Abstract
This study explores the use of ethnodrama as an arts-based research method and pedagogical tool in English as a Second Language (ESL) education. Drawing on the work of Saldaña, Salvatore, and Denzin, the project examines how performance can communicate lived experiences, foster language development, and promote social justice in multicultural classrooms. Based on interviews and observations of ESL students in an Acting I course, the resulting ethnodrama, What?! Acting?!, presents verbatim narratives that reveal learners’ identities, struggles, and resilience. The findings highlight how theatrical practice enhances linguistic fluency, self-expression, and cultural understanding, demonstrating the transformative potential of performance in language learning and research dissemination.
Recommended Citation
Morales, A. M. (2026). Performing Proficiency: Ethnodrama as Arts-Based Research in an ESL Acting Classroom. Journal of English Learner Education. (19)3.
Retrieved from https://stars.library.ucf.edu/jele/vol19/iss3/5
Included in
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons, Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Educational Methods Commons, Elementary Education Commons, Indigenous Education Commons, Language and Literacy Education Commons, Other Educational Administration and Supervision Commons, Teacher Education and Professional Development Commons
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