ENGLISH DRAMA AS AN ACTIVITY FOR PROMOTING SPEAKING SKILLS IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE AT PRIMARY SCHOOL LEVEL

Abstract

The article examines the extracurricular activity English Drama as a didactic approach to promoting speaking skills in a foreign language at the primary school level. The starting point of the paper is the observation that, within traditional foreign language instruction, pupils often have limited opportunities for relaxed and authentic oral expression, which may affect the development of speaking fluency and self-confidence. Drawing on the theoretical foundations of the communicative approach, learning through play, and embodied learning, the article presents a model of practice based on drama and theatre activities.

The paper describes a holistic process of creating a theatrical performance, including the selection of literary material, collaborative story creation, gradual development of speaking and reading comprehension, dramatization, and public performance. Particular emphasis is placed on teaching methods that encourage pupils’ active involvement in the learning process and enable meaningful, relaxed, and authentic use of the foreign language in spoken communication.

Based on systematic pedagogical observations, the effects of the activity on the development of pupils’ speaking competence, motivation, and self-confidence are presented, with special attention given to the inclusion of more reserved pupils. The findings confirm that drama-based activities represent an effective complement to foreign language instruction and contribute significantly to the development of speaking skills and a positive attitude towards foreign language learning in children.