Dramatizing Local History: Its Effects on Stimulating the Students’ English Performance.

Abstract

Drama is one of the widest approaches used in the periodic development of English teaching in the world. Drama engages more of the important aspects of speaking as part of language function in linguistics. In his journal, Rasmussen (2010) stated that when we speak of quality in drama education, we apply different educational and aesthetic criteria. For example, improvised drama practices such as process drama are closely associated to Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive constructivism. Jean Piaget's research into educational theory is called cognitive constructivism. Piaget postulated that students should be guided through creative exploration as the focus of their educational journey. Students should create or construct their knowledge, and the classroom should be a place where tools and resources are made available to catalyze the process. Piaget believed that teachers should insist on less memorization and more exploration and personal investigation as the foundation of educational progress. The research was conducted during the second academic year, the students in second semester with 20 students who enrolled in English speaking II courses at Muhammadiyah Institution in Bone. By reporting from a case of drama teaching and research, I examine how constructivist thinking affects the dramatization of local history to stimulate the students’ English performance. I focused on the constructivism theory, particularly the collaborative interaction and development aspects. Experiential forms of drama are valued as potential models for constructivist education that have implication for creating active learning, dramatic learning, engaging students in learning, speaking intension, collaborative learning, and building community as the goal of the research.

Keywords: Dramatizing, local History, Affecting, English Performance, Constructivist,