was able to devise a set of teaching techniques in relevance to dramatization The consolidation of the main phases and steps was proposed to implement dramatization effectively in this English literature class Second, the students’ attitudes towards dramatization were generally positive, and the majority of them saw an improvement in reading comprehension and speaking skill, noticeably pronunciation From the teachers’ perspectives, dramatization provides challenging but stimulating tasks and thus enhances creative and reflective learning The researcher argued that the integration of creative drama into English literature teaching was deemed effective and had the potential in building the learners’ understanding and appreciation of English literature

Key words: English literature, dramatization, drama-based activities, Process

Drama

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Table of Contents

Abstract i

Table of Contents ii

Statement of Candidate v

Acknowledgements v

List of Tables vii

List of Figures viii

List of Abbreviations ix

List of Appendices x

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Background to the study 1

1.2 Statement of the research problems 4

1.3 Aims of the study 6

1.4 Research questions 6

1.5 Significance of the study 6

1.6 Scope of the study 7

1.7 Outline of the study 8

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 9

2.1 Literature in language teaching and learning 9

2.1.1 Definition of literature 9

2.1.2 Literature in foreign language education 10

2.2 Literature teaching models and approaches in language education 12

2.2.1 Teaching models of literature 12

2.2.2 Teaching approaches to literature 14

2.2 Definition of drama and dramatization 15

2.3 Benefits of drama in ELT 17

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2.3.1 Affective development 17

2.3.2 Literary interpretation 17

2.3.3 Cognitive development 18

2.3.4 Social engagement 18

2.4 Challenges in teaching dramatization 19

2.5 Drama teaching approaches in literature 20

2.6 Technique in implementing drama-based lessons 24

2.6.1 Pre-text in context 25

2.6.2 Asigning roles 25

2.6.3 Tension in extension 26

2.6.4 Boday and language 26

2.6.5 Reflective learning 26

2.7 Conceptual framework 27

2.8 Previous studies on teaching English literature through dramatization 29 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 32

3.1 Research questions 32

3.2 Research design 33

3.3 Research site 33

3.4 Research participants 35

3.4.1 The students 35

3.4.2 The teachers 36

3.5 Research instruments 37

3.5.1 Questionnaire 37

3.5.2 Interview 39

3.5.3 Observation 41

3.6 Validity and reliability 42

3.7 Data analysis methods 45

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CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 47

4.1 Research question 1 47

4.2 Research question 2 65

4.2.1 The findings from the interview 65

4.2.2 The findings from the questionnaire 71

4.2.2.1 Learner background 71

4.2.2.2 The usefulness of the teaching techniques 72

4.2.2.3 Evaluation of teaching strategies adapted in dramatization 73

4.2.2.4 Learners’ attitudes towards dramatization 78

4.2.2.5 Thematic outline 82

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION 89

5.1 Summary of findings 89

5.2 Recommendations 90

5.2.1 Material choice 90

5.2.2 Other approaches in teaching English literature 91

5.2.3 Encouraging learners to read extensively 92

5.2.4 Assigning roles 92

5.3 Limitations of the study and recommendation for further research 93

References 96

Appendices 107

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Statement of Candidate

I certify that the work in this thesis entitled “Teaching and learning English literature through dramatization: A case study at Ho Chi Minh City Open University” has not been previously submitted for a degree nor has it been submitted as part of requirements for a degree to any other university or institution

Furthermore, I certify that all information sources and literature used are indicated in the thesis

………

Pham Thi My Duyen

May 2020

The study would not have been completed without the support of British literature Class (Semester II/ 2018), who had participated in the study and the teachers who were involved in the study: Mr Le Quang Truc and Ms Duong Doan Hoang Truc

I am also indebted to Mr Nguyen Thanh Long whose encouragement has motivated me to aspire to those goals My warmest thanks are also to Mr Nguyen Van Thanh and Mr Nguyen Minh Triet at Ton Duc Thang University for their friendly collaboration and support

I would like to express my deepest appreciation to all my friends in the Master class, notably Bao, Vy, Chau, Phuc, Ha , Diem, Hien, Duong for motivating me

to continue this research Finally, I am grateful to my family, who have supported, encouraged and tolerated me throughout this process

I could not have done it without all of you Many thanks!

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List of Tables

Table 2.1 Three categories of creative drama in language development 22

Table 2.2 Types of drama-based activities in literature teaching 23

Table 3.1 Specification of the questionnaire items 38

Table 4.1 Data derived from class observations 48

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List of Figures

Figure 2.1 Conceptual framework of the study 29

Figure 3.1 Exploratory case study research design 46

Figure 4.1 Years of experience in English learning 71

Figure 4.2 Students’ evaluation of small group-work 74

Figure 4.3 Students’ evaluation of lectures 75

Figure 4.4 Students’ evaluation of whole-class discussion 75

Figure 4.5 Students’ evaluation of student-led activities 76

Figure 4.6 Students’ evaluation of individualized reading 77

Figure 4.7 Students’ evaluation of dramatization 77

Figure 4.8 Thematic outline of the study 88

Figure 5.1 Structure of a drama-based literature lesson 90

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List of Abbreviations

EFL: English as a foreign language

ELT: English language teaching

ESL: English as a Second Language

L1: First language

L2: Second language

MOET: Ministry of Education and Training

TL: Target language

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List of Appendices

Appendix A Questionnaire for the students (Vietnamese version) 107

Appendix B Questionnaire for the students (English version) 111

Appendix C Interview questions for the teachers 115

Appendix D Coded transcript of the interview with T.1 116

Appendix E Coded transcript of the interview with T.2 120

Appendix F Standardized Cronbach's alpha reliability estimated for Items 6-12 regarding activities in drama-based lessons 6-124

Appendix G Standardized Cronbach's alpha reliability estimated for Items 13-31 regarding the learners’ attitudes towards dramatization 125

Appendix H Descriptive statistics of the Items 13 through 31 127

Appendix I Photos of the course 128

Appendix J Observation schedule 134

Appendix K Observational field note 135

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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

This chapter provides a background to the thesis by presenting the state of English literature teaching and learning in Vietnam and how important dramatization is in promoting learners’ awareness and appreciation of English literature It states the research objectives concerning dramatization as an alternate teaching approach Furthermore, what drives the researcher to undertake this study is also presented in this section Finally, the aims of the study and its significance are introduced along with an overview of each chapter

1.1 Background to the study

In English teaching and learning, English literature has been included in Vietnamese English undergraduate programs as a rich linguistic material and main resource of comprehensible input English literature has the merits of making improvement in learners’ linguistics and sociolinguistic knowledge, vocabulary enrichment, reading skills, cognition, and personal development (e.g Brumfit & Carter, 1986; Carter & Long, 1991; Frantzen, 2002; Hall, 2015; Lazar,

1993; MacKenzie, 2000; Maley, 1989)

However, English literature teaching has become secondary importance when communicative competence is the top priority in language education Therefore, this leads to modifications of teaching approaches to suit the learning trend Teaching English literature in the 21st century needs to move forward and teachers should explore new ways to help learners with their learning The necessity for changes and adaptation of novice English literature teaching practice is owing to the fact that modern English teaching requires innovation and creativity Particularly, apart from increasing learners’ language knowledge and awareness as well as promoting understanding of the cultures, English literature teaching should foster learners how to think critically and gain confidence in group collaboration, presentation, and problems solving (Savvidou, 2004; Timucin, 2001)

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Furthermore, English literature in Vietnam is taught in a traditional way, which does not generate lots of interest in learners Especially, they feel alienated by reading literary texts, which may prevent them from developing their own reflection and personal enjoyment in making sense of what the text means and the connection of the story to the modern world and their own experiences Leaners deal with the grammatical structures and lexical items rich in literary texts; however, at the same time, this practice can have counter-effects Learners may find English literature irrelevant and impractical in use of daily life, which subsequently hampers their understanding and enjoyment in reading literary texts (Lima, 2005) Considering undesirable effects on learners, it is a necessity for literature teaching approaches to be revisited, stressing on the need to have more research into alternative teaching techniques used in language classrooms

Accordingly, one of the recent adaptations of English literature teaching is the inclusion of drama component The integration of drama in teaching English literature enables the interpretation of literary text differently yet effectively and thus promotes literacy development In research, there has been a large volume

of published studies describing the role of drama in language teaching especially

in children education (Heathcote, 1984; O’Neill, 1995; Wagner, 1976) and in language and literacy development (Barnes, 1968; Britton, 1970; Moffett & Wagner, 1983) Provided that drama enhances learners’ experience and motivation in learning English literature, this stands a chance to be a positive change to the scenario of English literature teaching and learning in Vietnam Specifically, Ho Chi Minh City Open University is a representative case for the changes of English literature teaching practices Ho Chi Minh City Open University has been acclaimed for its inclusion of drama in literature courses of English language programs Recently, there have been a number of plays performed by students from this university at the local theater as a part of their English literature courses In addition, the application of this teaching approach from this institution also receives positive feedback and attention from the participants, the audiences, and the media of its domain It is reported that the

Drama in education is not a novice teaching approach In fact, we are quite familiar with this especially in early stage of education Children’s initial development is provoked from the imitation of the world surround them Drama brings the excitement and fascination to the children especially in literature lessons At older ages, drama and theatre education becomes a specialization program for acting In language teaching, drama-based activities such as role-play or improvisation have been applied to maximize the amount of communication among learners Thereupon in English language teaching, drama

is included in the two main pedagogical developments: English language teaching and English literature teaching However, the combination of drama and English teaching literature is still a new notion for a majority of teachers in Vietnam where English literature is delivered in traditional approaches Therefore, the study of this teaching approach hereby called dramatization is expected to provide insights into the issue of teaching English literature

Furthermore, if teachers at Ho Chi Minh City Open University have taken initiatives in applying dramatization into their teaching, and approaching English literature in this perspective looks promising with positive feedback, this study with in-depth exploration of dramatization offers the researcher the ‘once-in-a-lifetime opportunity’ to perceive the act of teaching English literature through dramatization For the above reasons, this drives the researcher to conduct a case study into the process of teaching and learning English literature through dramatization in Ho Chi Minh City Open University The next section will present the key problems in teaching English literature in EFL context It therefore justifies the necessity to come up with an alternative teaching approach

to English literature

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1.2 Statement of the research problems

In Vietnamese educational system, literature is the compulsory subject in most of the curriculum from primary to high schools, and it is the same situation of higher education particularly English major courses However, English literature has become a secondary importance since the focus is more on communicative competence and English for specific purposes (Truong, T M V, 2016) In a previous study on the undergraduate experience, Vietnamese learners revealed pessimistic attitudes to English literature and to the vagueness in the literary language (Truong, T M V, 2004) The common reason was that a majority of Vietnamese learners perceived English literature to be difficult, boring, and irrelevant to their future careers Other studies in Asian countries also reflected the common situation of English literature such as Hong Kong (Kooy and Chiu, 1998), Japan (Takagaki, 2002), Sri Lanka (Premawardhena, 2007), and Malaysia (Ghazali, 2008)

Thus, despite the benefits students are expected to achieve after taking the literature courses, there remain negative attitudes towards English literature Learners hold a belief that literature is not important to them due to its insignificant contribution to their English learning They would like the practical use of communicative English in everyday life and seemingly show unwillingness in taking English literature courses They believe that there has been no sufficient and evident improvement in their English language through

English literature

Many researchers have also argued that English literature should not be used in the current English language education Collie and Slater (1987) regarded literature as a static, convoluted kind of language, far remote of the utterance of daily communication In the same perspective, Strevens (1974) asserted no prominent contribution of literature to the aim of language teaching, which is acquiring practical command of the language to some extent, bearing little

relevance to the study and appreciation of literature

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Therefore, teachers attempt to improve the situation by adjusting the syllabus or adapting other alternative approaches of literature teaching to motivate learners Teaching English literature nowadays receives more attention in the communicative approach perspective English literature teaching has to fulfill main criteria, which are maintaining its effectiveness in language teaching, and the presence of communication at the same time Kramsch (1985) supported this teaching philosophy when mentioning the relevance of literature teaching to the development of communicative language teaching Initially, traditional approaches emphasized the act of decode, analysis, explanation of the literary text, illustration of the grammatical structures or enrichment of vocabulary as its benefits, not focusing on student’s idea generations, and failed to deliver an interactive literature lesson Furthermore, student-centeredness is neglected when most of the focus is on the teacher

Specifically, a majority of English literature courses adhere to traditional approaches According to McKay (2001), literature lessons mostly involve lectures, reading of difficult classical texts, grammatical analysis, which places the centeredness in instructors rather than learners with little active use of the target language and little attention to pronunciation As a result, this does not generate positive learning atmosphere, and learners seem to lose interests in learning literature It failed to cater for the needs of teaching English literature, which now involves the understanding of content, culture, and discourse when communicative competence is an increasingly important area in applied linguistics and modern language teaching

Hence, it puts forward the necessity to modify the teaching approaches, especially in English literature courses, which are generally believed to be challenging and uninteresting to learners As mentioned above, the adaption of drama in English literature teaching at Ho Chi Minh City Open University gets the researcher’s notice This drives the researcher to conduct a case study in the integration of drama into English literature classes Specifically, the next section will provide the major objectives of the case study

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1.3 Aims of the study

The aim of this study is to explore several aspects of teaching and learning English literature through dramatization Specifically, this thesis examines the way in which English literature is taught through the dramatization of literary works Besides, another purpose of this study is to explore the learners’ and the teachers’ attitudes toward learning and teaching English literature through dramatization by determining the extent to which they show their interests in English literature and dramatization as well as consider the effectiveness of this approach In particular, this case study examines 2 main research questions, which are specified in the next section

1.4 Research questions

This research seeks to address the following questions:

1) How is English literature taught through dramatization at Ho Chi Minh City Open University?

2) What are the learners’ and the teachers’ attitudes toward teaching and learning English literature through dramatization?

1.5 Significance of the study

This study would make an important contribution to the milieu of English language education and English literature teaching, with the intention of making English literature learning more active and rewarding, improving learners’ motivation and shaping their attitudes positively, encouraging learners to build language proficiency and increase awareness of the socio-cultural aspects of the English language through dramatization

A specific approach to English literature teaching through specific steps from start to finish is explored to the best of the researcher’s ability As a result, this research has contributed to the incorporation of dramatization in English literature teaching The present study also makes several noteworthy

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contributions to its modification to English literature teaching methods It provides valuable information about its effectiveness and introduces steps to implement dramatization for the researchers, teachers or readers for their reference

This study is also a great source for practitioners to understand their students’ perceptions, motivations and attitudes towards dramatization By knowing these aspects, teachers can select appropriate methods or techniques in teaching English literature in integration with drama and consider such assimilation to suit learners’ needs, abilities and contexts; hence, this contributes to the methodology

of language education in general and English literature teaching strategies in particular

1.6 Scope of the study

This study aims to make a thorough exploration into the practice of teaching English literature through dramatizing literary works in a tertiary-level English literature course for English majors The study was carried out at one British literature course of Ho Chi Minh City Open University in the second semester of the academic year 2017-2018 Dramatization is the main teaching technique throughout the course, which allowed the researcher to gain insights into this alternative teaching technique in this drama-based course at Ho Chi Minh City Open University

The British literature course normally lasts for 3 months, starting from March to May with a final theatrical performance in June This research follows an exploratory case-study design, with in-depth analysis of teaching and learning English through the act of dramatizing literary works from the view of the observers, the learners and the teachers within this British literature course Another aim is to identify the learners’ attitudes towards English literature learning–how they perceive the literature course through the new approach of English literature teaching from this single case study by employing semi-structure interviews with the teachers and questionnaire for the learners

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1.7 Outline of the study

The overall structure of the study takes the form of 5 chapters, including this introductory chapter which has provided the problem of English literature education in Vietnam and the background of the study regarding dramatization as

an alternative English literature teaching approach at Ho Chi Minh City Open University In addition, it has presented what drove the researcher to undertake this study, the aims of the study and its contribution to English literature teaching

and English language education

Chapter 2 will review the relevant literature on teaching and learning English literature in EFL context, dramatization and synthesis of related studies associated with dramatization in English literature teaching The third chapter will be concerned with the methodology used for this study, specifically how the study is conducted by employing 3 main research instruments including the questionnaire, interview and observation along with the justification of the research site, and research participants The fourth section will center the findings of the research on the two key themes: (1) the process of learning and teaching English literature through drama and (2) the participants’ attitudes towards dramatization In the final chapter, the researcher will close the thesis by reporting the limitations of the study and implications for future research into this area

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CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

Since the study revolves around the integration of drama and literature teaching, this chapter will provide background information and related theory on the English literature and dramatization This is achieved by exploring the fundamental literature teaching methods, English literature teaching approaches and the nature of dramatization in its definition, values, features, and steps Hence, this chapter is divided into 4 main parts: literature in language teaching and learning, English literature teaching methods and approaches, dramatization, and related studies to dramatization

2.1 Literature in language teaching and learning

2.1.1 Definition of literature

The term literature embodies a multitude of concepts, which take the form of various definitions In the 18th century, it was defined as a written text A century later, the term involved the ideas of plays, poems, and fiction In books or publications such as dictionaries, literature is defined as pieces of writing valued

as works of art namely novels, plays, and poems However, it is too narrow to consider literature as only in printed form without taking spoken languages or cultural contexts into consideration

Other scholars have commented on the definition of literature differently, so once again the term itself cannot be framed In fact, depending on the objectives, forms or values, literature is viewed in different perspectives (e.g Barnes, 1956; Robson, 1984; Wellek & Warren, 1956) For Wellek and Warren (1956), literature means fiction Literature encompasses different genres of lyric, epic, prose, poetry, or drama, all of which are products of imagination; in other words, literature refers to “a world of fiction, of imagination” (Wellek & Warren, 1956,

p 15) Barnes (1968) specified that the emergence and development of literature into different forms like fictions, poetry, or plays offer both intellectual and emotional pleasures

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While various definitions of the term literature had been reviewed, this paper would use the most suitable definition of literature for this context The notion of literature in this study is close to Barnes (1968)’s thoughts for literature As a result, the term literature in this context is used in its broadest sense to refer to pieces of writing that are valued as works of art, presented in different forms (novels, plays, and poems, etc.) In this case, the presentation of literature is in the form of prose, poetry and play In the next section, literature will be exploited

as a constituent of language teaching program

2.1.2 Literature in foreign language education

Formerly, classic literature in Latin or Greek has been the central national education Later, literature was taught to meet the requirement of extensive reading for higher classes in Europe (Hall, 2005) Literature is included in the curriculum of formal education for native leaners from kindergarten to high school The development of English literature is parallel to the expansion of the English language being widely taught as an international language when English literature has received credits for its contribution to the development of language learners

Specifically, literature as teaching materials in first language (L1) teaching and learning is praised for its values in linguistics, cultural or personal development for learners Thus, teaching literature in second or foreign language is a promising tool to make positive impacts on learners’ experience of the language and its content Therefore, English literature has been included in English language teaching programs as a mandatory subject to enhance learners’ linguistic competence and increase their cultural, psychological, and sociological awareness

Hall (2005) mentioned the inclusion of literature at lower schooling levels for immediate communication for learners, focusing mainly on language issues and often overlooked literary features of literature On the contrary, English literature

is taught in a more traditional way in universities with foreign language

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education aiming at literariness rather than communicative registers or linguistics elements Anyhow, learning a new language could not be separated from being aware of the cultures, history, and values of that target country (e.g Gao, 2006; Wang, 2008; Tomalin, 2008) In higher education, English literature equips learners with understanding of the socio-cultural aspects of life in which English language is a medium of apprehension and communication

Advocates for English literature in education claimed several values of this subject in improving learners’ linguistics and literate competence and promoting cultural awareness Brian Cox (1991) proposed five reasons for teaching English literature, which are personal growth, cross-curricular experience, adult’s need, cultural heritage, and cultural analysis view Carter and Long (1991) gave credits

to the values of English literature in three justifications: culture, language, and personal growth Sage (1984) mentioned that literature increased learners’ awareness of culture, language, and developed their imaginations and appreciation for life in three main values: cultural, linguistics, and educational value

However, it remains a controversial issue whether to incorporate English literature in language education Against the values of English literature, its stand

is inconsistent with modern teaching and learning English, which favor based approaches Communicative skills receive more attention for equipping learners the competence to communicate, and as a result, English literature is not the top priority of language teaching Besides, critics claimed that English literature is not aligned with the real learning situation because it creates barriers and difficulties for learners

skill-Syntax is also another troublesome problem for learners, especially old poetries McKay (1982), Savvidou (2004), and Robson (1989) also pointed out that what makes learning literature challenging is lexis and semantics features, which are outdated and irrelevant to the target language Specifically, McKay (1982) stated that the complex linguistics structures and unusual language use hindered

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learners from enjoying learning English Maley (1989), Mckay (1982), and Shang (2006) doubted the necessity of English literature in advanced language teaching since literature fails to help the students to reach their academic and occupational goals Finally, criticism is made against the cultural value of literature in increasing learners’ cultural awareness English literature also creates the cultural barriers to learners (Khatib, Rezaei, & Derakhshan, 2011) The cultural aspect in literature may be frustrating to some learners for its complexity because they lack experience or background knowledge of that target culture Grasping and making sense of the cultural perspectives may be burdensome for EFL or ESL students

In summary, confronting the setback of English literature in losing its importance

in learner’s minds, it challenges educators and literature teachers to make adjustments and modifications of teaching approaches, content, and learning strategies to improve learner experience As for teaching approaches, dramatization is introduced in the literature classroom as an alternative approach

to literature teaching To understand dramatization as a pedagogical approach, the next review will be the reevaluation of fundamental theories of teaching literature A brief review of theory related to the literature teaching methods and approaches that are germane to the present study will also provided It then served as a foundation to describe aspects of dramatization in greater detail

2.2 Literature teaching models and approaches in language education

2.2.1 Teaching models of literature

A brief summary of four teaching models of teaching literature is presented as a foundation of teaching methodology of English literature Carter and Long is well-known for their three teaching models of literature developed in 1991 They are the specifications of learning objectives of a common literature course that adapts to one or more of the three following models: the cultural model, the

language model, and the personal growth model

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First, in the cultural model, the value of literature is the cultural merits Students accumulate cultural knowledge from the literary works and develop appreciation toward cultures and ideologies Different from the cultural model in respect of human sense and ideas, teachers who are in favor of the language model consider literature as a medium for learners to learn specific vocabulary, structures, or for language manipulation, making them feel more familiar with reading complicated texts However, it is argumentative that this teaching model poses detrimental effects on learners’ enjoyment of reading and the ways to interpret literature Long (1991) generalized the notion of language-centered model in the way that learners will reconcile themselves to literacy text as literature when offered the chances to read in and through language from literature since literature is made from the language

Third, teachers supporting the personal growth model believe that learning literature is a rewarding experience They make efforts to help learners gain satisfaction in reading the texts, develop long lasting pleasure, and encourage learners’ personal growth Carter and Long (1991) convinced that creating these conditions will make the reading of literature memorable and personalized and most importantly develop a sense of commitment to the teaching of Thus, the idea of teaching literature to enhance personal experience makes learners show more enthusiasm and commitment to literature learning, which should be encouraged more in literature classrooms

Finally, the three teaching models are not mutually exclusive since they overlap

on one another Savvidou (2004) advocated the integrated model that incorporates the three models, which emphasizes on promoting the learning experience of learners rather than the teachers’ instructions by switching from teacher-centeredness to learner-centeredness Like the name of this method, the learning objectives are to: (1) enhance the students’ personal development, (2) enrich their cultural background, and (3) develop language skills

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The next review of literature will focus on the approaches of teaching literature, which are specific teaching strategies from the theoretical and systematic analysis of the 3 main teaching models presented in the preceding section

2.2.2 Teaching approaches to literature

Showalter (2003) suggested the three main theories of literature teaching: subject-centered theory (1), teacher-centered theory (2), and student-centered theory (3) Once again, they are not mutually exclusive, and convergence of the theory is apparent to maximize the learning experience of learners

First, subject-centered theory refers to course content Most courses are content- and subject-centered, and teachers with sufficient skills and knowledge deliver the lessons to meet the learning outcome Kheladi (2013) expressed that the

“crux of this theory is what to be taught” (p 22) Teachers adapting this model according to Showalter (2003) “are expected to be knowledgeable about their fields and teacher-center theory is inescapable in teacher” (p 28) As the center

of this teaching philosophy, they need to perform outstandingly and confidently, which results from careful lesson preparation; however, teachers need to manage the lessons wisely to avoid overshadowing students’ activities Hence, the proportion of teacher-centeredness and student-centeredness remains a controversial issue Similarly, Parkinson and Thomas (2000) were concerned about the imbalance between teacher’s and student’s centeredness Thus, this leads to the emergence of a modified teaching approach whose centeredness is not on the instructors but learners Thorpe Miller (1999) is one of those who advocated the shift to student-centered teaching by expressing that:

In the literature classrooms, the emphasis is shifting gradually but inexorably away from the traditional exposure to great works, with the teacher presenting background information and modeling a literary analysis that students will learn to emulate, towards an active, collaborative learning that takes place as the student confronts the text directly (p 57)

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Nevertheless, each teaching philosophy has its own merits in supporting literature teaching No approaches should be dominant in the teaching and learning process, but instead should complement each other In fact, according to Showalter (2003), the most widespread theory of teaching literature is “having no theory at all, and trying to make use of whatever will do the job” (p 37), suggesting the notion of the elective approach The learning and teaching process

is affected by several factors, so the application of one single teaching approach

is not equally effective compared with the combination of two or more approaches or theories Correspondingly, the integration of drama into English literature class takes which form of which approach and bears which distinct characteristics will be revealed in the next section in which relevant literature of dramatization will be reviewed The researcher will examine dramatization according to these following facets: definition, benefits, and teaching strategies

2.2 Definition of drama and dramatization

Several scholars have hold different views towards connotations of drama Put simply, according to Holden (1981), drama is synonymous with the idea of “let’s pretend” which asks the learner to project himself imaginatively into another situation, outside the classroom, or into the skin and persona of another person, where the focus is on “doing rather than on the presentation” (p 8) Drama in perspective of Courtney and Jossart (2007) is viewed as “an interactive dramatic student response to the stories, poems, and content area texts they hear and heard” (p 6) The aim of using drama in the classroom is not the creation of a refined performance, but the development of emotional, embodied and cognitive knowledge built on experience (Van de Water et al., 2015) Manon van de Water, Mary McAvoy, and Kristin Hunt (2015) differentiated between formal theatre and informal drama in the classroom Drama is open to all learners, but theatre distinctly differs in its participants, who are regarded as selected, talented individuals In another perspective, O’Neill (1995) conceptualized drama in the modern world to be the “development of a dramatic world created by both the teachers and the students working together” (p 36)

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Additionally, since dramatization is also a teaching strategy in second or foreign language education; therefore, drama in this educational context is regarded as Process Drama or synonymously to ‘educational drama’ or ‘drama in education’ According to Carkin (2007), Process Drama is “a compilation of drama activities that do not lead up to performances to an audience who are outside the drama” (as cited in Reed & Seong, 2013, p 94) For Mouly (1970), educational drama involves role-taking activities whose main concern is the reflection of students’ previous experience, imagination and improvisation into the performance In addition, according to Bowell (2013), Process Drama is the term used to describe

“the type of drama in which performance to an external audience is absent but presentation to the internal audience is essential” (p 6)

In summary, regardless of different associations with drama, there should be a balance between language acquisition and literature teaching In this rationale of the study, some clarification of the term dramatization was finalized Dramatization is applied in the British literature course as the main literature teaching approach Dramatization is an improvised activity in which literary works are dramatized into plays and performed to target audiences, not the public audience, but the participant themselves and drama in this context of the study refers to an interactive dramatic student response to the stories, poems, and content area texts they hear and heard as Courtney and Jossart (2007) have defined

In relation to language education, drama-based activities have received praises and recognition for its contribution to the development of language literacy and personal growth from early age education to higher education The emergence of drama in English literature teaching in building language proficiency and increasing awareness of the socio-cultural aspects of language requires a close analysis of what has already been found and discussed and of the target context

of study The next section will elaborate on the benefits of drama, which sheds light on the impacts of drama on learners’ language awareness and socio-cultural development

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2.3 Benefits of dramatization in ELT

Drama is perceived as a powerful teaching medium in the classrooms The positive effects of drama on language and literacy development have been justified and proven in great deal of research from several advocates (e.g Barnes, 1968; Britton, 1970; Heathcote, 1984; Moffett & Wagner, 1983), who praised the prominent effects of drama on reading, communication, personal perception Kardash and Wright (1987) in their meta-analysis study remarked upon the extremely beneficial effect on role-taking ability Moreover, some great benefits

of drama were highlighted in sets of values: affective development, literary interpretation, cognitive development, and social engagement

2.3.1 Affective development

First, drama-based activities develop affective engagement from learners Wagner’s (1988) synthesis from several studies (Clore & Jeffery, 1972; Gardner

& Lambert, 1972; Johnson, 1975) showed that drama has a positive effect on

“language growth, self-confidence, self-concept, self-actualization, empathy, helping behavior, and cooperation” (p 48) Ross and Rose (1977) added that dramatization generates interests in reading more literary texts by inspiring them

to find the suitable story to dramatize, to read, and make choices to find the perfect work, and thus promoting affective experience

2.3.2 Literary interpretation

The second benefit of dramatization is promoting interpretation of the literary texts by offering learners the opportunities to read intensively, read between the lines and interpret tones, themes, and the underlying message conveyed in the story Further exploration of the text is facilitated when it comes to dramatize To dramatize a novel, or a short story, learners gain deep understanding of the text to deliver satisfactory dramatic performances Moreover, dramatization means reading the text several times for the sake of understanding the story thoroughly Bidwell (1990) mentioned that students need opportunities for repeated reading

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of the same materials Through the repetition of reading, students read and reread with the purpose of selecting a piece of literature for performance, choosing the parts to dramatize, practicing and switching roles, trying different lines reading, underlining words for emphasis, and discussing different interpretations in a small group setting (Wolf, 1993)

Moreover, dramatization enhances language competence, self-exploration and reflections within learners in the dramatic world it creates Learners collaborate and make improvisation of the script by gradually building awareness of the context, images, roles, and ideas Therefore, it serves the cognitive function without losing its focus on language skills and at the same time promotes creativity, which is crucial in language acquisition It means that learners acquire language in a meaningful context

2.3.4 Social engagement

Bowell & Heap (2013) reviewed some aspects that leaners can learn from including art forms, personal, social and cultural aspects, and cross-curricular learning When dramatizing, learners analyze literary texts rich in cultural and humanistic values, and thus broaden learners’ understanding about the society and human relationships The activity makes them more conscious of the ways people interact and communicate More obviously, dramatization involves collaboration among participants and increases their confidence and

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communicative competence It is useful for their real life communication through the variety of activities such as planning, improvisation, and negotiation among learners whose cultural background vary as well

Other significant benefits of dramatization are the development of syntactic knowledge, discourse knowledge, metacognitive knowledge, and the level of text comprehension It serves as an assessment tool and it facilitates learners with different learning styles (McMaster, 1998) The learning experience is so unusual that it fosters learners in such a motivating way Dramatization is an alternative approach that deems potential and promising O’Shea and Egan’s remark (1978)

on drama is a strong statement for that

Literature presented through various dramatic techniques offers students an opportunity for a creative exchange of ideas that aids in developing the whole person Students will not only read literature but also come to a deeper understanding of why authors and poets had to express their feelings Students will recognize their own emotions, doubts, fears, and hopes and when being offered the opportunities to express them and test them with their peers (p 55)

Drama as a teaching technique in English literature classroom fosters students’ linguistics and emotional development as a creative intervention However, this creative teaching strategy has challenges that teachers should take into account

2.4 Challenges of teaching dramatization

Zafeiriadou (2009) summarized some problems that can arise in the implementation of drama in the language teaching First, some approaches to drama can be static and lack “the kind of creative dynamism” that the participants often expect (p 5) Second, drama requires structuring and scaffolding since learners do not have the inborn skills of acting Drama techniques need to be learned by the participants Once again, the researcher is

Finally, it poses some pedagogic challenges for the teachers in an attempt of bringing drama and theater closer to the language classroom For changes, they have to take risks, and when risking for something new, the outcomes are more open-ended and unpredictable With older students, they may experience a feeling of inhibition and embarrassment Students with limited language proficiency may feel overwhelmed for the perfect pronunciation in reading and memorizing script If too much focus is on the satisfactory dramatic performance, teachers may overlook learning process, which really affects learners’ motivation and involvement

In summary, to take advantage of dramatization and maximize learning experience, a systematic approach of conducting lessons in integration with dramatization is important It is how teachers and learners approach to English literature in a proper way to yield good learning outcomes This urges the researcher to review related theories to drama teaching approaches

2.5 Drama teaching approaches in English literature

There exits different types of drama-based activities Mages (2008) in her works has specified several types of activities that can be applied in a language classroom, especially at early age development The first type is thematic improvisation If drama activities are a new addition to the classroom, the teacher may resort to thematic improvisation because it is an easy exercise to participate

in In this activity, children spontaneously create the characters and the plot of

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the dramas they enact Since learners do not have predetermined characters or plots, they focus on drawing from their own experiences These creative drama interventions are common in early age education when learners perform basic communication Mages (2008) reported that children responded better to structured drama than to thematic improvisation, and thematic improvisation leads to a great deal of variation

The second category of drama activities is story-based improvisation based improvisation is defined as “the enactment of set stories” (Mages, 2008, p 131) In this activity, the learners act out a scene based on the text or the story they have read Therefore, they must grasp the meaning of the story, be able to empathize with the character, and understand appropriate ways that the character would respond Adomat (2009) argued that:

Story-Through this exploration of the ideas and dilemmas in the story, they [learners or students] have tried on multiple character perspectives; personalized their interpretation through voice intonations, gestures, and movements; and helped one another to build and clarify the meaning of the story (p 628)

The final category of drama-based activity that Mages (2008) classified is style improvisation The unique feature of this type of drama intervention is that learners use their creativity and imagination to dramatize the story they have created Supplement elements are included in the dramatization process The response of learners to these activities was positive when learning atmosphere is

Paley-no longer uninteresting or boring The summary of three main types of based activities is generalized as follows:

Thematic improvisation Creative intervention with themes, no

predetermined characters or plots Story-based improvisation Creative intervention with stories,

predetermined characters or plots Paley-style improvisation Creative intervention with creative stories

Note Adopted from Mages (2008)

In the same field of drama, O’Shea and Egan (1978) introduced techniques of teaching literature from the simplest to the most extricate technique for different levels of learners They mutually agreed that the role of teachers is to help learners develop personal insights, creative bents, and shape their hopes They listed some of these following dramatic approaches

The first approach is pantomime, which consists of a sequence of facial expressions, gestures, hand and body movements that have been observed from life and are imaginatively used by actors to tell something pertinent such as character, situation, locale, and atmosphere Improvisation is the second category that refers to the creation of a plot or a story and the implementation of it with the unplanned or unrehearsed dialogue Extrapolation or expanding a character is another teaching approach The meaning is transparent by its name, which is an extensive activity for learners to analyze the character by making supposition; for example, teachers assign the “what if” or “if I were” activity to encourage learners to extend their feeling and insights into the characters

The fourth approach, reader’s theater, is more integrated and complex in the implementation process Reader’s theater is defined as “a performance of a dramatic reading of a poem, novel, play, or short story” (O’Shea & Egan, 1978, p

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54) No sets are used and actors must attempt verbally to communicate as honestly as possible the author’s ideas, feelings, and intentions to the audience Lastly, as stated by O’Shea and Egan (1978), a modified version of this activity

is a live stage or “globe theater revisited” (p 55) This performance provides a workshop in which learners can use a variety of artistic talents at their disposal This technique shares some similarities with the Paley-style improvisation with the exclusive creation of works This offers learners the opportunities to freely create an original script, produce and perform in front of an audience

Table 2.2

Types of drama-based activities for literature teaching

Note Adopted from (O’Shea & Egan, 1978)

In language education, drama teaching approaches and techniques have been refined to make it appropriate for drama-oriented language classrooms One of the most acclaimed drama teaching approaches is Process Drama proposed by

Types of drama-based

Pantomime Pretense of facial expressions, gestures, hand and body

movements Improvisation The creation of a plot or a story with the unplanned or

unrehearsed dialogue Extrapolation Expending a character by assumptions of what actors

would do in different conditions Reader’s theatre A performance of a dramatic reading of a poem, novel,

play, or short story Live stage A performance in which learners can use a variety of

artistic talent at their disposal

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Kao & O’Neill (1998) It is a teaching technique in which the teacher and the students work together to create an imaginary dramatic world to explore a particular problem, situation, theme, or series of related themes, not for a separate audience, but for the benefits of the participants (Kao & O’Neill, 1998) The aim of Process Drama is to involve learners in dramatic activities in which they gain an understanding of the socio-cultural context, develop their literacy and linguistics competence with more emphasis placed on its complexity, immediacy, involvement, student autonomy and teacher function (Kao & O’Neill, 1998)

2.6 Techniques in implementing drama in English literature teaching

This can provide better understanding to answer the research question of the study “How English literature is taught in the EFL context through dramatization?” There are some strategies or techniques in sequential order to implement Process Drama in the language classroom The researcher would like

to make some justifications in adapting the techniques of teaching Process Drama for devising steps of conducting English literature lesson through dramatization later after the analysis of the research tools

First, although Process Drama is developed particularly for ESL or EFL language classroom, not in English literature teaching, the researcher argued that to some extent, English literature also enhances learners’ language development through literary text Lazar (1993) stated that literature should be taught in the language classroom because it is “a stimulus for language acquisition” and “expands students’ language awareness” (p 15)

In addition, the steps of implementing Process Drama are well-developed and when the researcher thought upon this one, she can visualize how acting out a play is in progress Dramatizing literary works to her belief when she conducted this study is in this manner First, learners choose a work to dramatize Next, they read to fully understand the text and then work in groups to choose the actors and the actresses Next, they improvise in front of the teachers and their peers For its

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compatibility to literature teaching, drama teaching and language teaching, Drama Process allows the exploration of teaching and learning English literature through dramatization in a comprehensible and systematic way as follows First, the teacher determines the context with themes, or topics suitable for participants, background knowledge, linguistic abilities and objectives of the lessons to exploit and create ‘pre-text’ The next step is building levels of tension for the dramatic activities followed by assigning roles for the participants During the process of dramatization, verbal and non-verbal communications are utilized to maximize learners linguistics input in the scenario or context The final strategy

is reflections on the experience during the process of dramatization (Kao & O’Neill, 1998, p 20-32)

2.6.1 Pre-text in context

First, pre-text, a term coined by O’Neill (1995), refers to the source or impulse for the drama process, which carries the meaning of a text that exists before the event A pre-text can be initiated by “a word, a gesture, a location, a story, an idea, an object, or an image, as well as by a character or a play script” (O’Neill,

1995, p 19) In other words, the teacher provides a situation for students to think upon The pre-text gives learners a general picture with initial characters, plots, actions, locations, and atmosphere At the starting points, pre-text serves as a frame or platform of the process of dramatization It sets objectives, and limitations of the context with specifications of roles and situations

2.6.2 Assigning roles

The next technique is determining the roles of learners and roles of teachers Learners and teachers act out different roles depending on the context They can

be members of pair work, group work or whole class discussion Role taking can

be spontaneous or controlled Through improvisation and dramatic activities, such roles are spontaneous as a result of creativity and problems that may arise Once the pre-text is given, learners form group discussion to explore the context, negotiate how to approach to problems from their own perspectives

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2.6.3 Tension in extension

Creating tension and dramatic actions is another key element of Process Drama

It refers to the “essential aesthetic elements and essential structural principle in generating dramatic worlds” (Kao & O’Neill, 1998, p 28) Tension exists within the context and throughout the process of dramatization Tension is full at the beginning of choosing pre texts” (Liu, 2002) Tensions are subsequently unfolded during the dramatic activities

2.6.4 Body and language

Dramatic activities provide meaningful context with language inputs to maximize learners’ linguistic output For effective communication, learners use non-verbal communication in exchanging ideas with partners Besides, in daily conversation

or even in an imaginary world in drama activities, it is important to keep communication meaningful and authentic Therefore, verbal and non-verbal communication such as body language, gestures, or facial expression are employed to enhance the effects of the play

2.6.5 Reflective learning

Like tension, reflection takes place throughout the process of dramatization at different phases from all participants including learners and teachers, but usually after each lesson or the dramatic events Liu (2002) remarked that “it facilitates meaning negotiation, and form-function alignment” (p 14) Through reflection, learners review progress, understand the thought processes, prepare for the next stages of drama, and resolve problems Liu (2002) remarked that reflection facilitates meaning negotiation, and form-function alignment Learners experience of what is taught, what is learned and what is not known yet through the process of dramatization Through self-reflection, learners gain confidence in themselves when participating in group work and dramatic activities, as a result, they have rewarding experience and improve their linguistics, social-cultural and literary competence

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2.7 Conceptual framework of the study

By reviewing the practical teaching strategies of dramatization, the researcher can incorporate her findings with the work of Kao and O’Neill (1998), Mages (2008), and O’Shea & Egan (1978) to clearly understand the characteristics of dramatization and get a full picture of how English literature is taught at Ho Chi

Minh City Open University

After elaborating theories of drama teaching, the next issue that the teacher has to take into consideration is how to maintain the objectiveness, validity and reliability of the study To be more specific, the study also aims to explore dramatization in another perspective, which is from the view of the participants The teachers and the learners in the British course are those who implemented the task; therefore, they show a clear understanding of dramatization from their reflections on what dramatic activities is manifested It stands in a need to identify the learners’ and the teachers’ attitudes towards dramatization since they are those who are exposed most to this strategy Through the perceptions of the participants, the researcher can support her study with practical learning experience

Regarding attitudes, Wenden (1985) presented a more inclusive definition of the term “attitudes” According to her, “attitudes” encompasses three components: cognitive, affective, and behavioral (p 33) First, the cognitive component is how the object of the attitude is viewed through the beliefs and ideas or opinions Second, the affective factor involves the feeling and emotions that one has towards an object, whether one likes or dislikes, with or against with that object Finally, the behavioral component is one’s actions or behavioral intentions

towards the object The three aspects are closely interrelated that sufficient

information on an attitude towards a subject can be gathered by measuring one component, no matter which (Van Els et al., 1984)

Moreover, Wenden’s (1985) inclusive definition of the term attitudes in its cognitive, social and affective aspects of participants are in accordance with the

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benefits of drama brings to participants Her attitudinal framework has its direct pertinence to the scope of this study Furthermore, the researcher can observe behavior traits of learners in classroom Therefore, attitudinal aspects to be measured by the questionnaire and the interviews are cognitive, affective, social and behavioral to validate the effectiveness of dramatization in literature and language teaching

Finally, drama relates to threater peformance skills and in this case of study, the learners are likely to perform in front of a target audience usually the learners themselves, but they also perform on stage to the public Therefore, there will be

a complementary part to the ‘product’ of dramatization In other words, dramatization is a process and drama is a product which possess some of these components Ward (1957) mentioned the essential aspects to create effective dramatizations of literature They are: (1) story, (2) characterization, (3) dialogue, (4) action and grouping, (5) climax, (6) teamwork, (7) timing, and (8) voice and dictions

In brief, an intensive summary of some of the most renowned drama teaching strategies in language classrooms and its relevance to the scope of the study was depicted The following theoretical framework (see Figure 2.1) presents the main concepts of this study consisting dramatization techniques, drama component and attitudinal aspects, which were synthesized after elaborating a review of fundamental theories of teaching literature The next part addresses the reference

to previous research on the integration of drama in English literature, teaching and learning

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Figure 2.1 Conceptual framework of the study

2.8 Previous studies on English literature teaching through dramatization

Wagner (1988) had reviewed a majority of empirical research on the effects of drama on learners’ development, but the most prominent was on oral language development, reading and writing However, he asserted that there should be the need for more qualitative research on drama since it lacks the close analysis into the nature of drama He suggested the supplementation of case studies, ethnographies, along with detailed observations in the classrooms

Regarding the utilization of drama in English teaching and learning, numerous studies on this issue have revealed some of the aspects of this alternative approach Notably, in a drama-based project conducted by Papadopoulos (2014)