How to teach young student English drama

Playing in a drama is fun. This learning method is good for kinesthetic learners. Some students like acting and they are very talented as well. Teaching English drama is different from teaching English itself. Students need to act and practice dialogues in a drama. They play as characters that are not the same as their characters. Here are some preparations how to teach young students English drama.

1. Selecting characters

A drama trainer should choose the right students to take part in English drama. Some characteristics are good at playing in a drama. The students …………..

· Must be good in English oral or written.

· Have kinesthetic learning style.

· Be active.

· Enjoy performing in front of public.

· Be good listeners

· Have strong motivation.

· Get support from their parents.

2. Selecting or writing a drama script

The drama script ……………

· Must be suitable to students’ age.

· Consists three scenes maximally.

· Must be communicative.

· Has short dialogues so that students will memorize the dialogues easily.

· Uses familiar vocabularies or dictions.

· Be fun and entertaining not only the audience but also for the students who play in the drama.

· Had better have moral value like friendship, honest, respect and others.

3. Deciding characters

When a drama trainer decides who wants to be the star, he /she must choose the best and the most appropriate person. It is like a film audition, he / she needs to do audition too. The trainer also decides the number of students who want to play in the drama.

4. Finding or creating properties

Properties are very important. A drama becomes alive if the properties support all characters. Don’t forget to make the budget for the properties.

5. Training session

This is the hardest process. Training young students are quite difficult. Students must memorize the drama script and practice the dialogues and acting. These activities spend much energy. What should a trainer do? A trainer ……………..

· Must make regular schedule.

· Gives drama script to all students.

· Asks the students to practice the drama scene by scene. If the drama has three scenes, students must practice the first scene until they can perform it well. To continue the next scenes all students must have been good at performing the previous scene.

· Gives extra motivation. Some students will lose their motivation in the middle, or end of training session. Give them some chocolate if they can perform a scene well.

· Asks all students to practice all scenes and use properties at the end of the training session.



6. Drama performance day

Parents will be proud of their children playing an English drama in front of public. This is what we all expect. What should a trainer do?

A trainer …………….

· Requests all students to practice the drama with the properties a day before performance.

· Keeps students’ motivation on.

· Makes them proud.

· Asks their parents to support and come to the show.

· Prepares a small celebration after the drama performance.

· Asks a student to replace a student who is absent due to any reasons.

· Instructs all students to play the drama as perfectly as they can.

· Records all performance from start the play until the end.

· Takes the beautiful moments.

Those are tips for teachers who want to teach their students English drama.