Scribd
Upload
394 views12 pages

Drama Techniques Help in Teaching Grammar

This document summarizes a conference presentation on using drama techniques for language learning. Drama techniques engage students physically, vocally, mentally, and emotionally. They move beyond just teaching grammar and vocabulary to developing higher-order thinking skills. Examples of drama techniques included warm-up games, improvisation activities, and role-playing scenarios. The presenter argued that drama techniques help reduce anxiety and promote enjoyment in language learning compared to traditional methods focused on memorization and testing.

Uploaded by

Faris Afiq
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
394 views12 pages

Drama Techniques Help in Teaching Grammar

This document summarizes a conference presentation on using drama techniques for language learning. Drama techniques engage students physically, vocally, mentally, and emotionally. They move beyond just teaching grammar and vocabulary to developing higher-order thinking skills. Examples of drama techniques included warm-up games, improvisation activities, and role-playing scenarios. The presenter argued that drama techniques help reduce anxiety and promote enjoyment in language learning compared to traditional methods focused on memorization and testing.

Uploaded by

Faris Afiq
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 12

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  CONTEMPORARY/FLIPPED

 TEACHER CENTERED  STUDENT CENTERED

 GRAMMAR & VOCABULARY  COMMUNICATION


DRILLS
 RISK TAKING & SPONTANEITY
 MEMORIZATION
 DO SOMETHING IN THE
 STUDY FOR THE TEST LANGUAGE

 FOCUS ON ACCURACY AT  FOCUS ON PERFORMANCE


THE EXPENSE OF A
COMMUNICATIVE PURPOSE
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 Techniques

Go beyond grammar and vocabulary


to engage higher-order thinking
skills such as problem solving and
interpretation.

Crucial XXI Century Skills


Drama Techniques
In 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 name-game  The yarn web

 A True-to-life Find Someone who…  The Layers of the Onion


Lights, camera, action!

1. Roles
2. Setting: place &
time
3. Props
4. Actions
5. Conflict???
Bibliography
 Barker, Clive, and Dick McCaw. Theatre Games: A New Approach to
Drama Training. London: Methuen Drama, 2010. Print.

 Bowen, José 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 Mulholland
George Mason
University
mmulholl@gmu.edu

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy