Student Reflective Portfolio Analysis

4.2. Findings from students’ reflective portfolios

Students’ Reflective Portfolios were designed to investigate participants’ individual perspectives, experiences and feelings about the drama activities. In order to have a better insight of students’ perceptions, reflective portfolios contained two types of questions: (a) yes/no questions, (b) open-ended questions. Examples:

(a) I enjoy participating to the drama activities in English class No / Yes

(b) How did you feel working together with your friends and teacher?

These two types of questions were expected to give respondents a chance to elaborate their personal opinions and feelings and provide as much information as viable. Besides, these two types of questions were also used

It’s the best way of learning.”

St3: “I believe drama is very educative in general, I really enjoy participating drama activities…”

St7: “We can learn a lot during drama activities, they are highly social and cultural activities.” On the other hand, according to some students drama activities are also challenging, tiring and boring. It appears that, some students are not comfortable with acting, creating an imaginative character or a situation. Although they believe that drama activities are fun and enjoyable, the process of dramatizing makes some students to feel lost and confused:

St9: “Drama activities are not easy of course, sometimes I feel lost, but generally speaking, I enjoy in drama activities.”

St1: “To tell the truth, sometimes it is boring and tiring. I feel confused.” In line with the argument “theatre plays versus drama” in educational contexts, some students stated that acting in front of their friends and parents; preparations, rehearsals and memorizing the texts are frustrating and

The majority of the participants reported that their drama experiences limited to mini school plays and stage performances in primary or secondary school. It appears that, according to students drama comprises rehearsals, costumes, memorizing the dialogues and acting in front of an audience. They have only studied educational drama in English classes through some basic games and role plays. Therefore, it is sometimes a tiring, boring and anxiety provoking event.

St6: “We had a school play last year in English. I had to memorize all those sentences in English. That was really difficult and tiring.”

St14: “I think I am not talented in acting. I am stressed when it comes to perform on the stage.”

St19: “Every year we have an end of the year show and I was acting in an English play. I did not like my role, but I had to do it.”

Question 4: “Today I felt… I felt like this because…”

Participants valued humor and fun as the key element in drama activities. According to them, learning through drama games, making jokes, pretending, inventing some absurd characters and movements were the reasons why they enjoyed drama