JUSTIFICATION OF PLAYS AND DRAMA

There are different ways of teaching second / foreign language (L2). One of them is a
drama or play. Though the concept of play is not new, scholars did not find agreement on
the definition of the terms. Such words as role play, simulation, drama, and game are
sometimes used interchangeably, but, in fact, they illustrate different notions. Some scholars
believe that the difference between role play and simulation is in the authenticity of the roles
taken by students. Simulation is a situation in which the students play a natural role, i.e. a
role that they sometimes have in real life (e.g., buying groceries or booking a hotel). In a
play, the students play a part they do not play in real life (e.g., queen, king, dwarf, fairies etc.
). The other scholars consider role play as one component or element of simulation
(Greenblat, 1988; Crookall & Oxford, 1990).

Thus, in a play, participants assign roles which they act out within scenario. In
a simulation, emphasis is on the interaction of one role with the other roles, rather than on
acting out individual roles. One way, or the other, role play prepares L2 learners for L2
communication in a different social and cultural context.

We often enjoy drama and play wherever and whenever we are. Play and
drama can be highly therapeutic when we come across theme that is soothing to the
thought. Many teachers, especially language teachers use drama and play to open
or close their lessons, to illustrate themes and topics. They also use drama and
plays to add variety or a change of pace, present new vocabulary or recycle known
language in their classrooms.

The play that I have chosen is entitled The Little Boy Who Sells Firecrackers,
an adaptation from Christian Hans Andersens The Little Match Girl. It is a popular
story by this famous author. This story is a motivational song and the message
underlying in the story was quite clear. It let us to believe life in fact sometimes is not
fair and cruel, and it also dwell in the theme of humanism.

What better story could integrate this noble values and at the same time,
enriching vocabulary and improve pupils language proficiency. It has stated by the
Pusat Perkembangan Kurikulum, that the objectives of Childrens Contemporary
Literature among other is to to improve English language proficiency of pupils and to
improve English language proficiency of pupils.

Apart from that, the message is clear and straight forward except for few
phrases that acquire the pupils to put on their thinking cap and wonder what the
phrases mean. This will enable the pupils to ask and give appropriate responses to
questions asked by teacher in order to acquire the meaning.

This song can also contribute to the development of a positive attitude
towards the language learning and creating a positive relationship between the
teachers and the pupils. Pupils tend to open up and be free when they got the
chance to express their feeling through interaction during rehearsal. This situation
can engage into a better and harmonious environment between the teachers and
pupils.

Among other purposes of using play in teaching and learning is for linguistic
development and for aesthetic development. This song can be also used to practice
or revise language and helps children improve their listening and sound
discrimination skills. It also will aid not only in learning to read but also becoming
better students and better people in the future as the underlying powerful value of
human.

Students intra personal development can be enhanced by using songs and
poetry that would inspire the students to develop and believe in their abilities. This
song definitely will boost their motivation and inner strength towards achieving their
goal in life.

Whats good about using this play in classroom is that it will also promote the
practice of pronunciation, intonation and stress. Pupils can mimic the characters.
This will help the pupils to improve and strengthen their pronunciation, intonation and
stress of the words. It is also a nice way to introduce, practice, and review
vocabulary.

In the literary sense, this song is very useful to practice writing and learn the
structures of writing in a literary way instead of the narrative and formal writing that
they used to, as we all realized that plays and dramas are ideal tools to be used in
the language classroom.