Literacy in Theatre Education By Christina Rodriguez EDTA MA Student Fall 2007.

Literacy in Theatre Literacy in Theatre EducationEducation

By Christina RodriguezEDTA MA Student

Fall 2007

Applicable TheatreApplicable Theatre• Theatre is applicable to many

different areas of education. It doesn’t just have to be seen as the typical finished product of a high school theatre musical presentation.

• In fact, theatre can be used to teach math, history, science, life skills, and most importantly: English.

• This presentation is a way of showing how drama can be used to promote literacy and enjoyment in English in the classroom.

MATH

HISTORY

LIFE SKILLSSCIENCE

ENGLISH

THEATRE

Historical Facts about TheatreHistorical Facts about Theatre --Theatre has long since revolved around the art of literacy. Theatre has long since revolved around the art of literacy.

Here are some examples of how the two have long since been Here are some examples of how the two have long since been intertwined.-intertwined.-

• In Greek Tragedy, starting in 535 B.C., three tragic playwrights competed during the festival for the prize for the best series of three tragedies and a satyr play.

• In the Middle Ages, drama in the vernacular languages of Europe emerged from religious enactments of the liturgy.

• Shakespeare, the great playwright, has been known to create many of the words we use in the English language today.

• Music and Theatre were combined in the art of Opera, thus enabling musical literacy to enter the stage.

• Drama has a holistic way of teaching people. Whether it be in a play or by partaking in a role-play situation, participants learn through interactions with others -- this allows participants to not only learn facts as they would from a book or in a classroom, but to enter the world of another person, to be allowed to explore how they feel about this situation or person, whether it be a war-torn town or the wolf in the Three Little Pigs. Every interaction with another character or situation gives a greater understanding of what is happening around us.

• -Thanks to www.wikipedia.com for this information on theatre history.

STORY THEATRESTORY THEATRE• For years, story telling has been seen as something where students sit

around and listen to a person tell a story. Through drama, students have the ability to begin to actually live the drama. By putting the acting into their bodies, reading the stories as well, and becoming characters, students become more invested into the roles and often tend to like the idea of books a little more.

• When students are given an opportunity to discover things for themselves, they often tend to like what they discover more.

Stories In Action Stories In Action

From Objects to Talking Frogs to Greek Gods:The Creation of an Improv PerformanceLESSON ONE

Focus Question(s)-How to transition between the personification of objects to the improved personification of mythological creatures and

surreal stories.Student Take-Away-Students will have fun-Students will get to use their imagination-Students will get to use the kinesthetic part of their multiple intelligences, as well as interpersonal.Assessment-Take notes on the students willingness to participate.-Give the students credit for participation in the improved scenes.NYS Learning Standards/NYCDOE Learning StrandsStandard 1- Students will actively engage in the processes that constitute creation and performance in the arts (dance,

music, theatre and visual arts) and participate in various roles in the arts.*use language, voice, gesture, movement and observation to create character and interact with others in improvisation,

rehearsal, and performance.Standard 3- Students will respond critically to a variety of works in the arts, connecting the individual work to other

works and to other aspects of human endeavor and thought.*explain how drama/theatre experiences relate to themselves and others.Benchmark: Theatre Making: Acting Imagination, Analysis, and Process Skills Performance Skills

The following is my own personal lesson plan for the sophomore Improvisation class from La Guardia High School in Manhattan. I created a lesson based on literacy, theatre skills, mythological resources, and multi-cultural history.

Audience/Developmental Considerations-A safe environment has been created and should be maintained, this means that the students should remain respectful of the work other students present.-This class only meets once a week for about thirty five minutes, and it is at the very beginning of the day. Previous Knowledge-Students have taken Improv the year before and are familiar with tableaus and creation of presentations.-This semester, they have worked with objects, imaginary and real, and have begun the personification of those objects through the use of monologue development.Materials-Previously obtained mythological or cultural stories such as:“The Jackal’s Lawsuit”“The Sky is Falling”“The Cowherd and the Weaving Maid”“Turtle’s Race with the Bear.”Procedures (broken down into time frames)Main Activity(25 Minutes)-Typewriter Stories--Through a method of choosing a number from a bag, the students will be sorted into groups as the teacher has each student draw a number.-The teacher will give each group a story and have the students read it in their group.-The teacher will inform each group that one person will be the “typist” and will be “writing” (reading) the story, as the actors behind them are acting it out. At times, the writer will pause and say “but what they were really thinking was:” and let the actor talk. They may also paraphrase sentences and fast forward through certain parts, if say for instance the story said: “He went up the hill, and then back down, and up the hill, and then back down” ten times, the writer will say “he did this for a while,” and so on.-The teacher will give the groups 5 minutes to discuss this.-The students will perform their improved typewriter scenes. Each group has 5 minutes to perform.Reflection/Debrief/Assessment(5 minutes)-Ask the students what they noticed in their scenes. Did they work together as a team? What did they think about acting out objects and things or people that weren’t real? How does it connect?

Making Drama and English Fun

• Whoever said that learning had to be hard work? With English and Drama together, through examples such as story theatre, learning can be fun and productive.

• Using drama and stories together, students make memorable work that they enjoy doing, all the while honing in on their acting skills.

The following are some pictures of students at La Guardia High School working on their Improv Scenes from stories and myths from the lesson you have just read.

Fiorello H. La Guardia High School for Fiorello H. La Guardia High School for Music, Arts and Performing ArtsMusic, Arts and Performing Arts

New York, New YorkNew York, New York

• A group in the sophomore improvisation class works out the Ethiopian African Tale of The Jackal’s Lawsuit.

Students working on:

“The Jackal’s Lawsuit”“The Sky is Falling”“The Cowherd and the Weaving Maid”“Turtle’s Race with the Bear.”