H-SS L essons Alive with Dramatic Expressions and Visual Arts Integration: Effective Learning for English Language Learners with Dyslexia

Purpose: The study investigated how integrating dramatic expressions and visual arts into History and Social Science (H-SS) lessons affects English Language Learners (ELLs) with dyslexia, focusing on student engagement, language acquisition, and their teachers’ perceptions. Method: The research used a mixed-methods approach over 18 months, combining three qualitative case studies with quantitative analysis of 44 traditional lessons compared to 44 lessons featuring drama and arts integration, involving classroom observations, teacher feedback, comparison notes, videos, and artifact analysis. Results: The integration of dramatic expressions and visual arts increased student engagement, improved language development (including vocabulary recall and oral fluency), and higher content retention rates. Teachers reported enhanced effectiveness of their H-SS instruction. Conclusion: The study demonstrated that incorporating dramatic expressions and visual arts into H-SS instruction significantly improved engagement, language development, and content comprehension for ELLs with dyslexia, supporting the effectiveness of these strategies for creating inclusive learning environments.