DRAMATIC ACTIVITIES AND ICTE IN LANGUAGE ACQUISITION: LEARNING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE FOR PROFESSIONAL/SPECIFIC PURPOSES THROUGH ROLE PLAYS AND ONLINE GAMES
VIRGINIE PRIVAS-BREAUTE *
IUT Gestion et Administration des entreprises et des organisations, Université Jean Moulin - Lyon 3, France
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Researchers in performative teaching have laid the stress on the motivation of learners who can express their creative fiber freely thanks to the value of dramatic activities in language classes. Drama and dramatic activities promote the development of competences along the lines of the Common European Framework for language learning. They help learners to broaden their knowledge of the world, to strengthen or acquire new skills and know-how, to consolidate their existential competences as well as their ability to learn. They also promote the improvement of communicative language competences (in terms of linguistic skills, sociolinguistic abilities and pragmatic capacities). They are particularly relevant in the context of an action-oriented approach to language learning for university students in Business English. Putting them into realistic situations through dramatic activities facilitates their learning of English. However, the differences of capacities among learners might hamper their acknowledgment of all the benefits of drama. The increase of IT tools with a pedagogical purpose multiplies the strategies to strengthen the aforementioned competences. Therefore online games like Second Life might be an alternative to improve the learners’ competences.
Keywords: Blended learning, drama, ESP, higher education, learning, serious game, teaching