3 Powerful Ways to Add Drama to Your EFL / ESL Class

Drama in the language classroom isn’t just a “fun extra”. Used well, it helps learners speak more confidently, think on their feet, and remember language because it’s tied to a story or situation. Below are three classroom-ready ways to bring drama into your lessons, plus simple tips to get the most out of each activity.

1. Build on your coursebook with role-play

Start with the dialogues and scenarios you already have. Let students first act out the scripted version, then extend it. Ask, “What happened before this conversation?” or “What happens next?” Students create and perform short extra scenes to show it.

How to run it

• Start with a quick model. Read a few lines yourself (or with a confident student) using natural gestures and voice. This shows learners what natural language looks like in practice.
• Pause for prediction. Stop the dialogue at an interesting moment and ask learners to guess what might come next. This gets them thinking creatively and anticipating language.
• Build on the text. In pairs or groups, have students write and act out a short “before” or “after” scene. This makes it feel more like their own and extends the context.
• Play with it. Encourage variations: change the setting, swap roles, or invent a different ending. Doing it in a light way reduces pressure and encourages creativity.
• Finish with reflection. After the performances, ask students to share some of the language they used, what worked well, and what they might try differently next time.

Tip: With lower-level groups, make things easier by giving out cue cards with useful vocabulary or simple sentence starters. These can act as prompts if students get stuck. While they’re performing, focus on encouraging fluency and confidence rather than stopping to correct every mistake. Save your feedback for afterwards, when you can highlight useful phrases or common errors without breaking the flow of the drama.

2. Try short improvisations and “process drama”

Improvisation means students co-create a scene without a fixed script. You set a simple situation; they bring it to life. Process drama goes a step further: the class builds the story together over a few short stages, with you guiding the changes.

Quick structure

1. Warm up. Start with a two-minute drama game to loosen everyone up. For example:
   • Statues / tableaux: Call out a word or situation (e.g., “airport”, “angry customer”) and small groups freeze in a still picture to show it.
   • Pass the gesture: One student makes a simple movement or sound, the next copies and changes it slightly, and it continues around the circle.
2. Set the scene. Introduce a simple, clear situation such as “There’s been a mix-up at the hotel” or “A storm has closed the airport.”
3. Give roles and goals. Assign each student a role with an objective, e.g., “Receptionist wants calm,” “Guest wants a refund,” “Manager must solve it.”
4. Freeze and tweak. Pause the action at a key moment and ask, “What could change here?” Add a twist, then continue the scene.
5. Debrief. Out of role, have students share what language they used, what worked well, and what they’d try differently next time.

Variations to keep it fresh

• Hot-seating: A student takes on a role and stays in character while the rest of the class asks them questions. It’s a fun way to dig deeper into a character’s thoughts, feelings, or backstory.
• Tableaux: Small groups create a frozen picture to show a key moment in the story. You can then have a narrator describe the scene, or tap students on the shoulder to let their characters briefly “speak their thoughts.”
• Two paths: Divide the class in half and give them the same situation. Each group decides on a different outcome and performs it, then you compare how the two versions played out.

Tip: Not every learner will feel comfortable performing right away. Give them meaningful roles that let them take part without acting on stage. For example, one student can be the narrator who describes what’s happening, another can be an observer who notes useful language to share afterwards, or a note-taker who records key phrases. These roles keep everyone included and often give hesitant students the confidence to join in more actively later on.

3. Lift short scenes from films, TV, or short plays

Pick a short, age-appropriate scene (about a minute long) with clear emotion or conflict. Start by acting it out “as written”, then let students make it their own by changing the setting, updating the context, or inventing a new ending. Learners enjoy re-imagining something familiar, and it gives them space to play with language creatively.

How to run it

• Keep it short and simple. A quick scene with one clear problem or strong emotion works far better than a long extract.
• Rehearse in small groups. Give students time to read through and mark their lines – where to pause, what emotion to show, how to stress a word.
• Perform and, if possible, record. Watching or listening back helps students notice pronunciation, intonation, and useful phrases they might not catch in the moment.
• Remix and adapt. Change it up: perform the same lines in a different place, rewrite the dialogue in their own words, or change how the story ends.

Quick scene ideas you can use without films:

If you don’t have time to look for a suitable scene, try these:

• At the lost-property office: A traveller has lost something important, the clerk is trying to help, and another traveller claims it’s theirs.
• A restaurant complaint: A customer isn’t happy with their food, the waiter wants to solve the problem, and the manager has to step in.
• A modern fairy tale: Take a short scene from “Cinderella” or “Little Red Riding Hood” and retell it in today’s world (e.g. Cinderella misses her bus instead of the ball).

Tip: Be careful when choosing material. Stick to short extracts that you can easily summarise or scripts that are already in the public domain. If you want to use well-known films, avoid distributing full transcripts. Instead, paraphrase or provide just the key lines needed for class. This keeps you on the safe side with copyright while still giving students the excitement of acting out something recognisable.

More ways to make the most of drama

Use drama for informal assessment

Performances can also give you a quick way to see how students are progressing, without the stress of a formal test. As they act, notice things like:

• their stress, intonation and connected speech
• how naturally they use vocabulary and idioms
• how they use repair strategies to keep the conversation going if something breaks down
• how confident they sound when the spotlight is on them

Because the focus is on the role rather than the test itself, this kind of assessment feels less intimidating for learners and often gives you a more genuine picture of their communication skills.

Link drama to other subjects

You don’t need to be teaching in a CLIL setting to make connections to other subject areas – drama is a great way to bring other subjects into a regular ESL class, which makes language practice feel more real and engaging:

• Literature: bring a story, fable, or poem to life by acting out a key scene, or retelling it in a modern setting.
• History: re-create a moment from the past, then ask groups to show it from different perspectives, for example, a king giving orders and the villagers reacting.
• Science: try role-plays where students are doctors explaining symptoms, reporters presenting a discovery, or scientists debating an invention.

Activities like these show students that English is not just a classroom subject, but a tool they can use to explore ideas and communicate across different areas of knowledge.

Adapt drama for online classes

Drama works surprisingly well with online teaching if you make a few adjustments:

• Breakout rooms: give pairs or small groups a private space to rehearse or perform short skits before coming back to the main room.
• Props and backgrounds: encourage students to grab everyday objects (a scarf, a book, a cup) or use virtual backgrounds to set the scene.
• Record and replay: platforms like Zoom and Teams let you record performances, which students can then watch back to notice pronunciation, stress, and gestures.

Some learners even find performing online less intimidating than standing in front of a physical class.

Be mindful of culture and comfort

Because drama can involve humour, conflict, and body language, think carefully about what will feel comfortable and appropriate for your learners:

• Pick safe contexts: everyday situations like travel problems, customer service, or school projects usually work well for everyone.
• Offer flexible roles: not all students want to act. Let them choose roles such as narrator, director, or observer so they can still contribute meaningfully.
• Check your material: always preview film clips or texts to be sure they’re suitable for your students’ age group and cultural background.

Why drama helps

Drama isn’t just fun – it offers real benefits for language learning. Here are a few of the reasons you may want to keep coming back to it:

• It builds confidence and fluency. Speaking “in character” takes some of the pressure off. Students often find it easier to try new language when the spotlight is on the character, not on them personally.
• It helps language stick. Words and phrases are far more memorable when they’re tied to a story, a character, or a problem that needs solving.
• It creates real communication. Learners don’t just recite lines – they have to react, negotiate, and make choices, just like in everyday conversation.
• It develops social skills. Through drama, students practise turn-taking, empathy, and seeing things from another person’s perspective, all while using English.

Final thoughts

Drama doesn’t need a stage, costumes, or weeks of rehearsal. Two minutes, a clear situation, and a willingness to play are enough. Start small, keep it simple, and build from there.

Have you tried using drama in the classroom? Share your favourite activity or something that worked well in the comments.