Teaching English vocabulary to young learners via drama

Interest in the teaching of English to young learners has been steadily growing in recent years. Thus, a great many different techniques are employed to be successful. One of the most effective techniques is drama. Children, perhaps more than any other category of learners, delight in drama. They are immediately in imaginary worlds, where they can act out a role and engage in ‘pretend’ activities. They really appreciate the use of drama when they are taught a new vocabulary item along with other aspects of language. Memorising new vocabulary items is very difficult for young learners who have different learning styles and different dominant intelligences. However, through drama, they are not supposed to memorize words in isolation. They are involved in the contextualised learning process intellectually and emotionally. This paper examines drama, drama implementations and vocabulary teaching to young learners through drama. The main aim of the study is to determine whether drama has an extended impact on young learners’ vocabulary teaching. It also covers the results of drama implementations and concludes by giving some suggestions and implications.