UALN3063 THEATRE IN ESL INTRODUCTION TO THEATRE History of Theatre Theories of Theatre Types of Theatre HISTORY OF THEATRE It is about dialogue, language, and interaction with others in specific “scenes” with appropriate language, all activities that we as teachers try to get out students to engage in. THEORIES OF THEATRE In the context of ESL Classroom It can be used as a valuable teaching tool. It gets students up and moving around and interacting with each other. It is particularly appealing to kinesthetic learners but can be used successfully for all learners. Also, it contextualizes language, making real and threedimensional that is on the printed page. Students will improve the speaking and listening skills in performing scene and also their writing skills through such activities as dialogue writing. Theatre also teachers the "pragmatics" of language, how we appropriately use language to get something done, like making a request. Finally, it promotes class bonding: in theatre classes, there is usually a great deal of comradery. TYPES OF THEATRE Incorporating Theatre in the ESL Classroom ACT OUT THE DIALOGUE Simply by getting them to act out the dialogue from their textbooks. Pair them up, have them choose roles, then work together to act out the dialogue, figuring out for themselves the "blocking", or stage movements. PERFORM READER'S THEATRE Hand out copies of a short or one-act play, have students choose roles, and then read the play from their seats without acting it out. However, encourage them to read dramatically, modelling as necessary. ACT OUT THE STORY Instead of having the student to read out a story on their own, have them to act out the whole story or just part of it by getting them to work in groups, assigning them roles, and determining the blocking. It is effective with "shorts-shorts": brief, one-scene stories with limited characters. WRITE THE DIALOGUE FOR A SCENE Watch a brief clip of a movie without the sound. Have the students to write the dialogue for it and act it out. ACT OUT AND PUT WORDS TO AN EMOTION Give students an emotion, such as "anger" or "fear". Have them, either working individually or in groups, first act out that emotion then put words to the emotion. GIVE "VOICE" TO AN INANIMATE OBJECT Have students write monologues with inanimate objects as the character. A monologue is a short scene with just one character talking, either addressing the audience, God, or himself or herself. After writing them, students can read it aloud. CREATE A CHARACTER Have students develop a character, write a one-page profile on the character's background, appearance, personality, etc. Have them introduce the character to the class, explaining what interests them about their character. WRITE A MONOLOGUE Using the character they have already developed, have students write a monologue for that character then perform it. MIMING AND DUBBING Have student act out short scenes without the dialogue. Then, the rest of the class supplies the dialogue, developing the "script". IMPROVISE Put the students in groups of two or three and assign the characters and the situation to the groups, perhaps using the 3x5 index cards. Give a time limit of two to three minutes per scene. Students go from there, extemporaneously creating the dialogue and movement themselves. In the end... Theatre is an effective tool that can be used to promote interaction and language skills in the ESL classroom as well as create a class bonding experience. With careful planning, use of theatre can enhance your English classroom curriculum. THANK YOU!
