CHAPTER II THEORETICAL REVIEW

CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL REVIEW

            In this chapter, the writer would like to provide some theories or definitions from some experts to support the entire elements related not only to the title of this paper but also to the content of materials served in this paper. The following theories and definitions such as definitions of teaching, definitions of speaking, teaching speaking, drama, the drama strategies and the advantage of teaching speaking through drama are served completely.

2.1.      Definition of Teaching

Teaching is way to share our knowledge to others. Making people become one step ahead from others is one of many goals of teaching. Not so many people have a willingness or boldness to make somebody become better and advanced person in his life, that’s way teaching is honorable. According to Hargreaves (2003:9) “Of all the jobs that are or aspire to be profession, only teaching is expected to create the human skills and capacities that will enable individuals and organizations to survive and succeed in today’s knowledge society.” It means teaching is a noble job which helps to build person to become a useful human who can make his own success by using their skills and capabilities in his surrounding environment.

Besides, Higgins (2011:2) defines “Teaching is a helping profession where caring teachers assist active learners.” With this statement we know that teachers have to push their students to be active in positive way during the teaching-learning process.

Beach (2011:6) defines “Teaching is a theoretical act, and theories-whether explicitly or implicitly held-have powerful effects on what we do, how we do it, and how we determine if we are successful.” From this statement we can tell that teaching is an act which deals with theoretical act and theories, and have big impacts in what and how we apply it to others then others know it works or not.

Gravells (2012:11) reveals “Teaching is all about helping someone reach their full potential, wherever it might take place.” It shows that as a teacher we have a big responsibility to make people we teach find their inner passion or talent in themselves so they are willing to fulfill their personal dream.

Identically, Manvell (2009:2) states “Teaching is about helping others grow and is dependent on trusting relationships.” Continuing the previous statements, in spite of become a noble job to make people become succeed, teaching also helping the students to grow up yet it happens only on the trusting relationships like teacher in the formal school or lecturer in university.

From the whole explanations above the writer may conclude that teaching is a honorable profession which deals with theoretical acts and theories in giving opportunities for student to learn and interact in learning something intentionally in educational context. In additions, teaching also important for students to help them become more mature in finding where their true passion is.  Together with it, they can reach their dreams by using their skill and capability in today's society.

2.2.      Definition of Speaking

Speaking is the productive aural/oral skill. It consists of producing systematic verbal utterances to convey meaning. According to Thurnburg (2005:1) “Speaking is so much a part of daily life that we take it for granted. The average person produces tens of thousands of words a day, although some people like authorities or politicians-may produce even more than that.” In other words, speaking is an important element in our social life. In several jobs like presenter, lawyer, politicians, etc. require us to speak more than people in common. Therefore, we need to speak fluently.

Coupled with the previous statements, Palmer (2011:5) defines “Speaking well enable us to communicate clearly with co-workers and avoid misunderstandings on the job.” We can see with speaking there will be no misconception between person to person so that we can say and express what we mean.

            Goh and Burns (2012:15) reveals “Speaking is accepted by everyone as an essential language communication skill, but it’s importance to language learners goes beyond just day-to-day communication.” This means that in learning language every learner is expected to not just learn the daily communication but the other kinds of aspects like; conversation for business, conversation for tourism and etc.

            From all the speaking definitions above, the writer may conclude that speaking is a crucial element in our live. We can’t imagine what would happen in our life if we don’t speaking. By speaking we will be easy to convey our intention and get understood one to another then we can solve many problems so language can be more meaningful.

2.3.      Teaching Speaking

            By teaching speaking to students it will help them to become more communicative. They can say what they need, express their feeling and interact one to another in every situation. According to Harmer (2007:348), there are several classroom speaking activities that currently use in speaking class.

1.      Acting from script

We can ask our students to act out from scenes from plays and/or their course-books, sometimes filming the result. Students will often act out dialogues they have written themselves. This frequently involves them in coming out to the front of the class.

2.      Communication games

There are many communication games all of which aim to get student talking as quickly and fluently as possible. Two particular categories are worth mentioning here:

1.      Information-gap games: many games depend on an information gap: One student has to talk to partner in order to solve a puzzle, draw a picture (describe and draw), put things in right order (describe and arrange), or find similarities and differences between pictures.

2.      Television and radio games: when imported to the classroom games from radio or tv often provide a good fluency activities.

3.      Discussion

Discussion range from highly normal, whole-group staged events to informal small-group interactions.

1.      Buzz group: these can be used for a whole range discussion.

2.      Instant comment: another way in which we can train student to respond fluently and immediately is to insert ‘instant comment’ mini activities into lesson.

3.      Formal debates: in formal debates, students prepare arguments in favor or against various propositions.

4.      Unplanned discussion: some discussion just happen in the middle of lessons; they are unprepared for by he teacher, but, if encouraged, can provide some of the most enjoyable and productive speaking in language classes.

5.      Reaching consensus: one of the best ways of encouraging discussion is to provide activities which force student to reach a decision or consensus, often as a result of choosing between specific alternatives.

4.      Prepared Talks

One popular kind of activity is the prepared talk, where a student (or students) makes a presentation on a topic of their own choice.

5.      Questionnaires

Questionnaires are useful because by being pre-planned, they ensure that both questionnaire and respondent have something to say to each other.

6.      Simulation and role-play

Many students derive great benefit from stimulation and role-play. Students stimulate a real-life encounter (such as business meeting, an interview or conversation in aero-plane cabin, a hotel foyer, a shop or a cafeteria) as if they were doing in the real world.

2.4.      Drama

            Drama is a performance that requires us to acting and speaking from the script that already made into scenes. As a subject, drama incorporates many different skills such as teamwork, memory, history, acting and communication skill. Studying drama also involves role-play, improvisation, speaking, listening, imagination, creativity and self expression.

Tandon (2006:3) states that “Drama is mimetic representation of life combining itself in the real and the fictional art and reality and presenting the events and characters within a dimension of space and time.” It shows that in drama we will find ourselves integrate our real life and fictions are rolled into one. So we have to act like it’s our own life by elaborating every event and character in it.

Hatch (2005:1) reveals “Drama is a representational art, visible, and audible narrative presenting virtual, fictional characters within a virtual, fictional universe.” In other words, drama is an art which we can see and hear the story that consists of characters, events, and the universe all are wrapped into one fiction.

Bowles (2010:6) defines “Stories in real-life conversation may be significant or may be incidental but a story in drama is a plug within a play and has a determinate function or functions, for example as a hinge of the action, the cusp of a relationship, a revelation to the audience, a token of a disintegrating personality.” From the statement above, we can tell that in the story of drama we will find so many nice benefits not only for the actor or actress but also for every audience who watches drama.

According to Dowdy and Kaplan (2011:1) “Drama inspires students to grapple with different – often opposing – points of view, beliefs and values, to play out alternate solutions to human problems and dilemmas, and to understand the fundamental issues that enliven content area topics and themes – for the purpose of gaining knowledge and the pleasure of developing awareness”.

From the statement above, drama is a way that can inspire students to be open-minded for diversity in all life aspects.

According to Grugeon (2011:121) “The best way to explore the range of stimulating possibilities that drama can provide for developing children’s oral skills at any age is not by reading about them in a book but by engaging in some high quality practical professional development held either in your own school or college or run by your LEA or local higher education (HE) establishment”.

This means that drama is the appropriate technique to explore children’s speaking skill. Drama is a platform where they are free to involve in every part of it and can develop their creativity.

Niemi et al (2012:230) say “The purpose of drama in education is to create an interactive and positive learning environment in which participant construction of knowledge and learning takes place through functional and interactive social relationship.” In this statement we can tell that there is no wrong to choose drama as a suitable technique for students become active and sociable in learning.

From the whole definitions of drama the writer concludes that drama is an exquisite art that consist of a fiction story, character, and events which drive the students to acting upon it like it’s their own life story. Moreover, drama has impacts to the students, besides become more artistic, they will learn how to deal with others differences such as history, beliefs, point of view, tradition, etc. Drama is one of the many appropriate techniques in teaching speaking it would make the class more interactive and joyful.

2.5.      Drama Strategies

            In the classroom the teacher can use various strategies in dramatic contexts to encourage learning in many levels – intellectual, emotional, social, aesthetic and sensory-motor. According to Ben-Peretz et al (2004:950), many drama strategies can be used in the classroom:

1.      Teaching in role: is a way to engage the students and the teachers’ interest in dramatic playing.

2.      Small group improvisation: where a class may separate into small performance groups each exploring a facet of an overall theme.

3.      Forum theater: which is Boal’s technique whereby the audiences can take the place of the actor.

4.      Freeze-frame exercise: where students are extending the movement or the idea into tableaux.

5.      Role play activities: with or without predetermined outcomes are only a few of then.

Based on this theory, the writer may conclude that in the classroom teacher can use those simple strategies such as teaching in role, students make a little group, make a forum theater, freeze-frame exercise and role play. All convey the essence of dramatic action in different ways.

2.6.      The Advantage of Teaching English Speaking Through Drama

Using drama activities have clear advantages for language learning. It encourages students to speak. It gives them the chance to communicate, even with limited language, using non-verbal communication, such as body movements and facial expressions. According to Maley and Duff (2005:1), there are some of the advantages of teaching English through drama:

1.      It integrates language skills in a natural way. Careful listening is a key feature. Spontaneous verbal expression is integral to most of the activities; and many of them require reading and writing, both as part of the input and the output.

2.      It integrates verbal and non-verbal aspects of communication, thus bringing together both mind and body, and restoring the balance between physical and intellectual aspects of learning.

3.      It draws upon both cognitive and affective domains, thus restoring the importance of feeling as well as thinking.

4.      By fully contextualising the language, it brings the classroom interaction to life through an intense focus on meaning.

5.      The emphasis on whole-person learning and multi-sensory inputs helps learners to capitalize on their strengths and to extend their range. In doing so, it offers unequalled opportunities for catering to learner differences.

6.      It fosters self-awareness (and awareness of others), self-esteem and confidence; and through this, motivation is developed.

7.      Motivation is likewise fostered and sustained through the variety and sense of expectancy generated by the activities.

8.      There is a transfer of responsibility for learning from teacher to learners – which is where it belongs.