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nfidence 
ommon comment from people learning a foreign language is "l hate making a fool of myself." Your own 
fe
level of needy dependence which can be hard to tolerate. How can you reduce some of your students' fear 
of looking foolish and build up their confidence and pleasure in using English? How can you give them the 
confidence to start taking control of themselves as speakers of English? 
In Chapter Two, reference was made to the Natural Approach and Total Physical Response, which 
emphasize reducing learner anxiety and increasing confidence by providing comprehensible input and by 
not pressuring students to talk before they are ready. 
A very practical way of putting these two principles into practice is though storytelling, role play and drama. 
The comprehensible input comes from you, telling a story for instance. And while not pressuring your 
students, especially your beginners, to speak before they are ready, you can still build in an escalating 
degree of involvement. Look, for example, at the degree of student involvement generated in this "Sound 
Effects" activity, suitable for low intermediate students. 

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1. Make sure that your students are sitting comfortably. Then tell a story like the one below. (You may 
want to make up your own story and add details to it which will be familiar to your students.) 
d his 
rk the children sat around the fire (a) and waited for 
The wind began to blow (b) and it started to rain. (c) They heard a scratching (d) noise at the door. The 
re were the family chickens which Mohammed had forgotten to shut in the chicken coop for the night. 
The children sighed (n) with relief and helped Mohammed put the chickens in the coop. 
, this time adding in sound effects where indicated by a number in the text. 
Get your students to help to create the noises: 
d. scratch the desk with your fingernails 
f. make a roaring noise 
. make a hissing noise 
rk 
k. sing softly 
n. sigh 
ll the story a third time. This time leave the sound effects up to the class. 
e sound effects. If they are ready 
t of group mimes. 
s 
m
, they can organize the telling of their own stories complete with 
und
pted from Patricia A. Richard-Amato. Making It Happen. Longman Inc., 1988.] 
xperiences 
they forget the self-consciousness which 
lay
r w
g confidence, particularly if you focus on problem solving situations 
e st
ef
roles and use their judgment to determine a course of action. This 
role play is referred to as sociodrama. The enactment is open ended and centers around a clearly 
hich is relevant to the students. The steps are as follows: 
k will be 
ate in the role play. Read a story which 
the story at the climax. 
Mohammed's parents had to go to the city for the day, so they left him in charge of his sister Amal an
two young brothers Naceur and Sabri. When it got da
their parents to return. 
children gasped (e) and moved closer together. Maybe it's a lion (f). Maybe it's a snake (g). Maybe it's a 
wild dog (h). Mohammed could see that his sister and brother were scared. He switched on the radio to 
drown the scratching noise. The radio was playing a song (i). He turned the radio up loud (j). He turned it 
down low (k). But the scratching noise continued. Mohammed went to the door (l) and opened it (m). 
The
Use as much drama and as many pictures on the board as is necessary to make sure that everyone 
understands. 
2. Tell the story a second time
a. scrunch a large sheet of newspaper 
b. make hooing noises 
c. pat the desk with your fingers 
e. gasp 
g
h. ba
i. sing a song 
j. sing loudly 
l. stamp feet 
m. make a creaking noise 
3. Te
and to us
4. Divide students into groups and ask them to mime the story 
for it, individuals from each group can tell the story while the res
5. A groups become
effects. 
ore proficient
so
[Ada
Second language students can easily become absorbed in the dramatic playing out of their own e
or experiences they can identify with. Through this playing out, 
hibits their learning and can build their self-confidence. 
in
p
Role 
her
s can be anothe
udents have to d
ay of buildin
ine their own 
w
kind of 
stated conflict w
ocabulary and structures you thin
1. Introduce the topic of your sociodrama; present the new v
helpful to your students' comprehension and ability to particip
identifies a problem, stopping 

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2. Discuss the problem with your students. Select the students who demonstrate a special interest in 
cular roles to play those parts. Prepare the ether students to listen to the role play and to offer 
with the audience. If 
offered, replay the same drama using the 
ly s
tegies. 
s
r sociodramas: 
aria comes home from school all excited. She has been offered a scholarship to go to university. She 
r, who is upset. 
ur brothers' school fees." 
the chance of a lifetime." 
"But we are too poor. And we need money now. And besides you are a girl. 
w
rr
t
y you earn will go to your husband." 
h m
er ...." 
duku has a close friend Rubadiri. They come from the same village. They were at the same primary 
together and they are now at secondary school together. Nduku is doing very well, but his friend 
ch him or 
Yo
to develop two major communication strategies: active listening 
an
Ac
m speaking. And being a good 
ill build the confidence necessary to taking a more active role in 
"Uh - huh."
ary to ask a 
bed below.