Theater as a Didactic Strategy for the Strengthening of Oral Expression in Secondary Education: Systematization of an Experience in Córdoba, Colombia

Abstract

This article presents the systematization of a pedagogical experience developed through a didactic strategy based on the use of theater as a resource to strengthen oral expression in high school students in Córdoba, Colombia. The research is part of a qualitative approach, with an action-research design, which allowed not only to intervene in the problem identified in the classroom, but also to critically reflect on the process. The intervention consisted of a pedagogical proposal composed of improvisation exercises, expressive reading, characterization of characters and staging, applied during planned sessions in the area of language. The results showed substantial improvements in verbal fluency, confidence in orality, mastery of the body and the use of expressive language. Likewise, students showed greater motivation towards participation in academic activities and a positive attitude towards reading aloud and the collective construction of scripts. From the analysis of field diaries, recordings and semi-structured interviews, significant transformations were identified both in verbal performance and in the communicative climate of the classroom. Experience shows that theatre, beyond being an aesthetic or artistic tool, can become a powerful pedagogical way for the development of communicative skills. This study offers practical guidance for teachers seeking to integrate active and expressive methodologies into their educational practice, especially in contexts where orality has been little worked on or undervalued within the curriculum. The proposal can be adapted to different educational and thematic levels, promoting meaningful learning from bodily, emotional and linguistic interaction.