THE USE OF DRAMA AS A PERFORMANCE ENHANCER IN TEACHING GERMAN AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE: A CASE STUDY BASED ON THE STUDENTS’ PERFORMANCE OF THE DRAMA FAUST BY JOHANN WOLFGANG VON GOETHE

Abstract

This research seeks to examine the impact of using drama as a performance enhancer in teaching German as a foreign language. This is a case study based the first year German Honors Degree students’ performance of the Drama Faust by first – years students doing an Honors Degree in German at the University of Kelaniya. The data was collected by distributing a questionnaire among 15 students who took part in the drama performance. The findings of the research indicated that the use of drama in foreign language classrooms enhances the learners’ oral skills, intercultural competency, and translation skills as well as their skills in social and performing arts, while extending the ability to remember the content of the literary work through dramatization.