Constructivism‐based drama activities in EFL reading classes

Abstract

Lack of interest in classroom activities, difficulty in understanding reading texts, and unfamiliarity with using reading strategies are the three major problems that negatively impact students' achievements in English as a foreign language (EFL) reading classes. This article considers integration of drama activities into EFL reading classes, looking particularly at the constructivist foundations of this approach to (1) motivate students to read and participate in class, (2) facilitate understanding and meaning construction, and (3) develop students' reading strategies and skills. Incorporation of drama activities grounded in cognitive and social constructivist learning theory is especially effective as these theories accentuate prior knowledge, student‐centered learning, social interactions, cooperative learning, and engaging and stimulating classroom activities as well as teachers' scaffolding. Two sample activities are presented to illustrate the practical implementation of such drama activities in EFL reading classes. Drama activities based on constructivism are recommended as an effective approach to encourage students to learn, increase understanding, and sharpen reading strategies in EFL reading classes.