Improvisational Drama in English Language Teaching

Abstract

In my thesis I would like to examine how improvisational drama works in practice. I would like to give special attention to the problems that arise while staging a play with this method in English as a second language. Before I could start dealing with the my subject, I think I must try to define what dramapedagogy is and where improvisational drama can be put in its system. First of all we must differentiate between dramapedagogy in its original sense and using drama for educational purposes, e.g. in English language teaching. Traditional dramapedagogy meant the teaching of practical theatre techniques, but it was realised a long time ago that these methods can be used either in other fields, as long as they develop – among other skills – the creativity and the courage indispensable for communication.