Implementing ‘Mantle of the Expert’ in Indonesian Senior and Vocational High Schools
thesis
posted on 2016-12-05, 06:08 authored by Sitti FatimahThis
study explores the implementation of Mantle of the Expert (MoE) as a drama-based
approach to English instruction within three Indonesian senior and vocational
high schools. It investigates the experience of the implementation among
teachers and students and highlights the potential benefits for the teaching
and learning processes.
The study was constructivist in orientation and adopted a qualitative approach. A multiple case study presents three accounts of implementation in three school settings. I conducted a MoE workshop for teacher participants to introduce the MoE concept. Thereafter, a series of interviews prior to, during and post implementation were conducted with each teacher participant. This was augmented by classroom observations and a questionnaire distributed to student participants in each classroom setting.
Analysis within and across cases indicate the enactment of MoE elements and signal the the challenges and constraints experienced by the teachers which limited enactment. A number of positive outcomes emerged for both student and teacher participants. Overall, the study demonstrates that the principles of Process Drama, of which MoE is one approach, enhanced student engagement in learning through the construction of an imaginary context. Collaboration proved to be a powerful learning platform and it reduced students’ English speaking anxiety. The MoE approach encouraged student agency and their active and inquiry-based learning. For teachers, it introduced a new framework for their instructional practice and presented possibilities for their integration of language skills through connection to content across the curriculum that was learnt within real-world contexts.
The study demonstrates the potential significance of MoE as a Process Drama approach for enhancing student engagement in English language teaching and learning. The approach aligns strongly with the principles of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) and holds potential for the realisation of the goals of English for secondary schools as outlined in the School-Based Curriculum (SBC) in Indonesia.
The study was constructivist in orientation and adopted a qualitative approach. A multiple case study presents three accounts of implementation in three school settings. I conducted a MoE workshop for teacher participants to introduce the MoE concept. Thereafter, a series of interviews prior to, during and post implementation were conducted with each teacher participant. This was augmented by classroom observations and a questionnaire distributed to student participants in each classroom setting.
Analysis within and across cases indicate the enactment of MoE elements and signal the the challenges and constraints experienced by the teachers which limited enactment. A number of positive outcomes emerged for both student and teacher participants. Overall, the study demonstrates that the principles of Process Drama, of which MoE is one approach, enhanced student engagement in learning through the construction of an imaginary context. Collaboration proved to be a powerful learning platform and it reduced students’ English speaking anxiety. The MoE approach encouraged student agency and their active and inquiry-based learning. For teachers, it introduced a new framework for their instructional practice and presented possibilities for their integration of language skills through connection to content across the curriculum that was learnt within real-world contexts.
The study demonstrates the potential significance of MoE as a Process Drama approach for enhancing student engagement in English language teaching and learning. The approach aligns strongly with the principles of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) and holds potential for the realisation of the goals of English for secondary schools as outlined in the School-Based Curriculum (SBC) in Indonesia.
