Appropriating drama pedagogy: learning from the local practices in Hong Kong

Abstract

This paper aims at describing and explaining how drama pedagogy is appropriated in Chinese language classrooms in Hong Kong. Drawing on the theories of dialogue and appropriation of Mikhail Bakhtin, the research shows that the dialogicality of drama in Hong Kong's classrooms is conditional, and therefore deviant from the conventional as conceptualised and described in the major literature. A spectrum of the appropriation of drama pedagogy in language classrooms in Hong Kong is developed and discussed. At one end of the spectrum, there is still the domination of the teacher's monologic input of official knowledge and skills; at the other end, destabilisation of the centrality of the text and the authoritarian role of the teacher is identified suggesting alteration in the classroom communication routine, and even the opening of the drama world. This spectrum illustrates how the teachers waver between persisting with monologue and embracing dialogue, the result of which is the development of a hybrid approach to appropriate drama pedagogy.

Keywords:

• drama pedagogy
• Chinese language education
• appropriation
• Bakhtin's dialogism
• classroom research
• teacher‐in‐role

Acknowledgements

I would like to acknowledge that this study forms part of my doctoral research under the supervision of Professor Jonothan Neelands at the University of Warwick, UK. Special thanks must go to Professor Neelands for his insightful advice on my work. I also owe a wealth of gratitude to all of the teachers and children who have participated in the study.

Notes

1. Transcription code:

• ↑: indicates low rising tone;

• {: signifies overlapping speech;

• ><: signals a faster delivery;

• !: indicates an animated tone;

• ‘’: drama script.