communication course at a Malaysian public university increase students' confidence in speaking English. A

qualitative case study using semi-structured interviews was conducted with three lecturers who taught the

course. The constant comparison method was employed to identify recurring themes during data analysis.

Findings suggest that activities such as monologues, improvisation, drama production, poetry recitation, and

language games helped students overcome anxiety, develop social interaction skills, and build confidence to

communicate spontaneously in English. The results underscore the effectiveness of drama as a teaching tool in

higher education, fostering an environment that encourages students to take intellectual risks and express

themselves freely. This research provides valuable insights into ongoing discussions about learner-centred

methods in English language teaching, emphasising the potential of drama to alleviate language anxiety and

promote communicative competence. The study ultimately recommends greater integration of drama into

assignments and answering tests. However, nowadays there is a growing desire among students, especially in

the tertiary education to learn English in an interesting environment. According to Nganga (2019), the

pedagogy in the 21st century must focus on 4Cs-collaboration, critical thinking, creativity and communication.

In 1974, the Malaysian Curriculum Development Centre proposed communicative language teaching or CLT

for the English syllabus which refers to the effort of operationalizing communication competence (Ukat &

Ismail, 2022). In the university level, CLT is adopted for the English language by aiming students to interact

and engage in real-life communication.

According to Aziz and Kashinathan (2021), Malaysian students are not exposed to real-life situations that

encourage them to use the second language and the benefits of being linguistically competent in English. This

is because mainly the focus of English classes is following the syllabus heavily and getting high marks for

and Yaroslavova (2016) stated that drama creates a conducive environment for learning to take place and it

helps overcome two barriers of spontaneous speech: the fear of making mistakes as well as the fear of using

the foreign language in public.

Drama on the other hand, is an activity where learners are instructed to portray themselves or someone else

when given an imaginary situation and the character of another person. Drama has a unique value as a

pedagogical technique as it allows students to express their own feelings. However, drama in the context of

teaching carries a different meaning which is the experience regardless of any function communication to the

audience. Therefore, drama is best called an experiential, active learning instrument.

Past researches had proven that drama is a strategy to increase students’ engagement in classrooms and develop

speaking skills in the target language (Bessadet, 2022). Past studies also suggested that drama increases

English classrooms and confirmed that drama is suitable for university levels (Sirisrimangkorn, 2018).

Drama also enables students to gain confidence and self-esteem needed to use English through the experience

and enjoyment of performing drama in English. Most students often enjoy the learning process if they are

allowed to show their talents and skills to the public. This enjoyment which is also a sense of accomplishment

and reward can lead to increased motivation and greater success in language proficiency (Zhao, 2023). Drama

also should be recognized as a teaching tool that can help strengthen language learning and cultivate creative

development. This is because it allows students to be expressive by using different vocabulary and at the same

using imagination to create an interesting and innovative performance. Ahmed’s (2019) study stated that drama

provides the feeling of amusement and psychological support which help to reduce students’ level of anxiety.

Hu and Shu (2025) also highlighted that drama increases students’ communication skills and shyness through

language anxiety and reluctance to speak spontaneously. This lack of confidence is compounded by the limited

vocabulary and fear of inaccuracy, both of which restrict students’ ability to communicate naturally in English.

Traditional English lessons in Malaysia have largely emphasised lectures, grammar drills, and rote

memorisation, which contribute to boredom and disengagement among students. Learners increasingly prefer

interactive, expressive, and supportive environments where they can share opinions, practise creativity, and

build communication skills in enjoyable ways. While existing research has examined the use of drama in

language learning, few studies have specifically investigated how English drama enhances self-confidence

among Malaysian undergraduates. This study, therefore, seeks to address this gap by examining the role of

of drama in higher education contexts. In order to do so, this study will be answering the two research

a wide variety of oral activities that engage creativity, making it highly suitable for learners across different age

groups. It integrates the four essential language skills which are listening, speaking, reading, and writing,

thereby offering a holistic learning experience (Al-Jiboury, 2024). Furthermore, the dynamic nature of drama

requires teachers to diversify instructional techniques and design innovative classroom practices to maintain

student motivation and interest (Al-Jiboury, 2024).

(Koushki, 2019). Role play, for instance, enables students to embody characters or objects through verbal and

non-verbal expression, while folk tales with simple plots and familiar characters can support understanding

(Muktadir et al., 2024). Poetry fosters emotional connection with language, whereas plays encourage the use of

costumes, props, and stagecraft to enhance communication and audience engagement (Xiao, 2024). Reader’s

theatre, by contrast, requires minimal resources and allows learners to focus on expressive reading. Other

self-confidence (Ghafar, 2023). Motivation can be divided into two main types: intrinsic, which arises from

internal factors such as personal interest and enjoyment, and extrinsic, which is driven by external rewards

including recognition, grades, or career advancement (Ghafar, 2023). In addition, Fiddiyasari and Pustika

(2021) distinguished between integrative and instrumental motivation. Learners with integrative motivation

study a language to engage more fully with a culture, whereas those with instrumental motivation are primarily

concerned with practical benefits such as employment, salary, or academic qualifications. These perspectives

highlight that motivation is multi-faceted and central to students’ engagement and progress in learning a

second language.

Drama has been identified as a particularly effective approach for enhancing learners’ motivation in language

motivation among students (Deng, 2024). Collectively, these studies suggest that drama effectively enhances

motivation by combining creativity, interaction, and enjoyment, thereby reinforcing its pedagogical value in

second language learning.

Self-confidence has been described as an individual’s awareness of their abilities, appreciation of themselves,

and recognition of their emotions (Ghafar, 2023). In language learning, teachers can apply various strategies to

stimulate interest and encourage learners to take an active role in the classroom. When students are

consistently engaged in speaking activities, they not only improve their participation within lessons but also

gain the courage to use English beyond the classroom setting. Drama is one effective approach in this regard,

as it familiarises students with English in performance-based contexts, reducing barriers to communication in