PhD defence Kristina Goodnight: Improvisational Drama in Foreign Language Education

On Friday 23 May, Kristina Goodnight will defend her PhD dissertation ‘Getting into Character: Professional Development in Improvisational Drama to Stimulate Foreign Language Communication’. In her dissertation, Goodnight explores how improvisational drama techniques (IDTs) can improve foreign language (FL) education.

Improvisational drama techniques

Both within the Netherlands and beyond, young people often start their formal foreign language education just as they reach adolescence. For many students, speaking a foreign language in class can be intimidating, a challenge often exacerbated by teachers' limited access to engaging speaking activities.

In language classrooms around the world, improvisational drama techniques have been shown to stimulate positive affective reactions (such as enjoyment) and spoken interaction. However, little research has been conducted on how to train FL teachers to implement IDTs in their teaching.

The integration of IDTs in the classroom

Goodnight investigated how drama techniques can be more effectively integrated into secondary education. She also explored how students' willingness to communicate in a foreign language can be enhanced. She developed and refined design principles and a prototype for a professional development programme and reflected on its impact on the students.

Goodnight's findings demonstrate that the PDP design was effective in motivating teachers to implement IDTs. Their pupils found drama activities to be engaging and fun, and they expressed greater willingness to communicate compared to other types of speaking activities.

Prior to her defence, Goodnight will give a layman’s talk starting at 10:00.