Overcoming Shyness: Promoting Leadership and Communication through English Drama Camp in Japan

• Main Authors: Shiozawa, Yasuko, Donnery, Eucharia
• Format: Article
• Language: deu
• Published: University College Cork 2017-07-01
• Series: SCENARIO: Journal for Performative Teaching, Learning, Research
• Online Access: https://journals.ucc.ie/index.php/scenario/article/view/scenario-11-2-2

The purpose of this paper is to describe how drama-based pedagogies can meet Japanese university EFL students learner-needs within a short time-frame. It first describes the cultural and educational contexts of Second Language Acquisition (SLA) in Japan in general terms, before specifically outlining the aims and methodology of the 2014 and 2015 summer drama camps. The paper then moves into the crux, that of the aims, student profiles, methodology and results of the 2016 summer drama camp, which focused on the theme of homelessness. The paper concludes by arguing the validity for the more widespread adoption of drama-based pedagogies in the Japanese university EFL context.