1。1。2 DiE methods for student learning

    For students, the significance lies in improving linguistic competence。 DiE, as a teaching aid often in the form of group work, provides some shy students with a relaxing atmosphere for speaking and acting。 Meanwhile, creating a drama play in class is definitely different from the jug-and-mug method that students will be highly motivated to express themselves even in a foreign language environment。 Expected collaborations with peers may help them establish team spirit and responsibility。 What is most important is that the whole process itself witnesses their creativity and growth。 来自优Y尔L论W文Q网wWw.YouERw.com 加QQ7520~18766

Basically speaking, according to Zhang Xiaohua’s theories, Drama-in-Education was exactly identical to the requirement of the all-round development。 Firstly, having DiE experience contributes to self-consciousness and sense of value。 Drama-oriented activities, based on the “IF” assumptions, allow students to explore, experience and express。 During the process of playing different roles, students will not focus on the their own characteristics, instead they should put themselves into shoes of another, and this helps them get psychological maturity。 In the                   second place, DiE promotes students to develop imagination, thinking and creativity。 In drama activities, the emphases are group work and creativity。 How to design a successful DiE class is closely concerned with every participant’s opinions about the settings of the drama。 When students face the conflict, which is an inseparable part in a drama, they should be encouraged to think boldly, because they do not need worry about failures in a imaginary world。 All the responses and ideas are considered as the best stimuli to the cultivation for students’ imagination and problem-solving abilities。 Thirdly, on the physical and psychological level, students in DiE classes, will unavoidably be required to use body language and emotional expression to cooperate and perform。 Thus, students who get bored of sitting all-day long, may refresh their body and mind in a DiE class。 Students will also get the chance to express some bad emotions such as anger, sadness, anxiety, and it is beneficial for them to relieve pressure in time, especially for middle and high school students’ sound metal conditions。 Last but not the least, DiE is the perfect option for language teaching。 Most of the students have reported that they feel insecure to speak foreign language even in front of their own classmates, let alone achieving in acquiring problem solving ability with a habit in English thinking。 But DiE classes provide students with specific contexts for practicing communications。 Learning English is not confined with words and grammar in textbooks and homework, students should be able to use English to deal with daily situations both in drama and reality。

    1。1。3 DiE method for teachers’ development

Leader-in-Role, which Dorothy Heathcote, the notable British drama educationist has brought up, is a term for describing teachers as participants in DiE activities。 Teachers, as a partner with their students, will grasp the situation, adjust the teaching paces on a whole, thus making the role as instructors more effective。 An experienced teacher inspects his own position and is always able to make timely alternative in teachers’ roles, helping him achieve five targets: deep reflection of others’ opinions, integration of words, sense and mind, advancement in decisiveness and problem-solving abilities, broadening of teaching experience and further knowledge about drama (Carole tanlington Patrick Verriour, Role Drama, p。9。)。 Norah Morgan have further studies and has come up with three main roles for leader-in-role: Manipulator, Facilitator and Enabler, ranking from high position to low position in classes。 Sometimes when they choose the role of manipulators, they should keep a close observation of the students, especially in the DiE class, in case of indiscipline for excessive “freedom” given to the class。 However, when the teachers are supposed to be facilitators, counseling and giving advice will be their main tasks。 As for enablers, the teachers will play the role of the students’ companion, which means teachers and students cooperate together to solve a certain problem and reproduce a certain role-play。 This model is the lowest in all the three roles, which allows teachers to have an equal conversation with their students。 Though moderate respect and discipline are important in teacher-student relationship, this kind of collaboration and role exchange once in a while can create invaluable development opportunities for both the students’ learning and the teachers’ teaching。