The Islamic University of Gaza Deanery of Postgraduate Studies Faculty of Education Curriculum & English Teaching Methods Department The Impact of Educational Drama Intervention on Palestinian Ninth Graders’ English language Speaking Skills at Gaza UNRWA Schools Submitted by: Sana Mahmoud Afana Supervised by: Professor Ezzo Ismail Afana Dr. Awad Soliman Keshta A Thesis Submitted to the Curriculum & English Teaching Method Department- Faculty of Education - in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Master Degree in Education December, 2012 قُلْهَلْيَسْتَوِيالَّذِيهَيَعْلَمُونَوَالَّذِيهَلَايَعْلَمُونَ 9 "Are those who know equal to those who know not?" (Surah Az-Zumar (The Groups): 9) DEDICATION I would like to dedicate my work: For the soul of my father, and my sister Samira who were the source of love and support. II Acknowledgement My gratitude is due to Allah, the Almighty, Who granted me knowledge and bestowed His everlasting mercies and bounties upon me during this long journey. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the people who have supported me during my research journey. First and foremost, I would like to thank my advisors, Professor: Ezzo Afana and Dr. Awad Qishta, for all their time, support, and extraordinary patience during my thesis writing process. They always had faith that I would indeed finish, even as life events conspired to get in the way. I also would like to thank Dr. Mohammed Atya, Dr. Mohamed Abu Mallouh, Mrs Maha Barzeg and Mrs Zulfa Badr El-Deen for all their help and enthusiasm for my research. In addition, many thanks go to the administrators, teachers and students of Rafah Prep D Girls School where the study was carried out for all their assistance and support. Special thanks and strong appreciation to my colleague Miss. Suhair Abu Shawish, the drama teacher, Wafa Qishta and the teachers in Rafah English language Committee who spent long days and helped me sincerely in applying the experiment of the study. I would like to thank my parents for instilling in me a spirit of resilience and perseverance that has enabled me to pursue and achieve my goals. I am very grateful to them and my late sister, Samira, for their unwavering support and encouragement in my study endeavors. Last, but not least, I would like to thank my brothers, sister and friends for always believing in me, even when I doubted myself, for encouraging me to face new challenges, despite my fears, and for their patience throughout this process. Without their love and support, none of this would have been possible. III The Impact of Educational Drama Intervention on Palestinian Ninth Graders’ English language Speaking Skills at Gaza UNRWA Schools ABSTRACT The study aimed at investigating the impact of using Educational Drama Intervention (ED) on the Palestinian ninth graders in UNRWA schools. It sought to determine the extent to which ED creates opportunities for students to promote their speaking skills. The intervention was designed to maximize speaking skills by utilizing three strategies of educational drama: role play, simulation and hot seating. For answering the questions of the study, the researcher adopted the experimental approach. The sample of the study consisted of (60) female students distributed into two groups. One of the groups represented the control group of (30) students; and the other represented the experimental one of (30) students. The groups were randomly chosen from a purposive sample from UNRWA Rafah Prep (D) Girls School in the Gaza Strip where the researcher works as an English Language Supervisor. The Educational Drama strategy was used in teaching the experimental group while the traditional method was used with the control one in the second semester of the school year (2011-2012) for six weeks covering (21 hours). The researcher utilized two main tools and another five supporting tools employing four types of assessment represented in analytical assessment (an observation card) and the holistic one (a checklist). The internal and external assessment and reflection were also used by getting all the parties involved in the intervention being interviewed; the students shared in the experiment and the drama teacher. A panel of five expert teachers shared in assessing the collective speaking performance of the students using the checklist. IV The analysis of the seven tools utilized in this study indicates the superiority of the experimental group which received speaking skills through educational drama compared with the control group who received practicing speaking skills through the traditional way. The data of the study was analyzed using T-test independent sample, which was used to determine significant differences between the groups. Effect size technique was used to measure the effect size of the Educational drama intervention on the experimental group in the total score of the observation card, the checklist and self assessment card. The results indicated that there were statistically significant differences between both groups in favour of the experimental one, in improving speaking skills due to the Educational Drama Intervention. Based on those findings, the study recommended the necessity of implementing the Educational Drama techniques in teaching English language to bring about better outcomes in students' speaking skill. It was also suggested that further larger research should be conducted tracking the effect of the Educational Drama on different dimensions of learning English language, other school subjects and different grades. V VI VII Table of Contents DEDICATION II Acknowledgement III ABSTRACT IV VI Table of Contents VIII List of Tables XII List of Appendices XIII Chapter I Study statement and background 2 1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 2 1.2 Statement of the problem ........................................................................................... 5 1.3 Research Questions .................................................................................................... 6 1.4 Research Hypotheses ................................................................................................. 7 1.5 Purposes of the study: ................................................................................................ 8 1.6 Significance of the Study ........................................................................................... 9 1.6.1 Teachers .............................................................................................................. 9 1.6.2 Curriculum Designers: ........................................................................................ 9 1.6.3 Students ............................................................................................................ 10 1.7 Basic Assumptions ................................................................................................... 11 1.8 Limitations of the study ........................................................................................... 12 1.9 Definition of Operational terms: .............................................................................. 12 1.9.1 Impact: .............................................................................................................. 13 1.9.2 Drama: .............................................................................................................. 13 1.9.3 Educational Drama: .......................................................................................... 13 1.9.4 Intervention: ...................................................................................................... 14 1.9.5 Ninth Graders: .................................................................................................. 14 1.9.6 Speaking skill: .................................................................................................. 14 1.9.7 Oral speaking Test: ........................................................................................... 15 1.9.8 Strategy/ Technique: ......................................................................................... 15 1.9.9 UNRWA Schools: ............................................................................................ 15 1.10 List of Abbreviations: .............................................................................................. 15 1.11 Summary .................................................................................................................. 16 VIII Chapter II Literature Review 18 2.1 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 19 2.1.1 The Method makes the difference: ................................................................... 20 2.1.2 Students are on Focus ....................................................................................... 21 2.1.3 English language acquisition: ........................................................................... 22 2.2 Speaking Skills ........................................................................................................ 29 2.2.1 Speaking… What? ............................................................................................ 30 2.2.2 Speaking Functions ........................................................................................... 31 2.2.3 Speaking Types:...............................................................................................