DOING THINGS WITH WORDS

1. QATESOL – Language development through the arts, 25 August, 2012. Drama and Second Language Learning DOING THINGS WITH WORDS Dr Madonna Stinson, School of Education and Professional Studies m.stinson@griffith.edu.au

2. Overview • Talking about drama • Recent & current research • Useful strategies Dr Madonna Stinson, School of Education and Professional Studies m.stinson@griffith.edu.au

3. Why drama? Drama does things with words. It introduces language as an essential and authentic method of communication. Drama sustains interactions between students within the target language, creating a world of social roles and relations in which the learner is an active participant…The language that arises is fluent, purposeful and generative because it is embedded in context (Kao and O'Neill 1998, 4) Dr Madonna Stinson, School of Education and Professional Studies m.stinson@griffith.edu.au

4. Drama • integrates language skills in a natural way. • Incorporates all aspects of communication • draws on both cognitive and affective domains • contextualises language therefore focuses on production of meaning • caters for learner differences - allowing each to capitalise on their strengths • fosters self-awareness, awareness of others, self-esteem, confidence and motivation Dr Madonna Stinson, School of Education and Professional Studies m.stinson@griffith.edu.au

5. Transfers responsibility for learning from the teacher to the students • Is tentative and exploratory so promotes risk-taking which is an essential element in language learning • has a positive effect on classroom dynamics and atmosphere • is enjoyable and playful • low resource - all you need is ‘a roomful of human beings’ (Maley and Duff, 2007, p. 1) . Dr Madonna Stinson, School of Education and Professional Studies m.stinson@griffith.edu.au

6. Why drama? People in textbooks do not get all mixed up while they are speaking, forget what they wanted to say, hesitate, make grammatical mistakes, argue erratically or illogically, use words vaguely, get interrupted, talk at the same time, switch speech styles, manipulate the rules of the language to suit themselves, or fail to understand. In a word, they are not real. David Crystal, 1975, p. 3 Dr Madonna Stinson, School of Education and Professional Studies m.stinson@griffith.edu.au

7. TIME T – timing, timeliness I – imagination – agreeing to be “other” M – motivation, meaning E – engagement, emotions Dr Madonna Stinson, School of Education and Professional Studies m.stinson@griffith.edu.au

8. Short-term Exercise-based Teacher-controlled Simple & closed activities e.g. script, scripted role-play, readers’ theatre, language games Extended Context-based Student input Complex & open e.g. unscripted role-play/ improvisation, playbuilding, process drama Moving from Moving to Dr Madonna Stinson, School of Education and Professional Studies m.stinson@griffith.edu.au

10. Planning for language and drama • every student engaging in dialogue • spontaneous responses • diverse groups in group work • ‘English only’ rule • a range of language registers and purposes • enjoyment and play • reflection time Dr Madonna Stinson, School of Education and Professional Studies m.stinson@griffith.edu.au

11. The Rollo Robot Drama

12. Using mantle of the expert • One common approach to process drama work is the use of mantle of the expert • Teacher-in-role is a key strategy • It allows for a status shift so that the children become the ones who “know” and provides opportunities for them to ask questions rather than always answer them. Dr Madonna Stinson, School of Education and Professional Studies m.stinson@griffith.edu.au

13. Cartaxo, L. (2012) Dramatic improvement: the application of drama pedagogy to improve the motivation of foreign language students of English in Cabedelo-Paraiba-Brazil. Unpublished Masters dissertation.Griffith University. Dr Madonna Stinson, School of Education and Professional Studies m.stinson@griffith.edu.au

14. Erika Piazzoli (2011) Dr Madonna Stinson, School of Education and Professional Studies m.stinson@griffith.edu.au

15. The importance of the teacher: As Jonothan Neelands (2009, p. 11) points out, drama “by itself does nothing. It is only what teachers do with drama that makes a difference.” Dr Madonna Stinson, School of Education and Professional Studies m.stinson@griffith.edu.au

16. Some useful drama strategies – oral work • Hot seat • Teacher-in-role (especially low-status roles e.g. needing help or knowledge the students have) • Paired role-play (A/B role-play) • Mapping • Teacher narration • Projected play (esp. for younger children) • Role circle (as one or many) • Gossip mill • Whole group role play Dr Madonna Stinson, School of Education and Professional Studies m.stinson@griffith.edu.au

17. Writing and drama • Letters • Newspaper headlines • Newspaper articles • Labelled maps • Diary entries • Lists • Instructions/directions Dr Madonna Stinson, School of Education and Professional Studies m.stinson@griffith.edu.au

18. References • Crystal, D. (1975). Advanced conversational English. London: Longman. • Dunn, J., & Stinson, M. (2011). Not without the art!! The importance of teacher artistry when applying drama as pedagogy for additional language learning. RIDE: The Journal of Applied Theatre and Performance, 16(4), 617-634. • Kao, S. M., & O'Neill, C. (1998). Words into worlds: Learning a second language through process drama. Stanford: Ablex Publishing. • Maley, A., & Duff, A. (2005). Drama techniques: A resource book of communication activities for language teachers (3rd ed.). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. • Miccoli, L. (2003). English through drama for oral skills development. ELT Journal, 57(2), 122-129. • Neelands, J. (2009). The art of togetherness: Reflections on some essential artistic and pedagogic qualities of drama curricula. N J (The Drama Australia Journal), 33(1), 9-18. • Piazzoli, E. (2011). Process drama: the use of affective space to reduce language anxiety in the additional language learning classroom. RIDE: The Journal of Applied Theatre and Performance, 16(4), 557-574. • Stinson, M. (2008). Drama, Process Drama and TESOL. In M. Anderson, J. Hughes & J. Manuel (Eds.), Drama in English Teaching: Imagination, action and engagement (pp. 192-212). Melbourne: Oxford University Press. • Stinson, M. (2011). Accessing traditional tales: The legend of Bukit Merah. In J. Winston & J. Neelands (Eds.), Drama and second language learning (pp. tba). Stoke on Trent: Trentham Books. • Stinson, M., & Freebody, K. (2006). The DOL project: An investigation into the contribution of process drama to improved results in English oral communication. Youth Theatre Journal, 20, 27-41. Dr Madonna Stinson, School of Education and Professional Studies m.stinson@griffith.edu.au