Drama Techniques: A Powerful Tool in Language Learning

FLAVA Conference 2014 – Language Matters

Drama Techniques: A Powerful Tool in Language Learning

Dr. Mónica Mulholland, Ph.D.Department of Modern and Classical Languages

The Truth about Languages

KNOWLEDGE OF GRAMMAR

KNOWLEDGE OF VOCABULARY

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Foreign Language Teaching TRADITIONAL TEACHER CENTERED GRAMMAR & VOCABULARY

DRILLS MEMORIZATION STUDY FOR THE TEST FOCUS ON ACCURACY AT

THE EXPENSE OF A COMMUNICATIVE PURPOSE

CONTEMPORARY/FLIPPED STUDENT CENTERED COMMUNICATION RISK TAKING & SPONTANEITY DO SOMETHING IN THE

LANGUAGE FOCUS ON PERFORMANCE

Example of traditional teacher-student interaction

What is he doing?

An obvious question that encourages the production of a predictable answer.

The result?

BOREDOM & PAIN

Drama Techniques Are language teaching techniques derived from

acting training. Engage the whole person: body, voice, mind,

and emotions Boost self-confidence Draw on the imagination Promote interpersonal interaction and intra-

personal skills such as reflection and introspection

Relate to real life

Drama TechniquesGo beyond grammar and vocabulary to engage higher-order thinking skills such as problem solving and interpretation.

Crucial XXI Century Skills

Drama TechniquesIn using children’s games as an approach to drama training, one gets completely away from the concept of teaching someone a set of skills he or she does not possess, and knows does not possess, all of which produces anxiety. Through games, one goes back to the root processes of learning, which are generally associated with pleasure, and often delight, and which, in most cases, were free from anxiety. This method substitutes for the pain of learning the joy of re-discovery. With plenty of practice in this method, the actor or the actress is lead to the optimum use of his or her mind and body resources (Clive Barker).

Warm-up games The yarn web

A True-to-life Find Someone who…

The name-game

The Layers of the Onion

Lights, camera, action!

1. Roles2. Setting: place & time3. Props4. Actions5. Conflict???

Bibliography Barker, Clive, and Dick McCaw. Theatre Games: A New Approach to

Drama Training. London: Methuen Drama, 2010. Print. Bowen, Jose A. Teaching Naked: How Moving Technology Out of Your

College Classroom Will Improve Student Learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, a Wiley imprint, 2012. Print.

Jensen, Eric. Teaching with the Brain in Mind. Alexandria, Va: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2005. Print.

Maley, Alan, and Alan Duff. Drama Techniques in Language Learning: A Resource Book of Communication Activities for Language Teachers. Cambridge: CUP, 1982. Print.

Winston, Joe. Second Language Learning Through Drama: Practical Techniques and Applications. London: Routledge, 2012. Print.

Questions? Comments?

Mónica MulhollandGeorge Mason [email protected]