Drama grammar: towards a performative postmethod pedagogy

Abstract

This article presents the original concept of drama grammar, the synthesis of grammar instruction and drama pedagogy, which integrates both structural and communicative paradigms through a dialectic combination of acting and linguistic analysis. Based on the principles of drama pedagogy, drama grammar makes use of techniques from the performing arts, encompassing cognitive, emotional, social, practical and kinesthetic learning dimensions. Both the failed quest for the ultimate foreign language teaching method and inconclusive evidence regarding the effectiveness of different approaches to grammar instruction highlight the necessity for postmethod approaches to grammar teaching and learning. An introduction of common drama pedagogy techniques provides an insight into drama-based forms of learning for the foreign language classroom, and a prototypical drama grammar lesson shows how the teaching and learning of grammar can be operationalized within the performative paradigm. Drama grammar can thus be understood as an important step towards a postmethod grammar pedagogy.