Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

Drama pedagogy as a catalyst for shifting language anxiety in primary school teachers: offering critical engagement within EFL classroom

Drama pedagogy as a catalyst for shifting language anxiety in primary school teachers: offering... Japanese school teachers are facing challenges under the new curricula reform, and there is still a lack of preparation to guide them to a successful implementation. Dilemmas related to teaching English language in primary schools were seen among participant teachers in a program of professional learning. This study aims (1) to identify a feeling of anxiety and readiness to the new EFL curricula and (2) to offer a professional learning program for shifting their concerns to regain their confidence and agency as educators.Design/methodology/approachThe study was conducted based on qualitative research. Qualitative data was collected from 40 participating teachers in the professional learning program, and later was critically analysed.FindingsInitial findings revealed that the majority of participants felt concerned towards teaching EFL in their school, as they are homeroom teachers, not specialist teachers in EFL. Drama pedagogy helped shifting their language anxiety and repositioning themselves within the new EFL curricular implementation, as it became evident through the reflections of the professional development workshop.Originality/valueThe study highlights current educational issues that Japanese primary school teachers are facing. Failure to fully address their feeling of anxiety underlies the Japanese school culture. Drama pedagogy, despite being quite new to educational pedagogy in Japan, was effective in allowing the participants to freely express their voices. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Qualitative Research Journal Emerald Publishing

Drama pedagogy as a catalyst for shifting language anxiety in primary school teachers: offering critical engagement within EFL classroom

Araki, Naoko
Qualitative Research Journal , Volume 21 (3): 16 – Aug 2, 2021
Download PDF
16 pages

Loading next page...
 
/lp/emerald-publishing/drama-pedagogy-as-a-catalyst-for-shifting-language-anxiety-in-primary-ygIUsr2YMb
Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
© Emerald Publishing Limited
ISSN
1443-9883
DOI
10.1108/qrj-03-2020-0020
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Japanese school teachers are facing challenges under the new curricula reform, and there is still a lack of preparation to guide them to a successful implementation. Dilemmas related to teaching English language in primary schools were seen among participant teachers in a program of professional learning. This study aims (1) to identify a feeling of anxiety and readiness to the new EFL curricula and (2) to offer a professional learning program for shifting their concerns to regain their confidence and agency as educators.Design/methodology/approachThe study was conducted based on qualitative research. Qualitative data was collected from 40 participating teachers in the professional learning program, and later was critically analysed.FindingsInitial findings revealed that the majority of participants felt concerned towards teaching EFL in their school, as they are homeroom teachers, not specialist teachers in EFL. Drama pedagogy helped shifting their language anxiety and repositioning themselves within the new EFL curricular implementation, as it became evident through the reflections of the professional development workshop.Originality/valueThe study highlights current educational issues that Japanese primary school teachers are facing. Failure to fully address their feeling of anxiety underlies the Japanese school culture. Drama pedagogy, despite being quite new to educational pedagogy in Japan, was effective in allowing the participants to freely express their voices.

Journal

Qualitative Research Journal – Emerald Publishing

Published: Aug 2, 2021

Keywords: Japan; Teacher agency; EFL; Drama pedagogy

References

  • Firing the imagination: process drama as pedagogy for ‘melting’ EAL speaking anxiety and increasing Japanese university students’ confidence in speaking
    Araki, N.; Raphael, J.
  • Elementary teachers' view on English teaching
    Hamamoto, S.
  • Implementing EFL policy reform in elementary schools in Japan: a case study
    Machida, T.; Walsh, J.D.
  • Japanese elementary-school teachers and English language anxiety
    Machida, T.
  • Shougakkou eigokatsudouno genzaikara kangaeru
    Matsukawa, R.
  • Gakushuu shidou youryou kaitei no keii
  • The revisions of the courses of study for elementary and secondary schools