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This study was designed to investigate how “Teaching Mandarin with Creative Drama” influences first grade students’ efficiency of integrated learning ability, their learning attitude, and the reflective teaching and professional growth during the courses were implemented. This study sampled 28 students from an elementary school in Hsinchu County as the research subject. Activities adapted from creative drama education included physical expression, drama games, sensory experience, vocal and oral expression, improvisational performance, role-play and story drama. The teaching materials integrated some units of Mandarin textbooks from second semester of first grade with picture books. The course was implemented for 15 weeks with Mandarin teaching activities. The learning process went through curriculum design, implementation, reflective teaching, revision and implementation again, etc. and collected data include class videos, audio archives, students’ portfolios, teachers’ diaries, students’ interviews and co-teachers’ interviews, etc. These data were analyzed for investigating the learning process and performance after teaching Mandarin with creative drama, and summarized with the following conclusions: 1.In integrated learning abilities, such as listening, speaking, reading, and writing, teaching first grade Mandarin courses with creative drama improves curriculum design and instruction, which allowed students to enjoy drama and increased learning efficiency in Mandarin class. Picture books with clear story structures helped improve students’ drama performance skills. Teachers built a class with friendly and free atmosphere, and offered a stage for students to showcase themselves comfortably.
2.Creative drama increased students’ abilities in listening, speaking, reading and writing in Mandarin. It also improved their learning attitude on completing tasks as a group, taking the performance seriously and appreciating the shows, etc. 3.Teaching Mandarin with creative drama boosted teachers’ professional growth such as teaching methods, classroom management, reflective teaching, multiple teaching and assessment. Finally, based on the conclusions, this study gives suggestions for further teaching and research, schools and administration institutions.
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