Facilitating integrated language proficiency of non-Chinese speaking students through drama: An action research

Abstract

Research findings indicated that the sequence of Chinese language learning is listening, speaking, character recognition, reading and writing. For the non-Chinese speaking (NCS) students, they need to develop good listening, speaking and character recognition ability. Otherwise, they will encounter a lot of difficulties when reading. In fact, many NCS students encounter reading difficulties because their character recognition ability is poor and cannot decode what they are reading. Their reading comprehension ability cannot be developed too. As a result, the researchers conducted an action research which aimed at consolidating NCS students’ character recognition ability, and further develop their listening and speaking ability, as well as reading comprehension ability through drama in education. Research participants were a group of Grade 8 NCS students. Their Chinese language teacher taught them how to read the text (a story, developed as drama script later) and learnt the vocabularies and sentence patterns. Then, the teacher guided the students to write some dialogues and have some monologue activities. Students’ learning performance, the interaction between teacher and students were observed. The students’ listening, speaking, character recognition, reading and writing performance were assessed. Research results showed that drama in education can effectively enhance NCS students’ reading comprehension ability (especially higher level reading comprehension), engaged them in learning, and provide more opportunities for peer learning. Students’ communication ability, character recognition ability and writing ability has been enhanced as well. The feasibility of using drama in education and the difficulties have been discussed.