Centro Sur

VI y VII Región

UNIVERSIDAD DEL MAR SEDE CENTRO SUR

ESCUELA DE EDUCACIÓN

CARRERA DE PEDAGOGÍA EN INGLÉS

THE IMPLEMENTATION OF DRAMA COURSES IN THE ENGLISH

TEACHING CAREER AT UNIVERSIDAD DEL MAR ZAPALLAR
CAMPUS, WOULD MAKE FUTURE TEACHERS MORE FLUENT IN
THE COMMAND OF SPOKEN ENGLISH

TESIS DE GRADO PARA OPTAR AL TITULO DE PROFESOR DE INGLÉS

Students: Pamela Yuivar Torres

Daniel Pardo Orellana
Carlos Morales Barrera

Supervisor: Mª Ivonne Orellana Escobar

Curicó – Chile
Diciembre - 2010
 Acknowledgment

We would like to thank our beloved supervisor Miss Ivonne Orellana, for her
inspiration and words that always guide our project from the beginning to the
end.
To our Faculty Dean Mr. Andrés Silva, for his commitment.
To our professor Mr. Esteban Nuñez for his support and good disposition.
 Abstract

This study intends to share the researchers` concern about the level of
proficiency in spoken English students of this language reach at Universidad del
Mar. In-so-doing, they will suggest that two factors may impede the acquisition
of fluency and accuracy,

exposure to the target language and to appropriate role models,

the timing for the incorporation of grammar structures in the acquisition
process, and
student’s low self-esteem and self-confidence when the time for
performing comes.

It is in the light of the points presented above, that this study will explore the
implementation of Drama techniques in the lecture room with the intention to
suggest the English Faculty their incorporation in syllabus of the teaching
career.

The research is sustained on the collaborative mixed research method which

will.

It is the hope of this study that the information collected during the investigation
provides the researchers with solid arguments to conclude that a slightly
different and novel approach should be considered, as far as the language
acquisition process is concerned.
 Index

1. Introduction 1

1.1 Research Question 4

1.2 Hypotheses 4

1.3 Population 4

1.4 Sample 4

1.5 General Objectives 4

1.6 Specific Objectives 4

2. Literature review 5

2.1 Language acquisition 5

2.2 Self-esteem and self- confidence 8

2.3 Fluency and accurate use of language 10

3. Methodology 16

3.1. Rosenberg’s Self-esteem Scale 17

3.2. Self assessment of Speaking Proficiency 18

3.3 Open Question Survey 19

3.4 Drama Workshop 19

4. Data Analysis 21

4.1 Rosenberg’s Self Esteem-Scale 21

4.2 Self assessment of Speaking Proficiency 32

4.2.1 Open Question Survey 38

5. Conclusion 41

6. Bibliography 44

Appendixes 46
1. Introduction

English Teaching is becoming a good option for students coming out of

secondary education. Universidad del Mar has offered English Teaching since
1990, with the purpose of training professionals with the competence to perform
at different stages of the National Curriculum, both in public or state schools, in
a professional and in an effective manner. Accordingly, the mission of the career
is based on humanistic values which intend to train a teacher with an awareness
of social commitment. At the same time, a graduate student from English
Teaching must show accurate competence and performance in the target
language in order to be able to express ideas, thoughts and experiences in a
meaningful way, enabling this young professional to be an active agent of the
communication process in a second language.

The syllabus of the English teaching career has recently been modified in order
to meet the requirements set by the Committee for Tertiary Education of the
Chilean Ministry of Education. The emphasis of this new syllabus is on the
actual training of future teachers together with general English courses to make
students acquire and develop their linguistic competence in order to perform
accurately in the target language.

The researchers studied at Universidad del Mar before the syllabus

modifications described above had been implemented, therefore their
investigation will focus on students of first year studying the career of English
Teaching, with special emphasis on those who may not have acquired sufficient
confidence in the target language. Despite the fact that this investigation is
certain that the professional coming out of the University is one of high
academic standards, there is one aspect of this profession which is the main
concern of this research - the level of fluency that teachers of English who
graduate from this University have. This study believes they do need to

1
strengthen this skill which is fundamental for teachers in their daily work
because the researchers consider that it is essential for a teacher of English to
show complete competence in the target language, and accordingly, the
purpose of this investigation is to find out if students do get ample opportunity in
lecture time to practice their oral English. If they do, why are they not fluent
enough? And, if they do not, what is missing?

This investigation can think of two possible factors. The first one is a lack of
practice time, and the second low self-esteem. Along the same lines, the
incorporation of novel strategies in the lecture room, oriented towards the
spoken language, could make students feel more confident in their own linguistic
potential which will eventually enable them to perform in a more relaxed and
confident manner.

Studying a second language is not an easy task and the first years are the
hardest ones because it is during this period when one can notice if the person
is making progress in the acquisition of the target language. However, if they
lack the confidence to contribute actively and consistently in lecture time, how
will they gain fluency or enlarge the linguistic corpus they have? This is the
reason why this study will consider the element of self-confidence in the
production of spoken English.

The investigation will follow the guidelines of the collaborative mixed research
method because of the need of this study to complement empirical information,
which the Quantitative Research Method can provide, with the interpretative
nature of the information provided by the Qualitative Research Method. This
implies that the data analysis will be done from two different perspectives. This
study believes that using this method can be very fruitful for novice researchers”.
(Tashakkori, A. and Teddley, C., 2003) as it will give them a more ample view of
the subject matter of the investigation.

2
The population of this research will be fifteen evening students in their first year
of studies at Universidad del Mar, Zapallar Campus, during the second semester
of two thousand and ten. Based on the experience of the researchers, it is in this
year when the oral production of the target language requires more attention
and the incorporation of drama courses in the English syllabus of the
Universidad del Mar could contribute to a better acquisition of this skill. This
investigation intends to introduce drama techniques for a period of two months
on the basis of two seventy-five-minute sessions a week. At the end of this
period, this study expects that students will have further developed their oral
performance whilst at the same time will have overcome self-confidence
difficulties if there are any which may be interfering with a full display of their
linguistic potential.

3
1.1 Research Question
How would the implementation of drama courses in the English teaching career
at Universidad del Mar Zapallar Campus, would make future teachers more
fluent in the command of spoken English?

1. 2 Hypotheses
• The implementation of drama courses will contribute to make future
teachers more fluent in the command of spoken English.

• The implementation of drama courses will not contribute to make future

teachers more fluent in the command of spoken English.

1.3 Population
First year evening students of English at Universidad del Mar Zapallar Campus
in Curicó.

1.4 Sample
Fifteen evening students of English at Universidad del Mar Zapallar Campus in
Curicó

1.5 General Objectives

• To find out if the implementation of drama courses will help students gain
fluency.
• To find out if low self-esteem has a negative impact on the acquisition of
spoken English.

1.6 Specific Objectives

To incorporate drama activities, in the lecture room in order to:
a) Strengthen productive oral skills.
b) Increase self-confidence

4
2. Literature review

This study is based on the following theoretical pillars which the researchers
have examined exhaustively

2.1. Language acquisition

According to some researchers, the main distinction between the acquisition of a
first language (L1) and a second language (L2) is the age at what the person
learns the language. This explains why the process of acquiring one’s native
language is studied mainly by developmental psychologists whose work covers
the cognitive processes that make it possible to produce grammatical and
meaningful sentences out of grammatical structures, and by psycholinguistics
who study children's ability to learn languages, which makes it possible for
people to acquire, produce, and comprehend the language.

Noam Chomsky believes that “children are born with an inherited ability to learn
any human language. He claims that certain linguistic structures which children
use so accurately must be already imprinted on the child’s mind.” Chomsky also
believes that every child has a „language acquisition device‟ or LAD which
encodes the major principles of a language and its grammatical structures into
the child’s brain. Children have then only to learn new vocabulary and apply the
syntactic structures from the LAD to form sentences. Chomsky points out that a
child could not possibly learn a language through imitation alone because the
language spoken around them is highly irregular – adult’s speech is often
broken up and even sometimes ungrammatical. Chomsky’s theory applies to all
languages as they all contain nouns, verbs, consonants and vowels and children
appear to be „hard-wired‟ to acquire the grammar. Every language is extremely
complex, often with subtle distinctions which even native speakers are unaware
of. However, all children, regardless of their intellectual ability, become fluent in
their native language within five or six years”.

5
It is a fact that children learn more easily than young people. Learning a second
language has a considerable impact on students starting their tertiary education
because first year students are presented with rules and grammar patterns that
tend to confuse them thus making effective communication in the target
language a much longer process.

Over-generalization in grammar rules is one of the most common errors made

by students. It is for this same reason that they do not know the collocation or a
given word thus limiting their ability to express an idea. Chomsky says that the
learning process should evolve as naturally as possible and that it is the
tutor/teacher`s responsibility to make it so. Accordingly, he claims that the
tutor/teacher must avoid a structural approach to second language teaching at
an early stage in the acquisition process. Rules and structures are not the basis
to make meaning in communication nor is word order essential to be
understood. The tutor/teacher is there to teach the language, not about the
language.

The researchers’ first contact with English at university was quite complex as
they lacked the competence to communicate fluently in the target language.
They could only express some ideas but without elaborating on them, without
thinking of rules or patterns. However, and despite their notorious weakness in
terms of good command of the language, they still think that they could manage
to make meaning and were understood by the professor. Having said this, this
obvious lack of competence remains as a profound concern for this study and it
is in this light that it believes that the implementation of Drama courses in the
syllabus of the teaching career would be helpful for students at this university.

Courses of this nature will give them the freedom to express ideas and feelings
in a more pleasant and in a more natural environment without the fear of ridicule
thus empowering them with the confidence they need to speak in a second

6
language. In this manner, the lecture room will replicate the context in which a
child learns his/her mother tongue. Eventually, they will realize that grammar is
not the first thing they need to master in order to make meaning. At the same
time, a Drama course will help students realize their own learning strategies and
to further develop them to better their linguistic competence in the language.

"Acquisition requires meaningful interactions in the target language - natural

communication - in which speakers are concerned not with the form of their
utterances but with the messages they are conveying and understanding”.
(Stephen Krashen)

In the process of acquiring a second language, a special emphasis must be

given on setting a balance amongst the four skills and for the purpose of this
study, special attention will be given to oral production.

Listening is considered as the starting point towards the acquisition of oral

competence. However, in order to exploit listening sessions to its maximum,
authentic and motivating topics should be introduced in the sessions. If the
learner`s attention is engaged, he/she will tend to get involved in the activity.
This crucial factor will aid comprehension and will make it easier for him/her to
move from listening comprehension to oral production. The use of authentic
listening pieces will decidedly encourage students to imitate the pronunciation
and intonation they hear which will unconsciously develop accuracy.

Along the same lines, in order to improve students` performance in spoken

English, engaging topics should be discussed in lecture time. This requires the
tutor/teacher awareness of students` interests. This will create a pleasant and
natural environment in the lecture room which will obviously invite students to
participate actively thus contributing to better their spoken performance and
provide the tutor/teacher information on what linguistic areas need modification.

7
It is important that the correction of mistakes should not interrupt the natural flow
of the discussion. If the learner is interrupted on their early attempts, frustration
will take over him/her. It is far better to respond positively to students`
contribution. The emphasis must be put on making meaning rather than on
grammatical consistency. If the learner realizes that what he/she says is
understood by his/her fellow mates, he/she will feel empowered to carry on. The
impact on his/her self-confidence will undoubtedly be most positive. The
recommendation is that the tutor/teacher gives a detailed account of mistakes
after the discussion is over and without pointing at specific individuals, but as
general feedback to all students who took part in it.

There is no doubt that reading is the main tool to enlarge a learner`s linguistic
corpus. However, the text selection process is crucial to make students aware
that systematic reading in the target language will add to the process of
acquiring a second language.

2.2. Self-esteem and self- confidence

One essential characteristics of an articulate speaker of a second language is to
feel confident about what he/she is saying in front on an audience. Accordingly,
a lack of self-esteem and self- confidence will certainly affect the performance of
the speakers in many ways, such as nervousness, poor voice projection or
unconscious language mistakes. There will also be a tendency to negative
thinking thus increasing the level of anxiety which may result in a poor
performance. For this reason, future teachers of English must show command of
the audio-lingual skills and in order to attain it, teachers` solid self- esteem and
confidence are fundamental.

It is important to state that low-self esteem is the result of a poor self –image
which implies on how we feel and perceive ourselves. Another point this study
would like to mention is that low self-esteem goes hand in hand with poor self-

8
confidence. The combination of both will lead to negative thoughts which may
take a person to give up easily instead of facing challenges. In our faculty, and
in the case of students in first year, the main challenge is to learn and to perform
accurately in the target language, “Self-esteem is crucial and it is a cornerstone
of a positive attitude towards living” said the actor Robert Wagner, on one of
Larry King’s interviews 2002.

According to Fitzgibbons, G., “Confidence is within all of us, but whether it

shines through or whether it remains hidden can depend on how we are treated
as children and young adults”. It is important to point out that “Self-confident
people inspire confidence in others: their audience, their colleagues, their peers,
their bosses, their friends. And gaining the confidence of others is one of the key
ways in which a self confident person finds success”1. At this point, we can see
how important self-confidence is to become an articulate English speaker.

“The definitions of self-esteem vary in their breadth and sophistication. But all
agree that high self-esteem means that we appreciate ourselves and our
personal worth. More specifically, it means: we have a positive attitude, we
value ourselves highly, we are convinced of our own abilities and we see
ourselves as competent, in control of our lives and able to do what we want”2.
However, what we feel about ourselves is not based solely on what we do. It
usually involves our relationships with others and whether we feel worthwhile as
people. We have a basic human need to be wanted, noticed and influenced. Our
self-esteem will continually fluctuate and is affected by events and encounters
with other people. The reality is we are all different, we are unique, each of us
has strengths and limitations which we need to learn about and learn to live
with.3

1
http://www.mindtools.com/selfconf.html
2
www.bbc.com/health/self-esteem.html
3
http://www.counselling.cam.ac.uk/booklist.html.

9
Self-confidence and self-esteem are closely related both take an important place
in our lives and its contribution is needed for our existence, it’s clear that there is
a slight variation on them and the distinction is that self-confidence is perceptible
by our colleagues, students, friends, etc and have an immediate impact in our
audience. In other words, it is an external matter of our personality and behavior.
On the other hand, self-esteem is our inner voice; it is something that our peers
cannot perceive.

2.3 Fluency and accurate use of language

This study strongly believes that students of English at Universidad del Mar
need good role-models to imitate. In this manner, future teachers of English will
acquire more competence and better command of the language they will teach.
Accordingly, accuracy in the target language is most important for a teacher of
English.

To support the argument above, the researchers would like to cite the ONG,
Office for Standards in Education, Children`s Services and Skills (OFSTEAD):
“It is generally accepted that if pupils are to master and use a foreign language
for effective communication, the language needs to be used extensively by
teachers and pupils in the teaching/learning process”. They also emphasize the
need for greater consistency of practice within some Modern Foreign Languages
departments, pointing out that good teachers are able to provide “a consistently
fluent and accurate model of the foreign language for pupils to emulate and use
effectively to rephrase statements and support pupils’ understanding’”.
The use and usage of the target language is a crucial means to a
communicative end. A key challenge lies in the need for teachers to make
permanent judgment about the content, complexity, range and speed of delivery

10
of what they say in the language at any given time, as well as any support they
need to provide.

OFSTED also claim that good teachers tend to have “a clear rationale” as far as
an accurate use and usage of the language is concerned. In other words, they
are capable of explaining “a particular point of grammar”, if they are trained to
use the right techniques and are given the resources to do so.

The active use of the target language by teachers and pupils needs to be
systematic in the language classroom scene so that pupils “benefit, on the one
hand, from sustained exposure to the foreign language and, on the other, from
clear understanding of structures and the way language works” (ibid) The two
areas are not mutually exclusive and indeed will support each other. According
to the KEY Stage 34 of the English Syllabus in the National Curriculum of New
Zealand requires some refocusing of the objectives relating to pupils’ use of the
language in a range of contexts: practice, rehearsal, prepared, supported, and
spontaneous. Pupils do need to acquire knowledge about the language which
will enable them to re-apply what they learn, on a basis of linguistic
understanding which is regarded by OFSTED as “a prerequisite for functioning
at the high levels”.

For this research, it is important to provide a definition of what being accurate in

the use of the target language is. In order to do so, it is important to examine
some aspects which are implicit in the question itself. According to the Ministry
of Education of New Zealand, a proficient teacher in the use of a target
language must be able to apply the following concepts:

4
English is vital for communicating with others in a school and in the wider world, and is fundamental to
learning in all curriculum subjects. In studying English, pupils develop skills in speaking, listening,
reading and writing that they will need to participate in society and employment. Pupils learn to express
themselves creatively and imaginatively to communicate with others confidently and effectively.

11
Accuracy: relates to the number of mistakes a speaker (or writer) makes, and to
whether they use the forms that are expected for the type of text being
produced. For example, it would be inaccurate to use very formal language in a
personal note to a friend, just as it is inaccurate to write *”he was falled down”

Fluency: the performance in a second language can measured by the number

of connected words a person can say or write in a given time. Fluency may also
take into account the number of hesitations, self-corrections, repetitions, and
space fillers like um, in a conversational exchange. On another front, a person
may speak quite slowly but be very fluent because none of these interruptions
occur.

“Fluency is often associated with speed, but speed in itself has no value. What is
important is the ability to work with the rhythm, pace, and accuracy that is
appropriate to the purpose for reading or writing. Being measured and deliberate
may be right for one purpose, and reading or writing quickly, or expressively,
may be best for another. Whatever the purpose, fluency should not be thought
of as separate from comprehension” (2006)

Complexity: This relates to aspects such as the number of different words a

person uses (which reflects the size of their vocabulary), the variety and
complexity of grammatical structures they use, and the complexity of their
sentences.

It is important to emphasize how important it is that future teachers of English

show an accurate use of the target language. For this reason, this study would
suggest that by including specific new courses in the syllabus of the career,
students will feel encouraged to speak as much as possible in order to become
a proficient speaker of English thus providing the labor market with
professionals of high academic standards

12
A proficient user of English is considered as someone who can produce
accurately in the four skills - reading, listening, writing and speaking. This study
aims to suggest classroom strategies to improve the performance of the
students who study English Pedagogy at Universidad del Mar. These new
strategies will be introduced in the form of Drama techniques as it is certain that
when implemented in a systematic and planned manner, they imply an upturn of
productive skills which appear to be a weakness in students` performance in
English.

It is important to mention the fact that the English Faculty at Universidad del Mar
has already implemented FCE courses in order to offer students the opportunity
to obtain international accreditation of the level of English they have reached.
The First Certificate Examination (FCE) provides the descriptors below to
measure students’ competence and performance in the target language:

13
General Mark Scheme

Full realization of task set shown by:

5 All content points included
Wide range of structure and vocabulary within the task set.
Minimal errors, perhaps due to ambition; well – development
control of language
Ideas effectively organized and paragraphed, with a variety of
linking devices
Register and format consistently appropriate to purpose and
audience. Fully achieves the desired effect on the target reader
Good realization of the task set.
4 All major content points included: possibly one or two minor
omissions.
Good range of structure and vocabulary within the task.
Generally accurate, errors occur mainly when attempting more
complex language.
Ideas clearly organized and paragraphed, with simple linking
devices.
Register and format on the whole appropriate to purpose and the
audience. Achieves the desired effect on the target reader.
3 Reasonable of the task set.
All major content points included; some minor omissions.
Adequate range of structure and vocabulary, which fulfils the
requirement of the task.
A number of errors may be present, but they do not impede
communication.
Ideas adequate organized and paragraphed, with simple linking
devices.
Reasonable, if not always successful attempt at register and
format appropriate to purpose and audience. Achieves, on the
whole, the desired effect on the target reader.
2 Task Attempted but not adequately achieved.
Some major content points inadequately covered or omitted,
and/or some irrelevant material.
Limited range of structure and vocabulary.
A number of errors, which distract the reader and obscure
communication at times.
Ideas inadequately organized and paragraphed; linking devices
rarely used.
Unsuccessful/inconsistent attempts at appropriate register and
format. Message not clearly communicated to the target reader.

14
 1 Poor attempt at task set.
Notable content omissions and/or considerable irrelevance,
possibly due to misinterpretation of the task set.
Narrow range of vocabulary and structure.
Frequent errors which obscure communication; little evidence of
language control.
Lack of organization, paragraphed or linking devices.
Little or no awareness of appropriate register and format. Very
negative effect on the target reader

0 Achieves nothing; too little language for assessment (fewer than 50

words) or totally illegible.

The decision of implementing FCE courses in the English syllabus at

Universidad is considered, by this study, as a need to certify the level of
accuracy and fluency acquired by students graduating from its English Faculty
which, in some degree, coincides with the concern of the researchers regarding
the same matter, concern that led them to embark on this investigation process.

15
3. Methodology

“The field of mixed methodology which we call

the third methodological movement, has evolved
as a result of discussions and controversies and
as a pragmatic way of using the strength of both
approaches (qualitative and quantitative)”,
(Tashakkori, A. and Teddley, C., 2003)

Based on what the researchers wanted to find out, three instruments were
applied. The first, The Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale (Rosenberg, M., 1989),
which is a ten statement questionnaire, was given to the subjects of this study at
the beginning and at the end of the investigation. The second, The Self-
assessment of Foreign Language Speaking Proficiency, (IALRT5, 2010),
which consisted of thirty-nine yes/no statements was also given to students at
the beginning and at the end of the investigation process. The purpose of
applying these two instruments was to gather empirical information as far as
students’ level of self-esteem and the perceptions they have about their
performance in the target language. The reason to give students the same
instrument twice during the research process was to find out if the Drama
Workshop (teaching/learning strategy) has had a positive impact on
independent and dependent variables, self-esteem and spoken proficiency in
English.

The third instrument was a six open-question survey, designed by the

researchers, with the purpose of collecting information on students’ opinions,
feelings and thoughts about the workshop, in order to see if there was a
correlation between their comments and their answers to the previous

5
Inter Agency Language Round Table

16
instruments. This exercise would allow this study to compare and interpret data
from a qualitative point of view.

3.1 The Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale

As it has been mentioned above, this instrument is made up of ten statements to
which students had to answer by choosing: strongly agree, agree, disagree, or
strongly disagree. The score allotted to each alternative was differentiated
from three to zero marks, or vice versa which Rosenberg calls, “reverse
imbalance”. Table 1 shows the score allotment depending for the two groups of
statements the scale is divided into,

Table 1
Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly
disagree
Statements 3 2 1 0
1,2,4,6,7
Statements 0 1 2 3
3,5,8,9,10

It took students ten minutes to answer all statements the first time the
questionnaire was given to them, whereas it only took them seven minutes to
answer, the second time.

17
3.2 The Self-assessment of Foreign Language Speaking Proficiency
Thirty-nine yes/no statements make up this instrument. The questions are
divided into five stages. Each stage stands for a specific level of speaking
proficiency in the target language. Table 2 shows the specification of this
instrument.
Table 2
Stage 1 Elementary proficiency Statements one to six
Stage 2 Limited working proficiency Statements seven to seventeen
Stage 3 General professional proficiency Statements eighteen to twenty-
seven
Stage 4 Advanced professional Statements twenty-eight to
proficiency thirty-five
Stage 5 Functionally native proficiency Statements thirty-six to thirty
nine.

The first time this instrument was given to students, it took them twenty minutes
to answer it. On the second occasion they answered it, they only needed fifteen
minutes, approximately.
Finally, this study would like to point out that as this is questionnaire in which
students will record their personal opinions on how they see themselves as far
as their proficiency in English is concerned, their answers will tend to be biased
due to the subjective nature of the questionnaire itself. This fact supports the
decision of this research to apply the collaborative mixed method approach to
carry out its investigation.

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3.3 The open-question survey
This was a six-open question survey which was given to students after the
workshop had finished. The main purpose of applying this qualitative instrument
was to collect data regarding students´ feelings, impressions and opinions on
the workshop itself, it’s possible contribution to them, in terms of their spoken
performance and self-esteem, in order to cross tabulate this information with
that gathered with instruments one and two.

3.4 The Drama Workshop

The purpose of this workshop was to improve student’s oral performance and to
strengthen self-esteem. The researches decided to use this teaching/learning
strategy as there is evidence to say that Drama courses contribute in the
process of acquiring a second language. The fact that Drama is part of the
syllabus at various English Faculties and English Departments both, at
universities and schools, in Chile and abroad speak by itself.
The workshop consisted of seventy-five minutes sessions twice a week which
would be delivered over a period of eight weeks. However, due to external
factors, the researchers could only work with the students once a week which
implied leaving aside activities such as, ice-breaking and voice projection
exercises, and specific group work activities, all of which were essential part of
the workshop as their focus was to exploit students´ linguistic potential. This
study has to admit that at the time, this constraint posed a difficulty to the
investigation; however, adjustments to the session design were made and the
workshop was delivered on the basis of these modifications.
The sessions started on August 30th and finished on November 15th. They were
held on Mondays from nine-fifty p.m. to eleven p.m. From the very beginning,
the researchers pointed out to the students that the workshop would be
evaluated, and that the final product would be the performance of an original

19
short play created by them. Even though practice time was not sufficient, the
outcome was most positive. This fact is supported by the students’ answers to
the Open-question Survey whose results are discussed in the following chapter
of this study.

Lesson Plan
The Drama sessions were designed as an innovative and motivating way of
practicing the target language in a natural and relaxed lecture room atmosphere.
The workshop was presented to the students in a rather informal manner so as
to gain students´ trust in the workshop leaders, thus creating appropriate
rapport. (See Appendix one for detailed information on lesson plan).

Students’ attitude
This study has to admit that the time at which the sessions were held was not
the best for students; however towards the end of the workshop, it was evident
that despite this limitation, students were openly enthusiastic about them which
resulted in a most active participation on their part. The students’ positive
attitude towards the course of the sessions made the researchers feel that they
had somewhat fulfilled the aims of the workshop.

20
4. Data analysis

4.1 Rossenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale.

Statement 1
I feel that I am a person of worth, at least on a equal plane with others.
Before the drama workshop started, the replies to this statement showed that
sixty percent of students have a strong feeling that they are a person of worth.
This percentage increased in ten percent at the end of the workshop. Detailed
information is shown in the graph below

Graph 1

21
Statement 2
I feel I have a number of good qualities.
The analysis of the replies to this statement shows very positive results. The first
time the students answered the questionnaire, fifty percent of the sample
strongly agreed while the other fifty, agreed. The second time the
questionnaire was given to them, the results were equally positive with an
increase of ten percent of the strongly agree option. The graph below
describes the information collected in this statement.

Graph 2

22
Statement 3
All in all, I am inclined to feel that I am a failure
This statement has an underlying negative connotation. The replies of the
students are described in the graph below

Graph 3

23
Statement 4
I am able to do things as well as most other people
This is one of the statements that the researchers considered very important for
this study as it is related to the feeling of being capable of facing new
challenges. Once again the results highly positive as eighty and ninety percent
of the sample strongly agreed, with the statement the first and second time,

24
respectively, the questionnaire was given to them. Below, the gathered
information is shown.

Graph 4

Statement 5
I feel I do not have much to be proud of.
This is the second statement with an underlying negative connotation. The
graph below shows that a fifty percent of the students strongly disagreed with
the statement, the first time they took the questionnaire. This percentage
increased in thirty percent. The information of the graph is shown below

25
Graph 5

Statement 6
I take a positive attitude toward myself.
It is quite important to have a positive attitude, especially when students are
facing a new challenge like learning a foreign language. Student’s replies the
same percentage of the ones that agreed in both administrations; the results are
shown in the graph below.

26
Graph 6

Statement 7
On the whole, I am satisfied with myself.
There is a significant increase between the first and second time students
answered the questionnaire. The graph below shows that a large percentage of
the students strongly agreed with the statement.

27
Statement 8
I wish I could have more respect for myself
This is the statement with most diverse answers. And once again it has an
underlying negative connotation. The answers vary from the first to the

28
second administration in the percentages related to strongly disagree
increased in a thirty percent. The graph below shows this information.

Graph 8

Statement 9
I certainly feel useless at times.
It is important for this study to know the answers of this kind of statements
because they are strongly related with the purpose of the workshop. The

29
percentage of the students strongly disagreed increased in a forty percent. The
following graph shows the information above.

Statement 10
At times I think I am no good at all.
Once again students were presented with a statement of negative underlying
connotation statement. On both occasions the questionnaire was given to them,

30
a large percentage of the sample tended to disagree with the statement. The
graph below gives a detailed description of the data collected with this
statement.

Graph 10

At times I think I am no good at all.

0%

30% 30%
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
40% Strongly Disagree

At times I think I am no good at all.

0% 0%

10%

Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
90%
Strongly Disagree

Based on the information presented above, before the implementation of the

Drama Workshop, students seemed to have an average level of self-esteem
which increased considerably towards the end of the workshop. The graph

31
below shows the level of self-esteem in the sample for this study according to
Rossenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale

Graph 11

Rossenberg Self - Steem Scale, Student´s total Score. 1st

application
Score

23 22 22 21 21 20 20 21
19 19

Rossenberg Self - Steeme Scale Student's total score.

2nd application
Score
29
24 24 26
22 21 21 22 23
20

Consequently, this study is in a position to say that the strategy used to

manipulate the independent variable had a positive impact. It is important
to mention that despite these results, this study wonders whether the fact
that the subjects for this study appeared to be individuals with an
appropriate level of self-esteem, made the increase so significant.

4.2 Self Assessment of Foreign Language Speaking Proficiency

The information provided by the results of this instrument is presented on the

graphs that follow. The information has been classified in the same five stages

32
the test is designed. There are two graphs per stage; one showing the results of
the first time students answered the test, and the other those of the second time
they did it.
Stage 1

Stage 2

33
Stage 3

34
 .

Stage 4
If
ee
lt
Th hat
e I

100%
I r re a hav

0%
ar r e
ely e fe . .
If fi w
in nd m . ..
d
i y
I c t ea s...
an sy
to
I c spe
an ak ...
,o to
Ic n a.
an a so ..
co c
Ic pe ia. ..
an w

35
us ith
In e th
d.
..
pr
of e
es la.
Ia sio ..
m na
ab l ..
le .
to
ad
j ..
.
YES

NO
YES
 Stage 5
Ic
on
sis
I p ten
ra t ly
ct u

100%
i

0%
Ic call s. ..
an y ne
ca v. .
rr
Ic y o
an ut
pe a.
Ic rs .
an ua
pr de
ep .. .
In ar
at e
ur an
all ...
Ic y i n

36
an te
g..
elo
qu .
Ic
an en
lea tly
d .. .
th
e
di
...

YES

NO
YES
 100%

50%

0%
YES

..
o.
pr
NO

..

...
la.
e

io
ag

...
he

t
cia

yi
gu

et

lar
un
an

us

u
yl

ab
an

ro
M

oc
yp
Ic

yv
M

100%

50%

0%
YES
..
o.

NO
pr

..

...
la.
e

io

...
ag

he

yi
cia
gu

et

lar
un
an

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u
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yl

ab
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M

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yp
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yv
M

On the basis of the information collected with the Self-assessment Speaking

Proficiency Test on the two occasions students took it, this study can state that,
according to the opinion of the students in the sample for this research, their
level of proficiency appears to be that of Elementary Proficiency (Stage 1)

37
and/or Limited Working Proficiency (Stage 2). However, it is important to
mention that there is one student who believes to have the proficiency of a
native speaker of English.
Finally, this study must admit a certain degree of concern about the information
collected as the answers seemed to be biased by a marked subjective
disposition in answering the questions.

4.2.1 Open-question Survey

Question 1
According to your opinion, what is the impact of low self-esteem in the
process of acquiring a second language?
 Strong impact

38
  Confidence
 Low self-esteem implies little commitment
 It is crucial
 Fear and insecurity of ridicule

In general, all students referred to the crucial role self-esteem in the acquisition
of a second language. They added that it is crucial to feel secure at the moment
of speaking.

Question 2
According to your experience, what skill did you improve the most during
the course of the Drama Workshop? How can you tell this happened?
 Speaking spontaneously
 Understanding what is being said, memorizing texts, improvising.
 Fear to speak English in front of an audience

Games appeared to be one of the activities which most they most enjoyed
because it gave them the opportunity to speak freely thus improving their fluency
and understanding what is being said/heard.

Question 3
How would you describe the progress you made during the course of the
Workshops?
 Positive progress
 New vocabulary
 More confidence
 A new way of practicing English

Students emphasized the fact that the workshop gave them an opportunity to
learning can also happen through Drama activities. They felt they had enlarged
their vocabulary and gain more confidence

Question 4
How do you think a Drama workshop would benefit students in the English
Faculty?
 An opportunity to apply what has been learnt
 Speaking freely and spontaneously

39
  Speaking in front of an audience
 Enlarge vocabulary
 Improve self-confidence
 Ice-breaking amongst fellow mates
 Forget fear of making mistakes

Students described the workshop as absolutely beneficial to them because they

felt part of a friendly atmosphere during the sessions thus allowing them to apply
what they knew.

Question 5
How did feel after performing in front of your professors and fellow-
mates?
 Facing a challenge
 Relieved, happy, satisfied and proud
 More self-confidence

Students described the workshop as a most positive experience which helped

them to overcome the fear of facing new challenges

Question 6
Finally, what aspects of the workshop would you consider most relevant
and why?
 The commitment and positive disposition of the three leaders of the
workshop
 The interest of the three leaders of the workshop in our learning process
 The creativity of the activities
 The realization of knowing more that what one thinks.
 Self- confidence, embarrassment, vocabulary.

Commitment, responsibility, concern, interest were some of the aspects the

students referred to as most relevant.

The information collected with the survey described above allows this study to
say that the students in the sample for this research show an awareness of the
importance self-esteem has in the process of acquiring a second language.

40
They also valued the way which the target language was practiced which was
very new for students in first year.
All in all, it appears that implementing a Drama Workshop would have a most
positive impact on students´ self-esteem as the atmosphere during the sessions
invited them to take an active part in them.

To close this chapter and on the basis of the information gathered, this study is
in a position to say,
That the subjects for this study had an average level of self-esteem
which appeared to have improved after the Drama Workshop came to an
end,
That the workshop did not seem to have an impact on the level of
proficiency of these subjects, and
That it appears that the initiative of implementing a Drama Workshop in lecture
time would be most welcome by students in the English Faculty

5. Conclusion
This idea for this study emerged from a certain degree of concern on the part of
the researchers as to the difficulties they encountered to acquire confidence in

41
speaking English, during the course of their studies The researchers believed
that for a Teacher of English it is essential to have a solid speaking command of
the target language as they will become role models for other learners of the
same language. The researchers had a strong feeling that there has possibly
been a lack of innovative strategies in the process of acquiring English and
particularly in showing fluent spoken domain of the language. OFSTED, an
ONG, claims that “It is generally accepted that if pupils are to master and use a
foreign language for effective communication, the language needs to be used
extensively by teachers and pupils in the teaching/learning process” This study
is based on the idea that teachers of English must be accurate in the use of the
target language and this implies that they must be fluent in order to
communicate effectively.

The first year of the career is also the first time when most students are exposed
to English. They are expected to internalize new grammatical rules and patterns,
and a completely different phonetic system. This experience may sometimes be
confusing and difficult to manage which, in the long run, may deter students
from make progress in the language acquisition process.

This research was sustained on three theoretical framework: Language

Acquisition, Self- Esteem and Self-Confidence, Fluency and accurate use
of the Target Language. This study examined related literature thoroughly and
exhaustively and this fact provided solid back up in order to answer the main
questions of this study. According to Chomsky, “Children are born with an
inherited ability to learn any human language”. He also claims that certain
linguistic structure which children use so accurately must be already imprinted
on the child’s mind. This study agrees this Chomsky’s argument because, based
on what the researchers could observe during the course of their investigation, it
is quite possible to imprint the target language on young people’s mind, if this is
done using innovative teaching/learning strategies.

42
Along the same lines, Stephen Krashen states that “Acquisition requires
meaningful interaction in the target language – natural communication – in which
speakers are concerned not with the form of their utterances but with the
messages they are conveying and understanding” This argument has an strong
connection with what the researchers suggest to implementing in the English
Faculty at Universidad del Mar, Zapallar Campus - a new lecture room strategy
in the form of a drama workshop. Actually, all activities for the Drama Workshop
were designed in the light of the argument above.

In terms of Self – Esteem and Self – Confidence, this study use the following
quotation as their main reference, “We have a positive attitude, we value our
selves highly, we are convinced of our own abilities and we see our selves as
competent, in control of our lives and able to do what we want” Researchers
gathered empirical an subjective information which support what this research
wished to probe from the very beginning of the study. The information provided
by instruments used during the investigation says that self-esteem is most
important What is more, seem to be completely aware that self-esteem plays an
important role in the acquisition process of the target language.

This Research opted to use the collaborative mixed research method to

sustain the research investigation in order to find a possible correlation between
the quantitative and qualitative information collected. The instruments applied in
this investigation were three, two of them based on the quantitative approach,
the first was The Rosenberg’s self-esteem scale, and the second, The Self
assessment Speaking Proficiency. It is important to mention that these two
instruments given to students in the form of pre and post test.
The Open- question Survey served the purpose of collecting qualitative data
which was later cross-tabulated with that provided by instruments one and two.

43
This study aimed to demonstrate How the implementation of drama course in
the English teaching career at Universidad del Mar, Zapallar Campus,
would make future teachers more fluent in the command of spoken
English. Taking into account the data collected with the instruments used for
this purpose, this study is in a position to say that it is a fact that the
incorporation of a workshop of this nature would contribute to make future
teachers more fluent in the target language. This validates the hypothesis of this
study.

It is important for this research to consider the role that Self-Esteem plays in
this investigation – that of an specific objective and of an independent variable.
The researchers have to mention that before the workshop started, they thought
the subjects for their study would present a low level of self-esteem. However,
after the first administration of The Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, they realized
they were quite wrong as the results showed a high level of self-esteem
amongst the sample which showed a tendency to increase during the course of
the workshop.

To conclude this study, the research group would like to say that going through
this experience, and despite the difficulties they encountered this during the
course of this study, it has been a most productive and enriching learning
process for each and every-one of them. The research group is convinced that
they were able to provide answers to all questions they posed and it hopes that
the English Faculty at Universidad del Mar, Zapallar Campus considers the
implementation of a Drama Workshop in lecture time, in the near future.

6. Bibliography

44
Chomsky, N (2010). I love English language, child language acquisition
theory, Chomsky, Crystal, Aitchison & Piaget.
http://aggslanguage.wordpress.com/chomsky/

Krashen, S (Last revision: July 2, 2007) Stephen Krashen’s Theory of

Second Language Acquisition.
http://www.sk.com.br/sk-krash.html

Mind tools Lts, (2010) Building Self-confidence, Believe in Yourself, and

find Success.
http://www.mindtools.com/selfconf.html

www.bbc.com, (2010)
www.bbc.com/health/self-esteem.html

University Counselling Service, Student & Staff Counselling , (2008),

http://www.counselling.cam.ac.uk/selfhelp/books/booklists

National Curriculum of England, (2010)

http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/key-stages-3-and-
4/subjects/subjectcomparison/index.aspx

OFSTED, Ministry of Education of New Zealand, (2010).

Cambridge First Certificate in English, 6, Teacher’s Book (2003)

http://assets.cambridge.org/97805217/54460/sample/9780521754460ws.
pdf

Appendix 1

45
DRAMA WORKSHOP CLASS PLAN

Class: 1st
Monitors: Pamela Yuivar
Daniel Pardo
Carlos Morales

Contents Method/ Procedure/ Resource

1. Introduction to the Monitor introduce the class
class “put in order” (activity related with
2. Icebreaking activity dialogues, poems, stories and role plays)
3. Mime “Guess who”
4. Self-esteem activity “If I were…”
Abilities to develop Value/ Attitude
Reading and Respect
speaking skill Personality
Personality Sense of humor
Self-esteem
Creativity

Appendix 2

46
Rosenberg´s Self-esteem Scale

Name: ___________________________________________

Date :____________________________________________

STATEMENT Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree

1.
I feel that I am a person of worth, at least on an
equal plane with others.

2.
I feel that I have a number of good qualities..

3.
All in all, I am inclined to feel that I am a failure.

4.
I am able to do things as well as most other
people.

5.
I feel I do not have much to be proud of.

6.
I take a positive attitude toward myself.

7.
On the whole, I am satisfied with myself.

8.
I wish I could have more respect for myself.

9.
I certainly feel useless at times.

10.

At times I think I am no good at all.

Appendix 3

47
 SELF-ASSESSMENT OF SPEAKING PROFICIENCY YES NO

S-1 I can tell/ask someone how to get from here to a nearby

hotel, restaurant, or post office.

S-1 I can order a simple meal.

S-1 I can arrange for a hotel room or taxi ride.

S-1 I can buy a needed item such as bus or train ticket, groceries,
or clothing.
S-1 I can ask and answer simple questions about date and place of
birth status, occupation, etc.

S-1 I can make social introductions and use greeting and leave-
taking expressions.

S-2 I can handle conversations about familiar topics in an

organized way.
S-2 I can produce speech with some organization on familiar
topics that extend beyond my daily routine.
S-2 I can describe my present or most recent job or activity in
some detail.
S-2 I can give detailed information about my family, my house,
and my community.
S-2 I Can interview an employee, or arrange for special services
(taking care of details such as Salary, qualifications, hours,
specific duties).
S-2 I can give a brief autobiography including immediate plans
and hopes.
S-2 I feel confident that when I talk with native speaker on
topics such as those mentioned above, they understand me
most of the time.
S-2 I can take and give simple messages over the telephone, or
leave a message on voice mail.

S-2 I can describe in detail a person or place that is very familiar to

me.

48
S-2 I can report the facts of what I have seen recently on television
news or read in the newspaper.

S-2 I can talk about a trip or some other every day event that
happened in the recent past or that will happen soon.
S-3 I feel that I have a professional command, rather than just a
practical one, of the language.
S-3 There are few grammatical features of the language that I try
to avoid.
S-3 I rarely find myself unable to finish a sentence because of
linguistic limitations (grammar or vocabulary).
S-3 I find it easy to follow and contribute to a conversation among
native speakers.
S-3 I can speak to a group of educated native speakers on
professional subject and be sure I am communicating what I
want to, without obviously irritating them linguistically.
S-3 I can, on a social occasion, defend personal opinions about
social and cultural topics.
S-3 I can cope with difficult situations such as broken-down
plumbing, and undeserved traffic ticket, or a serious social or
diplomatic blunder made by a colleague or me.
S-3 I can use the language to speculate at length about abstract
topics such as how some change in history or the course of
human events would have affected my life or civilization.
S-3 In professional discussions, my vocabulary is extensive and
precise enough to enable me to convey my exact meaning.
S-3 I am able to adjust my speech to suit my audience, whether I
am talking to university professors, close friends, employees,
or others.
S-4 I consistently use the language in a sophisticated and nuanced
way to effectively communicate with great precision.
S-4 I practically never make a grammatical mistake.
S-4 I can carry out any job assignment as effectively as if in my
native language.
S-4 I can persuade someone effectively to take a course of action
in a sensitive situation such as to improve his/her health,
reverse a decision or establish a policy.

49
S-4 I can prepare and give a lecture at a professional meeting about
my area of specialization and debate complex aspects with
others.
S-4 I naturally integrate appropriate cultural and historical 3
references in my speech.
S-4 I can eloquently represent a point of view other than my own.
S-4 I can lead the direction of the discussion (friendly,
controversial, collaborative).
S-4 My language proficiency is functionally equivalent to that of a
highly articulate well-educated native speaker and reflects the
cultural standards of a country where the language is natively
spoken.
S-4 I can use the language with complete flexibility and intuition,
so that speech on all levels is fully accepted by well-educated
native speakers in all of its features, including breadth of
vocabulary and idiom, colloquialisms, and pertinent cultural
references.
S-4 My pronunciation is typically consistent with that of well-
educated, highly articulate native speakers of a standard
dialect.
S-4 My vocabulary is extensive and precise, allowing me to
consistently convey ideas and details.

50
 Appendix 4

Open Question Survey

Student: Date:

Question 1
According to your opinion, what is the impact of low self-esteem in the process of
acquiring a second language?

Question 2
According to your experience, what skill did you improve the most during the course of the
drama Workshops? How can you tell this happened?

Question 3
How would you describe the progress you made during the course of the Workshops?

51
Question 4
How do you think a Drama workshop would benefit students in the English Faculty?

Question 5
How did feel after performing in front of your professors and fellow-mates?

Question 6
Finally, what aspects of the workshop would you consider most relevant and why?

52