Using Drama as a Pedagogical Tool for Law Students

Abstract

The present study proposes using drama, an important form of literature, as an educational tool for law students. The other forms, prose and poetry also have their own significance, but drama is an amalgamation of both, is proposed by considering various aspects discussed in detail in the current study. The non-verbal principles of communication—kinesics, oculesics, haptics, proxemics and so on are extremely important for law students. Drama can be an effective tool to teach these principles to the law students, not only theoretically but practically. The attention towards paralinguistics can easily be drawn through the dialogue delivery of the characters. The principles of semiotics and pragmatics can be discussed while discussing the motifs and symbols used in the play. The themes of the prescribed play can be taught using the literary theories. The study proposes to teach all these important aspects of language through this important form of literature. Not only limited to literature and non-verbal principles, but the dialogues of the play would be helpful in teaching punctuation, an extremely important element lawyers need to have a command upon. Action and dialogue— the two major elements of a drama can act as a powerful and interesting tool to make learning fun. Critically studying a prescribed text inside the classroom boundaries is not sufficient, keeping this in mind the study proposes to use this tool in a way that the content is prepared/modified and performed outside the classroom and used as a tool for creating awareness among the masses. Two plays chosen for the study are— ‗Silence! the court is in session‘ by Vijay Tendulkar, and ‗Court Martial‘ by Deepak Swadesh. The chosen plays are from an Indian setting so that the students as well as the common masses can connect easily with the settings, themes, dialogues and so on. Ultimately the aim of education is for the upliftment of the society, keeping this objective in mind, the study proposes drama as an educational tool inside the classroom for students, and then the students taking it out from the classroom boundaries and using it as a tool for creating awareness. Since both the plays have courtroom settings, it can be used for mooting also. A skill which every lawyer needs in her/his profession.