There are a number of great plays which are commonly used in teaching English. Notable playwrights include Shakespeare, Aurthur Miller and Tennessee Williams. The works of these and other playwrights lend themselves to dramatic activities for teaching English as they are written to be performed. Simply assign roles to students and have them act out their parts.
A great group activity for students is to have them select a scene from a book they are reading and divide up the characters among themselves. Then have the students create their own skit using the dialogue and action in the book. Depending on the time and effort the instructor wants to put into the activity, props or costumes could also be used.
There are many great speeches that have been delivered in the English language throughout history. A great way for students to practice some oratory and learn about classic English works is to recite some of these famous speeches. Many speeches contain a variety of colorful and eloquent language that can help students expand their vocabulary and understand how great speakers have used this vocabulary to piece together amazing speeches.
Poetry is a fundamental element of the literary tradition of any society. A great dramatic activity for an English class is to recite classic examples of poetry. Reciting poetry and hearing it recited out loud can add an extra element to a student's appreciation of poetic elements such as rhythm, rhyme and alliteration.