Drama techniques as a learning strategy to improve english speaking skills

Abstract

The present project aimed to explain the effect that the use of Drama techniques can have on eighth-grade students to improve English speaking skills, beginning with previous problems which prevent students from progressing such as shyness, lack of vocabulary, and the custom of making direct translations from the mother tongue, analyzing how is it possible to overcome these issues through the implementation of acting techniques to develop fluency and body language to succeed in expressing ideas. This research has a qualitative approach, taking as sample six English teachers from a private educative institution who were asked questionnaires with six questions detailing inconvenient, alternatives, and granted their respective opinions about the importance of looking for different alternatives to develop English speaking skills, advantages and disadvantages of applying drama techniques in English teaching, previous experiences that they had with their own students, and suggestions about how to carry out correctly the activities in possible scenarios. In conclusion, it is demonstrated that it is possible to adapt this strategy knowing how to manage time effectively.