Towards a Language Acquisition Pedagogy of Performance

This thesis is a theoretical exploration of integrative drama and performance techniques that address the learning journeys of English language learners in mainstream classroom settings. It also explores the translatability of performance pedagogy for online learning platforms. Premised on principles embedded within two conceptual frameworks, Gibbons's (2015) Mode Continuum and Boal's (1973/2008) Theatre of the Oppressed, it aims to illuminate the benefits of an integrative performance approach. I bring these two disparate frameworks together in a way that is integrative, innovative, and inclusive for diverse student communities. Two major contributions of this thesis are (a) to underscore the capacity of drama pedagogy techniques to enhance and reinforce other subject matter areas and (b) to illuminate the social justice and liberating potential of drama pedagogy in creating a venue for youth to imagine other scenarios than those that constrain their ability to be themselves and belong to a community of learners.