Dr. Anne Richie Balgos

The Show Must Go On: Drama Activities for the Virtual Language Class 

Aside from briefly examining theories of language acquisition to establish the relevance of drama in education and how drama interfaces with language teaching, this workshop explores various ways in using drama activities to teach language online. Even with the challenges posed by quarantined teaching, using online drama activities may stretch students’ creative muscles and enhance their communicative skills while at home. Taking a lens modelled by Vygotsky and the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD), the workshop further examines the instructional advantages that teachers may achieve from using drama even in the virtual classroom by introducing examples of easy-to-use drama activities that turn language teaching and learning into an interactive experience. Lastly, it considers possible cautions that may confront teachers in engaging learners in these imaginative activities. Thus, this workshop is for teachers who enjoy thinking on their feet and love creating with their students amidst the pandemic.