The effectiveness of learning through drama in teaching Chinese as a second language.

摘要

This study explores process drama or drama in education (DIE) to teach a second language, Chinese, in U.S. classrooms. Chinese as a second language is a growing field in the United States. In recent years, the focus of teaching a second language in the classroom has transitioned from grammatical teaching to communicative teaching. Drama-oriented teaching can facilitate interpersonal interactions and communication. This study aims to investigate the approaches of teaching a second language through drama by case studies and analyze the effectiveness of students' learning of Chinese through drama. This study is a qualitative research exploring the attitudes of an instructor and students of a Chinese learning class. A semi-structured interview was conducted with the participants to discuss the effectiveness of language learning, the challenges, the learning enthusiasm with rehearsed drama, and the assistance that students need.