Teaching Drama to enhance English fluency: An African perspective focus on D.R.Congo

This study explores the use of drama as an effective pedagogical tool to enhance English fluency in African classrooms, with particular emphasis on the Democratic Republic of Congo. In a context where English is a foreign language and learners have limited exposure outside the classroom, traditional teaching methods often fail to promote communicative competence. Drama-based instruction encourages active participation, creativity, and meaningful interaction, allowing learners to practice language in realistic and culturally relevant situations. Through role-play, improvisation, and storytelling, students develop speaking confidence, pronunciation, vocabulary, and fluency while reducing anxiety and fear of making mistakes. The approach also supports collaborative learning and reflects African oral traditions, making it suitable for the Congolese educational environment. Despite challenges such as large class sizes, limited resources, and insufficient teacher training, drama remains a low-cost and adaptable strategy. The study concludes that integrating drama into English language teaching in the D.R. Congo can significantly improve learners' communicative skills and motivation.