DRAMA SEBAGAI MEDIA PENGAJARAN BAHASA INGGRIS BAGI YL (YOUNG LEARNERS)

Abstract

Drama for teaching English for elementary school students is a real communicationinvolving ideas, emotions, feelings, and adaptations. Drama in young learners (YL)classrooms allows shy students to “hide behind†the character when they speakEnglish. There are some reasons underlying the use of drama for teaching English toyoung learners: (a) Drama helps children to activate language and have fun. Itencourages children to speak and allows to communicate, even with limited language,using nonverbal communication, such as body movements and facial expressions; (b)Drama is familiar to children. Dramatizing has been a part of children's lives sincetheir early age. They pretend to be adults in situations that are close to the reality. Theyalso behave as adults when they play their roles; (c) Drama helps children build theirconfidence. It means that by taking on a role, children can escape from everydayidentity. This is useful for children who are reluctant to use English or who do not likeworking in groups; (d) Drama dynamically nurtures children's cooperative ability in agroup.

Kata Kunci : drama, media pengajaran, young learners