Qualitative notes and quantitative data on outcomes arising from the use of drama during ESL classes

Ten non-English-speaking-background young and mature-age adults studying at Bond University were selected from an initial cohort of twenty-three students to study the effects of drama on their oral English. Elements of their oral-English communication were measured using a specially-prepared rating instrument. The students were aware that the twelve weeks would be divided into four lots of three weeks each, with the first three weeks made up entirely of communicative non-drama-based (CNDB) lessons, weeks four to six comprising only drama-based (DB) methodology, weeks seven to nine reverting to CNDB methodology, and the final three weeks being made up of DB strategies again. The primary research instrument was a rating tool composed of twelve items. Each item represented a core element of communication. The items were scored on a seven point Likert scale with response categories ranging from 1 (not well at all) to 7 (extremely well). Two observers scored each participant and discussed ratings until they reached inter-rater reliability.