Using Creative Dramatics For Vocabulary Development In Public Basic Schools

Abstract

The process of teaching and learning is old as human beings. Teaching has been carried out by human beings to disseminate information, knowledge and skills for successful development. Psychologists and Educationists have designed several teaching and learning methods to provide effective ways of teaching and learning. Among other teaching methods one can mention Creative Dramatics teaching method. This method has been tested in the USA and European Countries, and proven to be effective and efficient teaching method. The objective of this study was to test the effectiveness and efficiency of Creative Dramatics teaching method. By comparing it as well as using it as an alternative to the Direct Instruction in the Ghanaian teaching environment. The study was also to identify challenges faced by teachers using Direct Instruction in Basic Schools in Ghana Education Service (GES). To carry out the study of Creative Dramatics, teaching experiments were conducted and quizzes as well as class tests were administered to assess pupils/students. With the marks obtained from students, descriptive statistics were computed and conclusion drawn. Questionnaires were also administered to teachers in some selected Basic Schools in the GES. It was established that Creative Dramatics is an effective and efficient teaching method which can be adopted in the Ghanaian contest. The main barriers to the use of Creative Dramatics in Basic Schools in GES borders on the fact that GES teachers have little understanding and mastery of Creative Dramatics, and faced with the inadequacy of resources.