Drama Techniques in the Foreign Language Classroom

Drama Techniques in the Foreign Language ClassroomConstantine the Philosopher University in Nitra Faculty of Arts Department of English and American Studies Andrea Billíková – Mária Kiššová Drama Techniques in the Foreign Language Classroom Nitra 2013 Daniela Bačová. PhD. PaedDr. 2013 ISBN 978-80-558-0328-9 EAN 9788055803289 . Mgr. Zdenka Gadušová. CSc.Reviewers: prof. © Andrea Billíková – Mária Kiššová. ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................76 5....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... ICE BREAKERS AND MINGLERS.........42 Conscious alley..........84 Structure of a drama-based lesson plan..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................46 Caption-making........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................17 Potential of drama techniques in the foreign language classroom....... 13 1...................................42 Improvisation..................................................................................................................... 49 Authentic communication in the foreign language classroom......................................................20 Getting started – how to implement drama techniques in the foreign language classroom....................................................................................................................................................................39 Hot-seating.................................................................................... DRAMATIZING COURSEBOOK DIALOGUES................................................................................................................................................................... 104 .......................................................................................................35 Pronunciation and intonation practice activities.........................52 Making coursebook dialogues come alive via drama techniques.....................................................................................................................................................................................................32 Creating sounds..................................................... DRAMA-BASED WARM-UPS...............................................................................17 Foreign language classroom versus theatre................................... 09 INTRODUCTION.....Contents FOREWORD................................................................................................................................................................................... DRAMA-BASED LESSON PLANS..........................................................................................89 Reflection as part of a drama-based lesson plan...........................41 Statues............................... DRAMATIZING LITERATURE IN THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSROOM................................34 Spatial-awareness activities..................... 11 BEFORE YOU START...................................................................................................................................................................................................................19 Myths and facts about drama techniques in the foreign language classroom..........................................................................................................................................58 4................................................38 Word chains.................................................................................33 Miming activities....................................................................................................................................................................................................................94 6.........................................................................33 Trust activities..................................................31 Concentration and relaxation activities..............................................98 The Train to Glasgow...........................................98 Amazing Grace............................................................... 84 Essentials of a drama-based lesson plan...........................71 Drama techniques and poetry...................................................... DRAMA TECHNIQUES AS A TEACHING AND LEARNING TOOL..............46 3.............................................49 Role-plays and simulations.........................................................................................................................................................................................................22 2..........................36 Name activities.............................................................................90 How to assess learners in drama-based lessons................................................................... 70 Teaching literature through drama techniques.....................................................................70 Drama techniques and picture books...............................................................................................................................................................................................40 Thoughts behind words............................................... SAMPLE LESSON PLANS AND REFLECTION........................................................................................................................................ .............125 ................. 119 APPENDIX 1......... 112 BIBLIOGRAPHY............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 115 SUMMARY...............................................Aliens............................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 120 APPENDIX 2...................................................................... 118 INDEX................ 121 DVD *** Dagmar Inštitorisová: O projekte Vzdelávanie divadlom....................................................................................................................................................................................107 FINAL THOUGHTS............................................................................................................................................................................................................. Faculty of Arts.Our great thanks go to Daniela Bačová and Tim Phillips who introduced drama techniques to English teachers across Slovakia. . We also wish to express our deep thanks to our colleagues from primary and secondary schools and their learners for their active involvement during Drama Days  – workshops and festivals held annually in Nitra. Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra. We also appreciate the cooperation and support of our colleagues and our students from the Department of English and American Studies. . ). Drama techniques can be a very powerful. they can be harmful when not used carefully. Therefore. tolerant and independent. drama refers to and is used interchangeably with drama techniques. sociodrama. drama will become one of your favourite teaching activities in your classrooms. drama techniques increase self-awareness and encourage learners to communicate confidently in a foreign language. In this perspective. a stage. it is rather a TOOL we can use to make learning a foreign language more enjoyable and efficient. sensitively and appropriately with language learners. communication. This is a very common connotation for most people. especially speaking and listening comprehension. Drama techniques break barriers and help learners become self-confident. props and an audience. etc. However. 9 . This handbook will definitely provide you with lots of lovely drama-based ideas and activities and ready-made learner-oriented lesson plans appropriate for English language learners of any age and proficiency level. drama is definitely one of the best ways in which to become not only a better teacher or learner but also a better human being. we believe that after reading and using this handbook. coursebook-oriented lessons. drama activities are specific learning tasks with determined linguistic and extralinguistic (mostly social) goals. the first thing that comes to mind is usually connected with the word theatre. Finally. but in the context of this handbook. which is about acting. When thinking about the meaning of drama­. These are understood as a  tool for practising language skills. actors. Besides personal growth and development of the social. The term drama is perceived as an umbrella term which covers a variety of fields (educational drama. However. which may contribute significantly to the development of communicative competence of language learners.FOREWORD Are you the kind of teacher who is curious and innovative? Are you looking for inspiration and efficient ways of teaching? Do you like presenting new activities to your learners? Do you prefer a relaxed and friendly atmosphere in your lessons? Are you simply a teaching addict? Then welcome to the club. acting and directing skills of learners and their teachers. personal and experiental tool. They can also be a splendidly fresh alternative to monotonous. drama is not our aim. our perception is slightly different. Taking into consideration its huge potential. . auditory. They also lead handbook users to self-reflection and self-assessment. Creating characters. Tasks that open and close every chapter should lead handbook users to critical thinking and evaluating and sharing ideas. The main aim of the handbook is to encourage all kinds of language teachers and drama lovers to start using drama techniques and activities in their language classrooms. drama techniques share common goals such as raising personal. setting and a dramatic hook within a dialogue are used to show how any (coursebook) dialogue can be used more authentically in an instructional setting. The users of the handbook have a great opportunity to watch all three lessons on the DVD that is part of this handbook. Practical aspects of its implementation in a foreign language classroom and possible difficulties are also discussed here. creativity and joy from teaching and learning are the only prerequisites for drama implementation in a foreign language classroom. The conclusion summarizes ideas and thoughts related to efficient drama usage in a foreign language classroom. moving. some teaching tips on how to use drama techniques and literature are provided. also. Specific conclusions on assessment of learners in a foreign language classroom are focused on in this part of the handbook. it is emphasized that enthusiasm. In Chapter 4. courage. Reflection boxes summarize the main ideas introduced in the chapters of this handbook. Chapter 1 introduces the perception of drama techniques in education and in foreign language teaching and learning. tactile and kinaesthetic learners. There are three sample lesson plans in Chapter 6 with different drama techniques included in this chapter. opinions and expertise in teaching English as a foreign language. break communication barriers and make learning more enjoyable and efficient for visual. The handbook Drama Techniques in the Foreign Language Classroom was written with love and the hope that every little step towards humanistic language teaching can make our lives better. improvising and speaking English naturally and spontaneously. Special attention is paid to exploring dialogues through drama techniques in Chapter 3. In this handbook. The objectives and procedure of selected non-verbal and verbal techniques are described in Chapter 2. drama techniques are perceived as an efficient teaching and learning tool that motivate both learners and teachers. Users of this handbook are recommended to move from chapter to chapter in sequence since ideas and advice on implementing and using drama in a foreign language classroom become gradually more and more complex. Some drama techniques put into practice are demonstrated on the DVD that is part of the handbook. social and cultural awareness. Here.INTRODUCTION This handbook is dedicated to all pre-service and in-service teachers of English and teacher trainers who wish to experiment with their learners at their lessons via acting. It shares different explanations of what drama is and what it definitely is not about. Besides development of communicative competence. We hope 11 . Chapters 5 deals with planning and structuring drama-based lessons and their analysis through teachers’ and learners’ reflection. that you will find the handbook helpful and that drama will become one of your favourite teaching and learning tools as well. Good luck! 12 . • Write drama-based lesson plans applying various drama techniques. consult them with your colleagues. • Evaluate strengths and weaknesses of drama techniques as one of their teaching and learning tools in a foreign language classroom. Mark also those you wish to improve.English as a Foreign Language) MY CURRENT TEACHING ABILITIES. I have theoretical knowledge on how to apply the communicative approach in an EFL class. acquisition • “real life” communication • “learning by doing” TASK 2. roleplays. Then discuss their importance/unimportance with your colleagues. • Implement drama techniques into their lessons and use them efficiently across any age and proficiency level. Before using this handbook. I use communicative techniques (such as information gap activities. problem solving. Put a tick (√) next to those statements that best describe your current teaching abilities. simulations. brainstorm the meaning of the following key words that you will come across in various chapters.) at my lessons. • Express their opinions about drama techniques in a  foreign language classroom through reflections and tasks in this handbook. 13 .BEFORE YOU START Successful users of this handbook will be able to: • Distinguish the purpose of different drama techniques and activities in a foreign language classroom. 2. How are they related to drama techniques in a foreign language classroom? If you are not sure. skills and competences. games etc. How are the findings from this survey related to using drama in the EFL classroom? (Note: EFL . SKILLS AND COMPETENCES YES I WISH TO IMPROVE 1. • approach-method-technique-activity-procedure • communicative competence • learning vs. LEAD-IN TASKS TASK 1. • Dramatize coursebook dialogues according to needs and wants of learners. I  cannot manage to use it in a  45-minute lesson. I lead my learners to be aware of themselves as learners (to be able to identify and explain their learning progress). I use authentic aids for teaching English (such as clothes. auditory.. performing dialogues or acting out short performances.” (Petra. primary school) 14 . They are shy. I like it but it is impossible to implement into regular lessons where you have to teach new grammar and test your students. 23 years old. secondary school) “Drama? I love it. 17. 15. 7. I used to do a lot of drama but I had to stop. 10. I can prepare a lesson with little or no dependence on a coursebook.. My pupils got very loud and excited. I lead my learners to be independent and confident users of English.” (Hana. gestures. They prefer sitting down and learning from their coursebook. I am my learners’ partner and I keep their “respect” at the same time. I encourage my learners to prepare short scenarios in English and then perform them in front of the class/audience. I know how to “break the ice” to create a pleasant and stress-free classroom atmosphere. objects. it is very time-consuming. 14. To be honest. 9. they look at me as if I was from a different planet.. I encourage my learners to use body language (mime. they easily lost control over their behaviour. prompter and encourager. I use a lot of body language when I teach English. tactile and kinaesthetic learners. I use it quite a lot at my lessons. I teach my learners how to cooperate and respect each other. Then my colleagues complained about my “noisy teaching”. 52 years old. I can prepare a learner-oriented lesson where I am just a facilitator. secondary school) “Actually. body posture) to express themselves at our lessons. 28 years old. I encourage my students to speak English from the beginning of their learning even if their language repertoire is limited. They are lazy to do any movement activity. Read the comments of in-service English teachers showing their experience and attitude towards using drama techniques in their lessons. It is nice. etc. 18. I keep a variety of activities to satisfy the needs of visual. 8..). 5. 12. So I didn’t want to get into trouble. I train my learners to use their voice potential and modify the intonation and rhythm of their speech. I care about my learners’ family and social background. I like it more than my students do. 13. 11. playing games. Do their comments tell us anything about their teaching? Which comments can you most identify with? “I  cannot use drama. TASK 3. 4.3.” (Simona. I invite my learners to move in the classroom and use the space when doing action songs. 6. 16. STRONGLY AGREE-AGREE-NOT SURE-DISAGREE-TOTALLY DISAGREE b. play different games to become more self-confident and aware of self and others. Through drama we get to know each other better and we create a stress-free and cooperative environment. 37 years old.” (Andrea. but later on they admit its benefits. they find drama childish. not academic enough. Drama techniques are a useful learning tool for foreign language learners of any age. At the beginning. We pay a lot of attention to using voice potential and intonation and to body language as well. STRONGLY AGREE-AGREE-NOT SURE-DISAGREE-TOTALLY DISAGREE e. Drama techniques are loud and noisy which might cause some disciplinary problems. STRONGLY AGREE-AGREE-NOT SURE-DISAGREE-TOTALLY DISAGREE 15 . a. Do you agree or disagree with the following statements? Mark your answer on the scale provided and share your opinions with your colleagues. STRONGLY AGREE-AGREE-NOT SURE-DISAGREE-TOTALLY DISAGREE c. which is very important even in an academic setting.“Drama is very helpful at my seminars with future teachers of English. Drama techniques are appropriate only for learners with acting and directing skills. Drama techniques are a useful learning tool for foreign language learners at any proficiency level. My students do not know each other very well at the beginning of the semester. We sit in a circle. STRONGLY AGREE-AGREE-NOT SURE-DISAGREE-TOTALLY DISAGREE d. university lecturer) Write about your attitude and experience (if you have some) about using drama in your lessons: TASK 4. Drama techniques are appropriate only for teachers with acting and directing skills. . 16 . 3. 4..TASK 5. Example: Can I teach grammar through drama techniques? 1. 5. What do you wish to find out about using drama techniques in the foreign language classroom? Share your questions with your colleagues and discuss possible answers. 2. I want to know the following about drama techniques. Shakespeare. As Richard Via says. ISBN 0-521-322-162. 1st ed. pp. (edit. We “play” our roles with other characters on different life stages. There are a few similarities between these two institutions: • stage versus the space in front of the blackboard in a language classroom • solo actor versus a traditional teacher • audience versus learners VIA. Richard: “The magic if “ of theater: Enhancing language learning through drama. Potential of drama techniques in a foreign language classroom 3.): Interactive Language Teaching. We go to school and theatre for the same reason: to learn something about life and for life. in different places. with different people who are also in different moods and in different roles.1 We do it every day. School and theatre have many things in common. Act II.CHAPTER I. in different roles.“ (Shakespeare: As You Like It. you will come across the following issues: 1. We act with emotions and communicate our messages through words and body language. DRAMA TECHNIQUES AS A TEACHING AND LEARNING TOOL In this chapter. drama is communication between people. In: RIVERS. Explain the meaning of the following lines by W. in different moods. 110-123. in different situations. 1 17 . Wilga M. Scene VII) TASK 7. What do you think the difference is between “drama in education” and “drama techniques in a foreign language classroom”? What are the goals of each one? FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSROOM VERSUS THEATRE We are all participants in life performances without rehearsals. Getting started – how to implement drama techniques in a foreign language classroom TASK 6. Myths and facts about drama techniques in a foreign language classroom 4. DRAMA TECHNIQUES AS A TEACHING AND LEARNING TOOL CHAPTER I. Foreign language classroom versus theatre 2. “All the world is a stage and all the men and women are merely players. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press 1987. Drama is the mirror of the life we live. the taking on of a role allows learners to “forget” their fear of the language and takes the learning process into the realms of the unconscious. Drama techniques can be a perfect tool for example in history lessons. in literature lessons dramatizing poems. The idea behind using drama techniques in a foreign language classroom is that it makes learning more efficient. It is there whether you want it or not. plays a 45-minute role for their audience of learners. However. we use it in an appropriate setting and the students’ imagination is engaged. where learners can prepare short performances on what is good and what is bad. In addition. presentation and social skills. often a  solo actor on a stage with the spotlight on them. will be either rewarded by a good mark (applause) or punished by a bad mark. This sets the structures. learners are not allowed to leave the classroom in such a situation. the audience would leave the theatre. by using both words and body language and of course appropriate intonation. Therefore. For example. more authentic and pleasant for both teachers and learners. fables and novels.A  teacher. To be good at their profession. It is quite challenging to keep students’ attention for such a long time. We could continue with many more examples. plants and microorganisms such as cells. parasites and viruses. they should raise the interest of their learners by different tricks: by showing adequate knowledge of subject matter. when we practise a grammar structure or function. Drama is not an extra element at schools. concentration and vocal warm-ups to eliminate these negative feelings. in geography lessons when learning about different countries and cultures. functions and vocabulary in learners’ minds and memory and gets them ready to use it again in the future. stories. If a solo actor stayed in one place and did not use body language and spoke monotonously without any eye contact. where different emperors. by appropriate communication. Some teachers apply it subconsciously in different subjects. kings and queens come alive and fight for the throne. enter the stage with fear and anxiety. and what is appropriate and what is not. motivation leads to more success. animals. A learner who is called on or in other words given the “solo role”. bacteria. Learners. There are some professionals (actors and teachers) who even after many years of acting and teaching still face stage fright. English learners use the language naturally and spontaneously. 18 . in biology lessons demonstrating life cycles. actors do various relaxation. before the play starts. Stress and anxiety disappear after the first applause of the audience. Positive feedback provided by  teachers and peers can lead to enormous motivation and. conquerors. in ethics. However. just like real actors. for example when being examined in front of the blackboard. Our wish is to encourage teachers and learners to use drama especially when teaching and learning foreign languages to make this long-lasting process easier. consequently. that is not the purpose of this handbook. explaining. Herein a question connected with the potential of drama in a foreign language classroom arises. posture). This means educating users who are fluent. thinking. body language. ending. • express naturally and spontaneously via verbal and non-verbal means (such as mime. accurate and culturally and socially active users of a foreign language instead of being “passive knowers”. Some drama techniques (e. plants and objects around us. Such tasks stimulate learners’ imagination. They can fill these gaps by using facial expressions. 19 . • vary intonation and rhythm of speech according to different moods. react. gestures and different “communication tricks” (paraphrasing.Potential of drama techniques in the foreign language classroom Language teachers aim to “produce” foreign language users who are able to use a foreign language appropriately in real-life situations. changing the topic) and the whole scale of language functions (describing. speak. speak. repetition. thinking.) Through drama techniques we teach our learners to become more aware of themselves (the way they move. fillers and others) that we all use subconsciously and naturally even when communicating in our mother tongue. behave and feel). • use voice potential to its maximum in a foreign language. asking. • be aware of the setting where the language is used. As to foreign language practice. we imitate authenticity and bring it to the classroom through a variety of communicative situations with real-life characters and their problems. drama provides the opportunity to solve language difficulties in a foreign language — to say something somehow even with limited knowledge of a target language. • experiment in (with) a foreign language and take risks in communication. The potential of drama techniques in a foreign language class is enormous. characters and language in advance. This is a rather advanced technique so it is reasonable to start with techniques that let learners prepare the situation. move and behave) and respect the environment we live in (the animals. refusing. gestures. etc. acceptance and awareness. There is always some reason to speak and to listen to each other. their purpose of existence. improvisation) offer such experience to learners — to act without preparation. • create a friendly and cooperative atmosphere. leading. Drama techniques provide the context to practise conversation strategies (opening. These negative factors can be also eliminated by drama. • change the roles of learners and teachers.g. So it is not only the language we aim to teach but also cooperation. without too much conscious effort. how they affect us). • acquire new language subconsciously. • be emphathetic and tolerant. Language practice is based on solving these problems and providing creative solutions in the target language. creativity. How can language learners and teachers benefit from drama techniques? With drama techniques. decision-making and motivate them to participate actively. it is spontaneous and unpredictable. Learning happens in a stress-free environment without fear. That is why drama techniques are used there in order to: • improve communicative competence and performance of language learners. tension or threat. hesitation. to identify with others (to understand how they feel. Authentic communication is usually not planned in advance. accepting. writing). In spite of the above listed benefits. • develop the whole personality of learners. for effective learning. Myth 2: Drama is about producing performances. Myths and facts about drama techniques in the foreign language classroom Many teachers have some unjustified prejudices against drama techniques. The following anti-drama myths are explained and supported with arguments clarifying the positive role of drama techniques in a foreign language classroom. Myth 1: Drama is playing and not real learning. Trying to be in “somebody else´s shoes” needs a lot of observation. empathy and. • motivate both learners and teachers. drama techniques are often consciously avoided. Producing performances is only one perspective of using drama techniques for language teaching and learning. not a goal. It needs more time 20 . Therefore we remind teachers to teach a  foreign language via drama instead of teaching drama through a foreign language. Although they are aware of the advantages drama techniques bring to our lessons. listening. • involve learners with different learning styles. Effective learning happens when a learner is motivated. However.• lead learners to responsibility and independence when learning a foreign language via reflection on the learning process. that they are time-consuming and demanding both for teachers and learners. doing drama in a foreign language classroom is more than playing roles. that they require acting skills from teachers and learners. The most frequent excuses are that drama techniques are an extra element in our lessons. and only smart learners whose level of foreign language is at least pre-intermediate are able to participate. This kind of drama is recommended to be used in school clubs. • see the reason behind learning a foreign language. of course. it is crucial to remember that drama techniques are just a learning and teaching tool. different personalities and multiple intelligences. relaxed and provided with comprehensible input. • make the learning and teaching process joyful. • implement interdisciplinary knowledge. practice. reading. it is necessary to change the formal teaching style into an informal one. Other reasons why drama techniques are avoided are following the curricullum strictly and being dependent on coursebooks. Therefore. • practise all skills (speaking. • lead all participants to creativity and convergent thinking. Learners learn a great amount of new language subconsciously in a friendly atmosphere with the support of their classmates and teachers. and self-reflection. • create better rapport between a teacher and his or her learners. It is not reasonable to push learners to do drama activities if they are not ready. Drama-based lessons can easily become very noisy. we improvise. We act in different roles that are characterized via our moods and status. They are called communicative activities. The will. Some learners will fall in love with drama techniques immediately. The personality of teachers does not matter to such a  great extent. Drama does not need talented learners. Simple dramatization of dialogues and some drama-based warm-ups take more time and energy at the beginning. In this case. Therefore it is necessary to keep balance between quiet and loud activities and keep the noise under control. If we forget them. Our learners are a great audience just short in applause. trust and friendly rapport between a  teacher and learners will certainly contribute to excellent outcomes and performances. they are not essential. Myth 4: Drama is an approach for teachers with “acting abilities”. Drama is a way of teaching used naturally by many teachers even without knowing that they use drama. a shift of roles 21 . but will bear more fruit afterwards. some will not. It is worth at least trying. when standing in front of the blackboard and presenting subject matter. Activities such as “Simon says” or “Show us your job” and many others are definitely based on drama. even solo actors. Although extrovertness and some acting skills might be helpful.and space. Drama techniques bring a moment of surprise to our classrooms. Myth 5: Drama is an approach for talented learners. It is the teacher who has the biggest influence and responsibility for learners’ language production. We have to remember the lines of our role. We teachers ARE already actors. Myth 3: Drama is an extra element in lessons. It needs learners who are willing to learn by doing. Therefore. A relaxed atmosphere. Neither a good communicative coursebook nor talented learners guarantee success. the process of putting the play on stage matters much more than the final product. The fewer acting skills a teacher has the more challenging and encouraging it can be for introverted and shy learners. It might take some time to get used to drama techniques and trust their potential. Drama techniques require spontaneity and creativity. there is no need for teachers to undergo any special drama training or theatre course. others later. it is fully recommended to explain the goals and objectives of the utilized drama techniques and activities and encourage learners to reflect on them at the end of lessons. courage and motivation of teachers matter more than their personality. Surprisingly. using all their senses. Introducing drama in small portions is certainly better than introducing it all at once. The  chosen teaching method used by a  language teacher definitely matters a lot. Myth 6: Drama is very noisy. 45-minute lessons do not create oppotunities to “live” the play properly. Some learners will see the pedagogical reasons behind the process. There are excellent communicative-based teachers’ manuals that offer the application of drama techniques in an EFL class. pre-drama. 2. it is not a new element as one might think. Short performances can be presented at school events or theatre festivals. • Arrange a classroom for drama. ice-breakers. Traditional seating in rows is not helpful at all. However. Different coursebooks contain drama-based techniques such as role-plays. • practise face-to-face communication. The lesson plan follows the following stages: a drama-based warm-up. not only of those sitting in the front rows. not “face-to-back” communication. When using drama techniques in lessons. performances on the stage The time and space for this kind of drama is quite limited during English lessons. • create a scene setting. The easiest way to get a  classroom 22 . drama-based activities We use simple drama-based warmers. • pair off and group learners flexibly. It is reccomended to start running so-called “English clubs” where simple and short plays can be performed on stage. New vocabulary. trust activities. This kind of drama is addressed to an audience. drama and calm down. Drama techniques require empty space in the classroom to: • move freely and express meanings with body positions. • monitor the work of all students.when learners become actors on the stage. ideally with a carpet on the floor. simulations and problem-solving activities. The following ideas can become stepping stones towards using drama with your learners. introduction activities and relaxation activities to remove negative affective elements from the class. some changes in classroom arrangement are neccessary. These activities help us create a secure learning environment. Creating free space without desks and chairs. drama-based lesson plans The whole lesson is structured through drama. 3. is the most frequently used seating arrangement in a  drama-based lesson. Getting started – how to implement drama techniques in the foreign language classroom The most common ways of applying drama in a foreign laguage classroom are the following ones: 1. structures and functions are pre-taught in the pre-drama stage and later on practised via context during the drama stage. it is up to teachers how they approach these techniques and whether they are willing and able to use them to their maximum. • divide the performance area from the audience area. Drama IS already there in our lessons. creating statues. speaking. What if classroom furniture is non-movable? That might make using drama techniques a little bit more difficult. a few “working zones” or “working corners” can be created. the storytelling area is the place for telling and making stories. a reflection corner is the place to “digest” the process of doing drama (team work. The leaves with comments on can be changed every lesson. characters from a coursebook. Once you introduce this as a regular activity. plastic swords. teachers should ensure that they have some reasons behind it. Another possibility is to create a class puppet theatre with.prepared is to put all desks and chairs aside creating enough space in the middle. what they like. clothes.) and learning via drama (new vocabulary. reading and writing) will they practise when doing this particular activity? How will learners with different learning styles benefit from doing this particular activity? How does this particular activity raise my learners’ social and cultural awareness? How does this particular activity develop my learners as human beings? There is more attention paid to objectives formulation in Chapter 5 in this handbook. expressions. Apart from the performance and audience areas. for instance. concentration activities and relaxation activities can be used. Finally. cultural or drama objectives showing what learners will be able to do by the end of the lesson are the main determinants of a carefully planned learner-oriented lesson plan. Props corner is the place to keep the drama box with all props (masks. The gallery is the place where learners’ work. social. outcomes etc. foolish.). In a silent area learners do silent activities such as writing. what they learn. Doing this. goals of activities. learners experience how to provide immediate feedback and reflect on their own learning. Before using drama techniques. chain verbal and nonverbal activities. Changing the classroom to such a configuration is a physical and noisy activity. Some techniques which do not require lot of space. when they feel confident. drawing and painting. personal. glasses. wigs. hats. For example. • Have clear objectives When implementing drama techniques in a foreign language classroom. your learners might quite like it as a physical warm-up activity. for example mime. That is why we recommend doing it before NOT during the lesson. There is a nice idea to “plant” a “comment-tree” where learners write down how they feel in the lessons. dealing with language difficulties). etc. there is no reason to give up. gloves. etc. However. Such reflections can be written on pieces of paper in the shape of tree leaves and can be stuck on the tree. 2 23 . the following questions concerning learner-oriented objectives should be taken into consideration:2 What will my learners be able to do/produce after doing this particular activity? What kind of language will my learners practise/acquire when doing this particular activity? Which language skills (listening comprehension. Clearly stated linguistic. drama projects and scripts are displayed. such as drawings. 9. and see their learners as creative and resourceful human beings with real needs. The different personalities of learners make the socializing process quite demanding. Learn about your learners’ learning styles. Accept your learners’ opinions and suggestions. a cooperator and so on. Therefore. a monitor. However. friendly atmosphere between a teacher and learners and among learners themselves is another important step towards the efficient implementation of drama techniques in a foreign language classroom. 8. Become your learners´ partner but be respected at the same time. don’t discourage them.• Change your roles and responsibilities Drama is based on a humanistic approach to education which gives teachers enough opportunities to practise facilitative roles in the classroom: an initiator. no simple drama technique would work in a class with alienated relationships. 4. These roles do not mean the loss of discipline or the loss of authority. 2. Show your learners how to learn effectively and autonomously. Respect your learners’ feelings and emotions. Leading learners to cooperation is one of the main objectives to be achieved through drama techniques. 6. Listen to your learners attentively and respond to them. a prompter. Neither are too active learners very popular because they automatically take control of work and do the job without real cooperation with other classmates. Overcoming these class-management difficulties cannot be done overnight but cooperative learning techniques can help a bit. 12. if they do not know a teacher and do not trust his or her teaching method and style. strategies and motivation. there are so-called class “stars” who will not like working with outsiders. cooperate and help each other in order to survive in society. Laugh with them and not at them. • Lead your learners towards cooperation and autonomy Creating a good. a participant. On the other hand. a co-communicator. Reveal the hidden creativity of your learners. 5. Encourage them. 24 . Here are some tips on how to accept the facilitative roles of a foreign language teacher: 1. an encourager. 13. simple name activities. school is an ideal institution for social education. If learners do not know each other well. a supporter. Model how to function and cooperate in a community. it is quite challenging for a teacher to create a community of learners in a class who respect. ice-breakers and trust activities are used especially at the beginning of the course. 14. Since every learner is a unique personality with a different social (sometimes even cultural) background. 3. wants and lacks. Participate in activities and cooperate. Appreciate their work. Prepare your learners for life. To prevent that happening. support and encourage each other. They give teachers the opportunity to like their job and their learners. in real life there are daily activities and situations where people have to share. Help them raise their self-esteem and increase their confidence. 7. a counsellor. 11. There are learners who prefer working on their own. 10. Pete. For example: Hey. Reminds the group members not to speak too loud. what do you think? • FINDER is a kind of assistant to the group leader. praises group and encourages groupmates for the successful completion of a task. • RECORDER/NOTE TAKER is a kind of a group secretary. For example: Come on. Give them a chance to present their team by some ritual typical for their group (either by some typical chant. • REPORTER is responsible for the outcome of the group. He asks questions to keep everybody involved in the discussion. 6. 25 . Finally…. guys. their responsibilities and their sample sentences in a foreign language classroom where group work is used: • GROUP LEADER is responsible for cooperation and fulfilling the task within the group. Let´s brainstorm… • QUIET CAPTAIN keeps the noise level of a group under control. • TIME-KEEPER is another manager in a group. Suggest ways of possible improvements for better cooperation. He makes sure that a task will be accomplished in time. 3. Let´s do it. we can do it. let´s do it together. Calm down. 2. Give them enough time to accomplish the task. 7. By this we mean. For example: Come on. Set the task. Well done. Put students into groups by using pairing and grouping techniques. For example: We agreed on the following…. guys. Maria? What did you say? Could you repeat your original idea? • ENCOURAGER brings positive comments. Let´s keep five minutes for final rehearsal. 5. Secondly…. For example: Ok. Firstly….How to apply cooperative learning in a foreign language classroom? 1. Give role cards to your learners and make sure they are ALL familiar with their roles and their duties. He reports the ideas/findings to other groups. For example: What do you think. we are one team. Give them time to invent their logo and slogan. that is really a great idea. We might need this idea later. Examples of roles of learners. movement or a short dance). Ask them to reflect and evaluate their work. guys. 8. 4. He can use the notes taken by the recorder. I´ll put that down. assess themselves and comment on cooperation with other members in the group. For example: Guys. we are too loud. How shall we sort this out? Mike. we have only ten minutes left. we have decided to use the so-called RANDOM pairing and grouping techniques. 2. Having experienced some resistance from girls to cooperating with boys in young learners classes.Extra roles of learners when drama is used in a foreign language classroom: • DIRECTOR directs either short improvisations or scenes using a short script. • MASKS DESIGNER/COSTUME DESIGNER is responsible for making and selecting props suitable for performances. We are doing good job – let’s keep going. 3. colour of their clothes. 2. This is not relevant enough. pretend to be angry. Automatic pairing and grouping of weaker learners with brighter ones is “out of fashion”. hobbies. requiring perfect management skills in a teacher. motivating your partners. You can say or ask: 1. Pairing or grouping learners according to their shoe number. Can you repeat that again? Let´s see what we have so far. is very tempting for all teachers. ENCOURAGER You are responsible for: 1. 3. say it louder! • PLAYWRIGHT is the one who writes a scenario. Any other suggestions? You can say or ask: 1. it is appropriate for a group of learners. Everybody in the class should get a chance to experience all kinds of different roles. 3. place of origin. This is a very demanding role so we recommend it be shared with more learners. Almost all drama activities are done in a variety of these forms. month of birth or favourite food might be very funny ways of putting learners together. • ACTOR/ACTRESS are learners in a role who perform short scenarios in front of an audience. • Put your students into pairs and groups The practice of oral communication in a foreign language classroom happens via monologues and dialogues between two or more learners. Even teachers who will not use drama techniques with their learners for various reasons might use some of these ideas. This makes sense. naturally enough. taking notes or main points of what has been said or discussed. Example of a role card: RECORDER/ NOTE TAKER You are responsible for: 1. creating and keeping a positive atmosphere in the team. Recommendations: It is advisable to keep the same role for more than one lesson to make a learner familiar with it. Putting learners into pairs or groups is as easy as it might seem. go closer to Tim! When saying this line. Again. When managing a 45-minute class. using notes to arrive at conclusions by the end of team work. Wonderful idea. encouraging them by support. this way of pairing and grouping of learners is the fastest and. 2. We can do it. He manages the process. For example: Put your emotions into the role! Use the space. It is not the teacher anymore 26 . 2. If there is an uneven number of learners then one string should be tied to another so that it has three “ends” and two will be on the one side of the hand and one on the other. “Don´t put off till tomorrow. Split Exchanges Aids: Prepared split exchanges. Flock together”. for example: A: What do you get if you cross a kangaroo with a sheep? B: A woolly jumper! Learners then move around the room to find the person whose quote matches their own so that the exchanges fit.who points at learners and decides who will work with whom.e. The activities below show other possibilities of forming pairs and groups. which is naturally connected with increased noise level. What can be done today”. 2. Comments: This is a very simple and quick way of creating random groups. On the other 27 . Hold a bunch of strings of the same length and colour so that one end of each piece of string comes out at either side of the hand. These techniques guarantee learners’ motivation and willingness to cooperate. On one hand we want our learners to be productive. Spoil the broth”. Do as the Romans do”. 1. Strings Aids: String and scissors. • Control the noise level Controlling noise level at communicative lessons is always challenging. “When in Rome. Release the bunch and the learners are in pairs. Alternatives: For forming groups of four. Each learner is given one half of a dialogue or joke. the number of pairs that will be formed). Each learner takes one of the ends. Example split exchange: “Birds of a feather. Comments: The exchanges must be carefully chosen so that they are unambiguous. “Too many cooks. strings can be tied together in the middle so that each has four “ends” (or the process can simply be repeated). Prepare enough strings for half the number of learners (i. never make the “shhhh” sound. 8. ribbons. Praise all learners. We recommend “quiet activities” such as writing activities (e. Make sure you calm your learners down before sending them to the next lesson. switching the light on and off. 2. will certainly be enjoyed by all age groups of learners. scarves. monitor.g. Clap hands to show appreciation. sounds and loudness to our classrooms. If the noise level increases. 4. However. such noise is definitely positive.. Which noise is negative and which is positive? Presuming that all learners are fulfilling their task and are speaking English.g. After your learners are familiar with basic drama techniques. Alternate quiet and loud activities. 3. Give clear instructions (but NOT too long!) before doing even a very simple activity. Don´t speak too loudly. 6. drama will definitely provide endless moments of fun. sending a secret message in a chain). glasses.kinaesthetic. If learners are involved in the process of task accomplishment they usually stop controlling their noise level. 5. Introduce drama in small steps. Having a Quiet Captain in a class is one solution. then move to advanced ones such as simulations. become a partner. Old hats. tactile. nor too quietly. Give learners reasonable time to accomplish a given task. Firstly. costumes help learners create more authentic characters. Use silent signals instead. Be involved in activities. It is simply a box containing potential props for various characters. aprons. Prepare a classroom before the lesson starts. not an authority. caps. On the other hand. wigs. Remember that your learners usually adjust to your voice level. etc. chairs in a circle. writing a letter) or whispering (e. 9. Leave at least 3 minutes at the end to reflect on the lesson. Give a chance to everybody to show the result of his work. • Start running a “drama box” A drama box is one of the most important aids in drama-based lessons. later dramatize dialogues from your coursebooks.hand we do not want to lose control over them. Overcome the barrier between you and your learners. start with drama-based warm-ups. it can easily turn into an unwanted situation if learners switch to their mother tongue and lose control over their emotions. On one hand. By handling some teaching tricks. auditory and visual learners. ties. Drama techniques can be used as a form of relaxation away from using coursebooks at English lessons. 28 . manager. such as clapping. Demonstrate first. surprise and of course – LEARNING. plays etc. or raising a hand. Leave enough space to move without any barriers. using props stimulates the memory of all types of learners . Therefore we need to distinguish positive and negative noise. Put desks aside. Drama techniques bring a lot of relieved emotions. you can at least prevent some discipline difficulties. improvisations. • 10 golden rules on how to keep discipline in a drama class: 1. do not neglect weaker ones. If you follow these rules. 10. 7. The following 10 golden rules can give teachers some ideas how to avoid chaos in a drama class. Be in a role of a facilitator. • Provide enough time to your learners to get used to drama techniques. • Get involved! Change your roles and become a part of your learners’community. abilities. Do not stand aside. If you decide to implement drama techniques into your lessons. communicative and interesting. Be creative and open-minded. They make lessons more learner-oriented. • Keep a variety of drama-based techniques. They are NOT the goal. experiment with language. In common teaching practice there is a huge dependance on using coursebooks during lessons. not at them. Drama techniques such as role-plays. do it step by step. simulations and problem solving can be found in almost every coursebook. Bear in mind that drama techniques are just learning and teaching tool. Enjoy drama with your learners. competences. knowledge and experience that are more important than any coursebook used. Keep extra time for drama performances. Dramatizing coursebook dialogues or texts will motivate learners and it will also enhance their accuracy and fluency. • Do not expect professional performances from your learners. SUMMARY Bringing drama techniques into a foreign language classroom cannot be done overnight. You can easily find out their attitude towards drama in English lessons. • Take risks! Experiment with drama. • Emphasize process (learning by doing) over product (performances). Do not overuse them. attitude. productive. approach. Make your learners familiar with your aims and objectives to be more trustworthy and goal-oriented. 29 . • Start with simple drama-based warm-ups and move to more complex ones. Help your learners with open questions and lead them to free self-expression. there are some old. Pay special attention to their linguistic. Using interactive and up-to-date coursebooks with various supplementary materials such as CDs or DVDs do not necessarily guarantee the quality output of learners. teaching style. and creating characters. Reading coursebook dialogues in a dramatic way. Laugh with them. Do not rush them to accomplish their tasks. traditional coursebooks where a lot of communication can be achieved by using proper teaching methods and techniques. It is true to some extent. It is a process that requires a lot of time and patience. a setting and dramatic hook can be a successful start. skills. experiment with your learners. • Make sure there is some learning purpose behind every single activity used in your class.• Dramatize a coursebook Some teachers believe that good coursebooks make their lessons communicative. • Do not forget to reflect at the end of each drama-based lesson to get immediate feedback from your learners. In contrast. We strongly believe that it is a  teacher and his personality. social and cultural objectives. Did your teachers use drama techniques when you were a learner of English? What do you think were their reasons for using/not using them? 2. I am able to: • explain the potential of drama techniques in a foreign language classroom • distinguish what drama techniques are and what they are not • explain what cooperative learning is and how it is related to drama techniques • define learners’ and teachers’ roles when using drama techniques • clarify advantages and disadvantages of using drama techniques in a foreign language classroom 30 YES I WISH TO IMPROVE . Explain the roles of teachers teaching a foreign language through drama techniques and roles of learners learning a foreign language through drama techniques. skills and competences after studying Chapter I.Questions for you CHAPTER I. What is your attitude towards using drama techniques in a foreign language classroom from the point of view of a pre-service/in-service teacher? REFLECTION BOX 1. 3. 1. 5. Why are drama techniques considered to be an alternative way of teaching and learning a foreign language? 4. Put a tick (√) next to those statements that best describe your teaching abilities. In which school subjects would drama techniques find their place? Suggest their possible application. After studying CHAPTER I. Creating sounds 3. TASK 9. you will come across the following issues: 1. Pronunciation and intonation practice activities 7. ice-breakers and minglers in a foreign language classroom? TASK 10. Statues 12. DRAMA-BASED WARM-UPS. Put a tick (√) next to those you are familiar with and a question mark ? next to those you wish to learn more about. Name activities 8. ICE BREAKERS AND MINGLERS CHAPTER II. Go through the list of the drama techniques (see above) to be discussed in this chapter. Trust activities 5. Caption-making TASK 8. teachers or teacher trainers? Describe its procedure and objective. Hot-seating 10. ICE BREAKERS AND MINGLERS In this chapter. Which drama techniques are used there? What are their aims? TASK 11. Concentration and relaxation activities 2. 31 . Thoughts behind words 11. Spatial awareness activities 6. Which is your favourite drama-based activity you might have experienced either with your learners. Improvisations 13. Go through any English teaching coursebook. Conscious alley 14. Miming activities 4. DRAMA-BASED WARM-UPS. Word chains 9.CHAPTER II. What do you think are the aims of warm-ups. One of the learners is the leader who passes the signal by pressing the hand of the partner next to him. When they catch it. Keep reminding them to relax. Put learners into two teams. Then all turn left and this time they give a massage to the other partner. Start clapping any rhythm. soft voice. One team is pulling the purse while the other is trying to catch it. pass the role of leader to one of the learners by giving a signal. • Sending signals Learners stand in a circle holding hands. • Clapping sounds3 Learners sit in a circle. it´s very pleasant…. Draw a border line between the teams which cannot be crossed. You woke up after eight hours of deep sleep. All turn right so that they face their partner’s back. Ask about their feelings. Each learner massages the shoulders of the classmate standing in front of him or her. The signal is sent from person to person around the circle. It´s a perfect summer morning. More advanced learners may try to send two signals at the same time. Tell them to take a deep breath again and open their eyes slowly. Make a longer pause before finishing. They aim to break the ice and warm learners up physically and mentally. It´s a little wet but you don´t mind. Both teams work on strategies how to “cheat” and how to catch the purse or pull it away. Encourage your learners to join you. Make more steps and feel the touch of every single blade.CONCENTRATION AND RELAXATION ACTIVITIES Concentration and relaxation activities are used at the beginning of lessons to prepare learners’ minds and bodies for creative work in pairs or groups without any tension. This technique is used in the lesson plan called ‘The Train to Glasgow’ which is included in this handbook. He makes another rhythm and again the whole class follows the new rhythm. We learnt this activity from Daniela Bačová. The birds are singing… the sun is shining… you smell the fresh smell of the grass. You have decided to go for a walk near your house which is right in the middle of a beautiful meadow. • Guided fantasy Learners sit in a circle with closed eyes. Example: It is Sunday morning. Open the door and step barefoot on the grass. 3 4 32 . Tell them to take a deep breath and create an image of  a story you will read to them in a gentle. breathe. You like this feeling. • Chain massage Learners stand in a circle facing each other. • Playing with a purse4 Fix an invisible string on an old purse. not to worry about anything. 5 33 . showers. The main focus is put on the development of physical movement through precise miming of every single moment occurring in an activity. MIMING ACTIVITIES Mime is a basic drama technique that can be used even by inexperienced drama teachers and learners.). squeaking door etc. Soundscapes or soundtracking are drama techniques in which sounds are made by voices. light rain. loud noises – fast walking).. teachers and learners might find these techniques strange.. Initially. few drops. The technique of miming can be easily spoilt if not enough time and attention is paid to it.g. They usually accompany some action and complete an image of a place or its atmosphere (e.CREATING SOUNDS Making sounds in English lessons can be unusual to both language teachers and learners. However. After achieving the loudest sounds. • Sounds of a town5 Create an image of a train station through elicitation. Maximum noise will be created when soundscaping thunderstorms. learners are usually expected to be quiet and not make any unpleasant noise. In traditional lessons. stronger wind. It requires a lot of concentration to do it properly. While walking they make sounds which they hear: • at the city train station during the day and at night • at the village train station during the  day and at night They should adjust their walking to the sounds they make (quiet sounds – relaxed walking. Encourage your learners to gradually increase the noise level according to your instructions. let your learners decrease the noise level according to your instructions (imitating sounds of heavy rain.. Later.the sun is shining and the birds are singing). and lightning that hits a tree. Through miming. Learners produce the sounds of rain (by tapping fingers on the chair seats). Each learner has a chair in front of him to make sounds according to the teacher’s instructions. they will see how stimulating they are especially when creating setting. Learners are passengers walking freely in the space as if being at the train station. a learner should become aware of his body language and more confident in communicating non-verbally. showers. one drop. This technique is used in the lesson plan called ‘The Train to Glasgow’ which is included in this handbook. then of heavier and heavier rain. wind (by blowing the air and whistling). • Rainforest Create an image of a rainforest by soundscaping. It usually does not include any speech. body and objects in the classroom. breaking glass. various sounds are an important part of lessons where drama techniques are used. street sounds. Learner A is in the centre and mimes some activity without telling it to the others (for example a car repair). This continues until every student has mimed at least one activity. Learner B joins him if some moment from the mimed activity reminds him of some other activity. Learner B will adjust to Learner C and will mime together giving birth (each of them can be in a different role). the learner gives their thanks and this continues until everybody has mimed something. Stress that there is no physical contact between partners. go to the box. Use only sounds. This is a more time-consuming activity but it is a very inventive and creative way of introduction. 6 34 . Since traditional language teaching We learnt this activity at a drama seminar in Nitra in 1999 from a drama expert. Learners. Learner C joins Learner B (Learner A leaves) with miming a new activity (a scene of swimming reminds him of a scene of giving birth). The one who gets the present goes to the box and chooses another thing. If it is possible. IN – show it as a preposition. pick up something. They will swap round half-way through. mime and gestures. • Chain-mime activities6 Learners sit in a circle. If learners already know each other’s names. Give enough time to each learner to mime an activity properly. “Here you are” and “thank you” are the only words used. The other learner from the pair being “the mirror” copies all the movements of his or her “leader”. One learner from the pair will show all his or her activities one after the other in front of the mirror very slowly and precisely. so Learner B joins him miming swimming on his/her back. You are not allowed to use any words. Ask what sort of activities they normally do in front of the mirror in the morning. TRUST ACTIVITIES There are certainly many learners who have never experienced learning a language through any alternative or humanistically-oriented approach or method. Create an image of an invisible box full of presents. • Giving presents Learners stand in a circle. they can show their nicknames. gives it to somebody. Finally learners summarize what presents they got and who from.• I will show you my name… Show your name to your class. The class guesses one letter after the other. Only miming and making sounds is allowed. mimes it. one by one. V – show the sign of victory. For example. Demonstrate one morning activity using one of the learners as a mirror. Example: The name Gavin can be shown in this way: G­– draw it in the air. mime it and give it to somebody from the circle. • Mirroring Put your learners into pairs. Learner A MUST adjust to the activity of Learner B. show several letters at once. A­– show an aeroplane. Anka Gamanová (in memoriam). Learner A mimes repairing a car by lying on the floor. says “Here you are”. Otherwise it will be spoilt and they will get hurt. 35 . Learners coming from a traditional learning setting might initially struggle with drama. a restaurant. for example. all learners start to move to make “knots” from their bodies and entwine with other learners. learners change roles. Hence drama requires a lot of physical contact. trust activities help learners get used to each other. it does not require any learner-oriented techniques and activities. The most problematic thing is to touch their classmates. They are frequently used as preparation activities. trust and cooperation. • Pass me around the circle Learners stand in a circle very closely facing each other. After some time. cultural and psychological aspects in a foreign language classroom. The other person will guide him through barriers prepared in the classroom (or in the corridor). The “blind” person cannot cheat by opening their eyes. for example when creating characters. Make sure that your learners are mature enough to do this activity. One of them will be a “blind” person with closed eyes. However. On one hand. One learner stands in the middle of the circle and cannot move from that point. When the teacher gives another signal. overcome shyness and beat stage fright. hold hands and face each other. • Climbing through people Learners get in a circle. Alternative: A guide cannot touch “the blind” person at all but can give him very detailed instructions how to move in a class with barriers without being hurt. they one by one start to disentangle from the knots. Learners need some time to get used to a new approach in language learning. They might express discomfort and scepticism when doing drama in their lessons. they must fully trust his guide.does not consider the social. • Guide me Put your learners into pairs. They will “communicate” by gentle touching of their palms. The following minglers and other activities provide our learners with the opportunity to experience different ways of walking in different settings and roles. SPATIAL AWARENESS ACTIVITIES The following activies use the classroom space in order to become more familiar with it and see it from a new perspective AS IF it was a totally different setting. nothing happens over night. then only by touching their fingers. On the other hand. a flat. trust activities help learners create trust towards a teacher and his or her way of teaching. He/she is passed around the circle by other learners. the “ice” in the class must be broken. a zoo and so on. a beach. Strong cooperation and trust is needed. When the teacher gives a signal. The activity requires some muscle work and concentration. even hold each other’s hand. They are usually non-verbal and are used especially at the beginning of a course. intonation. Clap your hands and say who your learners are. etc. • Do what I do… Learner A shows his own way of walking to Learner B when he is in different moods (walking in a happy way. All aspects of teaching pronunciation are important since we wish to educate learners who are able to: a. gallery. skating. Example: guided tour in an ancient castle. Clap your hands when changing activities. stress and rhythm 3. distinguish different sounds or phonemes b. for example: Walk as if you were a robot. walking when in a hurry etc.).). They walk freely in the space provided. walking in a lazy way. sounds of language 2. tiptoeing etc. walking in deep snow. Then clap your hands again and say a new role. • Touch somebody who… Learners mingle in class. They follow teacher’s intructions whom to touch. Learners move according to teachers’ instructions. rollerblading. Then they swap. Example: Touch somebody who is wearing jeans. detailed picture of the place in which they are moving. cartoon characters or animals’ way of walking too. The activity continues accordingly (touch the tallest person in class. Learners are immediately supposed to touch somebody who is wearing jeans. • Guided tour Learner A will take Learner B on a tour around the classroom and will describe all the details to create a full. walking in a sad way. PRONUNCIATION AND INTONATION PRACTICE ACTIVITIES Teaching and practising pronunciation in a foreign language class includes dealing with: 1. produce different sounds or phonemes 36 . The activity is dynamic if the given instructions are clear and related to learners in class. walking when he is in love. production hall. Learners can imitate celebrities.• Walk as if you were a … Learners mingle in class. Tell them to move as if they were skiing (whole class pretends they are skiing). touch somebody wearing white socks. Example: Walk as if you were an old person who needs a walking stick. etc. walking on ice. • Move as if you were doing… Learners mingle in class. Learner A teaches Learner B his ways of walking. Then clap your hands again and choose a different role: Walk as if you were walking a dog which keeps pulling you all the time (learners improvise this way of walking in the classroom). new house. walking in high-heel shoes. walking in the ocean. yellow lorry. for example. In class.c. They arrange the roles and decide on dramatic conflict in advance. C. we all scream for ice-cream! • She sells sea shells on the sea shore. • What time is it?7 In a circle. this automatic drilling is not enough. The most common classroom techniques to practise pronunciation are choral drills or individual drills of separate sounds. use the word stress/sentence stress properly d. yellow lorry. Examples: • Red lorry. We learnt this wonderful activity from Gabriela Šimová at Drama Day in Nitra. Repeat the same tongue twister a few times together with your learners and then try to accelerate to make it more dynamic and funny. you scream. Fast articulation of these sounds placed in one sentence usually causes some confusion and amusing mistakes. However. Modification: Learners are in roles of. vary intonation according to situations Our goal is not to achieve a native-like accent but to teach our learners accurate pronunciation in order to be clearly and comfortably understood. D Each learner in the circle says one letter of the English alphabet in order with distinct intonation. The others guess what the scene is about according to the characters’ intonation and body language. • Tongue twisters Tongue twisters are phrases that are difficult to pronounce since they rely on rapid alternation of similar phonemes (such as “v” and “w” or “s” [s] and “sh” [ʃ] etc. It does not give us a chance to personalize and express our feelings in our speech. Student B pretends not to hear and asks “What?”. Instead of words they use letters of alphabet in its order (each letter with different intonation). B. The following activities give you some ideas how to practise pronunciation. a  policeman and a  driver who make a  short dialogue together. A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked. • Very well. stress and intonation naturally in various contexts. Student A repeats the same question impatiently. very well. Red lorry. chunks and sentences. tongue twisters are great warm-ups for learners who wish to release their vocal cords and exercise their tongue muscles. In a language classroom. 2001. words. Student B pretends for the second time not to hear and asks “What?” Student A asks the last time very This activity is great practice for using the voice potential of learners. • The thirty-three thieves thought that they thrilled the throne throughout Thursday. very well. • Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.. say a tongue twister slowly and clearly and then invite your learners to join you. learner A asks learner B the question “What time is it?” with distinct intonation. where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked? • A. 7 37 .. Learners have to listen to each other to be able to continue and alter the intonation of the letters. • I scream.). If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. We learned this activity from Daniela Bačová. However. Student B says “I don´t know”. In the second round. body movement and clear gestures. • Dubbing Learners A and B read their lines from a dialogue without producing any sounds. • I like it8 In the first round.). Body language can be used too. Many of them are a combination of verbal and non-verbal elements. songs. Modification: A Martian will explain to his audience in gibberish how he got to Earth. this time. The mood. status and intention of a communicator can be better expressed by varied intonation. “Martians” or members of tribes who do not understand each other. adding some extra sounds to give the essence of the text (poems. One student will interpret it into English for the others. It works best when learners are in the roles of.angrily. playscript. limericks.. the learners say the same sentence in the same intonation they used before. This technique is used in the lesson plan Aliens.. the others guess the context. as if they were dubbing them. It is also used in the lesson plan Aliens in this handbook. then between learner C and D and so on. Learners C and D follow the same dialogue while they read learners A and B’s lines loudly. Learners stand in a circle during these activities. They just open their mouths and act the dialogue out. stressing and repeating some parts. 10 This technique is used in the lesson plan ‘The Train to Glasgow’ in this handbook. stress and pitch to learner A and B’s body expression. NAME ACTIVITIES Remembering learners’ names is the first step towards creating a friendly atmosphere in a drama class. There must be strong cooperation among all learners who are involved in the dialogue so that dubbing is done simultaneously and sounds natural. chants. for example. each learner in the circle says the sentence “I like it” with different intonation as if using it in some context. 8 9 38 . Learners C and D need to adjust their intonation. • Gibberish or mumbo-jumbo9 Gibberish is a non-existing language which can be created by making any sounds that our vocal cords and body can produce. Name activities provide opportunities to get to know each other and learn about each other. • Choral reading10 Learners in groups read a dialogue together in different voices. The same continues between learner B and learner C. A learner next to you continues. Learners with the same names will stand next to each other. Pass the ball to Learner A next to you. Example: My name is Ann and I like apples (showing eating apples). This can be easily mimed too. pass it in the circle or use a paper ball instead. Check the order together. Example: My name is Ann and I like aerobics. The person whose name starts with A is the first person in a chain. • My name is Ann and I usually do this… Introduce yourself by your first name and show some feature (gesture. • Alphabet chain Tell your learners to reorder themselves according to their first names into alphabetical order. Instead of “I like”. • An imaginary ball Learners throw an imaginary ball in a circle and say their own names. frowning. playing with hair. It is a very easy and quick activity. In the second round they can say the names of learners catching the ball. They require concentration and listening to each other to be able to continue in a chain. they practise all names and their classmates’ favourite sports together. practise students’ names from A to Z and vice versa. or tapping on a table. Make sure that no learner is omitted. The name of the sport has to start with the first letter of your name. Mime doing aerobics. repeats your name and your favourite sport. • Associations In a circle. Learner A says another word somehow connected with yours and passes the ball to the next learner. learners are not asked to produce a lot of language yet. adds his name and his favourite sport. say a word. Example: My name is Ann and I usually do this… (the person mimes his/her habit or typical gesture). Learner next to you continues. Modification: The vocabulary of favourite food or animals can be used instead. etc…). roll it on the floor. WORD CHAINS Word-chain activities are types of verbal warm-ups. bad habit) typical for you (biting nails. “I don’t like” can be used. OR My name is Ann and I like anaconda snakes (miming anaconda snakes). This continues until all learners are introduced. They mime these at all times. This continues until all learners are introduced. Since these activities are preparatory oral activities. Finally. repeats your name and mimes your habit/gesture and adds his name and his habit/gesture. If you want to prevent some discipline problems caused by throwing and catching the ball. Learner B makes another association 39 .• My name is Ann and I like… Introduce yourself by your first name and say the sport you like playing. Practise all names and mime typical habits/gestures of all learners in the circle together. psychologists. background. grammatical structure and logical meaning cannot be broken. C (was). slowly. Having two identical characters sitting in the “hot seats“ might be less threatening for learners. question mark and comma. watched TV and met friends.. Learner A adds a word which grammatically and logically fits. Learner A  repeats your sentence and adds a new piece of information: At the weekend I relaxed and watched TV. 11 40 . encourage others to mime their activities or make two small circles. Hot-seating should not have either an evaluative or moralizing character. sociologists. friends.. personality and relationships to others. journalists. Learner C adds four words. Learner B repeats learner A’s sentence and adds another piece of information: At the weekend I relaxed. etc. HOT-SEATING Hot-seating is a verbal drama technique which can be used before or after role-plays. This goes on. Modification 1: You can determine the words which must be used in the sentence (e. D (a). feelings and thoughts. judges. learner A adds two words. parents. say a  sentence: At the weeked.. feelings. The characters in roles sitting on the “hot-seat” are interviewed by other learners who are also in roles of. Learner B adds three words. H (alone). • Say one word11 Learners sit in a circle. B adds another one.. short improvisations or short performances.. Modification 4: Each chunk of words/phrase will begin with a different letter of the alphabet in order. F (who). The interviewed character sits in the “hot seat” in front of the interviewers and answers questions about his actions.with Learner A´s word. motives. his.. then. Its aim is to understand characters’ motives. for example. • Say more words Learners sit in a circle. training the third team told Tamara to train three times. Example: ocean­– shark – teeth – dentist – fear – flying – . This continues in a circle. teachers. Modification 2: You can appoint the students who will be the punctuation marks such as fullstop. E (man).. the thin teacher. Example: Timothy. We learnt this activity from Tony Butterfield in Nitra in 1999..). If your learners cannot remember all the activities towards the end of the chain. who. Start a sentence with one word. Modification 3: You can determine the initial letter of all words in a sentence.. • What you did at the weekend In a circle.g. TV reporters.. The sentence might look like: A (Once). Start a sentence with Once.. C continues and this goes on while the structure and logical meaning of a sentence is kept. I  relaxed. B (there). G (lived). school magazine. A young man asks his girlfriend to marry him. drunk man sits next to her. they take notes of their answers. etc. Examples of situations: • On the bus. THOUGHTS BEHIND WORDS Learner A is a character and Learner B is the character’s thought. A driver is trying to explain to a police officer why he was speeding. You can show the scenes with just the thoughts speaking. Learner C is the other person on the bus. One of them is having an affair. Possible follow-up activities: Teacher-in-role thanks the guest(s) and interviewers. Give a situation to the groups (e. He welcomes the guest(s) (who will be in the hot-seat) and the group of interviewers or journalists. lonely woman sitting and reading on the bus and suddenly a smelly. it deepens understanding of characters’ real feelings and distinguishes the text and its subtext. The interviewee is lying! • A married couple. A teacher is examining a student who is not prepared. The teacher can play a role too. or just the characters speaking – or first with the characters and then with the thoughts.Possible pre-activities: Give some time to your learners to prepare questions in advance. For example. • Excuses. The technique aims to provide a commentary of inner speech.g. Learners can be asked to use their notes from the interview to write an article for the local newspaper. • A job interview. Give clear instructions to your learners: the thought speaks first or the character speaks first (the character speaking first is more interesting for the audience). Learner A is the person on the bus. and Learner D is Learner C’s thoughts. The other half are the thoughts for one of the others. Possible while-activities: While the interviewers are listening to the character(s). 41 . There is an old. Someone you dislike sits next to you on the bus). Learner B will speak his thoughts. old. Learners can practise their scenes and then perform them for the rest of the class. • Life situation. Half of the learners are the people in the situation. He controls the procedure of the interview and encourages learners in roles to ask questions addressed to the character(s). This technique gives an opportunity to practise different questions in context with the intention of finding out something about the characters. and the other knows! • At school. Learners are encouraged to act out immediately on the spot and develop their first ideas. Improvisation Improvisation is a non-scripted drama technique that does not require any planning or structuring.STATUES The techniques listed below share the static moment where learners either in the role of statues or when being “frozen” during action display crucial moments. polished 42 . idea or theme from drama. Such a picture can be discussed and analysed in class. ideas. this technique might have a diagnostic purpose to reveal learners’ proficiency of spoken language. freeze-frame on a video. They can speculate about the image. It reminds us of book illustrations. photographs. their relationship. • Touch and tell This technique uses freeze-frame where the participants are touched by a  teacher or any other viewer on the shoulder to state ideas and thoughts in role. • Still image/tabloid/tableau In groups learners create a frozen position using their bodies to depict a moment. The fewer details about their roles and situation they are given. waxworks. the better it is for their imagination and dynamics of the performance. When the still image is ready. Characters and language develop in the course of action. Special attention should be paid to WHAT is expressed in the picture and HOW meaning is expressed. Learners are given roles and a situation and they act it out spontaneously without any preparation. • Freeze-frame This technique is similar to tabloid. status and tension. idea. In a foreign language classroom. posters and advertisements. Contrasting images showing an actual and ideal situation. It is achieved by stopping learners at the most crucial moment in their improvisation to hold their positions (as if freezing) for a few seconds. ideas and thoughts via context. moment or a theme from a drama through using posture. Sculptors shape the clay either manually or verbally in order to create the sculpture of a person. dream and nightmare version can be used as well. It enables us to focus on a moment in time. gestures and facial expressions of the sculpture. characters. the rest of the class looks at it and comments on what they can see. The improvisations can be repeated. thoughts or relationships through their bodies (body posture and facial expression). It enables learners to better understand characters’ motives. • Sculpting Sculpting is a drama technique where pairs or trio of learners are in the roles of sculptor(s) while the other pair or trio of learners is in the role of clay. You’ll stay at home. WHAT they do and WHERE the scene will happen. This technique aims to practise communication strategies of foreign language learners that are essential in real life. crime. At the hairdresser’s: improvise a situation at the hairdresser’s where Learner A is going to have his/ her hair cut. handling it as if it were a guitar. Some funny situations can appear because of misunderstanding the key word and still being actively involved in the scene thinking that they knew the key word.and improved from lesson to lesson. Example: Klára: Anything can happen to you if you go alone. Examples of key words: pizza. Situations appropriate for improvisations may be based on role-plays and simulations. Tom: Because you want to go with me? Klára: Cairo is dangerous. the following with letter C and this continues up to the letter Z. when all learners are acting the scene out. • Short improvisations Before doing any improvisation. Finally. ask for the key word. smell. my dear. Give them a card with a key word they will be TALKING ABOUT during their performance. it can be shown but never directly said. 43 . not with words. they come to the middle and show the usage of their invented object (manipulating the chair in different ways – e. the word can never be said aloud. etc. learners stand in a circle. pushing it as if it were a pram. Tom: Forget about it. Tom: Dangerous? Klára: Extremely dangerous if you are a tourist there. If they have an idea. when they have to finish their dialogue. • Objects and their usage The easiest way to start off an improvisation is to work with a daily object and show its possible usage in life. they can join and develop the scene one by one. It can be described. When the viewers have an idea what word it is. For example. tell your learners to decide WHO they are. They act out the dialogue without any preparation.). the next line with letter B. bribe. They mime the situation and accompany it with sounds. However. • What’s the word? Learners sit in a semi-circle. Comment: it is recommended to start with concrete words and later when learners gain some experience you can move to abstract words.. dear. The others guess. puppy. Place a chair in the middle and ask learners to imagine anything else but NOT the chair. …. Ask two learners to come on the stage. Learner B is a novice hairdresser and it is his/her very first day at work and Learner A is his/her very first customer.g. The first line of their scene must start with the letter A. WHAT they do and WHERE they are. • Alphabet improvisation Learners in pairs decide WHO they are. Klára: Marco will be disappointed not to see me in Cairo… Tom: Nobody will be disappointed. 12 44 . (elicit the answers from your learners. ISBN 978-8387513-84-9.Klára: Gosh. Geoff: Keep talking!: learning English through drama. Tom: Really? Klára: Sweetie. my dear? Tom: X-file aliens… Klára: You are afraid af everything. Klára: Quiet. Klára: Up there is somebody. Tom: Just my company? Klára: Kind of… Tom: Let me hug you. my dear. use the key words so that your learners pick them up in the context). it’s you who is selfish. storytelling and literature. Tom: Zombies came to visit us.) • Three-word improvisation12 Tell learners to imagine the following situation: You want to buy a used car which is in great condition and of course not very expensive. You want a sporty BMW model because you love fast cars. The following activities of three-word improvisation. keep the image of the car in the classroom during the whole activity and refer to it. Krakow : Wydawnictwo Naukowe WSP 1999. What material are the seats made of? Are they comfortable? What smells can you detect? What about the steering wheel?. sweetie. I’ve told you I heard something. Stephen – FOX. elicit from your learners what they imagine by the car of their dreams. freeze-start and improvised storytelling can be found in: COCKETT.. What about the wheels? What is it like to touch such a car? What lights does it have? Get into the car and take a seat. Tom: Please. Tom: This is not funny anymore. Pre-stage A: Creating the image of the car of your dreams At this point. 124 p.) How powerful is it? What sound does the engine make? (invite your learners to imitate the sound of an engine). Tom: Very funny… Klára: What is it. stop telling me the journey’s off. You have come to a used car showroom to get one which in the advertisement looked just like the car of your dreams.. Klára: Of course not. Create the image of the car together using questions such as: What kind of car would you buy if you had some money available? What does it look like? How big is it? How wide is it? (Show the width and length of the imagined car with your learners. (The end. I can hear somebody coming in. 1st ed. you are so selfish… Tom: Honey. You have an image in your mind. Klára: I just want your company. but you know anything can happen there. Comment: It is neccesery to instruct your learners to follow FREEZE-ACTION-FREEZE schema when improvising.g. Place a chair on one side of the stage facing the audience. Learners become aware of the fact how much body language can help them communicate in daily life and how difficult it is to rely just on miming and gestures. together with your learners. While-improvisation 2: Just act it out This time the same improvisation as described above is done while learners keep the same roles and they act out the same situation without any limitations. Pre-stage B: Creating the image of the worst car ever Follow the same procedure as described above.Tell your learners that when you got to the used car showroom. After-improvisation : Reflection After improvisations. However.g. Again. they will be able to compensate for the unknown or forgotten words (by miming or describing) those which they might lack in their linguistic repertoire. a customer opening the door and entering the used cars shop while the shop assistant is making a phone call). Learners can join the scene whenever they feel the opportunity to do so. While-improvisation 1: Three words only Learners in pairs decide whether they will play a used car dealer or a potential customer. too. The “actors” become objects. • Improvised storytelling Choose one learner who will be the narrator of the story. the wheels are not wide but narrow with a hole. They can make sound effects. Learners stay in frozen positions. The other learners act out the story as the narrator tells it. OLD. Continue in a similar way and invite learners to use their imaginations and involve all senses possible (sounds. it is not spacious but small. smells. they follow FREEZE-ACTION-FREEZE schema and start their improvisation from the agreed moment (e. people or animals depending on what the story is about. Learners create short improvisations on the given situation by using their body language and three words only: CAR. The narrator tells the story and makes a pause so that “actors” can act it out. there was a totally different car and you were very disappointed by it. The viewers get clearer idea about the beginning and the end of performance. create the image of the worst car ever. etc. touch …). 45 . They freeze and return the focus on the narrator to continue with the story. encourage your learners to reflect on doing both improvisations – with three word limitation and without limitation. At the end of their improvisations clap again to stop them. The narrator makes up a story without any preparation. Nothing is planned in advance. Teacher claps hands to signal when to start and when to finish the improvisation. this time it is the worst car ever. Clap your hands to signal that “actors” can start acting out their scenes from the agreed frozen positions. BEAUTIFUL. Now. so it is perhaps not shiny but rusty. Together with your learners agree on the moment the scene will start from (e. At the same time. a customer opening the door and entering the car showroom while the used car dealer is making a phone call). SUMMARY One of the main aims in foreign language teaching is to educate communicative. abilities and strategies to be able to actively and successfully participate in communication by using all means available. CAPTION-MAKING Caption-making is a drama technique in which a performed scenario is summarized with a title. also known as “Thought Tunnel” or “Angels and Devils”. PAUSE Monster: I am afraid… I am afraid of everything!!! FREEZE Narrator: So he went to see the wise owl to ask for some advice. FREEZE CONSCIOUS ALLEY This drama technique. The learners in the lines can represent the walls of the room. Learners form an “alley” (two lines facing each other) and the protagonist walks along the alley to get some advice. he was afraid of the wind (learner in the role of the wind)… He started to be even afraid of himself. objects in the room. skills. hoooooo. PAUSE Monster: Hello! (one learner in the role of a monster) FREEZE Narrator: The monster lived alone in the woods. providing an opportunity to analyse a decisive moment in detail and make suggestions for possible solutions. It is a great way to keep the attention of the audience while other groups are rehearsing/performing their own scenarios. slogan. PAUSE Owl: (learner in role of an owl) Whoo. competent foreign language speakers who are equipped with the language knowledge. Its aim is to give the direct “message” of the scenario.Example: Narrator: Once upon a time there was a monster. (other learners make the sounds of the woods) One day he found out that he was not scary at all but that he was afraid of everything in the woods. question or even a riddle. we can invite him or her to the hot-seat where he/she will be asked questions about the reasons and possible consequences of his/her actions. He was afraid of trees (learners in role of trees frightening the monster). 46 . he was afraid of the Sun (learner in the role of the Sun). After the character has decided to take some action. aims to explore any dilemma faced by a character. The character/protagonist decides which advice/action he will accept when reaching the end of the alley. pages from a diary. Learners in the first line might give some advice in favour of a particular course of action while the learners in the opposite line voice thoughts against it. Captions can be invented in groups for their own scenarios or scenarios of other groups. giving examples. how to join in and how to change the topic smoothly. Can you recall any real life situations which require non-verbal communication? 3. borrowing words from other languages and using paralinguistic and kinaesthetic elements. he/she asks for repetitions. Even more. What do you think are the reasons for teaching non-verbal communication in language lessons? 2. Which drama technique mentioned in this chapter did you experience on your own (maybe as a language learner)? Which drama techniques do you wish to use in the future? Why? 47 . kinesthetic and tactile). Language teachers are constantly challenged to search for teaching techniques that increase efficiency and fulfil the above-mentioned qualities of communicatively competent users of a foreign language. Do we. drama techniques are given high credentials in increasing students’ communicative competence in a classroom setting where natural behaviour and natural language use is stimulated. He/she is able and willing to compensate for his/her gaps in linguistic repertoire by paraphrasing. language teachers. Learners across all ages and proficiency levels will gain a feeling of satisfaction and joy. communicatively competent learners are expected to be more than fluent and accurate users of a target language. anxiety and fear of speaking.Such a learner is curious. socially and culturally. Therefore. clarifications and simplifications. stress-free environment are essential in any language classroom. he/she knows what to say and what not to say. He/she knows how to start and close a conversation. Learning happens naturally. educate foreign language users in the qualities described above? Is that just a dream or an achievable reality? We believe that the above-mentioned goals can be achieved in a foreign language classroom. (A Chinese proverb) 4. Tell me I forget. Involve me and I learn. motivate and encourage language learners to practise the target language in a friendly. he/she is not afraid to use a foreign language under any circumstances and is ready to take risks to give and get new pieces of information. with much less effort and energy. Questions for you CHAPTER II. spontaneously. When he/she does not hear or understand something. They are appropriate for all types of learners (visual. auditory. Teach me I remember. How is the quotation below related to teaching and learning a foreign language through drama techniques? Explain. playfulness and entertainment from learning through drama. 1. We strongly believe that drama techniques are a meanigful teaching tool that should not be avoided by any means. What are the general aims of the drama-based warm-ups. We proudly state that drama techniques belong in foreign language classrooms because of their endless potential to shape learners communicatively. Techniques that help break the ice. Nowadays. minglers and ice-breakers listed in this chapter? 5. Even learners with different types of intellingences profit from drama activities in many ways. Drama techniques and their meaningful application in a foreign language education help teachers create an authentic setting and decrease students’ tension. Put a tick (√) next to those statements that best describe your teaching abilities. After studying CHAPTER II. skills and competences after completing Chapter II.REFLECTION BOX 2. I am able to: • summarize important points on verbal and non-verbal activities in a foreign language classroom • name at least five different drama techniques and explain their aims • explain which techniques can be used to get to know my learners better • explain the procedure of at least two different activities which can be used to increase learners’ concentration • name some activities that aim to train learners’ pronunciation and intonation 48 YES I WISH TO IMPROVE . How can authentic communication be taught in a foreign language classroom? Notions such as communicative approach. The aim of this chapter is not to define them but rather show specific examples of drama techniques and activities that aim to develop the communicative competence of language learners. Role-plays and simulations 3. DRAMATIZING COURSEBOOK DIALOGUES CHAPTER III. improve their social skills and increase their cultural awareness. teacher trainers and language teachers. Authentic communication in a foreign language classroom 2. AUTHENTIC COMMUNICATION IN THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSROOM Foreign language communication as such is a complex process that requires long-lasting training as in any other activity.CHAPTER III. Making coursebook dialogues come alive via drama techniques creating • setting • characters • dramatic hook TASK 10. communicative competence and authentic communication are frequently used by practitioners. you will come across the following issues: 1. drama techniques aim to encourage language teachers to be less dependent on ready-made materials (such as the strict use of coursebooks) and support the use of their creative potential when working with coursebook dialogues and texts. What do you understand by “authentic communication”? TASK 11. DRAMATIZING COURSEBOOK DIALOGUES In this chapter. At the same time. the following elements should be taken into consideration when analysing it: • WHO? Who is my communication partner? Do I know him? What kind of relationship is there? What is my status/his or her status? … • WHAT? Why should I speak to him/her? Is there any communication need? Does he have the information which I lack? What topics should I discuss with him/her? • HOW? How am I going to speak to the person? Slowly? Fast? Politely? In which mood? 49 . methodologists. Looking at it from a different perspective. drama techniques help create context. then their conversation is meaningless. We talk with feeling and we must learn to add this to the words if we are going to have true communication. language teachers. 113. it is more difficult to bear them in mind when speaking a foreign language. Richard. teach authentic communication in a classroom setting? Referring back to Chapter 1. 14 VIA.“15 It is obvious that drama techniques represent a great teaching and learning tool in the process of learning how to use a foreign language fluently. p. 13 50 . language teachers.. social and cultural advantages. We talk with emotion.. The following quotations show how authentic communication is perceived among teacher trainees: Authentic communication is. We agree with Richard Via13 when he says: “A play is all communication.. . We truly believe that the training of foreign language communication should also involve the above-mentioned elements.• WHERE? Where will the communication take place? Doing what? • WHEN? When does the communication happen? In the past/present/future? In the morning.“14 He also emphasizes the need to use emotions in speech when he writes: “It is impossible for someone to be anyone else. learners facing communication barriers feel the same thing actors feel on the stage . shape our learners into efficient language users rather than language knowers? How can we. its participants are expected to be flexible enough to be able to exchange information.spontaneous. Every communicative situation is specific and unique. without thinking how to say something correctly. You speak how sentences come to you. 1987. We talk in ideas. Therefore. afternoon. evening. According to him. therefore language learners need to add their own feelings and desires to any exercise if the language is to express what they wish it to express. accurately but mainly naturally. at night? These elements are applied naturally in our L1 (mother tongue) usage. Besides linguistic. provide a variety of communicative situations with different characters and offer a unique opportunity to play in a foreign language and at the same time with a foreign language. 114. We don´t talk in pattern practices and drills. Via even used to teach his language learners how to act professionally and followed the ideas of Russian director Constantin Stanislavski. Herein the following questions arise: is there enough variety of communicative situations created in a foreign language classroom? Are there enough opportunities provided to our learners to practise their communication skills in different communicative situations with different communication partners? Will our learners be able to use a foreign language in their daily lives? Will they be able to adjust to a variety of communicative situations? Will their speech sound natural? How can we. there is a great potential for drama techniques in the foreign language classroom.. p. If students are not expressing their own feelings. 15 Ibid.they are being watched by an audience.. not according to books and dictionaries. (Zuzana) Richard Via (an ex-actor and stage manager on Broadway) used theatre techniques and applied them in a foreign language classroom. however. • when sending and receiving messages with an intention to find out something. make pauses to breathe. A good coursebook based on the communicative approach can become a great teaching aid for both teachers and learners. talk about girls.when we meet a friend in the street and we just talk about anything and gossip without any preparation of vocabulary and language forms in advance. shop…). expressions such as hmm.. (Ľubica) . with background sounds. our learners will hardly become confident and natural users of a foreign language in real-life situations. (Ján) . call parents to ask what’s new). sex. • in a place where background sounds are present. chatting…). they talk spontaneously without any preparation and thinking how to say something correctly). gestures. status who exchange ideas with feelings. talk fast. the combination of the human aspect of a language teacher and his/her will to respect the variety of his/her learners’ needs. • when it happens (a few times a day).. • who communication partners are (friends.. age... when I call to my parents to ask what´s new at home. emotions and also express themselves non-verbally through body language. • daily.. school.what we go through a few times a day .. fast speech. without preparation of speech in advance. • how they behave (they use body language. people are talking at the same time. Without proper application of the communicative approach. therefore there are some pauses and hesitations in their speech too. teachers.when I want to buy something in a shop. In our perception authentic communication happens: • between/among speakers and listeners of different cultural origin. parents…). In spite of the fact that almost all language teachers are professionally trained to follow the latest trends in communicative language teaching. (Peter) . they are not able to implement them efficiently in a foreign language classroom. 51 . when I talk to my friends about the girls at school. home. use expressions such as “hmmm”. wants and lacks is unbeatable. However... and make pauses to breathe. • how they are talking (gossiping.when participants use body language and gestures. • the purpose of communication – why (to buy something. (Petra) The above-mentioned explanations cover: • the place where communication happens (street. while they are not at home. designing and preparation. two friends. You need to ask permission from your parents. how to express meaning through mime. how to become accepted and understood). As for the follow-up. etc. • social skills (how to socialize. • awareness of otherness (how to understand others’ feelings and motives for acting. Role B: You are a very conservative parent of a 17-year-old teenager who wants to stay overnight with his girlfriend in her parents´ house. Roald Dahl’s Matilda.g. What do you think is the difference between a dialogue and a role-play? TASK 13. married couple. how to share others’ attitudes).g. Role-plays enable us to look at a situation from a different perspective by experiencing it on our own. gestures. their actions and setting are described or invented.g. lead and finish a dialogue. Prepare a few reasons to persuade your parents to allow you to do what you want. a Martian. an angry boss and a lazy secretary. • self-awareness (how to gain confidence. doctor – patient. how to approach people). proficiency level and the interests of learners. Role-plays should practise: • conversation skills of a character in a specific role (how to start. while they are not at home. Brad Pitt. What do you think is the difference between a role-play and a simulation? • Role-play This is the most frequent and well-known drama technique used in a foreign language classroom. Preparation stage .). it needs careful planning. Angelina Jolie. how to express oneself even with limited knowledge of vocabulary and grammar). Role-plays should respect age. etc. parent – child. Role-play should be preceded by a set of activities where characters. how to solve unexpected problems). Since role-playing is quite a complex drama technique. etc.ROLE-PLAYS AND SIMULATIONS TASK 12. a lost child and an old lady. • nonverbal communication through mime. an inexperienced doctor and an old patient. • creativity (how to communicate in unpredictable situations. facial expressions and body posture (how to express the status of the character through body language.). The roles can be specifically defined (e. React to this situation. The participants act out specific roles in some relationship (e. the technique “hotseating” can be used to reveal characters’ actions and the reasons behind their decisions. Superman. Example: Role A: You are a 17-year-old teenager and you want to stay overnight with your girlfriend at her parents´ house.creating: • characters – who they are? • place – where they are? 52 . how to negotiate.). How to use role-plays in a foreign language classroom? 1. how to understand and react to the body language of other cultures). The roles of real people and also celebrity and supernatural characters are very popular among learners (e. Reflection stage is the final stage of a role-play where learners and teachers are together expected to provide feedback on the quality of performed role-plays. what they feel like. negotiate and exchange information via applying different language functions). What age and proficiency level are they appropriate for? 2. Which role-play do you like the most? Why? 6. WHAT they are supposed to discuss. How would you modify the following role-plays so that they sounded more attractive to your learners? 9. 2. it should require language appropriate to the age and proficiency level of learners). • adjusted to the proficiency level of learners (the task should be clearly formulated and it should require the use of known words.• the purpose of their communication – why they are talking together? • content­­­­­­­­­­ – what they are talking about? 2. Read the following role-plays and discuss: 1. there should be enough information about characters­– who they are. Are they authentic enough? What makes them authentic? 4. TASK 14. • manageable in a given time limit (it should not be either too simple or too demanding to accomplish). Is it clear WHO the characters are. Which steps would you follow if you used one of the role-plays in your class? 53 . 3. It should be: • appropriate to the age level of learners and their life experience (a teenage learner would be unable to book a flight ticket without personal life experience). • communicative (there should be a reason to start a dialogue. A welldesigned role-play should be tailor-made. Would they be interesting for your learners? Why do you think so? 3. Production stage involves performing role-plays where learners in roles act as somebody else in an invented situation. Which language structures and functions can be practised through these role-plays? 5. WHERE and WHEN the dialogue happens? 7. How would you design a simple version of a role-play for adults – beginners? 10. 1. what their relationship is to each other. description of setting – where the conversation happens. what they are like. creativity of learners in roles and their motives to act in certain ways are possible issues to be discussed and reflected on in a class. moment of surprise – a twisting element in a dialogue where something unexpected happens). • well-designed (1. Features of a good role-play Nowadays different types of role-plays are commonly integrated into language coursebooks. Is there any moment of surprise/tension? 8. The language used. You are desperately looking for the nearest police station and you have stopped a student to ask him how to get there. ROLE-PLAY B: You: You are having dinner in an expensive restaurant with your parents. You find using the mobile phone very difficult and you really do not understand the instructions of your grandson. so be patient and re-explain to her how to use the mobile until she understands. His English is not very good so he will ask you to re-explain the directions. Complain to the manager of the restaurant about the quality of the food. the teams he played for. Ask for repetitions. raise voice when necessary. she does not understand your instructions. Analyse them answering the questions 1 – 10 above. You are explaining to her how to use it. They even refuse to pay for the food. Answer his questions. Your car was stolen. ROLE-PLAY D: “FASHIONABLE GRANNY” Produce a dialogue between a young man and his grandmother who is learning how to use a mobile phone. Your parents are not willing to pay for the food. use proper intonation. You are quite nervous because you want to be at school on time but you also want to be polite and help the foreigner. there are some problems.The following role-plays are designed differently on purpose. ROLE-PLAY C: You: You are walking to school and you are in a hurry because today you are sitting a very important exam. Your partner: You are the manager of an expensive restaurant. A sports journalist wants to write an article about you for a magazine called Sport. What is even worse. service and waiting time. Granny: You have received a new mobile phone from your grandson who worries about you and wants to be in touch with you more often. Some guests are complaining about the food. Apologize to them and charge them only for drinks. biggest life achievement. Your grandson will explain to you how to use it. and about his future plans. ROLE-PLAY A: You: You are a sports journalist from a magazine called Sport. 54 . Your partner: You are a well-known Slovak sportsman/sportswoman. You want to write a short article about a well-known Slovak sportsman. A foreigner stops you and asks you how to get to the nearest police station. Grandson: You have bought a mobile phone for your granny to be in touch with her more often. She is quite old and cannot hear very well. Do an interview with him and find out about how he started his career. Unfortunately. Your English is not perfect and you have some problems understanding it. To make the situation more real. reformulations and re-explanations. Pretend you’re in an extreme situation of two people not hearing or understanding each other. You are quite old and you do not hear very well. Ask for repetitions and reformulations until you understand. You also wear false teeth so it is not easy to understand you. She also wears false teeth so it is not easy to understand her. make pauses and use body language. service and waiting time. Your partner: You are a foreigner visiting Slovakia. 17 Ibid. Modify one of the above role-plays in a way that makes it more exciting for your learners. The participants use their own life experience when solving the problems. creativity and motivation. 16 55 . The main aim is to provide an opportunity to communicate extensively in a realistic setting while the main aim of the role-play is to practise language functions in a controlled context. a simulation is like a strawberry. 1st ed. problems. Give them some time for rehearsing. • it brings reality of characters..17 In simulation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 1982. They are usually longer (they may last a few hours. letters. p. analyse it. They shape the event by their comments and behaviour. controversial. A simulation is according to Ken Jones. speculate.”16 What is simulation? Simulation is a technique in which a clearly specified and realistic place and characters with background information and duties are created and a problem is solved. 113. and a real need to communicate. Re-design it and then ask your colleagues/learners to roleplay it in front of the class. setting. • it encourages thinking. solve the problem. Simulations have a broader concept and may include some elements of role-play. It has to be tasted to be appreciated. • Simulations According to Ken Jones. discuss. What is the difference between a simulation and a role-play? The terms “simulation” and “role-play” have been used interchangeably. learners have a role and clearly specified responsibilities. • it promotes the development of interpersonal relations and social skills. JONES. • it increases students’ talking time and decreases teacher’s talking time (teacher is in the role of a facilitator or occasionally participates directly in the simulation).TASK 15. in the form of a discussion among the characters with the presence of concrete facts (written documents. • it provides opportunities to practise fluency and accuracy in context. ISBN 9780521270-45-8.). months) and are more complex. They should (but sometimes they do not have to) arrive at a conclusion and solve the problem. invent some tension either between the characters or tension in the situation. newspapers etc. p. They respond to the task. Ken: Simulations in Language Teaching. • it practises all language skills. “In a very real sense. judge and evaluate it. Why use simulation in a foreign language classroom? • it lowers anxiety and breaks the ice in communicating in a foreign language. 7. Make the roles more interesting. “reality of function in a simulated and structured environment”. weeks. maps. They may also comment on the simulation itself and discuss its relevance and connection to real life. Action stage: Teacher is advised to be in the role of an observer without any intervention. JONES. invoices.). This stage is suitable for self-evaluation. and with the documents available (e. job. letters. Learners interact and respond to the task and try to get the problem solved. the language and the behaviour of the characters can be discussed and focused on. 18 56 . • present/practise the language needed for simulation. You might prepare some forms to be filled in to better define the role of a character through identifying his hobbies. office. court. consider the following questions: • Will it be suitable for your class? • Does it reflect your learners’ needs and wants? • Will your learners be interested in the topic? • Will all the class be involved? • Do your learners have any life experience to solve the problem in the simulation? • How much time are you willing to spend on it in a lesson? Preparation stage: • arrange the furniture to create the real setting (e.. Learners can express their feelings and specify the problems they had during simulation. Let simulation flow on its own. where learners can evaluate their own language mastery and the way they interacted and cooperated with others. They might ask about the meaning of some unknown words they needed during the activity. Before using a simulation with your learners.g. family relation etc. Basically. Ken.g. background. • start with some introduction activities and simple role-plays until all participants know their own and each other’s roles well.. canteen. personality. photographs.. 1982. Students can describe what compensation strategies they used (if any) and how they behaved when they were lacking some words in particular situations. • make your learners familiar with their roles. Reflection stage: Debriefing after action is the follow-up. They are at a meeting where they have to decide what they will do with the spaceship and how they will treat the aliens.How to use simulations in a foreign language classroom. club). Example: “Spaceship”18 Scenario: The learners are inhabitants of a small city where an unknown spaceship with aliens has landed. • be in the role of a facilitator. Stage 2: Enjoy the action of simulation. Ask about the feelings and the way they followed when they were solving the problem. Documents: • handout for each participant of the simulation explaining what it is about. • a complaint letter written by farmers whose crops were damaged by the spaceship. doctor.Setting: City Hall. take notes of reactions of your learners during the simulation. Start with short role-plays between/among characters. I should not lose patience with the farmers who are very angry because the spaceship landed on their fields and destroyed crops. I will explain to others what might happen if we approach the spaceship and try to open it. I will certainly ask the biologist how opening the spaceship might effect the health of the people in my town. Check whether everybody is familiar with his role and knows his responsibilities. Introduce the characters with their roles. what they liked. farmer. Let your learners choose the one they feel comfortable with. town inhabitants (children. The inhabitants of my town trust me a lot and I do not want to disappoint them with a wrong decision about the unknown spaceship with aliens. Ask your learners to evaluate their own contribution to the problem-solving process. teacher. I need to find out who sent the invitation letter to the aliens. Let the conversation flow and develop on its own. biologist. 57 . Ask what they learned. statues etc. voice activities. their parents and grandparents). Pre-teach the language your learners might need. Stage 1: Create the setting of a meeting room in a city hall. Start with a short introduction and ice-breaking activities (such as miming. I have to be careful in offering a final solution. • set of role cards (more learners may have the same role) • photographs of aliens. Be an active observer. vet. a meeting room Roles: mayor. Example of a role card: Role 1: A Mayor I am a recently elected Mayor in a small town in eastern Slovakia. Give your learners enough time to cope with their task. Stage 3: Debriefing. priest.). • invitation letter for aliens written by an unknown person. what they did not like and what they would do differently next time. It needs to be approved by more than half of the present city representatives. I need to listen to everybody and find out their opinions on the problem. Introduce the documents. members of the city council. You have already paid A for the ticket that he was supposed to buy for you. social). However. Madam. make sure that you first become familiar with it. Sandra: OK. May I help you? Sandra: Good morning. Read the following coursebook dialogue and decide what kind of learners it is appropriate for (their age and proficiency level). Set clear goals and objectives (linguistic. Shop assistant: What’s your size? Sandra: Number 38. TASK 18. You finally have a chance to go to their concert with your friends. Start with simple 58 . Which teaching techniques would you use when working with this dialogue? Explain their goals and procedure. Predict the language your learners will be and will not be familiar with.50.TASK 15. Prepare the scenario. • Becoming familiar with a dialogue Before using a cousebook dialogue. How will you react? Who will go to the concert? Role B: You have a car and you promised to drive it to the U2 concert with your friends. black. Role C: You are the biggest fan of the group U2. MAKING COURSEBOOK DIALOGUES ALIVE VIA DRAMA TECHNIQUES TASK 16. Role A: You and your friends are fans of the pop group U2 and you were planning to go to their concert together. cultural. you do not have a ticket yet. setting. characters and their responsibilities. How would you extend the following role-play into a simulation? Consider the situation. You went to buy the tickets but you got the two last ones. Shop assistant: What colour do you prefer? Sandra: Uhm. A sample dialogue: Shop assistant: Good morning. Which coursebooks do you use for teaching English? Do these coursebooks teach your learners authentic language? Explain. Do you think the dialogues in the coursebooks you use are authentic enough? Explain. Shop assistant: How about these ones? Sandra: I’ll take them. I need a pair of socks. TASK 17. Try to be creative when using a dialogue with your learners. How much are they? Shop assistant: 2. • Reading in roles. Make sure you write them on the blackboard or on slips of paper. With your learners. then in small groups. my dear… (B aside): . After listening to a dialogue.. young. angry. tired way. discuss their relationship and tension (if there is any) in order to understand better the characters’ feelings and their motives for action. • Reading and acting out a dialogue. • Visualization of characters Discuss the dialogue characters and let your learners draw them according to their imagination. in pairs.Uh. Another possibility is that another pair of learners create a soundtrack to the dialogue and sing along while the other two pairs read and act out the same dialogue. tactile and kinaesthetic learners through miming and guessing new words. • Reading aloud. dancing by learners in the mood of a dialogue or dialogue characters may accompany the whole process. in small groups.. • Dialogue aside This is an advanced version of the role-play in which characters play their roles. Learners should get a correct pronunciation and intonation model either from listening to a recording accompanying the coursebook or from a teacher who reads the dialogue aloud in front of the class. Older learners might prefer searching for some photos on the Internet. Learners are welcome to experiment and read the lines of characters depending on their mood (reading in a happy. individually) until feeling confident enough to pronounce new words correctly. a teenager.... It’s awful.I hope he will not notice that I bought it in a sushi bar. Finally.activities which pre-teach new vocabulary. A in role: The sushi you made is just delicious! You are such a great cook! (A aside: . learners practise their pronunciation and intonation through different types of drills (with a teacher. However. This creates tension and reveals the characters´ intentions and attitudes.. finally inviting individuals. grammar structures and functions. • Reading techniques Reading a dialogue sounds a rather traditional technique. The technique called “Statues” can be used in order to make a still image to depict the dialogue characters and their relationship in a particular moment in a dialogue. Their bodies are frozen as in a photograph. A pair of learners read a dialogue in roles while the other pair of learners act out the same dialogue simultaneously. it is undeniably a crucial step towards complex language practice and acquisition.) B in role: I spent all day cooking. drill their pronunciation in chorus. Involve auditory. Other learners comment on these characters. sad. make conversation but add extra information which should not be said aloud because it reflects their real attitude and could sound impolite or too honest. I am already feeling sick….. a small child or reading aloud in a high or low status). This extra information can be whispered as an aside by the characters. reading aloud as if old. Create short chants to remember new vocabulary and its pronunciation better. visual. 59 . Draw rails with chalk on the floor. between. The sitting learners make conversation and their “brains” comment on what they really think. Another pair of learners follows the same dialogue and reads it aloud as if they were dubbing it. What colour are the walls in this restaurant? What colour are the curtains? Tablecloths? Carpet?. will be placed. colours. Comments: this activity is always helpful in practising prepositions of place such as near. tables. How big are the tables? What is their shape? What is on the tables? What smells can you smell? Are they pleasant? What do they remind you of? Which sounds can you hear? Can you make the same sounds? What can you hear in the morning? What can you hear in the evening? 60 . chairs. invite your learners to rearrange it in that way. with a heavy sofa. • Tell your learners to close their eyes. size and touch After doing this activity. for example. The classroom needs to be rearranged. They mime how they carry the furniture and place it in a flat.• Voices in the head (Brain) Learners are in roles and are sitting. learners will become familiar with the space in their classroom. Another way of creating setting is to “furnish” an empty classroom with invisible furniture. They are in the roles of their brains and say “true” things aloud. above. bar. ticket office and fast-food restaurants are. They just open their mouths. tropical flowers and so on.. They are arranging it. create the whole scene together. They have to achieve compromise as to where the furniture will be placed. Each piece of furniture has its own position. Classroom arrangement After doing this activity. kitchen etc. Guide their fantasy through the following questions: Example: Creating a setting in a restaurant. below. an experience of authentic communication will never be achieved. smells. under. next to. they can ask their hosts. in front of. • Creating setting If a dialogue is demonstrated in a traditional classroom arrangement. The same number of learners are standing and facing the sitting learners. a bed. so learners should respect this when “visiting each other” and not walk through walls and so on. behind. Decide where the entrance. Sounds. If a dialogue takes place in a train station. • Dubbing Learners read a coursebook dialogue in the way that they follow the exact lines but do not say them aloud.. The first thing is to rearrange the classroom and change it into a dialogue setting. If they can not “see” where the furniture was placed. decide where the waiting room. If a dialogue takes place in a restaurant. on. in etc. changed into a different setting with colours. Learners in groups pretend to move themselves into a one-room flat. smells and sounds. a huge TV set. learners will be able to better imagine the scene of a dialogue using their senses. • Invite students to “touch” objects created by their imagination. What is it like to touch an old wooden table? Is it pleasant? Why? Why not? • Creating characters Coursebook dialogues do not tell us much about their characters. We get to know them either through pictures in a coursebook or short videos from DVDs. We hardly know their first names. We know nothing about their feelings, attitudes and problems. Creating characters and shaping them as real human beings is up to our learners’ imaginations. The following drama techniques demonstrate how their appearance, behaviour, manners, status and way of walking and speaking can be gradually created. Clay The objective of this activity is to “model” a dialogue character (or any other character) according to learners’ imaginations. Learners work in small groups where some are in the role of sculptors and others are a pile of clay. The sculptors model a statue (from learners who are in the role of clay) that is identical to a dialogue character. The statue is modelled in a specific position and shows any moment from a dialogue. Modification: The sculptor does not touch the clay but gives clear instructions to the learner who is in the role of clay. For example: Raise you head slowly and look up. Bend your knees. Lean forward… Physical appearance The objective of this activity is to create the physical appearance of dialogue characters. Learners choose some props from their drama box and disguise themselves with hats, scarves, glasses, wigs etc. Another possibility is to draw characters or use old pictures from magazines or photographs. As for the follow-ups, learners in groups create statues (see the technique above) and describe their physical appearance. Example: This is Lady Gaga, she is wearing a …, she is holding a …, she is singing …. Status Status is defined as one’s social or professional rank or position, considered in relation to other people. Each communication situation requires a different status between communication partners depending on their social position, relationship or mood. For example, a teacher can act in a high status when talking to his/her students and at the same time can be in a low status when talking to his/her superior, a school headteacher. Sometimes people change their status within the same communication situation (e.g. a modest teacher initially in a low status will gradually turn it into a higher status when arguing with a colleague). The chart below demonstrates some features of the low and high status of characters. 61 nonverbal features verbal and suprasegmental features low status high status • indirect, avoiding eye contact • hunched shoulders • worried facial features • closed palms • stammering • low voice level • poor articulation, muttering • poor intonation • direct eye contact • body straightened up • confidence in facial and body expression • open palms • fluent speech • distinct intonation and accent • exaggerated articulation Status of characters can be practised in small steps through: • The individual practice of nonverbal features: how the character walks, sits, looks at others, shakes hands, hugs others...; • individual practice of suprasegmental features: voice depth, intonation, stress, the sounds the character makes (how he/she smiles, laughs, weeps, coughs, hums etc.). Examples of activities to practise status in a foreign language classroom: Miming adjectives Prepare a pile of cards with adjectives on them. Choose one card and without showing it to others, mime the adjective which is written there. Demonstrate an example. Let your learners guess. Then your learners take turns and do the same. Comment: This activity appears to be very simple. However, it is very demanding especially for drama beginners who have difficulties to “act” in front of their classmates. Make sure you cover a variety of adjectives showing positive and negative feelings. Modification: Prepare two files in advance: one file with adjectives (e.g. angry, cheerful, funny, sleepy, …), the second one with activities (open the window, walk, play tennis, …). Then invite learners to mime both expressions together (e.g. walk in an angry way, open the window in a cheerful way, etc.). Reading a dialogue in high and low status19 Prepare a coursebook dialogue in advance. First, practise reading the roles in a low status with all the class and then in a high status. Finally, learners practise reading aloud in high and low status in pairs. Comments: Learners read a dialogue in a different status while the rest of the learners listen carefully and have to decide who was in high and in low status. Still image (frozen picture, tabloid, tableaux) Still image is a drama technique that is used to clarify context, characters and their needs. It helps learners visually distiguish between characters in high and low status and their relationship in a specific communication situation. A group of learners in the roles of dialogue characters show via frozen We learnt the “status” technique and “status” activities from BELTS – Bratislava English Language Theatre Society in 2000. 19 62 picture a key moment from a dialogue without using any words. Learners use mimes, gestures and body posture to such an extent that a message is clear to all viewers. Learners can show their status in different positions (learners with high status stand on a chair, learners in low status can kneel). Viewers evaluate and speculate on the created images, discuss the roles of characters, their status and relationship. A good tabloid shows clearly who the characters are and what their relationship is. Modification: The alternative technique, “Touch and Tell”, is based on a similar principle as “Still Image”. When learners who show the frozen picture are touched on the shoulder by the viewers or a teacher, they speak their thoughts in the role. Master and servant The aim of this activity is to practise playing characters of low and high status and experience the twist when the character of low status changes to high status and vice versa. Learners in pairs are in the roles of a master and a servant who constantly gets ridiculous orders from his master who is of high status. However, the servant gets tired of his lazy master and gradually becomes angry (in high status) while his master becomes calmer (in low status). Example: Master: Servant, come here, immediately, scratch my back. (Servant comes, scratches his master’s back and leaves.) (In a moment.) Master: Servant, come here, bring me a glass of wine. …..(in high status) Servant: Sir, here you are… (in low status) Master: Servant, where are you? There is a fly on my hand. Do something about it…. ……(after a few orders) Servant: Of course, Sir. (slightly changing the status – intonation, mime, way of walking) Master: Servant, where are you? Come here, immediately. There’s a fly in my wine…. Servant: Yes, sir. And what? What do you want me to do with the fly this time? (gradually increasing the status) … Master: What do you mean? (surprise, change of status from high to low) … • Creating a dramatic hook (moment of surprise, dramatic tension)20 A dramatic hook is the moment in which the behaviour of characters unexpectedly changes. Such a twist in a dialogue (or in a story) conditions the development of forthcoming scenes. If there were no hook in films and theatre plays, they would be boring, monotonous and predictable. In real life, we are all excellent creators of different situations that contain a lot of tension. Misunderstandings, emotions, love, hate, envy are excellent stimuli to dramatize coursebook dialogues. A moment of surprise or dramatic tension makes a dialogue more interesting and stimulating for learners. When acting the dialogues out, teachers should encourage their learners to use their voice potential to the maximum and exaggerate their actions. Exaggeration would help our learners identify better with their role and act it out in a more “professional” way. For the importance of dramatic hook, see COCKETT, Stephen – FOX, Geoff, 1999. 20 63 I can´t believe.. May I help you? (looking down without paying much attention to a customer) Sandra: Good morning.) Sandra: I’ve wasted 5 minutes with such an idiot who thinks that I am Sandra 64 . I’ll take them. I need a pair of socks.(putting sunglasses back on her eyes) Number 38. How much are they? Shop assistant: 2... Shop assistant: Black? You mean black black? Or just black? Sandra: I´ll take these.. (in a hurry) Shop assistant: What size? (in bored voice still looking down). Sandra Bullock. Shop assistant: How about these ones? Sandra: I’ll take them. (dreaming with socks in hands) (After a while... please (very polite.. in a hurry) Shop assistant: Madam. Madam. Shop assistant: What’s your size? Sandra: Number 38..... Socks. Shop assistant: .50. everything is falling from his hands still staring at her.. Sandra: OK. Socks for Sandra Bullock. ) Sandra: Uhm.(thinking.. what size? (saying words separately) Sandra: Hmm.. raising eyes at the customer) (this is the first time their eyes meet) Silence.Oh my God !?!. May I help you? Sandra: Good morning. I need a pair of socks. What makes them different from each other? What do you know about the characters and setting? Which element creates the moment of surprise in the second dialogue? DIALOGUE 1: Shop assistant: Good morning.she is talking on the phone ignoring the shop assistant. Wow… (stammering.. DIALOGUE 2: Shop assistant: Good morning. could you hurry up? (very impatient) Shop assistant: 38. wow. (showing his cheek and expecting a kiss from Sandra) Sandra: You know what!!! (angry) Shop assistant: (He has closed his eyes and is expecting a kiss. Sandra Bullock. Sandra: Excuse me? (impatient.. in our shop. Shop assistant: What colour do you prefer? Sandra: Uhm.TASK 19: Compare and contrast the following dialogues. no answer.. Sorry. black..Oh..... Nice.. her mobile is ringing) Shop assistant: Size ?!? (upset.... (grabbing a pair from his hands) How much are they? Shop assistant: 2. she takes off her sunglasses. black.. Suddenly..) Number 38 for you..50 EUROS but today we have a special offer on black socks.. showing surprise) Sandra: Shhh... boy... .. TASK 21: Analyse the dialogue above between Daphne and her friend. Thanks. Friend: Was it expensive? Daphne: Well. chasing a dog. Daphne: Of course I was. nor these socks .). Friend: I didn‘t know you were engaged. painting walls etc. setting in a restaurant would require quite static action in comparison with pretending as if for example jogging in the park. for a short while. I don´t like you.) Sandra: No.. changing status. Well. • WHO are the characters in the dialogue? What is their relationship? What is their status? What do they look like? What are they like? • WHERE is the dialogue happening? Smells/colours/sounds? • WHAT is unexpected/surprising in the dialogue? Dramatic hook? Dramatic tension? TASK 22: In pairs prepare a short scene using the dialogue between Daphne and her friend. • Create the characters and show their relationship..). • Perform your dialogue in front of the class and ask for feedback. yes it is quite nice. • Surprise your audience with something unexpected (e. Who is Daphne’s partner in the dialogue? Her friend? Best friend pretending to be her best friend? Her hairdresser? A neighbour? • Create a dynamic setting (e. Answer the following questions. Daphne and her friend were engaged to the same person etc. Friend: I like your ring. Bullock! Wake up! Are you seriously expecting a kiss for a pair of black socks?! (loses temper) Shop assistant: (speechless. when I was eighteen… Friend: It’s a really nice ring. Which drama techniques would you possibly use when working with this dialogue in a class of teenagers? Suggest some non-traditional teaching techniques to make the work with the dialogue more creative and interesting for learners.g. Daphne: Umm. Daphne. Decide what kind of Daphne you will play. Daphne: It’s my engagement ring.g. 65 .(throwing them at the shop assistant and leaving the shop) TASK 20: Read the dialogue below. he said it was expensive but I’m not sure really. getting a heart attack in the middle of the dialogue. Daphne: Do you? Friend: Umm. WARM-UPs (Ice-breaking. • develop physical contact needed for drama activities BECOMING AWARE OF EACH OTHER Tell your learners to mingle in class and touch people in a group on their shoulder if they have short hair. Elicit what the object is via some of these questions: • What’s the shape of the object? • What material is it made of? • What is it like? Is it cold? Warm? Rough? • describe the object and express different purposes of its usage I WOULD USE IT FOR… Learners standing in a circle pass the same “ring” from the previous activity. in deep water. thank you. tell learners to exchange weird objects of very low (or no) value. in a different mood (as if you were angry/happy). B: What is it. (This activity leads learners to the key words of the dialogue that will be dramatized later. then fast. my dear? A: A hair. • initiate and lead a dialogue on exchanging objects of different value • increase/decrease status through words EXCHANGING OBJECTS In pairs. It’s so nice.. It is interesting to see the highest value of objects they come up with. as if you were an old person walking with a walking stick. walking on high-heeled shoes. Touch somebody who is wearing a watch. skiing.TASK 23: Read more examples of drama techniques and activities to dramatize a dialogue between Daphne and her friend. B: Oh. However. socializing) Objectives: After doing these warm-up activities. they will gradually exchange more and more objects with higher and higher value. It’s tiny but cute. Mingle again. walking a dog etc. I’ve got something for you. successful learners will be able to: • create tension of suspense • describe the shape and quality of the object through touching it PASSING AN OBJECT Prepare a “ring” made from wire. very slowly. rings.) PRE-DRAMA Objectives: After doing these pre-drama activities. Try to use some of them in your class and write down your reflections answering the questions below. my hair. Learners standing in a circle pass this object behind their backs without knowing what it is. skating. walking on ice. in a glass ball. Here you are…. touch it and invent possible ways in which to use it. successful learners will be able to: • identify better with dialogue characters (their way of walking) WALKING IN THE SPACE Invite your learners to walk in the space of your classroom in the usual way. Example: I would use it for cutting…. Ok. I would use it for decorating my T-shirt…. This time they can keep it in their hands for a while. Comment: Learners usually end up with “the universe” or a planet. long hair. This time touch somebody who is wearing a ring…. Example: Mingle in the class. bracelet or watch. as if you were a small child learning how to walk. earrings. Example: A: Mike. I’ve got something for you too. It’s my nail… 66 . Give commands one after the other giving enough time and opportunity to experience precisely every single movement. Possible modification: “Touch and say techniques” – each character says a sentence related to the situation shown in the photo/statue when being touched.. whispering. A: “I like it” (pretending) and BRAIN B: “It’s awful. She’s just pretending.. I was . • to develop a dialogue with the elements of storytelling • to show interest in a story • to tell a short story in an interesting way BUILDING UP A SHORT STORY In pairs. silent reading.. A: … • to read the dialogue through emotions by using their voice potential CHORAL READING OF A DIALOGUE Give learners a copy of the dialogue between Daphne and her friend (see the dialogue above. Where did you get it? B: Well. e.g. really? BRAIN B: I don’t believe her. • create a statue showing the key moment from a dialogue TABLOID/ STILL IMAGE Put learners into groups according to the objects they have in common. once .) Learners in groups create a frozen picture (a photo/a statue) showing the key moment from the dialogue. in a shy way. Each learner gets the “ring” and says the sentence “I like it” in accordance with his/her real mood. B: Oh. people wearing bracelets would form a different group. A: Really? What happened? B: You know. people wearing watches would form one group. loud reading. Final reading practice can combine the practice of voice potential and reading in different emotions. in an angry way. Tell learners to vary their voice and use their voice potential to the maximum (e. sentence starters are developed into dialogues with elements of storytelling. • make short dialogues between dialogue characters when they are sincere and when they are pretending something BRAIN ACTIVITY In a group of four. shouting…) Tell learners to read the same dialogue using different emotions (e. A: I like your ring.. learners give compliments to each other. Task 20). Read the dialogue according to suggested reading techniques (see Reading Techniques in this chapter)..g. people with a ring would create another group. 67 . in a happy way. etc.• reveal their real feelings through stress and intonation USING YOUR VOICE POTENTIAL “I LIKE IT” Learners standing in a circle pass a “ring” (it can be just a circle made from wire). Then they freeze again. you know. feelings and emotions at that moment. BRAIN A: It’s awful.).. normal reading.. etc.” (sincere) A: I like your ring.g. learners should be provided with a lot of opportunities to practise a foreign language in different communicative situations that are almost authentic. invented setting and developed dramatic hook). They start from a FROZEN position. Learning by doing. suggest possible improvements and modifications of dramabased activities REFLECTION After doing the above activities. Which elements of language are practised via this lesson plan? 5. 68 . Coursebook dialogues practise new language in context but at the same time they enable our learners to create authentic characters in a specific setting where something unpredictable happens (dramatic hook).DRAMA Objectives: After this part. With your learners decide where the stage is and where the viewers are. acting out roles of real or unreal characters and many other drama-based techniques make coursebook dialogues alive and more stimulating for our learners. Make sure you provide your learners with enough time for preparation. successful learners will be able to: • discuss the objectives of the lesson. What changes would you make in this lesson plan? SUMMARY: One of the main goals of language teachers is to educate communicatively competent learners who are ready to use the target language fluently. learners create short scenarios using coursebook dialogues (with dialogue characters. This shows the viewers that it is the end of their performance. reading their lines using different emotions and in a different status. setting and developed dramatic hook/dramatic tension) CREATING SCENARIOS AND PERFORMING SHORT SCENES In the groups formed earlier. successful learners will be able to: • create short scenes using the coursebook dialogues in a more stimulating way (with dialogue characters. How did you feel when using/doing the activities? 6. Their potential should be used to the maximum. Drawing dialogue characters. accurately and efficiently in real life. Which activities did you like least? Why? 4. share their feelings and experiences. making still images. act out the dialogue and FREEZE again at the end. reflect on them in the role of a future teacher answering the following questions: 1. CALM DOWN Objectives: After this part. or learning via direct experience makes learning more efficient and enjoyable. Which drama techniques were used in this lesson plan? 2. What were the reactions of your colleagues/ classmates when doing the listed activities? 7. Therefore. Which activities did you like most? Why? 3. Learners on the stage act out their short scenes. Invite your learners to clap each other after each performance. REFLECTION BOX 3. age and language proficiency • make a coursebook dialogue more alive using drama techniques • work with coursebook dialogues and texts more efficiently and not depend on a coursebook 69 . After studying CHAPTER III. Suggest some drama techniques useful for creating setting. What are the features of a well-designed role-play and simulation? 3. interests. skills and competences after studying Chapter III. characters and dramatic hook/dramatic tension. Read it and discuss whether it contains any features of authentic communication. Put a tick (√) next to those statements that best describe your teaching abilities. Why is teaching authentic communication the main goal of language teachers? How (if at all) can it be achieved through drama techniques in a foreign language classroom? 2. Which drama techniques can be used to make dialogue characters come alive? 5. Choose a  dialogue from any English coursebook. Which drama techniques are recommended in this chapter when working with a coursebook dialogue? 4.Questions for you CHAPTER III. I am able to: YES I WISH TO IMPROVE • explain the features of authentic communication • tell the difference between role-play and simulation • design a role-play and simulation in accordance with my learners’ communicative needs. 1. ) do you prefer? What might be the goals and objectives (linguistic. We see this connection (drama techniques and literature) as very natural and definitely enriching.can serve as a wonderful tool by which to motivate children to read more and to think critically about what they read. Nowadays. social and spiritual information. Literature: • provides inspiring and interesting material which can be dramatized in different ways. • motivates and engages if it is presented in an interesting and thought-provoking way. 70 . Being aware of this. DRAMATIZING LITERATURE IN THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSROOM CHAPTER IV. • connected with drama techniques. fables. you will come across the following issues: 1. fairy tales.). etc. we often learn that children do not read. There are many ways in which a teacher can work with a literary text. cultural) to be focused on when using specific literary genres in a foreign language classroom? TEACHING LITERATURE THROUGH DRAMA TECHNIQUES Authentic literary texts can be an efficient and inspiring tool in foreign language teaching. writing skills. poems. we think that drama techniques .which are based on the notion of AS-IF and play/ playfulness . they read very little. can increase the number of language skills that are practised (reading skills. applying drama techniques. 3. 2. social. values and traditions – it is a source of cultural. Drama techniques and poetry. Drama techniques and picture books. or if they do. DRAMATIZING LITERATURE IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSROOM In this chapter. TASK 27: What is the role of using literature in a foreign language classroom? Which literary genres (short stories. • offers authentic vocabulary in a meaningful context. speaking skills. • teaches us about human character. Teaching literature through drama techniques.CHAPTER IV. etc. for instance The True Story of Three Little Pigs22. The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales is an entertaining book based on humorous and ironical transformations of classic fairy tales. 21 71 . group dynamics. 32 p. classroom atmosphere) There is a wide spectrum of genres and literary forms that can be used in many ways in English language teaching. Jon – SMITH. such as Červená čiapočka [Little Red Riding Hood]. we have decided to suggest activities for two types of children’s literature: picture books and poetry. See for example SHIBU. ISBN 978-0670861-94-1. Characters and stories such as Chicken Licken. The Stinky Cheese Man and The Other Frog Prince suggest that the reader finds twisted and subverted stories whose humour is based on recognition of the original tales. we have chosen three books written for younger children. ISBN 978-8176256-57-5. Žabí princ [The Frog Prince]. Cinderumpelstiltskin. London : Puffin Books 1996. 40 p. naturally. 1st ed. or Science Verse24. 22 SCIEZSKA. 24 SCIEZSKA. Simon: Teaching Literature in ELT / TESCOL Classes. London : Viking Juvenile 1995. Jon – SMITH. the selection of the text. London : Viking Juvenile 2004. The story in these books is narrated either through pictures only. The Really Ugly Duckling. 1st ed. which should be done carefully. or. The most important is. relationships. but there are also picture books for older readers.If we want to use literature in teaching English to children. Picture books are often aimed at youngest children. Little Red Riding Shorts. Lane: Science Verse. The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales (Jon Sciezska and Lane Smith) Jon Sciezska (writer) and Lane Smith (illustrator) are the authors of several popular picture books for children. DRAMA TECHNIQUES AND PICTURE BOOKS Picture books are an extremely popular genre in English – speaking countries. ISBN 978-0670910-57-1. 10th ed. we need to take into consideration several things. Škaredé káčatko [Ugly Duckling]. Lane: Math Curse.21 Therefore. Some of the stories are also well-known to Slovak children. The language used in all of them is simple and nice illustrations express the story of the books. ISBN 978-0140544-51-0. 23 SCIEZSKA. To show the drama potential in using picture books. Jon – SMITH. 32 p. through the complex interplay between visual and verbal aspects. The text should be selected according to: • the age of learners • learners’ interests • proficiency level (easy-readers are also a possibility) • the structure of the class (gender. Lane: The True Story of Three Little Pigs. New Delhi : Sarup and Sons 2006. The Tortoise and the Hare. 1st ed. Math Curse23. abilities. 124 p. put your pupils into groups of four and instruct them to create the “tabloid” (still image) related to the fairy tale. Help them with the sentence starters: There is a/ There are some ... Give your pupils enough time to show their tabloids to other learners. Focus on pictures and elicit what is strange about this book. but do not open it yet.. .. AFTER-READING ACTIVITY Objectives: After doing this activity. Ask your pupils: “What is in your bed?” Elicit answers and ask what bothers them in their beds. + ing. Sit down on the carpet in the circle if there is one in the classroom.) Display their pictures on the wall in the classroom. successful learners will be able to: • to create the “tabloid” (still image) related to the story • describe the characters and their relationship/ actions in the tabloids in relevance to the picture book FAIRY TALE TABLOIDS Sit in a circle with your pupils. . place a blank sheet of paper for pupils’ comments and possible suggestions on how to improve the fairy tale or how to make it more twisted. its protagonists and their actions • comment on the pictures with a modified version of the fairy tale • evaluate and provide suggestions on possible improvements of the twisted version of the fairy tale • perform the new version of the fairy tale related to their picture TWISTED FAIRY TALE Pupils in groups of three choose the fairy tale they are the most familiar with. Ask the rest of the class to comment on what they can see. tell your learners to prepare a short performance of the twisted version of their fairy tale. Below each picture. Provide them with a large piece of paper for drawing its twisted version.: MIME AND SAY (based on the Princess and the Bowling Ball) Invite your learners to sit in a circle. Show the pictures in the book to increase your pupils’ interest before reading it to the class.. successful learners will be able to: • use the structure “There is a … in my bed. successful learners will be able to: • modify a fairy tale.” and say what bothers them in their imaginary bed • recreate the story about the Princess and the Bowling Ball with the help of the teache THERE IS SOMETHING IN MY BED. AFTER-READING Objectives: After doing this activity. . proficiency level A2: PRE-READING ACTIVITY Objectives: After doing this activity. Tell them to show how tired they are. He/ she is/ they are. He/ She is very. Tell them to go to bed. Elicit the story in your mother tongue.The following drama-based activities are aimed at young learners (aged 10-12 years). Encourage them to be creative without any imagination limits. Staying in the same groups. go through the picture book together. Ask why the author wrote the stories which look to be confusing and twisted. Encourage them to use mime and gestures. Take the book The Stinky Cheese Man. Ask pupils whether they know the fairy tale about the Princess and the Pea. (For example: the main protagonists would look differently and would do the opposite of what they are expected to do. there is a book in my bed..... where they pretend to have found something under their mattress. Let your pupils choose the fairy tale from the book which they want to hear about. 72 . Start with the sample sentence: Oh. After reading it.. I like/ don’t like him/ her/ them because . a ball. Fill in the box according to the example: Example: Fairy tale: THE FROG PRINCE new language presented/ practised potential drama technique(s) used vocabulary objects found in the well (a coin. language structures and functions could be presented/practised. a key…) miming grammar structures 1st conditional clause Example: “I will give you the ball if you kiss me.” creating characters role-play improvisation hot-seat language functions • negotiation (frog and princess hugging over the ball) • invitation (princess invites the frog to come to the castle and have dinner) role-play choral reading improvisation short performances Fairy tale: new language presented/ practised potential drama technique(s) used _________________________ vocabulary grammar structures language functions 73 .TASK 28: What other drama techniques can be used in a foreign language classroom in which fairy tales are used? Think of a specific fairy tale and suggest which vocabulary. fixed and then photographed in a special way. AFTER-READING ACTIVITY Objectives: After doing this activity.mean AFTER-READING ACTIVITY Objectives: After doing this activity. 25 74 . The well-known story of Golem is set in Prague. Discuss the meaning of G.M. Write the adjectives on the board. Display the Golems in the classroom with the cartoon bubbles and the name of the scene in a cut box that looks like a theatre stage.L. at the end of the 16th century. L.L. Wenceslas Square [Václavské námestie]. etc.M. E. M. O. successful learners will be able to: • describe their feelings.: CREATING CHARACTER Write the name of the book G.M. WISNIEWSKI. L .E. • create the character of Golem via pictures from the book and elicited adjectives G.introduce the main protagonist through the pictures in the book with the help of your learners. Pupils can invent the name of the scene (caption) and write it on a piece of paper. David: Golem. Example: G . proficiency level A2: PRE-READING ACTIVITY Objectives: After doing this activity.Golem (David Wisniewski)25 David Wisniewski is an American author of picture books for children. E .O. when many people were interested in alchemy and astrology at the court of the Emperor Rudolf II.emotional.O. on the blackboard. They can create similar characters to Golem with very powerful names. . Encourage them to invent dramatic tension (moment of surprise) to make the scene more interesting for other learners. Ask pupils what they can hear.M. Elicit picture descriptions from your learners. Old Town Square [Staromestské námestie]. known especially for his book Golem which won the 1997 Caldecott Medal. successful learners will be able to: • brainstorm adjectives starting with the letters G. Tell them to write a key sentence for the character in the chosen scene in the cartoon bubble. 32 p. strong prejudice and hatred.L.good. 2nd ed. New York : Sandpiper 2007.O. ISBN 978-0618894-24-6.lazy. the second one with O.O. Then create the image of Prague at night.L. Encourage your learners to create short stories about Golem using the adjectives from the blackboard. see and feel at night when walking in the streets of a big city. images related to the created setting NIGHT IN PRAGUE: CREATING SETTING Bring a few pictures of Prague to the class and stick them on the board. etc. Encourage your pupils to help each other to come up with the adjectives. The first pupil says a word starting with G. The oppression of Jews is so heavy that – as a last chance – the Rabbi creates the Golem who helps them to overcome difficult times. Pupils sitting in the circle roll the ball to each other and say an adjective in English starting with the first letter from the word G. O .E. M .E. The book describes an attempt by the Jewish people led by their Rabbi to fight injustice.E.old. The following activities are aimed at learners aged 10-12 years. The technique of illustrations that Wisniewski uses is very complex and it is based on paper cuts arranged. Invite your learners to walk along the most famous streets and places in Prague such as The Charles Bridge. successful learners will be able to: • create characters with an appealing name • create dramatic tension between these characters • perform a short scene with created characters and dramatic conflict • write a key sentence related to the characters • invent the name of the scene (caption) GOLEMS FROM CLAY: SHORT SCENES WITH DRAMATIC TENSION Pupils in small groups of three/four model story characters from clay and prepare a short scene from the book using these characters. . Hannah seeing a gorilla for the first time in her life. All pupils in the role of Hannah’s father say the following sentence in the mood that is described in the card (e. AFTER-READING ACTIVITY Objectives: After doing this activity. London : Candlewick 2002. I have no time” in a busy way. Tell your pupils to make a caption summarizing the scene in one sentence. though. the words from the other side of the drawing are used to introduce his/her own portrait and picture of the animal. They draw their face onto one part of the paper and the animal that they wish to turn into onto the other part of the paper. gestures and body posture. BROWNE. Anthony: Gorilla. which are Hannah’s great passion and interest. your characters say their caption aloud and act out the part of the scene.g.the book in our selection – is a story of a little girl called Hannah who lives with her busy father. 1st ed. proficiency level A1: PRE-READING ACTIVITY Objectives: After doing this activity. since Hannah’s father finally decides to give his daughter a special birthday present and takes her to the Zoo. Possible situations: A. mime. sad. Elicit what the character in the picture would say in the given situation. The following activities are aimed at young learners aged 8–9 years. Imagine there is Hannah sitting and begging her father to go to the zoo. Tell them to write some words in English on the other side of the paper that are related to the pictures (adjectives. Tell them to freeze for a moment to show the same scene as it is in the picture. TOUCH AND TELL Sit in the middle of the circle so that every pupil can see you well. Gorilla . Give a card with a different adjective to each learner. successful learners will be able to: • describe and present their drawing using simple English (adjectives and nouns) • mime the animal from their drawing and activities typical for this animal WHO IS WHAT?: MIMING Give your pupils a sheet of paper divided into two parts. When you touch them on the shoulder.Gorilla (Anthony Browne)26 The works of Anthony Browne belong to the classic British tradition of picture books for children. Then they freeze again in a different position. I HAVE NO TIME. nouns. For example: A “busy” father would say the sentence “Sorry. happy. Tell your pupils to create a still image identical to the picture in the book (using the same facial expression. Hannah’s dad takes Hannah to the zoo. The rest of the class guess the adjective from the card according to the intonation..). etc. As her father is always working and does not care much about what Hannah wants. Encourage each learner to mime his/her animal and activity typical for this animal. successful learners will be able to: • use their voice potential in accordance with different adjectives “SORRY.) When pupils are ready.. 40 p. angry. Show the pictures from the book at random. Place an empty chair in the middle. arrange that they sit in the circle facing their drawings of animals.. 26 75 . busy. PRE-READING ACTIVITY Objectives: After doing this activity.. ISBN 978-0763618-13-1. The rest of the class look for the picture that matches the miming of their classmate. The story ends happily. Hannah’s biggest wish is to go to the zoo to see gorillas. successful learners will be able to: • make a caption related to the picture in the book using one sentence • use the caption in the context when doing tabloids LIVE PICTURES: CAPTION-MAKING.”: CREATING CHARACTER Pupils stay in the circle. it is the girl’s imagination which creates for her an adventurous day with her beloved Gorilla. Then. B. gestures and body posture). • memorizing the lines of the text and poem (useful for performances). Carol – MILCH. the third group the night with the gorilla. 160 p. David: Poetry Goes to School: From Mother Goose to Shel Silverstein. see: BARTON. As part of the interpretative process (while-reading stage). classmate. • “action songs” (songs accompanied by special gestures. rhythm and rhyme. 27 76 . activities that extend the content) • discussion about the poem and its dramatization. Practical activities that are linked to various drama techniques include: • listening to recitation (of a  teacher. It is natural for them to imitate onomatopoeic structures based on musicality. it is only this “sound” aspect of the language that children use. 1st ed. First. DRAMA TECHNIQUES AND POETRY27 Children encounter poetry – in the form of lullabies and nursery rhymes – from the earliest age. etc. native speaker) with specific pre-listening. successful learners will be able to: • make and write captions using simple sentences in accordance with their own story A DAY SPENT WITH GORILLA: CAPTION MAKING Divide the class into three groups. Modification: If the learners are more proficient. Drama techniques can be applied in any part of the work with poetry. TASK 29: Referring back to dramatizing Golem by David Wisniewski and Gorilla by Anthony Browne.  • work with the narrative line of a poem (activities related to the content of a poem. The use of poetry (with the application of drama techniques) covers several cognitive. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers 2012. Example: choral reading. They write captions in the form of simple sentences into speech bubbles onto their drawings. There can be an activity preceding the reading (pre-reading stage). the second group draws the afternoon with the gorilla. drama For more practical ideas about dramatizing poetry. 96 p. • complex activity with voice (emphasizing selected words). Carri: Make-Believe Play and Story-Based Drama in Early Childhood: Let's Pretend! 1st ed. • reading aloud (choral reading or individual). tell them to act out the short performances based on their drawings.. The pupils in the first group draw how they would spend the morning with the gorilla. understanding of the content comes later. while-listening and after-listening tasks. social and emotional aspects of the teaching process28. miming or motions representing the content).AFTER-READING ACTIVITY Objectives: After doing this activity. vocabulary. 28 See WOODARD. Each scene must contain the sentence: “Sorry.. what kind of WHILE-READING techniques/activities could be used? Brainstorm at least five traditional and five drama-based techniques/activities.). ISBN 978-1551381-61-9. Bob – BOOTH. teacher reading the story in-role. which would prepare a learner for the content of the poem (theme. Tell them that they are going to spend a day with a gorilla. Ontario : Pembroke Publishers 2003. I have no time”. ISBN 978-1849058-99-5. Eugene Field. for example. when they can be part of reflection or strenghtening of the goals of the lesson (practice and revision of the target language. 1st ed.techniques may be used to understand the context but also specific features of a poem.org/ files/25617/25617-h/25617-h.org/cache/ epub/3753/pg3753. htm#p_24 In My Nursery: A Book of Verse http://www.html Poems http://www.htm More Beasts (For Worse Children) http://www.org/ files/23545/23545-h/23545-h. Dr. p. Shel Silverstein.gutenberg. Christina Rossetti.gutenberg. Milne and Walter de la Mare.org/ files/39741/39741-h/39741-h.htm A Child’s Garden of Verses http://www.: Poetry People: A Practical Guide to Children’s Poets. Seuss. Eve Merriam. Traditional forms of poetry used in English language teaching are nursery rhymes and limericks (the nonsensical verses of Edward Lear are especially popular).gutenberg.org/ files/27176/27176-h/27176-h. From the classics we can mention the poetry of Hillaire Belloc.gutenberg. etc. ISBN 978-1591584-43-8. Their poetry is simple but original and playful and offers space for dramatization. a Book of Rhymes http://www. Alexander A. grammar structures.htm Cautionary Tales for Children http://www.gutenberg. They may even offer new interpretative layers to the discussion. 184.gutenberg.htm Eugene Field Love-Songs of Childhood http://www. Robert Priest.org/ files/2670/2670-h/2670-h. The list of authors that teachers may get inspiration from is very long. Many texts of children’s poetry are available online and we list a few sources as an inspiration for further reading: Bad Child’s Book of Beasts http://www.gutenberg. Sylvia. Roald Dahl. M.org/ files/27424/27424-h/27424-h.org/ files/19188/19188-h/19188-h. 29 77 . htm#2H_4_0015 Walter de la Mare Songs of Childhood http://www.gutenberg. see the publication of Sylvia Vardell which discusses more than 60 contemporary authors: VARDELL. Michael Rosen. Robert Louis Stevenson. Drama techniques can also be used in the after-reading stage. Modern writers include.).htm Peacock Pie. htm#jumbo_jee Hilaire Belloc Robert Louis Stevenson Christina Rossetti Laura Richards For a  complex view on poetry for children.org/ files/27175/27175-h/27175-h. and Carl Sandburg29. Westport : Libraries Unlimited. Charles Causley. Jack Prelutsky.gutenberg. gutenberg. the topic of the Holocaust in the poetry of Michael Rosen). BELLOC. There are also some interesting poems dealing with serious topics that can be used in class (for instance. 08. • Motivation and interest are key factors in working with poetry. who are usually not very fond of “traditional” poetry. [Online.In the following part. He dearly loves to bite. share your ideas about poetry with learners. 20. then why should they be? Try to show your learners the originality of ideas and playfulness of poetic language. Hilaire: More Beasts (For Worse Children). Hilaire: The Scorpion. • Each learner should have their own copy of a poem. Hilaire Belloc: The Scorpion30 The Scorpion is as black as soot. These can be divided either thematically or according to proficiency levels. 30 78 . there are a  few samples of poetry with suggested drama-based activities.htm. The activities do not form complete lesson plans and can be modified according to the age and proficiency level of learners. • Using lyrics is a great way in which to engage teenagers especially. He is a most unpleasant brute To find in bed. Since poetry is about an individual reader’s experience. • If your learners like the poem. do not hesitate to come back to it after some time with slightly modified activities.org/files/27176/27176-h/27176-h. [Cit.] Available on the internet: http://www. In: BELLOC. at night. 2012. • Poetry does not need to be only “funny”. Some practical advice before you start: • It is very useful to have a “collection“ of favourite poems and portfolios with activities.] 2008. If learners see that their teacher is not interested in poems. legs.” The poem itself and the character of the man can be part of the performance. bad. etc. successful learners will be able to: • show their feelings when reacting to certain pictures nonverbally HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS? WARM-UP Bring a set of flashcards with pictures that evoke different feelings of likes. Tell them to show their feelings through facial expression. etc). small. climb. lazy.The following activities are aimed at learners aged 10-14 years. Tell them to read it in silence and draw those words they can understand. Group B receives the picture without the words of the poem. successful learners will be able to: • brainstorm the words from the poem according to the picture • draw simple pictures related to the text of the poem • compare the list of their words with the text of their poem • (more advanced learners): write a different poem on the topic The Scorpion THE SCORPION: TEXT AND THE PICTURE Divide the class into two large groups A and B. love. it means there is one learner from Group A with the picture of the poem and one learner from Group B with the words from the poem. learners say nouns (e. Then elicit what your learners know about scorpions.).) and finally they say the verbs (e. PRE-READING ACTIVITY Objectives: After doing this activity.. Possible words: PIZZA SPIDER KARATE FILM ICE-CREAM PUPPY HOMEWORK SCORPION FROG etc. No words or comments are allowed. successful learners will be able to: • brainstorm different associations with the word “scorpion” • share their knowledge about scorpions and talk about them in English ASSOCIATIONS Refer to the word “SCORPION”. then they say adjectives (e. PRE-READING ACTIVITY Objectives: After doing this activity. Learners in the circle throw the ball to each other and say a word that is somehow related to the scorpion. eat. put learners from both groups into pairs. 79 . More advanced learners can create a modified version of the poem using the words from their lists. Distribute the poem to group A without the picture. successful learners will be able to: • produce short performances related to the poem and the picture of the scorpion THE SCORPION NIGHTMARE: SHORT PERFORMANCES Tell your pupils to prepare a short scene in small groups on the topic “The Scorpion Nightmare. Firstly. death. dangerous. etc. gestures and sounds. Then. proficiency level A2: PRE-READING ACTIVITY Objectives: After doing this activity.g. disgust etc.. Tell them to write as many words in English as possible that are related to the picture. wall. Ask questions such as: What kind of animal is it? What colour is it? How big is it? What does it do? What does it eat? Where does it live? Is it dangerous?.g. Then learners compare their words with the original version of the poem and they compare their drawings with the original picture of the poem. spider. animal. Let them compare their drawings with the list of their words.g. hate. AFTER-READING ACTIVITY Objectives: After doing this activity. bite. Show the pictures one after the other and elicit what your pupils feel. Let them exaggerate their feelings. ] 2008. his head is bald. 08. Hilaire: The Vulture.] Available on the internet: http://www.Hilaire Beloc: The Vulture31 The Vulture eats between his meals. And that's the reason why He very. His neck is growing thinner. His eye is dull.htm. 20. Oh! what a lesson for us all To only eat at dinner! BELLOC.org/files/27176/27176-h/27176-h. 2012. very rarely feels As well as you and I. In: BELLOC. Hilaire: More Beasts (For Worse Children). 31 80 .gutenberg. [Online. [Cit. Tell them to write a poem about the poet who is dull and thin as if it was written by the vulture. The vulture has complained to you about the way you have described him – dull and thin. Practise reading the poem together: • whispering. Let them read it in silence. a mask. Negotiate what might be interesting and uninteresting for the readers of the poem. Tell them to bring it to the forthcoming lesson where you are going to deal with the poem THE VULTURE. WHILE-READING ACTIVITY Objectives: After doing this activity. Encourage them to obtain the information from the Internet and summarize it into one paragraph. • reading as loudly as possible. AFTER-READING ACTIVITY Objectives: After doing this activity. 81 . Role A: You are the vulture from the poem. Read the poem together and focus on difficult words concerning pronunciation. successful learners will be able to: • collect facts about vultures from the Internet • write a paragraph using the information about vultures • present their findings about vultures in front of the class INTERNET SURVEY: COLLECTING FACTS Tell your learners to make a mini-survey about vultures. Complain to the writer of the poem about it. They can put on different props (a hat.) if they want. Encourage your learners to present their findings in small groups. • gradually increasing the voice level from one verse to another • reading every second word and clapping instead of the omitted one.The following activities are aimed at learners aged 10-14 years. Role B: You are the poet of the poem about the vulture. who is described as dull and thin. who is still unhappy with the poem. proficiency level A2: PRE-READING ACTIVITY Objectives: After doing this activity. AFTER-READING ACTIVITY Objectives: After doing this activity. Suggest what he should change in the poem to make you a more loved animal and possibly a pet. successful learners will be able to: • write a short poem (in the role of an angry vulture) about the dull and thin poet POEM ABOUT THE DULL AND THIN POET: WRITING THE POEM Tell the learners to play the role of the vulture. Apologize to the vulture and ask the vulture how he wishes to be described in the poem. successful learners will be able to: • use their voice potential when reading the poem USING YOUR VOICE POTENTIAL Give the copies of the poem with the picture to your learners. successful learners will be able to: • role-play a dialogue between the poet and the vulture with the elements of complaining and negotiating THE VULTURE AND THE POET: ROLE-PLAY Learners in pairs prepare the following role-play and then present it in front of the class. etc. Let them guess what object you were miming. Here he comes a-trotting Like a little nag. Here he comes a-hopping Like a little frog. Bringing me a note. 08. AFTER-READING ACTIVITY Objectives: After doing this activity. successful learners will be able to: • mime an object found in the parcel and write it on the blackboard THE STRANGEST PARCEL EVER: MIMING Learners sit in a circle. [Online. In: RICHARDS. [Cit. 2012. THE POSTMAN’S STORY: HOT-SEAT Invite (a) learner(s)-in the role of a postman to sit on the hot-seat where he/she/they will answer different questions asked by the rest of the class. Here he comes a-creeping Like a little cat. proficiency level A1/A2: PRE-READING ACTIVITY Objectives: After doing this activity.Laura Richards: The Postman32 Hey! the little postman. Open it and pretend that you are taking out something. In the little pocket Of his little coat. summarize the words and put them on the blackboard. And his little dog. And his little hat. Hey! the little postman. Hey! the little postman. Bringing me a paper.] Available on the internet: http://www. who are in the roles of journalists writing an article for a local magazine about the least paid jobs. Pretend that you are taking your object with you.] 2012. 20. The “journalists” should take notes and after the interview should write a short story with the title: “A day in the life of a postman.htm#jumbo_jee. 32 82 . Encourage your learners to prepare some questions in advance.org/files/39741/39741-h/39741-h. Place it on the empty chair. Place an empty chair in the middle.gutenberg.they write emails and text messages instead of writing letters and postcards. From the little grocer On the little hill. After all learners have mimed what they found in the imaginary parcel. Decide in advance what it is and mime it to the rest of the class. Laura: The Postman.” RICHARDS. What is that he's saying? "Naught for you to-day!" Horrid little postman! I wish you'd go away! 32 The following activities are aimed at learners aged 10-14 years. Post offices are used mainly when sending parcels. Laura: In My Nursery. And his little bag. Tell your learners that nowadays people communicate via the Internet and mobile phones . Create the image of the IMAGINARY parcel you have just received in your classroom. successful learners will be able to: • ask simple questions • answer the questions • write a short story with the title “A day in a life of a postman”. Bringing me a letter. Bringing me a bill. etc. What literary genres can be used in teaching English as a foreign language? Can you name specific titles of books? REFLECTION BOX 4. Focus on setting clear learner-centred objectives. The connection between literary text and drama techniques can become a natural and efficient part of foreign language learning.) which a teacher can use and adapt to individual needs of learners. Activities which have been suggested cover picture books and poetry. legends. What are the benefits of the use of literature in a foreign language classroom? 2. Through what practical activities can poetry become interesting and motivating? 5. online references) • create modified activities (either related to picture books or poetry) for my learners 83 . skills and competences after studying Chapter IV. I am able to: YES I WISH TO IMPROVE • discuss the ways in which drama techniques can be used in work with literary texts • explain how picture books can be dramatized • prepare some activities based on a picture book • find and list some sources for poetry (authors. myths. Put a tick (√) next to those statements that best describe your teaching abilities.TASK 30: Choose one of the poems from the offered list of sources and try to think about how to make it more interesting through the use of drama techniques. 1. After studying CHAPTER IV. What are the advantages of using picture books in teaching English? 4. fantasy stories. adventure stories. What should a teacher take into consideration when selecting a literary text for learners? 3. Suggest the age and proficiency level of potential learners. Questions for you CHAPTER IV. but there are many other genres (folk tales and fairy tales. CHAPTER V. DRAMA-BASED LESSON PLANS CHAPTER V. DRAMA-BASED LESSON PLANS In this chapter, you will come across the following issues: 1. Essentials of a drama-based lesson plan 2. Structure of a drama-based lesson plan 3. Assessment of drama-based lessons TASK 31: What needs to be taken into consideration before planning an English language lesson? TASK 32: What kind of information should a lesson plan contain? TASK 33: How will a drama-based lesson plan differ from a non-drama-based lesson plan? ESSENTIALS OF A DRAMA-BASED LESSON PLAN Drama, as mentioned earlier in this handbook, is an excellent learning and teaching tool to improve the communicative competence of language learners. It helps them acquire new language more naturally and in a friendly way. Vocabulary, grammar structures and language functions are presented and practised in context. They are often accompanied by practice of body language, which is often neglected during foreign language education. Adequate attention is also paid to the practice of pronunciation and intonation. Drama-based lessons are undisputedly more demanding of teachers’ preparation and class management skills. Setting clear learner-oriented objectives, sequencing activities, timing and pacing are essentials of drama-based lesson plans. Doubtless to say, planning a lesson through drama requires a lot of preparation, creativity, enthusiasm, energy, patience and some teaching experience. In spite of that, it is WORTH it! There are two basic approaches33 to be dealt with when discussing lesson planning based on the application of drama techniques in a foreign language classroom: • The weak approach utilizes drama techniques in a more conventional teaching situation in which the teacher follows the pattern of presentation – practice – production. Drama is a part of different warm-ups, dialogue practice activities or reading activities. We can find a number of weak drama approach examples in different drama resource books, e.g. Alan Maley’s and Alan Duff ’s Drama Techniques in Language Learning : A Resource Book of Communication In our handbook, we were inspired by Daniela Bačová’s ideas on utilising terms of “strong and weak approach of drama-based lesson planning in EFL classroom“. 33 84 Activities for Language Teachers34; Sarah Phillips’ Drama with Children : Resource books for teachers35; John Dougill’s Drama Activities for Language Learning36; and Bernie Warren’s Drama Games: Drama and Group Activities for Leaders Working With People of All Ages and Abilities37. They contain various drama activities and independent ideas that can be influential and motivating for a language teacher and can function as stepping stones towards a more structural drama approach. • The strong approach incorporates a distinctive educational philosophy implied in drama: a learner-centred, democratic and humanistic approach. Drama becomes the frame for all teaching and learning. Language is learned and acquired through active use in a meaningful, “as if ” situation. The strong approach determines the structure of the lesson which, though consisting of four different parts, forms a clearly coherent unit. Therefore, every step in lesson planning pre-determines the following one until a whole unity is created. In theatre terminology it is called the “unity of action”. The basic structural component of a drama-based lesson plan that secures the unity of action has been defined as a dramatic frame. Dorothy Heathcote in her discussion of frame says that “in any social encounter, there are two aspects present. One is the action necessary for the event to progress forward towards conclusions. The other is the perspective from which people are coming to enter the event. This is frame, and frame is the main agent in providing tension and meaning for the participants.”38 According to Bačová and Phillips, dramatic frame is the situation or context in which the dramatic activity occurs.39 Dramatic frame has a human purpose to the action of the lesson. It follows certain social, cultural or personal developmental objectives in the context of language learning and acquisition. The dramatic frame introduces a certain conflict or problem that needs to be solved, it allows different perspectives on the problem, it determines the context from the point of view of time, space, characters, and therefore constructs an effective learning situation in which particular language structures and functions are explored and immediately used. It should have two essential characteristics: • it should set up a problem which initiates dramatic action so that the lesson activity is directed towards a goal; • it should provide different perspectives from which learners can approach the problem and hence should create (dramatic) tension. MALEY, Alan – DUFF, Alan: Drama Techniques in Language Learning : A Resource Book of Communication Activities for Language Teachers. 2nd ed. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press 1993, 234 p. ISBN 978-0521249-07-4. 35 PHILLIPS, Sarah: Drama with Children : Resource books for teachers. 1st ed. Oxford : Oxford University Press 2000. 151 p. ISBN 978-0194372-20-0. 36 DOUGILL, John: Drama Activities for Language Learning. 1st ed. London-Basingstoke : Macmillan Publishers 1991, 150 p. ISBN 978-0333392-15-9. 37 WARREN, Bernie: Drama Games: Drama and Group Activities for Leaders Working With People of All Ages and Abilities. 2nd ed. New York : Players Print 1996. 84 p. ISBN 978-0887346-81-1. 38 HEATHCOTE, Dorothy – BOLTON, Gavin: Drama for Learning : Dorothy Heathcote´s Mantle of the Expert Approach to Education. 1st ed. Portsmouth : Heinemann 1994, p. 163. ISBN 978-0435086-43-5. 39 BAČOVÁ, Daniela - PHILLIPS, Tim (edit.): AS IF. 1st ed. Bratislava : The British Council 2000, p. 5. ISBN 9780863554-50-4. 34 85 An integral part of every drama-based lesson plan are well-defined, specific objectives that are the main determinants for the construction of a particular dramatic frame. In order to determine clear, learner-oriented objectives showing learners’ performance rather than competence, it is necessary to ask the following questions: OVERALL AIMS OF THE LESSON How is the lesson content related to the school educational programme and national curricullum? What do I want my learners to achieve during this lesson? What is the general purpose of this lesson? CLASS ATMOSPHERE What kind of class atmosphere do I want to create among my learners? How can I create a stress-free environment? How can I help my learners break the ice and overcome stage fright? TOPIC Is the chosen topic relevant to age, interest and proficiency level of my learners? What are the best ways to introduce this topic to my learners? How will my learners profit from dealing with this topic? LANGUAGE (vocabulary, grammar structures and language functions) What kind of vocabulary/grammar structures/functions do I want my learners to acquire/learn/practise/produce? What are the best ways of introducing/practising the new language to my learners? How is the new language related to the topic of the lesson? Will my learners need this kind of vocabulary/grammar structures/functions in real life? PHONETICS Are there any pronunciation and intonation patterns relevant to be dealt with during the lesson? How are they related to the lesson content? What are the best ways to introduce them to my learners? How much attention should be paid to practice of these patterns? SKILLS Will all four language skills be practised during this lesson? Which skills should be primarily practised? Which techniques/activities should be used to practise particular skills? LEARNING STRATEGIES Are there going to be any opportunities to focus on learning development? Which learning strategies will attention be focused on? Are there any specific learning strategies my learners need to work on in order to accomplish given tasks during the lesson more efficiently? How do I foster learner autonomy via this lesson? ASSESSMENT What do I want my learners to be able to do by the end of this lesson? How can I assure that my learners accomplished this? What kind of assessment will be provided to my learners during this lesson? Formative or summative? Why am I going to assess my learners? How will my learners profit from this assessment? 86 87 . In which way do these lists differ? How would you modify them? List 1: The aim of the lesson is: • ­to know the structure of the present perfect tense • understand the difference between the present perfect tense and simple past tense • realize the usage of new structures through coursebook dialogues List 2: I want to teach: • the structure of the present perfect tense • the difference between the present perfect tense and simple past tense • new structures through coursebook dialogues List 3: At this session.Lesson objectives have to be determined clearly reflecting the needs. improvement of learning strategies. B. For that reason. D. improvement of social skills. whereas the crucial role of a teacher is to provide learners with efficient tools (tailor-made techniques and activities) to achieve the pre-set goals and objectives. In drama-based lessons. C. TASK 34: Read the following lists of objectives. drama-based lesson objectives should reflect what language learners will be able to PRODUCE (their performance) rather than what they will KNOW (their competence). successful learners will be able to: • create and use present perfect tense forms in communication • use the present perfect tense and simple past tense appropriately • use the present perfect tense in dialogical speech The following table provides a list of sample key verbs to determine learner-oriented objectives in relation to: A. raising cultural awareness. development of communicative competence. the main focus is put on learners. wants and lacks of language learners. my learners will: • deal with the new structure of the present perfect tense • discuss the difference between the present perfect tense and simple past tense • work with coursebook dialogues to practise the present perfect tense List 4: By the end of this lesson. With beginners.. express compliments. IMPROVEMENT OF LEARNING STRATEGIES assess.. but using words and commands they have heard several times.. The simplest idea can be a cardboard drama box in which you gather different seemingly useless garbage. present.beginners’ gaps in knowledge in their linguistic repertoire. adjust. rearrange.Focus on: Examples of key words: DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE produce. Children listen to and do what their parents say before they speak. generalize. One of the principles of TPR is that when a student’s anxiety is low.. At this level. explain. Since drama is a very flexible tool. deny. show empathy. accept.. They can also watch fellow classmates to see if they understand a command etc. but in a more “free way” not simply repeating. .. distinguish. criticize. quote. The limitations of this method are that more abstract items in the language might be difficult. modify. refuse. predict. give example. accept. For instance. young learners might have difficulties to role-play a dialogue or improvise while older learners might have no problems since they have such a life experience. ask. RAISING CULTURAL AWARENESS compare. The content of a drama-based lesson plan must respect learners’ proficiency level. react. exchange information. drawing and creating characters. reflect on. Learners’ age conditions the content of the lesson and the choice of topics and techniques. analyse. simple miming activities following TPR method (Total Physical Response)40. particular attention is paid to using body language. It was proposed by James J. describe. offer. provide examples. touch. every lesson plan can be adapted to the different proficiency level of language learners. more advanced learners who dispose of a better knowledge of a target language can practise in real contexts that they have learned from coursebook. clarify. judge. contrast. work in pairs/groups. share. coloured paper and old Total Physical Response is one of the teaching methods that became popular in the 1970s. paraphrase. complain. argue. For example. negotiate meanings. . This method lowers learners’ anxiety because they do not need to produce audible language for a while. fairy tales can be employed with young learners probably up to the age of ten. On the other hand. provide constructive feedback. The benefits of this method are that language learners will be speaking. Teaching around commands might get cumbersome for some language points. The topic of the lesson also depends on the age of learners and the interests of the group.. express worries. defend. language learning is enhanced. say. IMPROVEMENT OF SOCIAL SKILLS cooperate. which is often used as the most frequent communication strategy to cover learners’ . report on something. they can be re-introduced to young adults or adult learners as these find the creative activities of deconstructing classical stories and re-constructing them very enjoyable. arrange. . Some characteristics typical for this method are similar to the way children acquire their mother tongue.. adopt. express opinions. specify. synthesize. coloured pencils. summarize. clarify. Asher who believes that foreign language instruction can and should be modelled on mother tongue acquisition. define. socialize. evaluate. adjust. argue. excuse.. predict. apologize. such as pieces of string. chanting. and choral reading can be used. A drama lesson is enriched when learners are allowed to use different materials as props and parts of character costumes. 40 88 . talk about. differentiate. miming. still image (tabloid). chants. photos. It is important to play the role of a facilitator not of a doer! This structure is adopted from Daniela Bačová and Tim Phillips’ publication AS IF. greeting activities. choral and individual drills and chants. nonverbal activities such as expressing mood via miming. Phases of dramabased lesson plan Possible aims Possible techniques I. sending silent signals. Learners’ imagination is enhanced and their expectations and commitment are raised. short improvisations. These activities are usually done in a circle. creating characters. Warm-up(s) (verbal/ non-verbal) 2 – 7 minutes Warm-ups are introduced after opening the lesson. tongue twisters etc. letters. story elicitation. Specific vocabulary. pre-drama stage. They aim to “warm students up”. hats. 2. prepare them for active participation in English lesson. texts in order to create context for drama. warm-up stage. different objects – candles. plastic bottles. The following table provides an explanation and description of every part and gives suggestions about possible timing. He should monitor especially when learners start working in pairs/groups to ensure that they are accomplishing the task properly. 41 89 . increase concentration level of learners. simple verbal activities such as word chains. calming down stage41. 1. Pre-Drama 10 . 2. pieces of cloth. creating dramatic hook. Each part has its own function and they all depend on each other. You can divide a longer drama-based lesson into a number of subsequent parts. Teacher’s roles: Teacher is a leader and a manager during this stage. posters. create trust especially in a new class and prepare learners vocally and physically for drama-based activities. aims and techniques to be used. photographs. clapping. pictures. drama stage and 4. grammar structures or language functions are presented and practised to be ready to use the target language confidently enough during drama stage. They can work with different objects. activities to deal with using voice potential Teacher’s roles: Teacher is still quite dominant during this stage. old coats. Movement is great to start with to energize class and wake up learners’ bodies and senses.15 minutes Pre-drama stage is a preparation stage where the topic of a lesson is introduced. walking in space etc. music tapes. plastic flowers etc. Learners usually work in small groups or in pairs. STRUCTURE OF A DRAMA-BASED LESSON PLAN A drama-based lesson plan is divided into four parts: 1. creating a rhythm.newspapers. 3. which means that you have to work on a way in which to refocus the learners’ attention on the issues you have been dealing with in your drama every time you go back to the lesson. II. 2000. creating setting. stockings. name activities. toys. They can provide feedback on what they liked and what needs to be improved in the future. peers and teachers in the sense of focusing on the quality of the learning process rather than the product. jigsaw reading. Teacher’s roles: Teacher should never finish the lesson without this stage. when learners prepare short improvisations. etc. finishing a story). simulations. which is represented by means of their performances. Reflecting provokes learners to think retrospectively about their new learning experience.Phases of dramabased lesson plan Possible aims Possible techniques III. They can discuss language difficulties they faced (if any) during their performances. diary entries. while writing about the impact of these activities on learners is desired. 90 . Therefore. different alternatives of improvisations. Writing the reflection in English is not only valuable practice of writing skills but it also stimulates learners to think critically and evaluate themselves. writing (letters. journals. rehearsed playlet. roleplays. Teacher’s roles: Teacher is a an observer and encourager. IV. dialogue asides.30 minutes This is the most productive stage. rehearse them and perform to other classmates. news reports. Calming down 5 . Performances might be done simultaneously (group performing to another group) which might save time and reduce anxiety. reflection should be more evaluative than descriptive. teachers and learners should share their experience from the lesson. their peers and teacher’s work as well. drawing. relaxation activities (music). hot-seating. it means describing activities in detail is quite redundant. the process of the lesson. its aims. still images. They can evaluate themselves.10 minutes This is the final stage of drama-based lesson plan. Learners are responsible for their work. etc. Calming down is followed by reflection which is a crucial part of the lesson hence learners through leading either an internal monologue in a written way or a class discussion reveal their feelings and express opinions about learning experience through drama. Drama 15 . dialogues. It is done at the end of the lesson either in the form of a class/group discussion or by writing a paragraph into a diary. In this stage. writing-in-role. Focus on fluent and grammatically and socially accurate language should be centre of attention since the main goal is to develop communicative competence of language learners. creating posters. REFLECTION AS PART OF A DRAMA-BASED LESSON PLAN Reflection is a natural part of drama-based lesson plans. It aims to calm learners down and bring them back to normal voice and energy level. and personal ups and downs. Learners’ cannot be “left” at a high emotional and voice level. I didn´t like.. teacher trainee: Today... b.. Afterwards.. Providing learners with sentence starters is a stepping stone to free reflection. On one hand they practise writing skills in English. This is the first time we did. Some of the following phrases from the list below can be used: Today we have practised. I am not sure why. funny socks. Then in pairs we were playing “a mirror” and a person who wakes up in the morning and does different activities in front of the mirror. Other students were supposed to guess. 21 years old.....g. Our task was to mime the letters of our name one after the other.... speaking or drawing.. Novice teachers 91 . we were mingling in the class and looking for somebody who was wearing e... I especially liked. Free reflection. blue jeans and so on. Guided reflection. we started our session with an interesting activity called “Show me your name”. c.. I want to learn more about. Example: Zuzana. Learners with the help of their teacher express their opinions answering such questions as “How did you feel today during our lesson?” “What have you learned?” What did you like/not like? Why? How did you like being in the role of a …? What would you do differently if you did the same task again? How would you evaluate the work of your group? Why did your teacher use this activity? etc. Then we were sitting in a circle and clapping the rhythm of our names. glasses. Learners spontaneously reveal their feelings about the lesson via writing. Semi-guided reflection...There are three possible types of reflection techniques: a.. That is often more demanding than evaluating peers... I felt embarrassed when.. We were expected to do it slowly.... Writing a reflection does not only appeal to learners but also teachers who want to reflect on their lessons in order to analyse them and determine their strengths and weaknesses. Writing reflections provides learners with a chance to take responsibility over their learning. on the other hand they reflect on their own learning process in which they are expected to think critically about themselves. Teacher welcomed us and introduced the activity. My classmates looked... The class atmosphere was… I learnt. Our teacher´s aims were to.. Our trainer used this activity to put us into pairs.. She gave an example and then we followed her. Then we changed roles. I felt very confident when. TASK 35. But I personally don´t think that I´m boring. it was in general not a very good day. I will remember to use this activity myself if I see that a class is very tired. Most people in my group are unknown to me. Having said that. that’s what we did in the second class. Why should I pretend that I´m angry. Example: Teacher trainer’s reflection after using drama with teacher trainees Having just got back from an exhausting conference I was not really ready to teach and unfortunately I felt very tired. Looking back. it is strange and crazy. I´m too rational. I found the present-giving activities very stimulating and was impressed by the imagination that was brought into the classroom. It’s so much eaiser to deal with a class of 10 in that room than a class of 16. a teacher trainee: To tell the truth. I felt like an actor in the theatre or somewhere. personal growth and professional development over time. What can you learn from their reflection? Which reflection reveals a learner’s improvement? What do you think is lacking in the following reflections? Why? What should a teacher trainer consider about his own teaching after reading the reflection of his trainees? 1. It is something that I am not good at – I cannot act. One thing I did notice about the first lesson today was that it was a shame to introduce the information about the project at the end of the lesson: it brought everyone down from the high that they had reached. I found an interesting problem with the present-giving activity which was that the pairs were working at very different speeds: some pairs were giving trivial presents at the same time as others were handing out planets. but only among people whom I know well. I started the lesson very tired and was drained: the picture I drew on the wall was very inaccurate. I´m very careful. Also the number of students in the second class makes a big difference. Maybe someone could say about me: oh.especially might profit from this procedure through which they can track their progress. The thing is that I cannot see any sense behind the activities which we did last session. because he couldn´t do that. Martin. I was struggling to maintain concentration through the lesson and left far too much to Andrea and Dana in the first lesson. laugh with them but they aren´t my friends and when I don´t know the people around me. For me. 22 years old. The second class was much easier for me because I had forced myself awake and was looking forward to the activities in the lesson. Read the three reflections below written by university students who are studying to become teachers. I can also be a clown. he is so boring. shout at somebody that I don´t like him and do faces at someone when it is not necessary? For me. they are strangers. With that in mind. The only thing I wanted to do was to go home. I can´t imagine something that is not real. 92 . I can entertain other people. the last session was quite boring for me and I felt nervous. because I don´t trust them. So performances are all right for me. I can talk to them. I did wake up during the class. And this is another problem in our sessions. I felt as if we had studied some performance. we should have started with that and moved on to the lesson itself afterwards. Beáta. how to use it in a proper way. the making up “ring stories“ was amazing. you can explain that you are in a hurry more easily. a teacher trainee: Speaking English has always been a problem for me. So I should be willing to speak. 93 .2. During my secondary school studies my English teacher didn´t place much importance on speaking the language. And if I don´t know how to express my thoughts or I can´t remember an English word. 22 years old. interested in something. bored. I was relaxed and it was very amusing. Klára. I learnt that the important thing is to be understood. I was afraid a bit. The first thing that I will certainly use in real-life communication is body language. it is important to be attentive about someone else´s body language. The only way how to do it is to get rid of your fear of speaking which cannot improve your speaking skills even if you are listening to a good English speaker. I understood that you don´t have to speak like a native speaker. but you ought to try your best to be understood. You do not realize how big an influence such things have until you find out how important they are. She encouraged me to start and taught me that nobody is perfect: I can make mistakes. because without it. When I came to the Special Language Seminar for the first time. And on the other hand. which is just amazing. I never thought I would be able to talk a whole ten minutes about something that actually did not happen. so it is really useful for good conversation. after a few minutes I realized that they are not only good at English but also friendly and neat girls. I enjoyed it so much. you can show you don´t understand or maybe that you don´t hear something. a teacher trainee: I´ve learned mostly how important my imagination is and that it is also important to use it. But we should know how to communicate. At today´s session I felt quite good and I wasn´t embarrassed any more when I was supposed to speak in front of my classmates. they may not be able to fulfil a particular task. I realize that it is not only important for me as a student but also as a future teacher. I learnt that communication is a crucial thing in our everyday life. For example. I can use the body language. 21 years old. or how to get to the station or what something looks like. Thanks to it I can find out if he/she is nervous. 3. However. At these sessions we all learnt how to work with our vocabulary. Moreover. And the most important thing: it started to be natural for me to speak English in front of other people. to help him understand me. but also how to listen to others and thus create a good and friendly atmosphere also in an academic setting. I learned that I should talk slower if I am talking with somebody with only the basics of English. And so is my teacher. It helps to express your thoughts. There were only girls who spoke English really well. And I didn´t know if I would be a good classmate for them. Then I can communicate more easily even if I can´t speak that language well. I realized that I should develop the imagination of my future students. I wish each lesson was like this. So I didn´t practise and improve my speaking skills at all. Not only did I learn how essential it is to be creative. I also stopped being nervous when speaking in public. Task achievement Did the learner achieve the task? How did he/she achieve it? Was his/her performance creative enough? Was his/her solution unique? 4. Herein the main focus is put on the final educational output rather than the process of learning which is undoubtedly important and essential at drama-based lessons. kinaesthetic. Cooperation in pairs or in groups Did the learner cooperate? Did he/she share? Did he/she fulfil his/her role? Was he/she helpful in the group? Did he/she contribute somehow to the task accomplishment? 3. they can prepare tailor-made lessons and activities considering the individual needs. Therefore. Furthermore. increase learners’ intrinsic motivation. drama techniques develop the whole personality of language learners and stimulate learners’ implementation of different learning styles (visual. intrapersonal. they can more easily determine standards their learners have already achieved and to what degree. employs qualitative evaluation in the form of feedback in order to 1. As mentioned earlier in this handbook. The other one. evaluation is the issue that needs more attention to be paid to it. wants and lacks of language learners. Metacognitive awareness through writing a diary What did my learner write about in his diary entry? Did he/she reflect on his/her learning process? Did he/she provide constructive feedback? Did he/she explain what he/she had learnt and how? Did he/she explain the reasons of doing various activities? What does he/she suggest to learn about in the future? 94 . it is an efficient tool to develop language learners’ communicative competence. improve learners’ attainment. 2. be responsible for it.HOW TO ASSESS LEARNERS IN DRAMA-BASED LESSONS Evaluation is one of the activities that has to be done by all teachers. tactile and kinaesthetic) and their multiple intelligences (interpersonal. linguistic and musical intelligences). spatial. In a drama-based lesson. in drama classes we cannot talk about summative assessment which is typically recognised in traditional teaching and learning approaches. learners are exposed to authentic language through almost authentic situations. As for teachers. Hence. auditory. 3. Furthermore. drama in a foreign language classroom is an efficient teaching and learning tool which besides fighting affective undesired variables enhances learners’ interpersonal and intrapersonal qualities. the following criteria related to assessment should be applied: 1. become aware of one’s own learning and 4. In drama-based classes. Command of English language Did my learners use the target language all the time? Was the used language fluent and accurate enough? Was my learner’s speech natural? Did he/she try to apply any communication strategies to convey the message? 2. formative assessment. and they can monitor their learners’ progress and adjust their instruction accordingly. • Decide whether you want to dramatize some coursebook material (e. • Encourage your learners rather than discourage them. Mother tongue (L1) can be used as a “planning language” when preparing. Consider in what other way your learners might profit from the linguistic. Ask your learners to reflect on their own learning. though fictional. • Expect that more native language will appear among your learners. and they should be cross-curricular and communicative. lesson objectives. Encourage them to provide feedback to their peers and to you. consider the proficiency level.g. • Keep some time at the end of the lesson for feedback. grammar structures. cartoon. • Get ready for noise when using drama. • Focus on language (vocabulary. context by establishing spatial and time boundaries. • If you plan to use some props. roles of teachers and learners and the way of assessment must be redefined. Keep them for the future. Work noise is acceptable. age and number of learners. They should bring language into a life-like. facilitator. etc. Do not overuse them within one lesson plan! • Start with some easier and move to more advanced techniques. creativity and motivation to implement drama into foreign language lessons. monitor. confidence. Since drama techniques are learneroriented. for example. poem. demanding and time-consuming but at the same time rewarding for language teachers. tell your learners to prepare them in advance. 95 . The main principles to be followed when designing a drama-based lesson plan are: • Before planning a drama-based lesson. coursebook dialogues) or you want to dramatize a short story. the lesson plan structure. fairy tale. Drama is a learner-oriented approach not a teacher-centred approach. Praise them and watch their communicative and social development. song. Keep your learners busy! Not yourself! • Remember your roles – you are an initiator. It needs a pinch of courage. The tasks should be personally significant and go beyond the “here and now”. You can easily monitor the noise level by balancing loud and calm activities. • Prepare tasks that are socially interactive as well as individual. Your learners are doers. • Maintain enough variety of verbal and nonverbal drama techniques. • Listen to your learners’ suggestions. Be flexible in changing the structure of the lesson if this change pursues the established objectives. fable. personal and cultural point of view. short performances. • Be realistic with time – 45 minutes! Do not plan too many activities for one lesson.SUMMARY Designing drama-based lessons is very challenging. social. • Define lesson objectives clearly showing what successful learners will be able to do after the lesson. Prepare some alternatives for the lesson if some techniques fail. language functions) you wish to present/ practise with your learners. 1. Then we performed the dialogues and evaluated other students. not drama through English! Questions for you CHAPTER III. I find it quite childish and cannot see any purpose behind it. I was really tired and had no energy to speak English. social and personal development and raise cultural awareness • clarify the importance of the reflection stage of drama-based lessons 96 YES I WISH TO IMPROVE . The last activity was a little bit rushed. 5. B. Today we were doing many practical activities. My classmates were quite confident doing it. I am really glad that we practised irregular verbs by throwing the ball. How is writing a reflection connected with the development of language learners’ awareness? Elaborate. • Make sure that you teach English through drama. How do the roles of teachers and learners differ in a drama-based lesson plans from nondrama-based lesson plans? 3. Our teacher gave us a dialogue and we had to change it and create a dramatic hook. Then we worked in pairs. How do they differ from each other? What do they show? A. Put a tick (√) next to those statements that best describe your teaching abilities.. I am able to: • explain the difference between drama-based lesson plan and non-dramabased lesson plan • explain the structure of a drama-based lesson plan and suggest relevant techniques • design learner-oriented objectives related to development of communicative competence. The physical activity we did at the beginning woke me up. Below.• Bear in mind that not all the lesson has to be taught through drama! Using it purposefully within different lesson stages is fair enough.. We had to write ten questions appropriate for our dialogue. there are two different examples of diary entries. We stood in a circle and said our names and mimed activities we usually do. skills and competences after completing Chapter V. It helped me later when we created dialogues. I felt quite embarrased when we were making sounds of animals in groups. What are the golden rules of planning a foreign language lesson using elements of drama? 2. The first activity was the warm-up. What is the structure of a drama-based lesson plan? Which techniques can be applied during these stages? Why? 4. After studying CHAPTER V. REFLECTION BOX 5. • clarify the importance of formative assessment in a foreign language classroom 97 . They were practising cooperative teaching at their drama sessions. Mr. The video extracts are included on the DVD which is a part of this handbook. Characters such as Donald MacBrain. New York: Clarion Books 2004. However. 32 p. you will come across the following lesson plans and their analysis through reflection: Lesson plan 1: Train to Glasgow Lesson plan 2: Amazing Grace Lesson plan 3: Aliens The following lesson plans were used with our teacher trainess and were recorded during the workshops at the Department of English and American Studies. short scenes and improvisations and others. SAMPLE LESSON PLANS AND REFLECTION CHAPTER VI. poetry can serve as a  great means to motivate and engage learners in foreign language study. bringing poems to English lessons and dramatizing them is an inspiring experience for both teachers and learners. It addresses learners of all learning styles hence there is a variety of activities appropriate for kinaesthetic.CHAPTER VI. Paul: The Train to Glasgow. tactile. We wish to express our greatest thanks to all the teacher trainees who participated at our workshops for their enthusiasm and effort and for the constructive feedback they provided us with. 4243 Nowadays. LESSON PLAN 1: THE TRAIN TO GLASGOW 42 43 This lesson plan is based on the book The Train to Glasgow by Wilma Horsbrugh and Paul Cox. There is an equal balance between easier and more advanced drama techniques such as miming. SAMPLE LESSON PLANS AND REFLECTION In this chapter. Wilma – COX. 43 HORSBRUGH. 42 98 . Besides this. auditory and visual learners. choral reading. as we have already suggested in a previous part of our handbook. Faculty of Arts. short improvisations. voices in heads and others. The lesson plan consists of various non-verbal and verbal drama techniques such as introduction sound and motion activities. This poem about a Scottish boy traveling to Glasgow is a unique example of creativity and imagination that can be easily implemented into our lessons when working with poems. creating characters from the train. there is a small number of learners who read poetry. 1st ed. MacIver and the guard from The ideas in this lesson plan are adapted from Daniela Bačová. Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra in 2012. ISBN 9780618381-43-2. Andrea Billíková and Conrad Toft who used this lesson plan during their teacher training courses at UKF in 2003. let’s get down to work… Mr. wear the railway hat and sell the train tickets for the lowest price possible. MacIver is waiting for you in his train. B1. creating a setting and characters. learner-in-role. story-telling and story-making. choral reading Class arrangement Before the lesson starts. B2 length: 90 minutes – 120 minutes materials needed: train tickets. So. 2. Drama techniques non-verbal warm-ups (clapping a rhythm.. put two desks together to create the ticket office at the railway station. props (railway uniform coat.desk) DD (office at the train station) Carriage 1: passengers travelling to Poland XXXX XXXX Carriage 2: passengers travelling to France XXXX XXXX Carriage 3: passengers travelling to …. teacher-in-role. Demonstration: (X – chair. General information: age: young adults. railway hat) Language objectives After doing this lesson plan. voices in head. Ask where they are travelling to and accompany them into the carriages according to their destinations. get rid of the desks and place the chairs together as if creating the train carriages. re-arrange the classroom as follows: 1. miming. making sounds). short improvisations. adults level: A2 (with some modifications). 99 . D . copies of poems (see appendix 1). successful learners will be able to: • ask for a train ticket to a certain destination • describe people • pronounce the words from the poem correctly • read the lines of the poem in rhythm • identify the main rhymes in the poem • create a story with the help of a teacher • chant a poem in a distinct intonation and pronunciation Social objectives Learners will become more aware of other passsengers on a train and travelling etiquette. When students arrive.Donibristle who waves his flag and blows his whistle will become unforgettable after experiencing this lesson plan. They like when the name of their town/village railway station is used in this activity. Comments: By this activity. This continues until all the class is involved. Sounds of a station: soundtracking (3 minutes) Tell the students that the first stop will be at a small village a few kilometres from your place. Clap any rhythm at different noise levels which would resemble the sounds of a train. 100 . One person starts doing the movement and sounds typical for the chosen object/character. for example Victoria Station in London. Others watch the scene and then join in as a different object/character doing endless and circular movements and sounds accordingly.• Warm-ups In the train: concentration clapping (3 minutes) Sit among your students in the carriage. Step 2: Free individual improvisations Students keep the same roles from the previous activity and improvise a one-minute scene in the same carriage (moving and speaking). Produce the sounds of that station at day and at night together. their status and behaviour towards other passengers.30 minutes) Put the chairs into the shape of the train carriage. All students follow him and this continues a while. Elicit what kind of people usually travel by train and where they usually travel to and what activities they do while travelling. The movements and the sounds are endlessly and circularly repeated. produce the sounds of a busy station. He goes on with clapping a series of other rhythms. learners are able to create the image of the railway station through creating typical objects and characters. One by one they introduce themselves by miming and showing their usual behaviour on a train. Make sure everybody is travelling with a valid train ticket. The individual improvisations reveal the characters. Tell your students to join you. Comments: Creating the image of a specific station is very popular among learners. what is happening at a station at day and at night. Later pass leadership on by nodding at a student. successful learners will be able to concentrate by following the same rhythm indicated by the leader. The passengers (25 . In contrast. • Pre-drama At the station: station machine (5 minutes) Students decide what roles they will play when doing the whole class station machine. Other students guess who the passengers are. Comments: By doing this activity. Step 1: Miming Students are in the roles of passengers with different behaviour and status. The movements and sounds create a more authentic setting. comment where they are travelling to and what for. Compare and contrast small and big stations. The status of passengers and their “brains” can vary. Every sitting passenger faces one standing student in the role of his/ her brain (this person says aloud true things). (hens and cocks) 101 . (learners in the roles of Donald MacBrain and Guard from Donibristle) Scene 3: The train gave a jolt.20 minutes) Tell the story about the little boy travelling to Glasgow and what happened to him. Scenes: Scene 1: At the railway station. the boy came to the station to catch the train. MacIver are miming what is happening in the scene) Scene 2: Donald MacBrain. The guard from Donibristle waves his flag and blows his whistle to show the driver Mr. It’s going to kill me… Sitting student B: Of course. Introduce the characters from the poem. Characters: • Donald MacBrain: a boy travelling to Glasgow. • hens. This is quite an advanced drama technique. The guard at the last moment hauled him into the van. do not tell the truth. The passengers pretend to be polite. Comments: Give numbers to the character to avoid chaos during dialogues. • Guard from Donibristle: waves a flag and blows a whistle. go ahead… Standing student B (brain): What a chick…. Retell the story interactively by involving your students to be in the roles mentioned while telling the story. • Mr. • Drama Work with poem: story-telling and story-making with the characters (15 . Introduce the characters one by one while telling the story in small chunks. Example: Sitting student A: Excuse me. lie. (learners in roles of the guard from Donibristle and Mr. may I open the window? Standing student A (brain): What a terrible perfume this man is wearing. The sitting students do short individual improvisations one by one and their “brains” (standing students opposite) comment on what they really think. Nice legs…. We recommend doing it in small steps as described above. they are smooth-talking while their “brains” say what they really mean. Hens and cocks got out from the boxes. MacIver to start the train to Glasgow.Step 3: Pair improvisations Students keep the same roles. cocks in the boxes clucking and crowing. MacIver: the train driver. sir. Strong cooperation of pairs is a must. Donald MacBrain) Loud reading (20 minutes) a. but for drama you really need concentration otherwise it falls apart. in 2003. C. Slovakia. I think the lesson worked very well. Well. Put students into small groups (A. all members stand up and when they finish they sit down. Comments: There is motion in the class while reading the poem which makes it more interesting and dynamic. fell – well. C. Donibristle – whistle. notion – commotion. With the 3rd group though. cocks – box. D) and give them their parts of the poem (A. While the first groups’ performances were done in their groups with the freezing technique and roles 102 . (the guard from Donibristle. quick calm-down activity. The idea of introducing the topic immediately from the beginning of the lesson with the teacher in role and all the details of the railwayman costume. man  – van. b. The whole class reads the poem together keeping the same rhythm. B. jolt – bolt. be – tea. Mr. We just couldn`t create make-believe with a laughing cameraman at our backs. The story was told in a more interactive way. C. I liked the idea about dialogues in the train in gibberish and the talking brain activity which are really quite difficult to perform and need some time to practice and also a good command of English if you want to do it spontaneously. as I was afraid the students would fall asleep. MacIver and the guard praise Donald for being so quick and clever. Make sure the students catch the same rhythm. Focus on hard passages and new vocabulary. All-class reading. the technician’s video recording ruined the charm of the story creation. Give students the copies of the poem and practise reading aloud together. MacBrain – train. tickets. D. hens and cocks) Scene 5: The guard invites Donald for a cup of tea and lets him blow the whistle. The rhyming pairs are: driver – MacIver. neat – feet. D and ALL.Scene 4: Donald and guard are catching all hens and cocks and put them back into the box. It was fascinating to know what other people think (!). (the guard from Donibristle. announcement on the door brought that special flavour or “spice” to the classroom atmosphere. Comments: Finding the rhyming pairs is a nice. B. never – clever. ALL) to focus on and practise reading aloud. it was funny. When the groups read their lines. REFLECTION of teacher trainers’ teaching cooperatively the same lesson plan to teacher trainees at Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra. • Calming down Rhyming pairs (5 minutes) Prepare the rhyming words on separate pieces of paper. It brings students back to a normal noise level. c. Donald MacBrain. Read the poem to the students in the rhythm of the moving train (t-tu-t-tu-t-tu). The text of the poem is divided into parts A. Mix them and tell students to find them. B. Andrea (a teacher trainer) REFLECTIONS of teacher trainees’ studying at Department of English and American Studies at Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra. Firstly. I felt that the use of the video camera was detrimental to the lesson (although I expect to get invaluable feedback from watching it). teachers are not very familiar with the ways in which they can teach through poems. I suspect that some people won’t ever forget Donald MacBrain and Mr. Workshop. It added well to the atmosphere. and also about how interesting the lessons are for us!! I liked Dana’s interactive story-telling and we developed this further in the later lessons. I want to see the ideas our students are supposed to come up with. I believe that our students learnt that poems can be used easily in our sessions and that there is a lot of language. but also pronunciation. It’s a difficult technique but it’s wonderful when it works (and is great for working with literature). vocabulary. Slovakia. I myself do not use poems in my classes very much. Daniela (a teacher trainer) We were really excited about this lesson (too excited?). I am really looking forward to our next session. I think that in a classroom situation. That makes it much less threatening and is to be recommended. melody. I was so absorbed into the lesson that I completely forgot about them until they were needed. I also liked the addition of the ‘brain’ activity. I think I like both ways as nice alternatives. rhythm. The addition of the railway carriages in the third lesson was an example of the development of a lesson plan (the classroom was divided into three carriages of a train). The poem we used at our drama session was very dynamic. teaching these features of language are pretty much neglected at English lessons (many teachers do not find them important). MacIver. students are not motivated enough to learn through poems. Today I have understood that poems can be a wonderful resource for teaching the language. The poem is a great one for rhythm and so strongly themed that we could create the atmosphere in just a few minutes at the beginning of class with the teachers in role. I would probably start with simpler poems earlier in the term to get students used to the ideas and then develop into this poem. It is not only grammar. the third groups were mixed with standing positions when they had to say their lines. Andrea and I realized just before the lesson and decided that I would go during the warm-up or pre-drama to make them. In previous lessons the video camera was static and above the eye-level of the students. spring 2012 The way of teaching English language through drama – which I saw – is very interesting. secondly. I believe that we managed to create an almost identical atmosphere – as it looks at the train stations. pitch.. In the first class we had a major problem in that we didn’t have the photocopies of the poems ready. I was a little bit disappointed when our students thought that we were selling tickets to the cinema.. Conrad (a teacher trainer) Introducing poems to learners of English is not very popular among English teachers. However. It’s not the first time I’ve had my lessons recorded but it was the first time it has felt disruptive.. intonation. Another alternative could have been putting the groups into different corners of the classroom to enjoy space and voice projection etc. An idea about the train was very good though a bit time-consuming as to the lesson preparation. There’s a lesson there about preparation. Stupid. I think that the poetry performance in my group would have been better second time around. I really enjoyed the whole session. I still had a good feeling from the seminar. I couldn’t believe how disappointed I felt when students didn’t know what kind of tickets they were buying – but I really enjoyed my role after suffering many times at the hands of bored and unhelpful railway staff in Slovakia.. rhythm in them – generally there is a lot of learning there.to illustrate railway station images. It was also very good 103 . The resulting copies were rushed and this caused some problems. handouts with lyrics. What I liked most was the song at the end. Grace is disappointed when her classmates object that she cannot have the part. an African American girl.that children used only English. individual activities were related to travelling (e. It was very funny to sit down and stand up following the specific lines in a poem. On the other hand. this kind of lesson would involve them for sure. ISBN 978-0803710-40-5. because she is black.g. as well as acting them out “[a]nd she always gave herself the most exciting part45”. Fascinated by acting. This idea was developed throughout the whole lesson as its main theme. 1st ed. Mowgli. pens HOFFMAN. sheets of paper. B2 length: 90 – 120 minutes materials needed: CD. And unaware. Martina (a teacher trainee) TASK 36: Which parts from the above lesson plan would you like to try with your learners? Why? Which parts would you modify? How? LESSON PLAN 2: AMAZING GRACE This lesson plan is based on a book Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman and Caroline Binch. they need motion and an ordinary lesson – when they simply sit at their desks and look at their course books – must be very boring for them. 32 p. first. Grace thus becomes Joan of Arc. Grace’s confidence gradually grows and after successful auditions she gets the role of Peter. Ivana (a teacher trainee) The idea itself – to prepare a lesson as a train journey – was very interesting. she naturally wants to have the role of Peter Pan in a play they plan to put on at school. The protagonist of the picture book Amazing Grace44 written by Mary Hoffman and illustrated by Caroline Binch is Grace. London : Frances Lincoln Children’s Books 1991. Grace confesses to her mother and grandmother what happened at school. They both encourage her to do her best in order to get the role. I’m sure that children would appreciate this active playing also as they have a lot of energy. a pirate. General information: age: teenagers level: A2 (with some modifications). bus stops). children did not realize that they are actually learning. Dick Whittington or Aladdin. a soldier in the Trojan War. B1. After coming home from school. Since the first part of the workshop was done in the form of a game. 44 104 . they would even “catch” the correct rhythm of a foreign language. This might also give them greater courage to express themselves (they were not afraid to communicate in English). and second. because I think that the knowledge of a foreign language is important and useful. I also liked that we weren’t sitting in the same way as at the beginning. because she is a girl. but we changed seats according to our travel destination. CD player. Hiawatha. Mary – BINCH. 45 There are no page numbers in the book. the book of Amazing Grace. Caroline: Amazing Grace. who loves reading and listening to stories. Ask them to focus on the lyrics and remember as many words as they can. This continues accordingly until all the picture book is read.Language objectives After doing this lesson plan. successful learners will be able to: • brainstorm key words from the song • develop a discussion on what it means to be “strange” • read short passages from the book aloud in a distinct intonation • retell a story from the pictures in the picture book • act out the passages from the story • write a poem (an acrostic) to “Amazing Grace” • read the poem aloud Social objectives Learners will become more aware of • diversity among people • themselves as being special in some way • ways how to accept each other’s differences • empathy with Amazing Grace from the book Drama techniques tabloid. short performances. tell your learners to make up a few lines related to the picture in the book. Then ask comprehension questions about Grace: “Who is Grace?” “What is she like?” “What does she like doing?” “Is she strange in any way? Why?” “In what ways can you identify with Grace?” 105 . • Warm-up “People Are Strange” by The Doors: song (5 minutes) Play the song “People are Strange” by The Doors. Then develop the discussion on the key word STRANGE. If there is no text just a picture. reading in chorus. Tell your learners to listen to the song and relax. (as activity modifications suggest: soundtracking and dancing) Class arrangement Before the lesson starts. Read the first page aloud in a distinct intonation and show the picture related to the text to your class. Pass the book around the circle and let the learner next to you read the second page. put the chairs into a circle without any desks. Ask some of these questions: “What does ‘strange’ mean to you?” “What was the strangest thing that ever happened to you?” “Why are some people considered to be strange?” “Who is the strangest person you have ever met?” What makes him/her strange? • Pre-drama Story of Grace: reading aloud with elements of story telling (10 minutes) Introduce the picture book of Amazing Grace to your learners. skills. 106 . Then. the best English language competence. Give them enough preparation time. etc. or I am a vegetarian…). In pairs they mingle again and introduce each other to other mingling pairs. In spite of that there are many things they (your learners) have in common. Tell them to prepare a short scene starting from the tabloid they prepared during the previous stage. but the characters must be the same. The rest of the class comments on what they can see. Tell your students to label their newly created groups by the key word that best describes them (for example: THE SHY. who the characters are and which moment/scene from the book is shown. Tell them to find three things they have in common (the same abilities. At the end of their performance they freeze to let their viewers know that it is the end of their performance. learners write a poem (an acrostic) to “AMAZING GRACE” in which each sentence begins with the letter from “Amazing Grace”. • Drama Dramatizing the picture book: tabloids (15­ – 20 minutes) Learners work in the groups of four created in the previous activity. The topic of the poem is “Don’t be afraid to be different”. Tell them to stay together with such a pair they find alike in some way. The poem must contain the name of their group (see the previous activity Find somebody who). Tell them to create tabloids (still image) connected with the text and the picture from the book. Find somebody who can…: mingler (10 minutes) Tell your learners to mingle in the class and look for a person they find very special or unique based on the previous activity. At the end let your learners vote for the best performance. THE MYSTERIOUS etc…. the best identification with the text and the best props used. • Calm down Writing a poem to “Amazing Grace” (15 . provide your learners with extra time to practise the reading aloud of their poem in chorus. It means the first line starts with A. the fourth with Z.). THE LOUD. qualities etc. Possible modification: the poem will be read by one learner from the group while the rest prepare a soundtrack and a dance that would accompany the same poem. Give them the copies of the text and the pictures from the book. Then each group reads their poem aloud to the rest of the class. Your learners perform their scenes in front of the rest of the class. the third with A. the second with M. Tell them to choose a part of the story from the book.I’m special in the way that…: personalization (5 minutes) Ask the question: What makes YOU different/special from other people around you? Learners sitting in the circle pass the ball and finish the sentence starter “I’m special in the way that ….). Short scenes (20­ – 30 minutes) Your learners stay in the same groups.20 minutes) In the same groups. Remind them that to be different means to be special and unique.(for example I can sign my name with both hands. invite your learners to show their tabloids. When they are ready with their writing. They can modify their part of the story and develop it. spring 2012. especially when a teacher would like to try some “acting-out” activities with learners. There is a very small trick to achieve this: A teacher must “arrange” the learners so that they can’t see each other’s faces. 17 April 2012 I attended a “drama workshop” that I found rather interesting. a “stranger”. I had expected that learners might enjoy the song (lyrics as poetry). It was a great idea to work in groups and prepare short scenes from the book with possible modifications. Workshop. they don’t feel “to be directly observed” while singing which – for most – is unpleasant). Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra. I also felt that there was a relaxed atmosphere in the class. As far as the lesson was concerned. I do believe that we all benefited from the workshop in some way. In conclusion. The story of Grace literally invites its readers to act it out (there was actually a play for children written based on the story from the book) and offers many ideas which can be used in the class. students ALWAYS sing. My favourite part was writing a poem to Amazing Grace. What I also liked was the way that learners accepted my colleague as their partner in the activities and didn’t feel uncomfortable. Slovakia. Maybe we just need more practice. it was not difficult to feel relaxed. in spring 2012. a very important aspect. All performances were really creative. Quite the opposite. In our group. It consists of a few verbal and nonverbal techniques which make learners familiar with cultural diversity. At the beginning we listened to a song about “strangers” by The Doors. we sang it. Martin (a teacher trainee) TASK 37: Which parts from the above lesson plan would you like to try with your learners? Why? Which parts would you modify? How? LESSON PLAN 3: ALIENS The main aim of the following lesson plan is to show the potential of drama techniques when raising intercultural awareness of learners in a foreign language classroom. It was very emotional from the very beginning when Mary introduced the topic of diversity through the song and a short discussion. activities weren’t boring since all students had to interact.REFLECTION of teacher trainers from the workshop held at the Department of English and American Studies. I liked this method a lot. and often unexpectedly. On Tuesday. 107 . Andrea (a teacher trainer) REFLECTION of teacher trainees’ studying at the Department of English and American Studies at Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra. We all enjoyed it a lot. Slovakia. That was very challenging and it did not go as smoothly as I thought. miming or hot-seat enable learners to experience what it feels like to be an “alien” . I had tried it before and this activity has never disappointed me (and. At the end. Creating characters. I find reading the picture book very appropriate and helpful in a foreign language classroom since pictures help to understand the new language better. it’s best when I can combine both. we had real difficulty to write something meaningful. What I liked most was its end. Mária (a teacher trainer) I really enjoyed this part of the workshop. the topic of diversity was really nicely introduced. Then. The whole workshop was conducted in a perfect atmosphere. maybe surprisingly. Thanks to the revisions of performances I think I will remember the workshop for a long time. a “foreigner”. Being – first and foremost – a “literature” person but also a teacher who likes drama techniques. I don’t like singing but – in this case – it created a perfect atmosphere :). I did not notice any student feel uncomfortable performing his/her role. The aliens in the following lesson plan come from various planets; they behave strangely and communicate in their own language using alien gestures and mime. Besides raising intercultural awareness, the lesson plan develops and practises learners’ strategic subcompetence. It happens mainly when learners (in roles of aliens/strangers) are expected to negotiate meanings using any available verbal or non-verbal means to cover the language gaps in their repertoire. The Alien activities help language learners practise a lot of verbal and non-verbal language through an easy and funny context. General information: age: young adults, adults level: B1, B2, C1 length: 90 minutes – 120 minutes materials needed: small pieces of paper for drawing, crayons, colouring pencils Language objectives After doing this lesson plan, successful learners will be able to: • develop a discussion on what it is like to be an “alien” • describe the appearance of an imaginary alien and the aliens in their pictures • introduce themselves in gibberish • explain how to survive on our planet • give clear instructions on how to do something/how to say something • ask questions during an interview • use the information from the interview for a written follow-up activity Cultural objectives By the end of these lessons, successful learners will become aware of: • individual differences concerning the appearance of different nations/cultures • social and cultural behaviour (some examples of etiquette) • impact of physical contact (touching the “alien”) • differences between languages • differences between the way in which emotions are expressed in different cultures • differences between gestures in different cultures • mutual acceptance, tolerance, respect • the fact that we can learn a lot from other cultures • interview etiquette (what questions are culturally and socially appropriate) Drama techniques creating characters, drawing characters, gibberish, miming, hot-seat Class arrangement Put the chairs into a circle before the lesson starts. Learners will need a lot of space to move. • Warm-up Alien: creating the character (10 minutes) Learners sit in a circle. Pretend that there is somebody behind the door. Open the door and call your little IMAGINARY friend to come in. Since he is very shy he is going to whisper everything into your ear (this should raise your learners’ interest). Welcome and introduce your imaginary little friend, an alien, to the class. Encourage your learners to give him a name and describe his appearance. Tell your learners that this little alien is “lost” on our planet, he does not know our customs. 108 • Pre-drama Passing the alien: treat me in the same way (15 – 20 minutes) Pass the alien in the circle. Each learner in the circle welcomes the alien, touches him and gives him some advice on what to do on Earth to survive. For example: Learner A  to an imaginary alien: “Hello, little alien. Welcome to our planet! We, people, eat food to survive. This is how we do it (Learner A mimes eating).” Then Learner A passes the alien to Learner B sitting next to him who follows the same procedure. This continues until all learners have welcomed the alien. Pretend that the alien is whispering something in your ear. He is telling you that he feels strange to be treated like an “alien” among so many humans. The alien wishes that the learners would treat each other in the same way as they treated the alien. For example: Learner A to Learner B (using the same sentences, intonation, mime): “Hello, little alien. Welcome to our planet! We, people, eat food to survive. We do it this way.” Learner A mimes eating and encourages Learner B to mime the same thing together. Learner B to Learner C.... Let your alien watch learners treat each other in the same way as he (the alien) was treated earlier. Develop a discussion on what it is like to be an “alien”, a stranger or a foreigner. You might ask some of these questions: Why do people migrate from country to country? What is the range of immigrants living in our country? How do you feel when you meet an immigrant? How do you understand the word “multiculturalism”? If you were an immigrant in some foreign country, would you try to adjust to the new culture? How? Drawing aliens: team building (5 – 10 minutes) Give each learner a piece of paper. Provide your learners with crayons and pencils for drawing. Tell them to draw a simple picture of an alien from different planets. When they are ready, invite them to show their pictures to each other and search for similar aliens. This is the way learners form groups. Basically it is not the teacher who tells them who to work with but learners decide by themselves. • Drama Introducing aliens to each other: team building (5 – 10 minutes) Learners grouped together according to similar drawings from the previous activity pretend to be aliens from the same planet. They name their planet and decide on: • how they say “hello, we are aliens from...” in their alien language (gibberish), • what they do when they meet other “aliens”, • what they do when they are happy/sad/angry/hungry/in love… • how they walk, speak, etc. Aliens in groups introduce themselves to other “aliens”. 109 Do what I do: imitation (10 – 15 mins) Mix groups and create new ones so that there are different aliens from various planets. Aliens from different planets teach each other their own language, the way they walk and body language related to their feelings (happiness, sadness, hunger, love...). • Calm-down Interviewing aliens: hot-seat (10 – 15 minutes) Learners are in roles of aliens and journalists. “Aliens” are invited to sit on “hot-seat(s)” and will answer 5 questions asked by their classmates who are in the role of journalists. The questions can be related to aliens’ planets, their lives and customs. For example: Where do you come from? What is your name? How many brothers and sisters have you got? How old are you?... Questions such as How do you kiss?, How do you reproduce? etc. may be funny but must be asked in accordance with “alien etiquette”. When all five questions are answered, invite another group of “aliens” from a different planet to sit on the hot-seat(s). All this continues until all aliens have been interviewed. Learners in roles of journalists take notes and use them for a later writing activity (See homework below). Setting homework Using notes from the interview, tell your learners to write either a report for a local newspaper (in reported speech), a column in a newspaper or a compare and contrast essay on the topic: What is better, to be an alien or a human being? Why? REFLECTION of teacher trainers from the workshop held at the Department of English and American Studies, Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, Slovakia, in spring 2012. Aliens is a great lesson plan. It is based on the topic that most people have been once interested in; either in their childhood or - for some - it remains a life-long fascination and sentiment (Spielberg’s E.T. movie). This first layer (an extra-terrestrial life) is used in a very efficient way to remind us of ordinary but very important situations, behaviour, even conflicts that we have to face (getting used to new surroundings, place of work, etc). The ideas behind Aliens are in this way very universal. There are some more points I would like to highlight. The lesson plan is structured so that a learner is gradually drawn in. Introduction of an imaginary friend (who hasn’t had one) is charming and capturing. Individual activities use variety of drama techniques which prevent learners from becoming bored (they have NO CHANCE with this lesson plan!). Mária (a teacher trainer) Raising intercultural awareness through “alien” activities proved to be a good idea. It was clear from our students’ reactions that they enjoyed doing alien activities during our workshop. However, if I used the same lesson plan again, I would focus more on reflection and analysis of every single activity done at the session. That would make the lesson plan objectives clearer and more explicit. Next time I would definitely use less activities and spend more time on lesson plan analysis. Without seeing the clear purpose behind drama techniques and activities, drama would be considered just as an entertaining element in English lessons. Andrea (a teacher trainer) 110 . I hope that activities like this will be organized often either by our department or by the university. we had different characteristic features and customs. I think.. simply perfect. cultural objectives accordingly 111 . or. Eliška (a teacher trainee) TASK 38: Which parts from the above lesson plan would you like to try with your learners? Why? Which parts would you modify? How? REFLECTION BOX 6. I think she really made a great decision when she chose a character that can be modified according to our imagination.. I have to confess that I liked not only the content of the workshop but also its form. We were engaged in the activities through an interactive approach so that we could learn each other’s personal characteristics and attributes and find out how different behaviour and reactions of different types of people. I hadn’t known what I was missing. Put a tick (√) next to those statements that best describe your teaching abilities. Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra. I found myself in the alien‘s world. I attended the last part of the workshop called “Aliens”. in spring 2012. Our teacher trainer got hold of us all immediately after her introductory sentences. How to describe it? Interesting. after a few minutes. Time spent with you flew really fast and it gave me a lot of new ideas. skills and competences after completing Chapter VI. in this case. Everything depended on it. I didn’t know what to expect so I was a bit tense coming there.. I really liked the way of presenting things. funny. Slovakia. spontaneous. It’s a pity. unexpected. We lived on different planets. of aliens can be. After studying CHAPTER VI. The relaxed atmosphere somehow highlighted the whole event.REFLECTION of teacher trainees from the workshop held at the Department of English and American Studies. Martina (a teacher trainee) I had the opportunity to participate in the workshop organized by the Department of English and American Studies. Thanks to our little friend – called Snuffy – we could become alien creatures of the universe for a while. social. However. I am able to: YES I WISH TO IMPROVE • identify drama techniques used in the above lesson plans • explain the aims of drama techniques used in the above lesson plans • use some ideas for dramatizing literature with my learners • follow the above lesson plans and modify some activities • design a drama-based lesson plan with clear linguistic. inspiring. I hadn’t experienced anything like this before neither in English nor in Slovak lessons. interpersonal skills.FINAL THOUGHTS Drama techniques have been described in this handbook as a very efficient teaching and learning tool to cover linguistic. Therefore it is also remembered for a longer period of time. while auditory learners enjoy chanting. Through dramatic context. With their adequate application in a foreign language classroom. Our teacher trainees have the opportunity to practise their voice potential. a good atmosphere for learning can be easily achieved. including intonation and pronunciation. evaluation and reflection which are undoubtedly very important features and skills of future language teachers. current trends in language teaching and learning offer teachers various approaches. drama techniques are a crucial and unique teaching. a foreign language is acquired naturally without being aware of it. methods. a course leader. Learners basically discover and practise it by acting it out on the stage. techniques and activities that lead learners to become communicatively competent in a target language. Kinaesthetic and tactile learners appreciate movement activities. they remember the new language more easily due to the application of their sensory learning preferences. choral reading. Drama techniques enable language learners to practise both verbal and non-verbal language. While training future teachers of English. drama techniques are NOT a MUST but a CHOICE that can be made. stress and anxiety are broken via ice-breakers. wants and lacks of a variety of learners with different sensory learning preferences. Therefore. minglers and other warm-ups. learning and training tool at our methodology and literature sessions and workshops. they are not labelled as the only possible nor ideal way of teaching and learning. is gradually created when they break the ice and start to trust each other. However. Drama techniques fulfil needs. Visual learners enjoy watching performances and their classmates on stage. body language. What we have learnt about using drama techniques with our teacher trainees during our sessions and workshops at university… • Drama techniques are an ideal training tool for future language teachers. Since our trainees are still in the roles of learners of English as a foreign language. Negative influential variables such as fear. Nowadays. they have an opportunity to experience different drama techniques on their own and afterwards analyse them from two different perspectives: from language learners’ and future language teachers’ point of view. and other pronunciation and sound activities. social and cultural objectives. Learners with multiple intelligences and different hemisphere brain dominance would find learning through drama techniques more enjoyable and efficient as well. After taking the courses where drama techniques are used as 112 . A community of learners and a good rapport with a teacher. If all learners are actively involved in the learning process. Using drama techniques at our sessions enables us to develop our trainees’ professional skills and also their human qualities. A teacher who decides to use drama techniques should give up controlling roles and accept more facilitative ones. it was a bit unclear where to draw the line: to be a friend and to stay respected. Referring to their reflections. This stimulates our thinking and raises our awareness about ourselves and our acts and about people around us and their acts. how to do it properly? We learnt the trick – both friendship and respect come naturally with drama in the classroom and a teacher’s personality. I understood that socializing at sessions even here at university is a very important element… “ “Thank you for teaching me one of the best courses during my studies. You made me think…. comfortable and better prepared for their teaching career. A teacher should become an encourager. Drama techniques made us reconsider our professional goals and aims. We learn to feel what they feel. friend and partner. we take our profession seriously with enormous responsibility.a training tool. our trainees become more self-confident. This course allowed me to be responsible for my own learning and professional development. teachers and learners. • We moved on in our professional career. I learned that there is no reason to be afraid to become a humanistic teacher… .” 113 . which means provide our learners with necessary information applicable in their professional career and their personal lives. so I couldn’t imagine how to implement them properly in a foreign language classroom. it teaches us to be empathetic and more humanistic. TASK 39: Read the following feedback provided by teacher trainees after taking the optional methodology and literature courses where drama techniques were used. we can more easily identify with people and understand their motives better. While reflecting on our own learning or teaching. • We have learnt a lot about our students and about ourselves. You showed us how to fight against traditional teaching. I had never experienced learning through drama techniques. we lead a kind of internal monologue.” “I finally had the opportunity to see how to apply the humanistic approach in foreign language teaching via using drama techniques. Via doing drama. Educating a future generation of teachers who would educate new generations of children and then their children. how much did they profit from the course? “This course was a huge contribution to my future teaching career. • We have acquired new roles. Inititially. We understood that our task is to educate. The reflection stage is very important for both. minglers and ice-breakers to make a better class atmosphere • use coursebook dialogues and texts more efficiently via the application of drama techniques • plan and design lessons using some drama techniques • set up learner-oriented objectives which develop learners’ communicative competence. reflect on your own attitude towards drama techniques in a foreign language classroom. your abilities. REFLEXION BOX 7. After using this HANDBOOK I am able to… • summarize pros and cons of using drama techniques in a foreign language classroom • name at least five verbal and non-verbal drama techniques and explain their aims and objectives • suggest some drama-based warm-ups. skills and competences.TASK 40: Using the Reflection Box 7. social skills and increase their cultural awareness • reflect on my own way of teaching and learning 114 YES I WISH TO IMPROVE . Lane: The True Story of Three Little Pigs. 2012. London : Puffin Books 1996. M. SCIEZSKA. 1st ed.gutenberg. 08.Bibliography BAČOVÁ. London : Frances Lincoln Children’s Books 1991. (edit. In: RIVERS.org/files/27176/27176-h/27176-h. 96 p. Tim (edit. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers 2012. 32 p.: Poetry People: A  Practical Guide to Children’s Poets. Wilga M. 40 p. 151 p. 110123. DOUGILL. Lane: Math Curse. Jon – SMITH. HOFFMAN. 124 p. Richard: “The magic if ” of theater: Enhancing language learning through drama. 1st ed. In: BELLOC. Carol – MILCH. 184 p. ISBN 9780521249-07-4.): AS IF. Hilaire: The Vulture. ISBN 978-0887346-81-1. 2nd ed.] Available on the internet: http://www.htm#jumbo_jee. 1st ed. 32 p. Alan: Drama Techniques in Language Learning : A Resource Book of Communication Activities for Language Teachers. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press 1987. 1st ed. In: RICHARDS. ISBN 978-0803710-40-5. ISBN 9780670910-57-1. New York: Clarion Books 2004. Caroline: Amazing Grace. [Online. Bernie: Drama Games: Drama and Group Activities for Leaders Working With People of All Ages and Abilities. Literary works: BELLOC. Bob – BOOTH.] Available on the internet: http://www. SCIEZSKA. Simon: Teaching Literature in ELT / TESCOL Classes. London : Viking Juvenile 2004. 10th ed. Westport : Libraries Unlimited. WISNIEWSKI. pp. 7 p. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press 1993. Portsmouth : Heinemann 1994. 150 p. 84 p. 1st ed. HORSBRUGH. 115 . Laura: The Postman. 32 p. Daniela . ISBN 978-0618894-24-6. John: Drama Activities for Language Learning. ISBN 978-1849058-99-5. 1st ed. ISBN 978-8176256-57-5. Sarah: Drama with Children : Resource books for teachers.PHILLIPS. ISBN 978-0194372-20-0. 2nd ed.. MALEY.] 2012. 2012. BARTON. [Online. JONES. 08. [20. 1st ed. PHILLIPS. 160 p. Mary – BINCH. 08. 32 p.): Interactive Language Teaching.] 2008. David: Golem. 1st ed. ISBN 978-0670861-94-1. ISBN 978-0435086-43-5. SHIBU. Bratislava : The British Council 2000. 42 p. Jon – SMITH. ISBN 978-0521270-45-8. Ontario : Pembroke Publishers 2003.gutenberg. New York : Sandpiper 2007. ISBN 978-0863554-50-4. Sylvia. 2nd ed. Gavin: Drama for Learning : Dorothy Heathcote´s Mantle of the Expert Approach to Education.htm. ISBN 978-0333392-15-9. 2012. ISBN 978-1551381-61-9. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press 1982.htm BELLOC.gutenberg. 234 p. Paul: The Train to Glasgow.] Available on the internet: http://www. Hilaire: More Beasts (For Worse Children). WOODARD. Hilaire: More Beasts (For Worse Children). Wilma – COX. HEATHCOTE. 1st ed. Lane: Science Verse. ISBN 978-0618381-43-2.org/files/39741/39741-h/39741-h. Alan – DUFF. In: BELLOC. SCIEZSKA. New York : Players Print 1996. [Online.org/files/27176/27176-h/27176-h. ISBN 978-0140544-51-0. Jon – SMITH. ISBN 978-1591584-43-8. 32 p. Dorothy – BOLTON. Oxford : Oxford University Press 2000. 1st ed. VIA. 163 p. Laura: In My Nursery. David: Poetry Goes to School: From Mother Goose to Shel Silverstein. WARREN. Ken: Simulations in Language Teaching. [20. London : Viking Juvenile 1995. 1st ed. London-Basingstoke : Macmillan Publishers 1991. 1st ed. [20. 1st ed. New Delhi : Sarup and Sons 2006. ISBN 978-0521322-16-2.] 2008. VARDELL. RICHARDS. Hilaire: The Scorpion. Carri: Make-Believe Play and Story-Based Drama in Early Childhood: Let’s Pretend! 1st ed. CIPRIANOVÁ. Zborník vedeckých prác. 1. Jean E. 1. TANDLICHOVÁ. 121 s. 1st ed. Silvia: Dráma ako nástroj socializácie v triede In: MASLOVÁ. Eva: Zásobník dramatických hier. 171 s. Shirley: Formative Assessment in the Secondary Classroom. Brno : Masarykova univerzita 2010. Inclusive and Intercultural Education. 1st ed. TANDLICHOVÁ. 3rd ed. BROWN. Douglas. vyd. Silvia: Active teaching of english language to ADHD learners in dynamic process of creative drama. Jana: Vzdelávanie – vyučovanie . HVOZDÍKOVÁ. 1. vyd . vyd. 192 p. ISBN 978-8008005-96-3. Nitra : Univerzita Konštantína Filozofa 2007. ISBN 978-8080693-66-8. Bratislava : RETAAS 2007. Josef: Metody a techniky dramatické výchovy. Jeremy: The Practice of English Language Teaching. s. In: Medzinárodné vedecké dni. 47 – 53. SMIEŠKOVÁ. ISBN 978-0495476-17-7. Charles: 100 + Ideas for Drama. Interaction and the Process of Teaching Foreign Languages after Joining the European Union. ISBN 978-8080942-27-4.STEPHENS. ISBN 978-8024410-02-8. In: Communication. Eva: Text pri rozvíjaní komunikatívnych zručností vo vyučovaní anglického jazyka. In: POLÁK. března 2004 na Peagogické fakultě UP v  Olomouci. ISBN 978-0582305-88-5.jazyk. HEVEŠIOVÁ. 1. 1. 1. s. s. Eva: Alternatívne formy práce na hodinách nemeckého jazyka jazykové hry. vyd.: Teaching Young Adult Literature: Sharing the Connections. vyd.student centred approach to teaching foreign languages (Autonómia žiaka ako decentralizovaný prístup vo vyučovaní cudzích jazykov). 155 – 159. SCHER. 2nd ed. pp. London : Heinemann Educational Books 1975. 1. 1st ed. 1st ed. Elaine. Praha : Grada Publishing 2008. 152 s. C. 1st ed. s. HVOZDÍKOVÁ.Further reading BROWN. ISBN 978-8080505-19-5. storytelling and literature. Marcela: Inovácie v škole.): Tradiční a netradiční metody a formy práce ve výuce českého jazyka na základní škole: sborník prací z mezinárodní konference konané 19. 94 – 99. ISBN 978-8071376-60-4. Kamila (edit. 146 – 159. CLARKE. . London : Longman 1998. Praha : Portál 2001. 1st ed. COHEN. Simona: Teaching Foreign Language Literature Through Drama. vyd. s. 1st ed. Elena: Dramatizované úlohy a ich využitie vo vyučovaní obchodnej angličtiny. 1st ed. HARMER. ISBN 978-8096866-43-5. 37 – 43. Andrew: Strategies in Learning and Using a Second Language. DVORECKÝ. Eva: Práca s textom vo vyučovaní anglického jazyka. In: Inonárodné sociokultúrne fenomény a cudzojazyčné vzdelávanie.: Principles of Language Learning and Teaching. ISBN 978-8022316-12-1. CA: Wadsworth 1995.109. ISBN 978-8071211-26-5. Nitra : Slovenská poľnohospodárska univerzita 1999. ISBN 978-8071785-86-5. 320 p. Milan . vyd. Anna – VERRALL. vyd. vyd. Bratislava : Národné osvetové centrum 1997. 312 p. vyd. 130 p. Dolný Kubín : Združenie Orava pre demokraciu vo vzdelávaní 2002. Milan: Dramaterapie. ISBN 978-0582403-85-5. 1. Geoff: Keep talking!: learning English through drama. Michal – DVORECKÁ. 159 s. Zdenka . 116 . ISBN 978-0131919-66-0. In: Učebné stratégie a cudzojazyčná kompetencia vo výučbe dospelých. ISBN 978-8089113-31-6.HARŤANSKÁ. 1st ed. 1. COCKETT. Olomouc : Univerzita Palackého 2005. H. Simona: Strategies of personalization and contextualization in foreign language learning. s. Essex : Longman 2003. Stephen – FOX. 124 p. 150 s. 1st ed. London: Hodder Murray 2005. 352 s.VODRÁŽKOVÁ. 258 – 261. MACHKOVÁ. ISBN 978-0435187-99-6. 347 p. ISBN 978-0340801-26-3. HEVEŠIOVÁ. Bratislava : Slovenské pedagogické nakladateľstvo 1991. 371 p. New Jersey : Prentice Hall 1993. Nitra : Univerzita Konštantína Filozofa 2002. vyd. Alena: Employment of autonomous learning . ISBN 978-8021052-94-9. vyd. ISBN 978-8024718-65-1. 1. In: Modernization of Teaching Foreign Languages : CLIL. Nitra : Štátny pedagogický ústav 2004. vyd. Belmont. VALENTA. 105 . Bratislava : Univerzita Komenského 2001. GADUŠOVÁ. 1. Krakow : Wydawnictwo Naukowe WSP 1999. 1. 3rd ed. 1. ISBN 978-8387513-84-9. VALENTA. ISBN 978-0194370-97-4. ISBN 9788096701-34-7. 1 vyd. Bratislava : Iris 1996. 110. Daniel. 35 . Alan: Drama. WOLFE. ZELINA. ISBN 978-8088778-98-0. Oxford : Oxford University Press 1987. 1st ed. Pat: The Role of Meaning and Emotion in Learning. 1. vyd. WEST. Keith: Inspired English Teaching: A Practical Guide for Teachers. 117 . 1st ed.WESSELS. T. pp. 228 p. San Francisco : Jossey-Bass 2009.41. 2006.: Why Don’t Students Like School? 1st ed. WILLINGHAM. ISBN 978-0470591-96-3. 184 p. Charlyn – MALEY. In: New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education. ISBN 978-1441141-34-7. 255 s. London: Continuum 2010. Miron: Stratégie a metódy rozvoja osobnosti dieťaťa. ZELINA. Bratislava : IRIS 2000. 137 p. n. Miron: Alternatívne školstvo. 230 s. setting and a dramatic hook. Practical aspects of their use in a foreign language classroom are also discussed. Vybrané ukážky aktivít je možné nájsť i na DVD. Chapters 5 deals with planning and structuring drama-based lessons and their analysis through teachers’ and learners’ reflection. Rozoberajú sa pritom spôsoby vytvorenia postáv. Tretia kapitola sa venuje práci s dialógmi formou dramatických techník. ktoré sú prezentované v publikácii. ktoré je súčasťou metodiky. Metodika je rozdelená do šiestich kapitol. V šiestej kapitole sú uvedené tri ukážky plánov hodín s využitím rôznych dramatických techník. The conclusion summarizes ideas and thoughts related to efficient drama usage in a foreign language classroom. Prvá kapitola predstavuje dramatické techniky vo vyučovaní vo všeobecnosti a následne vo vyučovaní cudzieho jazyka. 118 . Selected samples of activities can be also found on the DVD that is a part of the handbook. vrátane vybraných praktických aspektov ich využitia. The handbook is divided into six chapters.SUMMARY Drama Techniques in the Foreign Language Classroom is a handbook for all teachers of English and teacher trainers who wish to implement drama techniques in their lessons. ktorí budúcich učiteľov pripravujú a majú záujem o implementovanie dramatických techník do výučby cudzieho jazyka. Chapter 3 focuses on the use of dialogues through drama techniques to create characters. Chapter 2 presents selected non-verbal and verbal techniques that increase communicative competence. Druhá kapitola sa zameriava na neverbálne a verbálne techniky. ktoré zlepšujú komunikatívnu kompetenciu a zároveň prispievajú k zvýšeniu sociálneho a kultúrneho povedomia. Chapter 4 shows how to use and combine drama techniques and literature. Záver metodiky sumarizuje základné poznatky a pozorovania. in which different drama techniques are used. as well as social and cultural awareness. ako i tým. Vybrané hodiny sú zanalyzované a reflektované aj z pohľadu učiteľov a študentov. prostredia a dramatického napätia. There are three sample lesson plans in Chapter 6. ako je možné skombinovať dramatické techniky a prácu s literárnym textom. Kapitola piata podrobne uvádza postupy plánovania štruktúry vyučovacích hodín s využitím drámy. Štvrtá kapitola popisuje. Chapter 1 introduces drama techniques in education and in foreign language teaching and learning. Metodika Drama Techniques in the Foreign Language Classroom (Dramatické techniky v cudzojazyčnej výučbe) je určená všetkým učiteľom angličtiny. Bob 76. Laura 77. M. Alan 84 – 85. Zdenka 116 RICHARDS. 115 ZELINA. 116 STEVENSON. 76. 115 RIVERS. Charlyn 117 WEST. 115 VODRÁŽKOVÁ. Douglas. Josef 116 VALENTA. Pat 117 WOODARD. 115 SCHER. David 76. Hillaire 77 – 78. Bernie 85. Elaine. 115 BINCH. James 88 BAČOVÁ. 38. 80. 115 DR. Eugene 77 FOX. William 17 SHIBU. Kamila 116 WARREN. 115 BELLOC. 115 DVORECKÁ. Daniela 7. David 74. Roald 52. Michal 116 FIELD. 115 BROWN. 115 ROSEN. Andrew 116 COX. Richard 17. Jon 71. T. Anna 116 SMIEŠKOVÁ. Daniel. 115 BARTON. Geoff 44. Michael 77 – 78. 89. 116 BROWN. 50. John 85. Sylvia. Paul 98. Gavin 85. 116 COHEN. Carol 76. Anthony 75 – 76 BUTTERFIELD. 116 BROWNE. Charles 77 CIPRIANOVÁ. 116 GADUŠOVÁ. Milan 116 VARDELL. 115 WESSELS. SEUSS 77 DUFF. 117 WISNIEWSKI. 77 DOUGILL.INDEX ASHER. 98. Shel 77. Carl 77 SCIEZSKA. Jean E. Alena 116 SMITH. Lane 71. Simon 71. Miron 117 119 . J. 17. 63. 84 – 85. 63. Keith 117 WILLINGHAM. 82. Charles 116 VIA. Shirley 116 COCKETT. Gabriela 37 TANDLICHOVÁ. 115 BOLTON. Eva 116 DVORECKÝ. Christina 77 SANDBURG. 115 BOOTH. Eva 116 VALENTA. C. Elena 116 CLARKE. Wilga M. ROSSETTI. Tony 40 CAUSLEY. Caroline 104. 115 STEPHENS. Stephen 44. 115 WOLFE. Robert Louis 77 ŠIMOVÁ. 115 SHAKESPEARE. 115 VERRALL. 115 SILVERSTEIN. 115 DAHL. 32. 77. H. Mr. The guard chased a hen and. McIvor. Mr. hauled into the van That unfortunate boy. Here is a boy called Donald MacBrain Who came to the station to catch the train But saw the guard from Donibristle Wave his flag and blow his whistle To tell the driver. To start the train to Glasgow. Mr. The guard was pleased as pleased could be And invited Donald to come to tea On Saturday. at Donibristle. the noise and commotion Caused by the train which gave a jolt And loosened a catch and loosened a bolt. McIvor. Clucking and crowing out of their box. To start the train to Glasgow. And Donald was nimble on his feet. . Mr. McIvor. In charge of the guard a kindly man Who at the last moment. And let him blow his lovely whistle And said in all his life he’d never Seen a boy so quick and clever. McIvor. And so did the driver. Mr. Here is the train. Donald MacBrain Who came to the station to catch the train But saw the guard from Donibristle Wave his flag and blow his whistle To tell the driver. And let out the hens and let out the cocks. In charge of the guard a kindly man Who at the last moment. It gave a jolt Which loosened a catch and loosened a bolt. Now Donald was quick and Donald was neat. Clucking and crowing out of their box. Clucking and crowing inside a box. In charge of the guard a kindly man Who at the last moment. To start the train to Glasgow.APPENDIX 1 This is the train to Glasgow. Who drove the train to Glasgow. hauled into the van That unfortunate boy. missing it. McIvor. Who drove the train to Glasgow. hauled into the van That unfortunate boy. And unless you were there you haven’t a notion Of the flurry the fuss. Donald MacBrain Who came to the station to catch the train But saw the guard from Donibristle Wave his flag and blow his whistle To tell the driver. Here are the hens and here are the cocks. McIvor. To start the train to Glasgow. hauled into the van That unfortunate boy. Donald MacBrain Who came to the station to catch the train But saw the guard from Donibristle Wave his flag and blow his whistle To tell the driver. To start the train to Glasgow. Donald MacBrain Who came to the station to catch the train But saw the guard from Donibristle 120 Wave his flag and blow his whistle To tell the driver. McIvor. Mr. the cocks were as well. Mr. Mr. Here is the guard from Donibristle Who waved his flag and blew his whistle To tell the driver. McIvor. And let out the hens and let out the cocks. To start the train to Glasgow. Here is the guard a kindly man Who at the last moment. fell The hens were all squawking. He caught the hens and he caught the cocks And put them back in their big box. Here is the driver. Primary School Fatranská in Nitra. Photo by Andrea Billíková. Photo by Andrea Billíková. Primary School Fatranská in Nitra. Primary School Fatranská in Nitra. 121 . Photo by Andrea Billíková.APPENDIX 2 Picture 1: Creating characters: Drawing characters. 7th graders. 7th graders. 2nd graders. Picture 2: Story-telling: Teacher-in-role. Picture 3: Statue of a Halloween Monster. 122 . 7th graders. Photo by Andrea Billíková.Picture 4: Short performances. Photo by Andrea Billíková. Primary School Fatranská in Nitra. 2nd graders. Primary School Fatranská in Nitra. Primary School Fatranská in Nitra. Photo by Andrea Billíková. Picture 5: Reading a story. Picture 6: Action song with young learners: Teacher-in-role and learner-in-role. 7th graders. Photo by Natália Poláková. Photo by Łukasz Wojciechowski. Teacher trainees. Project Welcome to Wonderland. Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra. Teacher trainees. Picture 9: Storytelling. Photo by Łukasz Wojciechowski.Picture 7: The tabloid of Aliens. 123 . 2012. Picture 8: Thought tracking. Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra. Primary school Mojmírovce. 2012. Teacher trainees. Workshop. 2012. Department of English and American Studies. Workshop. Department of English and American Studies. 2012. 2012. Zuzana Peternai. Primary school Mojmírovce. Picture 12: Drama Festival for Schools in English. Pázmáňa. Project Welcome to Wonderland.Gymnázium P.Picture 10: Action song. Photo by Natália Poláková. Picture 11: Drama Festival for Schools in English. Teacher trainees. Photo by Photo by Jaroslav Dóczy. 124 . Levice. teacher: PhDr. Performance: Snow White and the Seven Dwarves . 2012. teacher: Mgr. Performance: When a Typical Slovak is not Typical . Photo by Jaroslav Dóczy.Gymnázium Andreja Vrábla. Jana Jaďuďová. Projekt je koncipovaný tak.O projekte Vzdelávanie divadlom Dagmar Inštitorisová Základné údaje o projekte Názov projektu: Vzdelávanie divadlom Doba realizácie: 1. 125 . hudobná pedagogika). Projekt Vzdelávanie divadlom je zameraný na inováciu foriem a metód kurzov teoreticko-dejinnej a praktickej výučby a na tvorbu pedagogicko-didaktických materiálov a pomôcok doterajšieho modelu vzdelávania divadlom (vrátane osobnostného rozvoja prostriedkami divadla). výskumu a športu SR pre štrukturálne fondy. Súčasťou procesu inovácie metód a  postupov na jednotlivých predmetoch je participácia absolventov. ktorý je stanovený pre nasledujúce oblasti: umelecká komunikácia. divadelné a filmové diela). Ide o základné vedné disciplíny ako teória vied o umení a teórie vyučovania disciplín umeleckovýchovného charakteru. prioritná os 1 – Reforma systému vzdelávania a  odbornej prípravy. história nástrojovej hudby. aby bolo možné kreatívne divadelné postupy využiť aj interdisciplinárne. kulturológie a ostatných odborov. opatrenie 1. ktorá spočíva predovšetkým v optimalizácii študijných programov na bakalárskom a magisterskom stupni štúdia. Jednotlivé aktivity sa budú realizovať priebežne počas celého školského roka počas troch rokov trvania projektu. Katedra anglistiky a amerikanistiky Filozofickej fakulty UKF a Katedra hudby (učiteľstvo hudobno-dramatického umenia) Pedagogickej fakulty UKF v Nitre. V rámci neho je jednou z priorít UKF Inovácia vzdelávania.2 Vysoké školy a výskum a vývoj ako motory rozvoja vedomostnej spoločnosti Agentúry Ministerstva školstva. Katedra kulturológie Filozofickej fakulty UKF (vrátane Univerzitného tvorivého ateliéru). storočia. Trieda A. Obdobne vychádza z priorít v oblastiach výskumu slovenskej hudby 20. čím dochádza k prelínaniu divadelných postupov s interdisciplinárnymi postupmi a myslením estetiky. bývalých doktorandov DAMU v  Brne či aktívnych divadelných tvorcov atď. ktorej hlavným cieľom je racionalizácia a zabezpečenie kvality vzdelávania. metodologických otázok muzikológie (hudobná história.. metodológia výkladu a interpretácie umeleckých diel (literárne.2017. Projektový zámer vychádza z priorít Dlhodobého zámeru v oblasti výskumu a vývoja. slovenské vokálne umenie. bývalých doktorandov a  súčasných pedagógov VŠMU v  Bratislave.inovácia študijných odborov estetika. augusta 2013 Celková výška schválených výdavkov: 848 495. Hlinku 1 Operačný program Vzdelávanie. hudobné.67 EUR Prijímateľ: Univerzita Konštantína Filozofa v Nitre. vedy. Základný cieľ projektu . divadelnej tvorby a vyučovania o divadle na pôde Univerzity Konštantína Filozofa v Nitre. kulturológia. ktorý bol vypracovaný v súlade so zámermi a cieľmi Dlhodobého zámeru Univerzity Konštantína Filozofa v Nitre na roky 2007 . anglistika a amerikanistika a hudba (hudobno-dramatický odbor) – sa opiera o Akčný plán vedenia univerzity pre rok 2009. výtvarné. Projekt sa realizuje na nasledujúcich katedrách a pracoviskách: Ústav literárnej a umeleckej komunikácie Filozofickej fakulty UKF. septembra 2010 – 31. historicko-estetických problémov výtvarného umenia a iných umení v regióne a z didaktických aspektov vyučovania umeleckovýchovných disciplín. exkurziách.Vzhľadom na to. že do projektu sú zapojené katedry kulturológie. anglistiky a amerikanistiky a Ústav literárnej a umeleckej komunikácie.Administratíva. Prievidza. o prednáškach. Martin. Cieľovou skupinou sú študenti a doktorandi uvedených katedier. Na projekte by sa malo aktívne zúčastniť minimálne 320 študentov (z toho 165 z odboru estetika. scénografická dielňa. Predstavujú ich jednak základná či odporúčaná študijná literatúra. Nové Zámky. zapojením doktorandov do projektu umožňuje aj skvalitnenie vedeckej a pedagogickej činnosti na III. Partizánske. hudby.). Bratislavský kraj s okresmi ako Nitra. medzi ktoré patrí aj naštudovanie školskej muzikálovej inscenácie Ples upírov či exkurzie po profesionálnych divadlách na Slovensku. Muzikál. s ktorou budú lektori na workshopoch pracovať. ktoré vyžadujú adekvátny prístup pri financovaní (individuálny spôsob štúdia. Šaľa. V rámci projektu sa technicky a materiálovo vybavujú katedry zapojené do projektu. Publikácie.). dramaturgická dielňa.sk v  týchto sekciách: Workshopy – nové. bakalári a doktorandi. režijná dielňa. Projekt sa významnou mierou podieľa na rozvoji umeleckej činnosti Univerzity Konštantína Filozofa. Trnava. ako aj hosťujúci umelci sú väčšinou slovenského pôvodu. Jednotlivé aktivity a  študijné a  pracovné materiály pre študentov k  workshopom sú priebežne zverejňované na   webovej adrese projektu: http://www. 70 z hudobno-dramatického odboru a 20 z odboru anglistika a amerikanistika). ako i Mediálne centrum Filozofickej fakulty UKF. 65 z odboru kulturológia. Banská Bystrica. absolventi stredných odborných škôl a gymnázií. ktorých hlavnou súčasťou je rad workshopov zameraných na problematiku rekonštrukcie historických divadelných poetík. festivaloch a pod. Predpokladané geografické umiestnenie: Nitriansky. Ďalej cyklus s názvom Súčasné divadelné poetiky. Projekt sa ukončí 21. Topoľčany. herecká dielňa. Publicita a Materiály pre študentov. aj sekcia určená pre administratívu projektu .24 rokov. na ktorej sa budú prezentovať celkové výsledky projektu. Univerzitný tvorivý ateliér a Univerzitná knižnica UKF. Základná vzdelanostná úroveň študentov: študenti vysokých škôl. ktorá vznikne na základe pravidelných hosťovaní divadelných súborov s netradičnými či inovatívnymi poetikami v Univerzitnom tvorivom ateliéri. Tak divadlá. Workshopy – archívy. mája  2013 medzinárodnou konferenciou Vzdelávanie divadlom. Zvolen atď. Trenčín. Súčasťou je. Banskobystrický. Iné činnosti (určená na oznamy o hosťovaní divadiel v Univerzitnom tvorivom ateliéri. Poslednou skupinou sú Workshopy aplikácie divadelných postupov. Na nahrávaní priebehu a výsledkov jednotlivých aktivít a na vyhotovovaní DVD a CD z nich bude participovať Mediálne centrum FF UKF v Nitre a Rádio Plus. ktoré slúžia ako základ praktických realizácií worksho- 126 . Osobitne cennou publikáciou je multimediálna učebnica. Predpokladaná veková štruktúra je 18 . divadelná kritika atď. skvalitniť ich kultúrne a divadelné povedomie a celkovo tak prispieť k priblíženiu absolventov uvedených katedier k potrebám trhu práce a vedomostnej spoločnosti. zámerom projektu je tiež rozvíjať u študentov schopnosť aplikovať získané vedomosti a zručnosti v širších – nehumanitných – súvislostiach.ukf. v rámci ktorých sa študenti oboznamujú s rôznymi formami aplikácie divadelných prostriedkov v interdisciplinárnych súvislostiach (divadlo a anglický jazyk. Projekt podstatou svojej koncepcie prepája výskumné a  pedagogické ciele. v rámci ktorého sa prakticky ukazujú a učia postupy súčasnej divadelnej estetiky a zásady jej recepcie (dielňa autorského dramatického písania. Umelecká činnosť má svoje špecifiká. ale aj ostatných katedier na UKF v Nitre. a  22. Trnavský Žilinský. relatívne vysoké finančné nároky na materiálové zabezpečenie). väčšinou monografického a metodického charakteru. Výsledkom projektu budú: Cykly workshopov s názvom Historické divadelné poetiky. Prezentácie. Veľký rad publikácii na tému dejín a teórie historických a súčasných poetík. a to prostredníctvom témy Sofoklovej Antigony. Materiály pre študentov sú vytvárané na základe podkladov lektorov jednotlivých workshopov a dopĺňané supervízorkou projektu o potrebné aspekty.). dielňa scénickej hudby. Rôzne vzdelávacie inovatívne formy práce so študentmi priamo na hodinách a seminároch.vzdelavaniedivadlom. Vďaka projektu sa na jednotlivých katedrách a  v  priestoroch študovní Univerzitnej knižnice vytvoria centrá na štúdium divadelných inscenácií a hier prostredníctvom multimédií.). divadlo a terapia atď. samozrejme. Žilina. a jednak pracovné materiály. V rámci neho sa tiež zakúpi veľké množstvo domácich a zahraničných knižných a elektronických publikácii s divadelnou problematikou. stupni vysokoškolského vzdelávania na UKF v Nitre. Vznik archívov divadelných hier a inscenácií (napríklad aj na základe videonahrávok inscenácií divadelného festivalu pre základné a stredné školy v anglickom jazyku katedry anglistiky a amerikanistiky a pod. Inovácia foriem a metód kurzov teoreticko-dejinnej a praktickej výučby obsahuje: 1.1 Cieľom aktivity je inovácia. ako aj pre administráciu projektu sú chránené heslom. didaktika atď.1 Inovácia foriem a metód kurzov teoreticko-dejinnej a praktickej výučby 2 Podporiť racionalizáciu a skvalitnenie vyučovacieho procesu študijných programov v divadelných disciplínach 2. http://artblog.1 Tvorba pedagogicko-didaktických materiálov a pomôcok Ad 2.. rozhovory a lektormi atď. kød a pod. herecká tvorba. súčasné málo podnetné divadelnovzdelávacie prostredie atď. žánre dramatickej tvorby. alebo profesionálnych periodík ako Javisko. Forma rekonštrukcie historických a súčasných poetík patrí medzi pilotné formy. 1.. Iné vzdelávacie aktivity pre študentov a doktorandov (prednášky domácich a zahraničných lektorov). Jedným z podcieľov projektu je aj príprava pedagógov Ústavu literárnej a umeleckej komunikácie ako možného rekvalifikačného pracoviska stredoškolských pedagógov na vyučovanie nového predmetu umenie a kultúra na stredných školách. Je zameraný na teoreticko-metodologickú a pragmatickú inováciu predmetov dejinného a teoretického charakteru a na skvalitnenie a rozšírenie tém a postupov používaných na tvorivých a recepčne zameraných seminároch tak. na Katedre kulturológie FF UKF a Katedre hudby (učiteľstvo hudobno-dramatického umenia) PF UKF (muzikálová tvorba) i Katedre anglistiky a amerikanistiky FF UKF. DVD ukážky a konferencie atď.pov.). javiskové techniky a scénografia) a divadelnej tvorby a metodiky (tvorivá dramatika. tvorivý seminár: divadelná tvorba. ale v projekte je využitá netradičných spôsobom. divadelnej tvorby a  vyučovania o  divadle tak. meetodiky. monografie. 2. Do písania o jednotlivých aktivitách projektu sa už úspešne zapojili aj študenti z workshopov a publikujú svoje názory. pohybová výchova. či už na stránkach študentských tlačených a elektronických médií ako Občas NEČAS. aby bolo možné kreatívne divadelné postupy využiť aj interdisciplinárne.). teórie divadla (semináre interpretácia divadelného diela. Súčasťou každého workshopu je verejná prezentácia jeho výsledkov pred verejnosťou. typov scénickej hudby pre divadelné inscenácie atď. teória dramatickej tvorby.sk. ako sú spokojní s inovatívnymi prístupmi. čo im projekt prináša. Pôjde o rozšírenie tvorivých seminárov. Kreativizácia. Workshopy Ide o inováciu metód a foriem práce na seminárnych a prednáškových predmetoch z dejín svetového a slovenského divadla i teórie divadla v už vymenovaných predmetoch. Forma workshopov je síce známa a používaná. 3. 4. výstupy a  napredovanie sú okrem webovej stránky projektu zabezpečené aj prostredníctvom internetovej stránky Univerzity Konštantína Filozofa v  Nitre www.ukf. teda nielen pre tých študentov. ktorého súčasťou je aj vyučovanie o divadle/divadlom. Aktivita inovuje model vzdelávania divadlom (vrátane osobnostného rozvoja prostriedkami divadla). rozvoj a kreativizácia vyučovacích postupov a možnosť ich interdisciplinárnej aplikácie. Propagácia projektu. ktorí sa zúčastňujú iba na jednom.ukf. Workshopy (realizácia počas seminárov a prednášok z dejín svetového a slovenského divadla na tému historických a súčasných divadelných poetík a ich aplikácie v nedivadelných podmienkach). Projekt sa uskutočňuje vo dvoch základných aktivitách: 1 Prostredníctvom zavedenia inovatívnych foriem vzdelávania zvýšiť kvalitu a konkurencieschopnosť UKF v Nitre 1. návrhy scénografických riešení. jeho výsledky. ako  sa v  súčasnosti príslušné disciplíny vyučujú v  Ústave literárnej a  umeleckej komunikácie FF UKF v Nitre. Nástrojom propagácie aktivít projektu sú tiež publikácie. pretože na jednej strane sa prostredníctvom nich inovuje vyučovací proces. ktorých sa projekt dotýka. Materiály sú dostupné pre každého účastníka workshopov. divadelné 127 . Komplexnosť v prístupe k inovácii predmetov divadelného vzdelávania považujeme za základ zvýšenia príťažlivosti projektu u študentov a doktorandov. muzikálový tanec. ako ich využívajú atď. ako študenti vnímajú zmeny na jednotlivých katedrách.) a lektori taktiež vysvetľujú zámery workshopov. ff. rozvoj a  optimalizácia pedagogických postupov na seminároch a  prednáškach z  dejín svetového a slovenského divadla.sk/redakcia/ a i. skúsenosti. postrehy. Naštudovanie školskej muzikálovej inscenácie Ples upírov. Taktiež budú v rámci študentských periodík uverejnené miniprieskumy. na ktorej lektori spolu so študentmi predstavujú hotové výsledky (ukážky z  autorských hier. na strane druhej sa optimalizuje vzdelávacia situácia v širších súvislostiach (absencia či nedostatok základnej literatúry na niektoré témy. Materiály pre študentov.sk a  FF UKF v  Nitre www. ako napr. Súčasťou zefektívnenia vzdelávacích postupov je aj vytvorenie archívov divadelných hier a inscenácií. Najdôležitejším workshopom v rámci cyklu Historické divadelné poetiky je séria workshopov na tému rekonštrukcia divadelnej poetiky Antigony. konkrétnymi kreatívnymi aktivitami. herecký. herectvo atď. zostrih na DVD bude súčasťou publikácie. v prípade Súčasných divadelných poetík o prácu s dramatickým textom súčasného slovenského dramatika Dana Majlinga „P“. výtvarné umenie atď.). dielňa zameraná na tanec. V prípade cyklu Historické divadelné poetiky ide o prácu so Sofoklovou Antigonou. interpretácie divadelného diela. a to historickým a súčasným. a to tak. režijná dielňa: mizanscéna. scénografické techniky atď. Workshopy sa realizujú v troch základných líniách: • Historické divadelné poetiky. alebo teoretických seminárov. rozvoj a optimalizácia pedagogických postupov Zacielenie je na nové formy a metódy vyučovania. réžia. Aj na základe týchto workshopov vzniknú publikácie. o aktuálne poetiky a problémy estetiky súčasných divadelných postupov formou workshopov. estetika.).dielne.). aby okrem tradičnej možnosti získať vedomosti o príslušných poetikách formou analýzy tvorby dramatikov mali študenti možnosť oboznámiť sa priamo. Výsledky dielní v podobe publikácii sa tak budú dať využiť aj v nasledujúcich rokoch a počas vyučovacích hodín sa budú dať nielen ďalej rozvíjať. terapia. • Workshopy aplikácie divadelných postupov. ako aj praktických súvislostiach. Do súčasných poetík patria workshopy. Priebeh a výsledok takmer každého workshopu je nahrávaný na video. Kreativizácia. Aj autormi tohto typu publikácií budú lektori jednotlivých workshopov. ktoré sú tematicky zamerané na tradičnú a súčasnú estetiku jednotlivých divadelnoinscenačných zložiek (scénografia. metódy a  prostriedky použité na jeho realizáciu. a to tým. súčasných divadelných poetikách. Autormi publikácií sú lektori workshopov. Pri ich využívaní na jednotlivých predmetoch bude možné prostredníctvom konkrétnych aktivít aplikovať dané postupy na iné situácie a  tiež na základe porušenia tradičných divadelných postupov tvoriť postupy platné v  nových. Sú tiež zamerané na schopnosť študentov aplikovať ich na iné situácie súvisiace s dejinami a teóriou divadla a problematikou metodológie divadelnovedných disciplín. • Súčasné divadelné poetiky. Základom cyklu workshopov historických a súčasných divadelných poetík je práca s jedným dramatickým textom. scénografická dielňa zameraná na scénický výraz starovekého gréckeho divadla. literatúra. že napríklad v rámci vyučovania historických divadelných poetík na seminároch z dejín svetového divadla sa tieto skvalitnia smerom k lepšej predstave študentov o  jednotlivých divadelných poetikách. ktoré umožnia flexibilné narábanie so získanými vedomosťami a zručnosťami.). o herecké. autorský.). ako napr. autorská dielňa študentov na tému Antigony atď. workshop tvorivej dramatiky atď. režijný. ktorá bude zaznamenávať ciele. s režijnými. V rámci súčasných divadelných poetík ide o zachytenie „živého“ divadla v jeho bohatých formách a metódach práce prostredníctvom vystúpení hosťujúcich divadelných súborov v Univerzitnom tvorivom ateliéri. formou workshopov (ako napr. Na základe všetkých workshopov s témou Antigony vznikne publikácia s názvom Antigona – nedokončená „tetralógia“ s DVD ukážkami možností „rekonštrukcie“ inscenačných techník starovekého gréckeho divadla formou dielní. Konkrétne ide o inováciu zaužívaného edukačného modelu historických a súčasných divadelných poetík tak v teoreticko-dejinných. 2. v rámci ktorých sa bude realizovať viacero činností spätých s pochopením dobovej divadelnej estetiky a súčasnej divadelnej estetiky (odborná prednáška o starovekom gréckom divadle. aranžmán atď.. Použije sa na to forma rekonštrukcie historických poetík (obdobne súčasných). Konkrétne pôjde o rozšírenie a inováciu o problematiku autorského dramatického písania. ktoré zároveň predstavujú základný výskumný materiál na analýzu poetiky akýchkoľvek divadelných textov. predovšetkým ide o rozšírenie používaných postupov o interaktívne a kreatívne formy. ktorý bude pozostávať z DVD a textových častí. Antigona a Oidipus na Kolóne a inými dokumentmi. ale postupne i implementovať aj v iných ako stanovených interdisciplinárnych súvislostiach (divadlo a kreativita. Predstavenia sú zaznamenané na DVD a súčasťou každého záznamu bude štúdia. 128 . Výsledkom bude multimediálny učebný text. s trilógiou Sofokla Vládca Oidipus. scénografický. scénografickými či inými postupmi danej poetiky používaním jednotlivých techník v malých aktivitách. aj s pomocou rôzneho typu techniky. v ktorých budú vždy vysvetlené základné pojmy divadelnej poetiky v historických a súčasných súvislostiach (napr. ktorá sa bude venovať charakteristickým aspektom poetiky toho-ktorého predstavenia. dramaturgický. herecká dielňa: herecká postava. hudobný. ktoré budú obsahovať videozáznamy a DVD záznamy divadelných inscenácií a skeny divadelných hier a ďalších potrebných dokumentov i študijných materiálov s divadelnovednou problematikou. rétorika. napr. herecká akcia atď. a ďalší – veľmi rozmanitý – heuristický materiál. pretože na Slovensku sa dnes muzikál neuvádza v takejto samozrejmej a súčasne neopakovateľnej podobe. Hlavným zámerom naštudovania školskej muzikálovej inscenácie bolo: • aktívne zapojenie študentov. V rámci tejto aktivity sa projekt prepojí – organizačne a kultúrne – s Divadlom Andreja Bagara v Nitre a Starým divadlom K. činnosti zamerané na doktorandov skvalitnia doktorandské štúdium. schopnosti a praktické skúsenosti študentov v oblasti hudobno-dramatickej tvorby. teória autorského divadla. Neustále chýbajú metodické. teória divadelnej scénickej hudby atď. ktoré boli vytvorené či zakúpené v rámci projektu. Vznikla na pôde hudobno-dramatického odboru Katedry hudby PF UKF (v spolupráci s FF UKF). samozrejme. ktoré Katedre hudby PF UKF pravidelne prepožičiavajú svoje priestory na výučbu niektorých predmetov. a to pri témach ako divadlo a kreativita – zameranie na osobnostný rozvoj – a divadlo a terapia – využitie divadelných postupov napr. už dlhšie obdobie sa napríklad nekonala konferencia na danú tému (či iné formy diskusie na túto tému). že nie je rozdiel medzi divadelným umením a teatralizovaným. Spišáka v Nitre. podporenie racionalizácie a skvalitnenie vyučovacieho procesu študijných programov v divadelných disciplínach. ako aj s materiálovo-technickým vybavením vzdelávacích priestorov jednotlivých pracovísk a workshopmi. Iné vzdelávacie aktivity pre študentov a doktorandov Zámerom je vytvoriť podnetné prostredie vzhľadom na záujem o doktorandské štúdium jednotlivých odborov a tiež aj teoreticko-dejinných a prakticky zameraných divadelných predmetov. a 4. Študijný program je zameraný na integráciu hudob­ného. Spišáka v Nitre (napr. scénické prvky a technika. mája 2011 o 18. tanečného a dramatického umenia a jeho pedagogickú aplikáciu v hudobno-dramatickej výchove základných umeleckých škôl a centier voľného času. optimalizácia a súčasne modernizácia učebných pomôcok.). V rámci prípravy na povolanie majú študenti tohto študijného programu možnosť overiť si svoje schopnosti aj v rámci hudobno-dramatických predstavení Starého divadla K. ktorá sa vo svojej teoretickej podstate bude zaoberať inscenačným modelom súčasného muzikálu.3. Spolu s metodikou Ako vznikal muzikál Ples upírov budú tiež základným študijným materiálom slúžiacim na objasnenie procesu vzniku muzikálu. Problém inovácie vzdelávania divadlom a vyučovania o divadle v súvislosti s uvedenou aktivitou považujeme za závažný aj z hľadiska súčasnej teatralizácie bežného života. 30 hod. V súčasnosti sa vo vysokoškolskom prostredí nevenuje dostatočná pozornosť divadelnému vzdelávaniu vo všetkých jeho súvislostiach. Naštudovanie školskej muzikálovej inscenácie Ples upírov Školská muzikálová inscenácia Ples upírov bola už realizovaná.1 Tvorba pedagogicko-didaktických materiálov a pomôcok Cieľom aktivity je skvalitnenie. Táto časť aktivity je tiež previazaná s aktivitou v podobe publikačných výstupov. performatívnym či interaktívnym konaním človeka či formami jeho činnosti. Základom sú prednášky domácich a zahraničných lektorov. Mala prvú a druhú premiéru 3. v Starom divadle K. teraz už bývalý herec DAB Miloslav Kráľ mal na starosti Hereckú dielňu atď. • umožniť vznik školskej muzikálovej inscenácie v optimálnych finančných a technických podmienkach. pedagógov a pracovníkov Univerzity Konštantína Filozofa v Nitre do prípravy. ktorá vyvoláva dojem. ktoré bude pracovným materiálom pre študentov. odborné i vedecké materiály pre veľkú oblasť tém. Postupy použité v sérii workshopov na tému rekonštrukcie divadelnej estetiky Antigony sa budú aplikovať na niektoré súčasného formy divadla ako event. Priebeh naštudovania muzikálu bol zaznamenaný na DVD. v psychologických súvislostiach a i. zborom a  detským zborom. Pôjde o publikáciu.). ktoré by reflektovali. tvorby a naštudovania muzikálu. K týmto problémom sa. 4. scénológia. vyjadrujú aj workshopy a inovácie postupov na teoreticko-dejinných predmetoch a praktických predmetoch s následným zaznamenaním ich výsledkov na DVD a v písomnej forme. • uviesť muzikálovú inscenáciu so živým orchestrom. ktoré sa týmito otázkami priamo alebo nepriamo zaoberajú. sa stanú súčasťou archívu kostýmov a scénických prvkov katedry a budú sa využívať v ďalšom pedagogickom procese. site specific. V rámci niektorých činností sa budú v projekte overovať možnosti využitia niektorých vyučovacích výsledkov v interdisciplinárnych súvislostiach. 129 . Ad 2. • tvorbou muzikálu rozvíjať talent. ktorá ako jediná na Slovensku realizuje študijný program učiteľstvo hudobno-dramatického umenia. Kostýmy. Ústav literárnej a umeleckej komunikácie tiež rozšíril svoje doktorandské vzdelávacie aktivity o externé pracovisko Kabinet divadla a filmu SAV v Bratislave. prehlbovali či rozvíjali súčasný stav myslenia o divadelnej problematike a príbuzných disciplínach (teória inscenovania. Projekt preto prináša rad publikácií. Spišáka a Divadla Andreja Bagara v Nitre. scénický náčrt a pod. na vysvetlenie poetiky jeho výrazových prostriedkov atď. ktorú študujú v danom odbore. V rámci aktivity sa vytvorí rad nových pedagogicko-didaktických materiálov. • monografie. Rad publikovaných výsledkov má aj multimediálny charakter. Materiál na DVD alebo CD umožňuje na prednáškach a seminároch nadviazať na činnosti aplikáciou použitých postupov v nových súvislostiach. 130 . budú nasledujúce učebné texty: • monografie. prijímanie rozhodnutí. • publikácie budú tiež rozposlané do centrálnych knižníc (vrátane univerzitných). sympóziách a pod.). priesvitiek s pôdorysmi atď. • publikácie sa stanú súčasťou prezentácie publikačnej činnosti (na konferenciách. Výsledkom aktivity sú. ktorí ich budú potrebovať po skončení vysokoškolského štúdia pre vlastnú pedagogickú alebo inú činnosť. • využívanie výstupov pre doktorandské štúdium aj na pôdach iných univerzít. pomôcok. S publikačnými výstupmi sa bude po ich vydaní pracovať na vyučovacích hodinách a stanú sa súčasťou základnej alebo odporúčanej literatúry pre študentov a doktorandov.. myšlienok. • výstupy rozvíjajú a podnecujú kompetencie ako kultúrne povedomie a vyjadrovanie. • stanú sa základom pre inováciu vytvorených archívov katedier (archív inovatívnych vzdelávacích postupov). Vzhľadom na uvedené súvislosti je zámerom projektu optimalizovať vzdelávaciu situáciu. ale aj priebežne distribuované do knižníc (vrátane univerzitných) a pedagogicko-metodických centier na Slovensku. metodiky atď. Bude ich možné využiť v disciplínach ako dejiny umenia. • dôjde k dlhodobému prepojeniu pracovísk rôznych typov (UKF. Cane. iniciatívu. sú zacielené na rozvoj kompetencie učiť sa. anglickej dramatičke S. divadelnej dramaturgii. kreatívne vyjadrovanie pocitov. • budú takisto k dispozícii študentom. dejiny a teória literatúry. • dlhodobý úžitok predstavuje okrem distribúcie publikácií do knižníc aj následné reflektovanie ich obsahu vo výskumoch a súvisiacich pedagogických aktivitách. • publikačné výstupy sa stanú súčasťou základnej alebo odporúčanej literatúry na príslušných pracoviskách UKF. história. konštruktívne riešenie pocitov a základné kompetencie v oblasti vedy. Priame nadviazanie na výsledky oboch aktivít predstavujú: • využívanie inovovaných postupov v predmetoch divadelného vzdelávania aj po skončení projektu.). ako napr. • keďže ich študenti (vrátane doktorandov či iných záujemcov o ne) budú môcť dostať bezplatne. variovaním pragmatického napĺňania osnov a tém predmetov a pragmatickým rozvíjaním príkladov na tému vývoja historických poetík smerom k súčasným atď. Súčasťou tejto línie je aj multimediálna učebnica. V  rámci historických poetík ide o  dopĺňanie bielych miest v  dejinách divadla (pripravuje sa napríklad vydanie monografie o Sofoklovi atď. preto budú výsledky projektu poskytnuté všetkým dotknutým záujemcom. zverejnenie inovatívnych výsledkov v podobe multimediálnych publikačných výstupov) umožňuje následné rozvíjanie jednotlivých postupov a ich aplikáciu v iných predmetoch. divadelnom preklade.). Situácia však nie je iná ani pri problematike súčasnej divadelnej estetiky.) jednotlivých pracovísk doma a v zahraničí. Väčšinou pôjde o vydanie učebných textov základného významu v daných témach (monografia o francúzskom dramatikovi Koltèsovi. čím sa systematizuje a prehĺbi záujem o divadelné vzdelávania na VŠ. divadelnom štúdiu Farma v jeskyni. z dejín a teórie súčasných divadelných poetík (vrátane ich aplikácie do rôznych oblastí). VŠMU. dejiny a teória hudby a pod. AMU atď. scénografii. V rámci nových postupov sa tiež rozšíri a skvalitní používanie súčasných tradičných audiovizuálnych didaktických pomôcok. autorské dramatické písanie v podobe autorského kreatívneho písania) do širšej ponuky predmetov UKF. z dejín a teórie historických divadelných poetík. skúseností a pod. • ponúknutie niektorých foriem (workshopy ako divadlo a kreativita. metodiky atď. používanie powerpointových prezentácií. • výsledky výstupov podporia schopnosť študentov kreatívne sa učiť. nahrávok ukážok z divadelných inscenácií. • distribúcia publikačných foriem výstupov do knižníc a pedagogicko-metodických centier. zvýši sa ich dostupnosť. Priame nadviazanie na výsledky aktivity: • výsledky aktivity budú po jej skončení. riešenie problémov. hodnotenie rizika so schopnosťou vytvoriť stratégie a plánovať. resp. scénickej hudbe atď. Možnosti transferu všetkých výstupov: • verejná prístupnosť (verejné prezentácie. skvalitnia sa ich schopnosti prijímať nové informácie. Mgr. art. PhD. Emília Janecová. Peter Pavlac 3. 5. 11. Pavol Brezina. Dátum: 6. V rámci celkovej prezentácie výsledkov projektu na konferencii i v rámci čiastkových výstupov sa prípadným záujemcom bude ponúkať možnosť prebratia archivovaných materiálov. Mgr. PhDr. Daniel Uherek. Mgr.. Edita Štrbová. Mgr. 3. Milan Michalec.. Mgr.. Dana Gálová. Mgr. Mgr. 5. Mgr. ako napr. PhDr. PhDr. Mgr. Doterajší odborní členovia projektového tímu: Mgr. Daniela Bačová. Iveta Škripková. Hana Zeleňáková. PhDr. Mgr. 2011 – 9. Boris Belica. ArtD. art. Zoltán Rédey. Dielňa scénickej hudby (cyklus workshopov Súčasné divadelné poetiky) Lektor: Mgr.. doc. PhD.. Mgr. art. PhD. Základy tvorivej dramatiky (cyklus workshopov Aplikácia divadelných poetík) Dátum: 12. prof. Andrea Billíková. Mgr. Dáša Čiripová. Roman Zima.. PhDr. Mgr. Miroslava Režná. PhD. Lucia Kovalčíková 2. Mgr. Iveta Štrbák Pandiová. Peter Zlatoš. Mgr.. art. Mgr.. 11. Petronela Dušová. PhD. PhD. art. doc. Lucia Kovalčíková. PhD. PhD.. PhDr. Marcel Olšiak. PhD. art. 2011 – 8. PhD.. 5. Lukasz Wojciechowski. Mgr. PhD. • nadobudnuté kompetencie študentom (vrátane doktorandov) umožnia efektívnejšie zapojenie sa do pracovného procesu (vlastnej pedagogickej či inej činnosti). PhD. Mgr.. Marek Piaček. PhD. Peter Janků. art.. Dana Paraličová.. Mgr. art. PhD. Peter Janků. knižnice). Scénografická dielňa (cyklus workshopov Súčasné divadelné poetiky) Lektor: Mgr. základné školy. Mgr. práca v amatérskych divadlách v mieste bydliska. PhD. Miroslav Ballay.) 1. Petra Pappová.. Peter Oravec. Marek Piaček. Peter Ďurovec. Svetlana Kozárová. Mgr. art. PhDr.. PhD. Mgr. Tomáš Koprda. prof. 2011 Lektor: doc. 2011 – 10. Juraj Benčík. PhD. Juraj Šebesta. PhD. Mgr... Mgr. art. • zvýši sa aj ich samostatnosť na trhu práce. orientovať sa v nich a vytvárať na ich základe nové riešenia. 4. Viera Dubačová. PhD. Eva Pariláková. art. Mgr. Mária Kiššová. art.. PhD.. Ján Štrasser. Patrik Krebs. ArtD. • zvýši sa tiež ich flexibilita. art.: Na záver sa vždy realizovala verejná prezentácia výsledkov. • po skončení VŠ ako učebné pomôcky pre vlastnú pedagogickú. stredné školy.. art.. Mgr... 2011 5. Mgr. PhDr. Mgr. Mgr. Eva Priečková. art. PhDr. Peter Pavlac. Dramaturgická dielňa (cyklus workshopov Súčasné divadelné poetiky) Lektor: doc. 1. PhD. Matej Šiška. Mgr. Elena Zahoráková. PhD.. Jaroslava Čajková. 4. Mgr. Stanislava Vlčeková. Katarína Dudová. Mgr.. 2011 4. PhD. doc. art. Marta Žilková. Marián Hlavatý. Mgr. Mgr.. Eva Kleinová. Kamil Žiška Doterajšie aktivity: Workshopy: (Pozn. 2011 131 . art. Mgr. PhD. 2010 – 14. doc. Dátum: 8. PhDr. Bc. Mgr.. Mgr. Martina Borodovčáková. 2012 Lektorka: Mgr. Mgr. Autorské dramatické písanie (cyklus workshopov Súčasné divadelné poetiky) Dátum: 15. Peter Pavlac Dátum: 28. Všetky inovované vzdelávacie priestory sa budú intenzívne využívať aj po skončení projektu – vrátane priestoru Univerzitného tvorivého ateliéru a Mediálneho centra FF UKF – všetkými študentmi UKF. Michal Vajdička. PhD.• ide o dlhodobé účinky pre cieľovú skupinu. 2010 – 28. Študenti budú môcť využívať archivované materiály: • na mimoškolské aktivity. Dagmar Inštitorisová. art. ArtD. Romana Maliti. Mgr. Mgr. PhD. 11. Táto možnosť bude ponúkaná aj prostredníctvom príslušných informácií na webovej stránke projektu (nepriama cieľová skupina: iné VŠ. pedagogicko-metodické strediská. Mgr. prípadne ešte na inú činnosť. Mgr. Mgr. Miloslav Kráľ. Mgr. 10. Dátum: 10. art. Bc. Antigona II. 2. PhDr. Eva Priečková Dátum: 1. 6. doc. Michal Vajdička Dátum: 9. 2011 9. 2012 18. Marek Piaček. – rekonštrukcia scénického výrazu (cyklus workshopov Historické divadelné poetiky) Lektor: Mgr. Art. 12. Mária Kiššová. 9. 2011 – 10.. PhD. Miroslav Ballay. Antigona I.. Mgr. Patrik Krebs Dátum: 26. 10. Miloslav Kráľ Dátum: 14. 2012 – 3. 10. 4. art. Dátum: 17. Antigona III – rekonštrukcia scénickej hudby a choreografie (cyklus workshopov Historické divadelné poetiky) Lektori: Mgr. Lucia Kovalčíková Dátum: 28. 4. PhD. (cyklus workshopov Súčasné divadelné poetiky) Lektor: doc. Andrea Billíková. Dátum: 16. Liečba divadlom (cyklus workshopov Aplikácia divadelných poetík) Lektorka: Mgr. 2011 7. Peter Pavlac Dátum: 28. Dramatické techniky a ich aplikovanie vo výučbe angličtiny (cyklus workshopov Aplikácia divadelných poetík) Lektorky: Mgr. 4. Peter Janků. 6. 2012 – 7. doc. Divadelná výchova (cyklus workshopov Aplikácia divadelných poetík) Lektorka: Mgr. 2012 13. divadlo a prax (cyklus workshopov Aplikácia divadelných poetík) Lektorka: Mgr. 2012 14. art. Peter Pavlac. 3. 2012 – 1. Mgr. 2012 – 30. 9. Stanislava Vlčeková. 2012 – 10.6. 6. 10. Art. Viera Dubačová Dátum: 12. 6. 2012 – 14. ArtD. Art. Divadelná kritika (cyklus workshopov Súčasné divadelné poetiky – recepcia) Lektorka: prof. 5. Ako vzniká inscenácia I. PhD. 2012 17.. art. 2012 – 15. Andrea Billíková. Dátum: 13. 2012 – 28. Dátum: 17. Mária Kiššová. 2012 12. 4. 2. Jaroslava Čajková Dátum: 29. 12. 2012 16. 2012 15. 2011 – 18. 2012 a 5. 10. 2012 19. Mgr. PhD. 4. – dramaturgicko-režijný rozbor (cyklus workshopov Historické divadelné poetiky) Lektori: Mgr. PhDr. Mgr. 10. 10. Umelecký prednes. 2012 – 19. 5. – rekonštrukcia estetiky inscenovania Antigony (cyklus workshopov Historické divadelné poetiky) Lektori: Mgr. Ako vzniká inscenácia II. Dáša Čiripová. 12. 2012 10. Herecká dielňa (cyklus workshopov Súčasné divadelné poetiky) Lektor: Mgr. PhD. PhD. Michal Vajdička. 2012 132 . Dráma a jej potenciál v cudzojazyčnej výučbe (cyklus workshopov Aplikácia divadelných poetík) Lektorky: Mgr. Boris Belica. Antigona IV. Artery – dramaterapia v sociálnej praxi (cyklus workshopov Aplikácia divadelných poetík) Lektor: Mgr. Dátum: 8. art. Mgr. PhD. 2011 – 16. PhDr. 2012 11. PhD. 2012 – 29. art. 2012 8. Dagmar Inštitorisová. Miroslav Ballay. (cyklus workshopov Súčasné divadelné poetiky) Lektori: doc. 4. 12. 2010 2. 11. 2012 8. art. 11. Pantomimická dielňa (cyklus workshopov Súčasné divadelné poetiky) Lektor: Mgr. Dátum: 3. Bratislava v spolupráci s Divadlom a. Katarína Aulitisová: Paskudárium Divadlo Piki Pezinok Dátum: 9. 2012 – 9. Vyučovanie o divadle Petra Scherhaufera Prednášajúca: prof. 12. Dagmar Inštitorisová. PhDr. 2012 HOSŤOVANIA DIVADIEL V UNIVERZITNOM TVORIVOM ATELIÉRI: 1. 2012 9. Juraj Benčík Dátum: 9. Juraj Benčík: Pantomimárium Divadlo s. Blaho Uhlár a DISK: Výhľad Divadelný súbor Kopánka – Trnava (skratka DISK)  Dátum: 25. 12. 2011 2. PhD. 2012 – 25. 2012 10. H. 2011 4. Sláva Daubnerová: M. 10. 10. 2. Kolektív: Chránené územie Mestské divadlo – Divadlo z Pasáže Banská Bystrica  Dátum: 3. Rekonštrukcia historických divadelných poetík Prednášajúca: prof. T. Švantner – Ditte – Jurčová: Nevesta hôľ Divadlo Pôtoň . 2012 7. Kamil Žiška Dátum: 7. 12. Karol Horák: Živý nábytok Študentské divadlo Prešovskej univerzity Dátum: 7. 2012 21. Kolektív: Kuca paca Divadlo bez domova Bratislava Dátum: 7. 2012 11. art. 11. art. Bábkoherecká dielňa (cyklus workshopov Súčasné divadelné poetiky) Lektor: Mgr. Petronela Dušová Dátum: 23. o. PhDr. 2011 133 .Centrum umenia a kreativity Bátovce Dátum: 5. PhD. 12. 5. 11. 12. Divadlo P. Iveta Škripková: Mocad(r)ámy Bábkové divadlo na Rázcestí Banská Bystrica Dátum: 5. Dátum: 10.svadba Stanica Žilina-Záriečie Dátum: 11. 3. Jaroslav Viňarský: Buticulla: Figúry blázna a Posledný krok pred Dátum: 6. Dagmar Inštitorisová. Režijná dielňa (cyklus workshopov Súčasné divadelné poetiky) Lektor: Mgr. r. 2011 6. 2011 3. a Štúdio 12 Bratislava Dátum: 29. ha Bratislava Dátum: 28. L.20. 11. Mariana Ďurčeková – Ján Luterán: projekt. 2012 Prednášky: 1. 2011 5. 3. 4. 2012 – 11. 4. A. 2012 22. 11. 2012 Divadelné inscenácie: 1. Peter Janků: Scénické myslenie 7. Spišské divadlo Spišská Nová Ves Dátum: 3.: August Strindberg Hra snov (interpretačné sondy do slovenského divadla) 3. 5. Dátum: 16. Dagmar Inštitorisová a kol. 2012 3. Marek Piaček: Scénická hudba v reálnom čase 8. Daniela Bačová – Andrea Billíková – Mária Kiššová: Dramatické techniky a ich potenciál vo výučbe cudzích jazykov 17. storočia 15. Vzdelávanie divadlom – medzinárodná vedecká konferencia Dátum: 21. The 12th Drama Festival in English „Stories & Legends of the Slovak Past“ Dátum: 11. Marek Piaček: Hudba ako udalosť 11.) 4. 2011 a  9. Antigona starovekého Grécka Prednášajúca: Mgr. koloKviá atď. Dáša Čiripová Dátum: 23. 2011 – 12. KOLEKTIV: Ako vznikal muzikál Ples upírov 9. 2013 Exkurzie: 1. KOLEKTÍV: Preklad a divadlo. 3. Divadlo Kontra Spišská Nová Ves. 5. 4. Štátne divadlo Košice. Martina Borodovčáková: Sofokles 18. Bábkové divadlo Košice. 4. Peter Oravec: Výrazové prostriedky muzikálu 4. 2011 (pre študentov v rámci workshopu Antigona I. 2012 2. The 13th Drama Festival in English Dátum: 21. Divadlá výchovného Slovenska: Študentské divadlo Filozofickej fakulty Prešovskej univerzity v Prešove. 5. 6. Dana Gálová (rod. Daniel Uherek: Koltès – dramatik sveta v kríze 2. 2011 Knižné publikácie: 1. Nový cirkus – umenie globálnej éry Prednášajúci: Mgr. Stanica Žilina-Záriečie. 3. 2013 Festivaly: 1. Kratochvilová). art. 2012 – 22. 2013 KOnferencie. – 5. 2011 2. Divadlá v Žiline: Bábkové divadlo Žilina. Miroslav Ballay: Farma v jeskyni 6. 4. 3. a 22. 5. 5. Divadlo Alexandra Duchnoviča Prešov. Mestské divadlo Žilina Dátum: 8. 2011 a 4. 4. Sarah Kane – autorský Uroboros Prednášajúca: Mgr. 2013 5. 3. Jaroslava Čajková: Od umeleckého prednesu k divadlu 13. Miloslav Kráľ: Malý sprievodca hereckým svetom 16.3. Peter Pavlac: Prekliaty dramatik alebo ako sa pokúsiť zbaviť útrap pri písaní dramatického textu 5. Ples upírov – školský muzikál Prvá a druhá premiéra: 3. 2011 2. Antigona – nedokončená „trilógia“ Dátum: 22. Peter Pavlac: Zbytočný dramaturg alebo ako obhájiť svoju profesiu (Metodika pre pochybujúcich) 134 . 12. PhD. Tvorivé prekladateľské reflexie 2 12.: 1. Juraj Šebesta: Cesta prekladu dlhým dňom do noci 14. Slovenské komorné divadlo Martin Dátum: 11. Peter Janků: Scénografia pre nescénografov 10. Daniela Bačová: Britské dramatičky druhej polovice 20. Juraj Benčík Dátum: 9. Dana Kratochvílová: Fenomén Sarah Kane 135 . Andrea Billíková – Mária Kiššová: Drama Techniques in Foreign Language Classroom 20.19. Editorská poznámka: Autormi fotografií sú Andrea Billíková. ostatné fotografie sú z archívu autoriek metodiky. Jana Jaďuďová. Fotografie Lukasza Wojciechowského a Jaroslava Dóczyho pochádzajú z archívu projektu Vzdelávanie divadlom. . Jaroslav Dóczy. Lukasz Wojciechowki. Natália Poláková. . 8. vedy.. prioritná os 1 – Reforma systému vzdelávania a odbornej prípravy. Projekt sa realizoval ako súčasť Operačného programu Vzdelávanie. PhD. výskumu a športu SR pre štrukturálne fondy.2. opatrenie 1. 2013. 2010 do 31. Vysoké školy a výskum a vývoj ako motory rozvoja vedomostnej spoločnosti Agentúry Ministerstva školstva. Dagmar Inštitorisovej. .Moderné vzdelávanie pre vedomostnú spoločnosť/Projekt je spolufinancovaný zo zdrojov EÚ. 9. Metodika vznikla v  rámci projektu Vzdelávanie divadlom. PhDr. na pôde Ústavu literárnej a umeleckej komunikácie Filozofickej fakulty Univerzity Konštantína Filozofa v Nitre od 1. ktorý sa realizoval pod vedením prof. . Náklad: 500 ks Vydanie: prvé Rozsah: 140 strán Rok vydania: 2013 Tlač: Ševt. Zdenka Gadušová. PhDr. PhD. Marcel Olšiak. PhD. PhDr. PhDr. s. PhD. PhD. Mgr.. PhD. Daniela Bačová. Roman Zima.Andrea Billíková – Mária Kiššová Drama Techniques in Foreign Language Classroom Vedecká redaktorka: prof. PhD. Výkonný a odborný redaktor: PhDr. a. Dagmar Inštitorisová. Bratislava Vydavateľ: Univerzita Konštantína Filozofa v Nitre Filozofická fakulta Katedra anglistiky a amerikanistiky ISBN 978-80-558-0328-9 N e p r e d a j n é . Marcel Olšiak. Menný register: Mgr. Jazykový redaktor anglického jazyka: Marcos Perez Jazykový redaktor slovenského jazyka: PhDr. Mária Kiššová. Preklad summary: PhDr. Marián Macho. Mária Kiššová. CSc. Posudzovatelia: prof. PhD. PaedDr. Andrea Billíková. Grafický a technický redaktor: PhDr. PhD. PhD.