INTEGRATING DRAMA INTO ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION: FROM WORKING WITH LITERARY TEXTS TO CREATIVE METHODS AND PERFORMATIVE PRACTICES

Abstract

The article examines the integration of drama into English language teaching in secondary and higher education. The relevance of the study stems from the growing need for methods that simultaneously enhance learners’ speaking skills, emotional engagement, critical thinking, and social interaction. Although literary texts are widely used in traditional language instruction, the pedagogical potential of drama as an innovative, action-based and interdisciplinary resource remains insufficiently systematised. The aim of the article is to provide a theoretical justification and methodological analysis of drama in EFL education, as well as to present the results of its practical implementation through student projects carried out within the university course “Modern English-Language Drama and Its Educational Applications.” Four student projects are analysed, each representing a distinct model of drama-based pedagogy: interpretative work with dramatic texts, improvisational and role-play techniques, creative performative practices, and drama games designed to develop communication and critical thinking. The synthesis of results shows that students identify several core types of drama activities (text interpretation, role-based interaction, performance, interactive drama games), articulate shared pedagogical aims, and recognise drama as an effective tool for developing linguistic, interpretative, social and creative competences. The findings demonstrate that drama creates a multidimensional learning environment in which literary texts are experienced through action, communication becomes meaningful and authentic, and the learning process gains dynamism, emotional depth, and personal relevance.