Using drama as a communication tool for young learners

Drama is seen as an effective way to improve young learners communication skills while enabling them a creative and authentic atmosphere. Teachers may help children by setting up a classroom in which many students enjoy creative activities such as drama. With the help of drama activities, students of young age can find it easy to produce the target language and participate in the activity willingly. The main aim of the study is to indicate the usefulness of drama activities for young learners of ESL in speaking classes. The study was conducted on 48 participants from 7th grade students at a private secondary school in Ankara. A qualitative study was conducted to find out whether dramatic activities are helpful for young learners of EFL in speaking classrooms through teacher's diaries, video tapes and interviews. To achieve 3 lesson plans were designed in a 6 week period, and each of the dramatic activities and the attitudes of students were observed. The results of this study aimed to prove that dramatic activities are helpful for young learners in speaking classrooms. Key Words: Drama, Drama in Education, Young Learners, Speaking, Communication