drama file

DRAMA FILE

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DRAMA FILE

Date: Tue, 29 Oct 1991

From: Russell Bacon < bacon@ZEUS.UNOMAHA.EDU

>

Subject: The Arts and ESL

As one who has a B.A. in Music, Music History and Theory, and as one who thoroughly enjoys the fine arts I relish any chance I have to introduce some aspect of the arts into my classes. In my low-level classes I use the idea of rhythm and inTONEation to help them towards a more NS delivery of English sentences. Inevitably, I end up conducting the class in sentences which sound somewhat like waltzes or other musical forms. This usually brings laughs and snickers from the students, yet, it is usually cited as one of the highlights of our class. Carolyn Graham's work is particularly suited for this type of presentation (although it is more suited to an intermediate level class).

A session ago I had the chance to use her new book, RHYTHM AND ROLE PLAY. In addition to the scripts, the illustrator (Italian, but can't remember the name

Sergio ????) further enhances the theme with a series of scenes which replay the story line. This forms the basis for an excellent whole language exercise.

One student tells the story to another student and the partner writes the story down. Then, they reverse roles. Finally, they finish by practicing the script together before presenting it to the class.

I find that Maley and Duff's, DRAMA TECHNIQUES FOR LANGUAGE TEACHING (1987?) are always a welcome addition to any classroom routine. In fact, they are what help keep a class routine from becoming too routine!

At a NAFSA regional conference that I attended in October of last year I heard a wonderful ESL singing group from Manhattan State College in Kansas. They had an attractive blend of music which integrated students' native language with

English (thus this multinational group actually learned to sing songs in the languages of everyone in the group!).

Well, I've gone on long enough. I know that some people feel uncomfortable presenting "the arts" in the classroom. As always, some approaches work better with some people and not at all with others. But, in any case, integrating the

arts, IMHO (in my humble opinion), provides another means by which our students can express themselves in the target culture.

Cheers!

Russ

Russ Bacon University of NE at Omaha /// Have you

Bacon@zeus.unomaha.edu

Bacon@unoma1.bitnet

/// tried

Bacon@odin.unomaha.edu

FIPSR1207@bestsd.sdsu.edu

\\\/// an

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Date: Fri, 3 Jul 1992

From: Anthea Tillyer < ABTHC@CUNYVM.BITNET

>

Subject: drama in class

I have read "A Soldier's Play" with several classes, and we watched the excellent movie version (directed by Norman Jewison and starring Denzel

Washington, "Soldier's Story") but I always felt that either the play or my way of using it wasn't quite right. In theory, a play should present an excellent way to practice both reading and oral skills, so I would like to try using drama again but want some helpful hints first.

Anthea Tillyer City University of New York

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Date: Sat, 4 Jul 1992

From: OWENE@NYUACF.BITNET

Subject: Drama in the ESL Classroom

In response to Anthea Tillyer's letter about using drama in the classroom,

I would like to mention that in Israel part of the final matriculation exam at the end of high school in English, is to answer questions in an essay format on a play learned in the classroom. The play used in the past (I don't know if they are still using this play as I have not been in Israel in the past few years) was "All My Sons" by Arthur Miller. The play was read in the last 2 years of high school in the students English classes.

Eva Owen

OWENE@ACFcluster.NYU.EDU

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From: JTELLES@UTOROISE.BITNET

Subject: DRAMA IN FL/SL CLASSROOM

I am able to see drama applied to TEFL/SL classes from three perspectives:

(a) as literature, (b) as public performance, and (c) as improvisation.The first two use pre-made texts (although one can think of improvised performa nces), and the latter (improvisation) uses the discourse of students' improv ised scenes as "text" for working in the FL class. In each of the three perspectives I see great advantages.

From the literary and public performance perspective, the FL/SL teacher can find a rich resource for exploring several theoretical and practical aspects of language. The improvisation perspective, on the other hand, provides both teachers and students with excellent chances for developing their communicat ive competence ( particularly the students' strategic competence, i.e., their knowledge of "plans" to solve situations of impasse caused by their limitations in the target language).

People who are interested in using improvisation in their FL/SL classes can find an extensive resource of improvisational theater games in Viola Spolin's

"Theater Game File" (1990), and in her book "Improvisation for the Theater"

(1976), both from Evanston, Ill: Northwestern University Press. Also David

Crookal & Rebecca Oxford's "Simulation, Gaming and Language Learning" (1990,

Newbury House) is an excellent reference written by several contributors who work with simulation and language teaching (special attention to Andrew

Littlejohn's paper on assessing improvisation in L2 classes).

I am presently interested in the use of improvisation in multicultural education. If anyone is interested in this area, please, contact, because

I can go on forever... (I like the theme and I am interested in it).

Can anyone think of negative points about using drama, for instance, teacher's expertise in the are, students' with different learning styles who may have problems with approaches such as this that starts directly from practiece; fossilization of mistakes etc... Any solutions???

Joao Telles

OISE - Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

Modern Language Center

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From: YB60000 < YB60@FERRIS.BITNET

>

Subject: Drama in teaching ESL

Amy Rathburn of Michigan State University did a presentation on the use of drama in the ESL classroom during the Spring'92

Conference of Michigan TESOL. I did not attend, but got a copy of her handouts, in which she describes some interesting techniques for drama in the classroom.They included a syllabus for an intermediate drama course and ideas for using drama techniques for improving pronounciation, rhythm, intonation, and stress. Maybe someone from MSU could invite her into this discussion.

Ron Corio

Intensive English Program

Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI 49307, USA

(616) 592-3921 Bitnet: yb60@ferris

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From: LJESSUP@CALSTATE.BITNET

Subject: drama

Our level one (beginner) class just did two Jazz Chant fairytales - we made a vdeo as the final product - they were great, and the students loved it. There was both text and tape support for their practices, and with understudies, enough parts to go around. Next step - writing modern versions of these classics and perfroming them in the same way. j. egbert

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From: "Judith H. Snoke: Virginia Tech Language Institute"

< ESLSNOKE@VTVM1.BITNET

>

Subject: drama

I have always wanted to teach <The Glass Menagerie> by Tennessee Williams.

The situation--disabled girl living with mother; desertion by brother; period of social and economic difficulties--should have much resonance for our students. The gentleman caller with his desire to <improve> himself should also be easy for the students to relate to. I saw the play once done by an amateur company at a smalltown firehouse. The gentleman caller was eight inches shorter than Laura and had a lisp! He was great, and the play was great. I think this is the Williams play that will endure. It is indestructable!

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Date: Sun, 5 Jul 1992

From: CQ01000 < CQ01@UTEP.BITNET

>

Subject: Drama in the ESL class

I have been using drama techniques for several years in my ESL classes.

I use a number of concentration exercises and observation techniques in my speech and writing classes. I have little formal training in theatre, but have been an actress in community theatre for several years now and am directing my first show this summer. I have used Agatha

Christie scripts (great for a large class), Steel Magnolias, The House of Ramon Iglesia, Graceland, Educating Rita, Roosters. I do have some handouts if anyone is interested for a SASE (#10, put two stamps).

Marianne Phinney

Dept. of Languages and Linguistics

University of Texas at El Paso

El Paso, TX 79968-0531

CQMP@utep.bitnet

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Date: Mon, 6 Jul 1992

From: "Fred Davidson, DEIL, UIUC" < DAVIDSON@VMD.CSO.UIUC.EDU

>

Subject: Re: book on drama and language teaching

I believe this is the reference for Smith's book on drama/TESL.

----------------------------Original message----------------------------

Dear Davidson

The exact reference is:

SMITH, S. (1984) "The Theater Arts and the Teaching of Languages." Addison-

Wesley Publishing Company.

Joao Telles

Ontario Institute for Studies in Education

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From: Michael Nieckoski < 0005392263@MCIMAIL.COM

>

Subject: Drama video

Contribution to the Drama discussion:

I have a videotape of a presentation given at the Northern New England TESOL meeting entitled "Theater Techniques in Language Teaching." The

presentation was given in April of 1990 by ESL teacher/teacher trainer

Marti Anderson at the School for International Training in Vermont.

I'll share the tape with interested parties. You may contact me directly.

You will find a copy of Marti's master's thesis on the same topic in ERIC.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% %

Michael Nieckoski Director, Audio/Visual Department %

% Experiment in International Living - School for International Training %

% Kipling Road POBox 676 Brattleboro, Vermont 05302 U.S.A. %

% E-Mail: MCI Mail 5392263 Voice: 802-257-7751 x2061 FAX:802-257-1962 %

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

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From: "Lisa Patriquin-Esmaili" < esmaili@MIZAR.USC.EDU

>


I used to do a lot of drama in classes before I got involved in EAPs. One of my favorites was "My Fair Lady"--the musical version. The theme was interesting to the students (fitting in, accents, etc.) and they loved the humor and the music. One class did a few snippets of the play with costumes, improvised sets, etc. for the whole school. It gave them a goal, they understood in a new way the value of practice, and it brought out the most amazing sides of their personalities!

The other fun/useful drama activity was creating a soap opera. The students observed that the plots tend to be complex, but the themes (dare I say it) were universal (love, betrayal, family life, misunderstandings, identity confusion,etc) so they wrote theri own. Everyone got to create at least oine character, everyone had to work with at least one other person in the class

(usually more), and they enjoyed working out the dilemnas they created for themselves. Nothing like this process to teach them about the value of revision, knowing your audience, formal and informal language.

Ah, for the good old days!

Lisa Patriquin-Esmaili esmaili@mizar.usc.edu

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From: OWENE@NYUACF.BITNET


Besides doing plays, you can have the students do "TV" commercials.

Students enjoy this.

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Date: Thu, 17 Sep 1992

From: Mike Baynham < M.Baynham@UTS.EDU.AU

>

Re; David Tillyer's message "Tearing my hair" asking for info on Drama in

ESL. A former colleague of mine in the UK, Suzanne Karbowska Hayes published a very hands on book on drama in ESL classrooms with plenty of activities. It is published by the National Extension College, Brooklands

Avenue, Cambridge,UK as Drama in ESL by Suzanne Karbowska Hayes or Suzanne

Hayes.

Mike Baynham

University of Technology, Sydney

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>

Subject: reticent speakers

I have also found it very hard to elicit spoken communication from some classes, especially those which are 1) fairly lwo-level

2) predominately Korean, Japanese, Chinese

I don't think that anyone can claim that any particular activity or approach is 100% "do-able" if the teacher really wants to get students to talk, however a couple of things have been successful, and both are more successful if they are videotaped for replay later.

One is to have a MOCK COURTROOM.

* Divide the class into groups of about 5.

* Give each group a "secret" paper which outlines the "crime" that's been committed and the characters that are needed (judge, attorneys, criminals, witnesses) When they get more accustomed to this activity, they will be able to make up their own crimes! IN any case, the other students should not have any knowledge of the "case" that a particular group is working on.

* Each group gets 15 minutes to prepare their trial and (secretly) determine the accused's guilt or innocence.

* Each group gets to act out its courtroom drama, with the other groups as jury members who render a verdict.(No problem if there's a 20-member jury)

This activity is often more successful if the students get a chance to watch one of those televised pop-courtroom trials taped from TV before they actually make their own trip into the world of jurisprudence.

Another activity that is very popular is IMPROVISATION.

* divide the students into groups of 6 or 7

* Give them a "secret" card on which is written a situation (for example: stuck in an elevator on Friday evening before a long weekend)

* You might also want to describe the characters (but not assign parts) For example, the elevator situation could have a pregnant character in it.

* Each group gets 15 minutes to prepare and rehearse (and decide the outcome of their situation).

* Each group performs its skit and the other students write down what the situation is supposed to be in the skit, and who the characters are.

If the performances are videotaped, the next class meeting can be used to critique the work. I've met only about five students who simply refused to talk in these circumstances!


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>

Subject: drama and writing

I think it is very important that when a class uses drama as a learning activity, that students write AFTER they perform, not before. In other words, they should record what they have said, not prepare what they are going to

say. The whole point of drama (as I see it) is that students will talk without fear, that they will create sentences in English spontaneously, or nearly spontaneously. If they write the script first, the spontaneity is lost and the whole thing is a drag.


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Date: Fri, 25 Sep 1992

From: CQ01000 < CQ01@UTEP.BITNET

>

Subject: Drama etc.

I've been using drama (and Spolin's stuff!) for a long time.

This is partly because I am a community theater actor and director, so avoiding spillover is difficult even if I wanted to.

I would also suggest taking your students to live theater! If you have a drama dept. on campus it's usually easy to get a copy of the script for an upcoming production. They might even let some students attend a rehearsal, which can be very enlightening if they are working on interpretation and readings.

My theater does a reader's theater each year as a short run production before the holidays. Last year we did selections from Edgar Allen

Poe; this year we are doing two radio dramas. The students who have attended have generally enjoyed the production (and they like seeing their professor make a fool of herself on stage!).

Marianne Phinney

U. of Texas at El Paso reply to: CQMP@utep.bitnet

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>

Subject: soap operas and culture shock

I think Maria Crawford brings an interesting dimension to the discussion on the use of soap operas as a means to develop fluency and comfort in second language speaking: whether or not students will get shocked and upset by the intimate details one expects in a soap opera.

I have never yet "done" soap opera in a class, but I have done plenty of other short, impromptu, drama, and I have found that the level of intimacy rises to meet the level of comfort of the participants. Students do not seem to want to embarrass or discomfort each other and don't choose topics that would do so. However, I have also found that in the "freedom" of acting a part, students take on another culture, a more liberated one (which is not the same as saying and American, or British, or Australian one, either)

Thus, I don't think that students will develop plots that will make them ill at ease..it hasn't happened to me yet, in a class!

I did have one student once who stripped down to her bra and panties in a class (that I was videotaping!) as part of a "commercial" she was acting out for an imaginary product that would take off weight! I caused a riot of laughter, but no serious misgivings I believe.

In other words, I don't think we need to worry about culture shock as long as students have control over the plot and characters.


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Date: Sun, 18 Oct 1992

From: Leland McCleary < MCCLEARY@BRUSPVM.BITNET

>

Subject: Re: soap operas

On Tue, 13 Oct 1992 19:41:39 -0500 < mbcg9744@UXA.CSO.UIUC.EDU

> said:

>I was intrigued by the beginning discussion of using "soap operas" in the

>classroom as a form of language learning. I really like the use of drama

>in the FL classroom. One factor disturbs me, though: soap operas usually

>deal with rather intimate interpersonal relationships: marriage, family,

>friendships, etc. How do we deal with students who come from vastly

>different cultures with varying ideas of how these relationships should be

>conducted? Or are students supposed to portray an American/British/you

>name-it family? I'd like to hear from teachers who have used such

>impromptu drama methods with culturally heterogeneous classes. Can such

>role plays cause culture shock??

>Maria B. Crawford

I too am intrigued by the concept of the language-class soap opera as it's been described in these pages. too bad I'm not currently teaching a speaking skills class to try it out in...

But Maria's concern would not be a concern of mine. The students are perfectly competent to choose their personas and their conflict (or human interest) situations to represent, and are going to negotiate some kind of a solution. Last thing I would do would be suggest, much less impose, a US/British/you-name-it family setting. Here in Brazil, in mono-cultural classes and in a society that is exporting soaps to much of the world, I would expect to be very much entertained by my students' imaginations. In multi-cultural contexts that Maria is skittish about we could hope that the classroom soaps would serve as a channel for negotiating some of the conflicts in the guise of fiction that could poison more realistic, matter-of-fact, real-world treatments. I am reminded of Robert Di Pietro's Strategic Interaction and Suggestopedia's use of classroom Pseudonyms.

--Leland McCleary / Universidade de Sao Paulo / mccleary@bruspvm

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Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993

From: Brian Phillips < NCCUT132@TWNMOE10.BITNET

>

Subject: Re: short novels in reading class

On Thu, 7 Jan 1993 14:23:35 EDT Christine Meloni said:

>I am looking for a short novel (approximately 100 pages) to use in a

>higher intermediate ESL class here at GWU. I have used Animal Farm and

>2001:A Space Odyssey in past semesters. I have also used a play as a

>reading, Our Town (it was then acted out in another class).

I would welcome any

What about PETER PAN by J.M. Barrie? It's short, to the point, and known. It would be possible to combine reading the novel with seeing the animated film classic and the more recent Robin Williams movie, HOOK

(I assume that you at least considered the same tactic with the pieces you've already mentioned above). If you've an especially energetic and

"hammish" group you could also develop a drama project with it by performing a play version for a group of local children (playing PETER PAN for another class may not work as well {although I've had students do more "childish" pieces for their classmates}, but presenting a play to a group of native speaker children would put 'em on their toes as your students would be doing the work as a "real" experience not merely as another classroom exercise [there may be a local orphanage or day care center that would love to host your group]).

Hmmmmmm. If you really wanted to overdo the whole bit, you could have your students write the play to be performed. While there are a few pretty good play versions (and some pretty bad ones too), it might be fun and useful for the students to do the adaptation themselves. This would give 'em a chance to create dialogue and to plan it all out on paper.

Other short works worth looking at might be ROSENCRANTZ & GUILDENSTERN

ARE DEAD (play with an excellent film version . . . and they probably know the HAMLET background anyway) or perhaps one or two of the shorter plays by Ray Bradbury. You may also consider a screenplay for this sort of project My students have read the script to INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST

CRUSADE, seen the film, and acted out the parts for their classmates. It works well (particularly since the movie's so much fun and open for a lot of possibilities -- one of their assignments was to identify scenes in which intercultural communicataion takes place and discuss why it failed or succeeded [hint: Indy almost always succeeds & Marcus Brody almost always fails {why? Harrison Ford's the star . . . :-) }]).

Hope this helps.

>Christine Meloni

>George Washington University

May the farce be with you,

Brian David Phillips

Meiguo Langren Zai Taibei NCCUT132@TWNMOE10.BITNET

{An American Werewolf in Taipei} NCCUT132@TWNMOE10.EDU.TW

--------------------------------------------------------------

Standard Non-Fnord Disclaimers

And All That Other Stuff People Put In Their SIGs

-------------------------------------------------------------

Department of English

NATIONAL CHENGCHI UNIVERSITY

Taiwan, Republic of China

Date: Tue, 24 Nov 1992

From: Deborah Sinnreich-Levi < HUM_DSINNREI@VAXC.STEVENS-TECH.EDU

>

Subject: Grammar checkers

I have never yet used grammar or style checkers in class although I will put one on line when I open my lab in the spring. However, Ron Corio's request for information on Writer's Workbench reminded me of a very interesting session at last year's CUNY academic computing conference.

Speakers presented anecdotal evidence about the usefulness of such programs. All seem limited: none catch even 50% of errors and sometimes flag correct writing. BUT the most encouraging story was told by one woman whose name I've forgotten (forgive me if you're on this list). She said students became motivated to revise more because they felt challenged by the program to come back with zero errors. In the course of fixing those parts the program had flagged (agreement, for example) students edited surrounding passages. She related the story of one student who would go through dozens of revisions in an effort to "beat" the machine. While such excessive zeal indicates a feeling that the human is less competent than the machine (a feeling to be carefully avoided), it also helped this particular students improve dramatically in a short time because he was paying more attention to his writing than ever before.

On the down side, beware of non-ESL or composition colleagues who think that such programs can be used in lieu of other forms of assessment. I have a running battle here with one colleague (a political scientist) who wants

us to use Writer's Workbench "scores" for placement and gates. (I should explain that I teach in a humanities department with all of 12 other people in several other disciplines and I'm the only ESL/composition person in addition to my staff of 3 adjuncts.) But even English people sometimes think a quick fix can be had.

Deborah

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Deborah M. Sinnreich-Levi BITNET: HUM_DSINNREI@STEVENS

Writing Director INTERnet: HUM_DSINNREI@SITVAX.STEVENS-TECH.EDU

Humanities Dept. Tel: (201) 216-5405

Stevens Institute of Technology

Castle Point on the Hudson

Hoboken, New Jersey 07030 Fax: (201) 216-8245

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Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1993


>

Subject: Theatrical ESL classes

At the risk of boring "old" TESL-Lers on the subject of developing oral competence in an ESL/EFL classroom (previously discussed about 6 months ago), I will try to recap for newcomers. This is prompted by the question posted last week on the use of theater in the oral skills class:

In the previous discussion on the use of theater in the classroom:

1. We concluded that, if practical, videotaping of student activities and performances is a motivating force and also serves to help with peer and teacher feedback later.

2. Many TESL-Lers felt that a variety of different activties (skits, improvisations, longer plays, etc) were preferable to one large opus.

3. We concluded that dividing the class into groups, each to work on a different piece of theater, makes the class more manageable and interesting.

4. We also generally agreed that having students collaborate and create their own dramas (in groups) works better at lower levels than having students perform something written by someone else.

5. Several netters felt strongly that, if students are going to be asked to write a play or skit, that they should do so *AFTER* they have performed

(or at least rehearsed) their piece, rather than before. It was also felt that team teaching with the writing teacher could help the oral skills teacher turn this class into a wonderful whole-language activity.

Peace

Anthea Tillyer ABTHC@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU

City University of New York

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Date: Tue, 27 Jul 1993

From: ALAN LYTLE < ALAN_LYTLE@BULL.CC.USM.EDU

>

Subject: ONE-ACT PLAY SUMMARY

LAST WEEK I ASKED FOR SUGGESTIONS FOR ONE-ACT PLAYS. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY

THANK

YOU TO THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE FOR THEIR HELP: H. PENDLETON, L. HIRASAWA, A.

NEMOIANU, AND L. KNOX.

HERE ARE THE PLAYS AND THEIR WRITERS -- "HAPPY JOURNEY FROM TRENTON

TO CAMDEN" AND "THE CHRISTMAS DINNER" BY THORNTON WILDER, "NEXT" BY

TERRENCE

MCNALLY, "CRYING OUT" BY MATT HUNT, AND "THE LOTTERY" BY SHIRLEY JACKSON.

"THE

LOTTERY" IS THE STO

ENTS. THANKS AGAIN.

ALAN LYTLE < ALAN_LYTLE@BULL.CC.USM.EDU

>

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From: Louise Hirasawa < hirasawa@U.WASHINGTON.EDU

>

Subject: Re: One-Act Plays

"Next," by Terrence McNally is a great one-act play, very funny. About a middle-aged man having his physical exam after being drafted in error.

It's two people--the man and the military nurse doing the examination.

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Date: Sat, 16 Apr 1994

From: "Shari L. Rosenblum" < SLRBM@CUNYVM.BITNET

>

Subject: ESL & Drama

This request was posted on the Theatre History Discussion List, but I thought that many of you out there might have suggestions for the poster.

I do not know if the original poster is a member of TESL-L, but as I have not seen this request duplicated here, I have taken the liberty of forwarding it.

Shari L. Rosenblum (slrbm@cunyvm)


Date: Fri, 15 Apr 1994 16:12:50 EDT

From: Glen Nichols < Glen_Nichols@UQAC.UQUEBEC.CA

>

Subject: ESL & drama

Hello there

I'm interested in information concerning the use of drama & theatre techniques in the teaching of English as a Second Language. Here at UQAC we prepare a lot of our students to teach English in the public system in the region (English is considered virtually a "foreign" language here). We are embarking on new directions for the department as "new kid on the block" and the only one with a background in practical theatre, I've been asked to develop a course on using theatre techniques in E.S.L. teaching (from junior high to adult ed. principally).

I would be particulary happy to learn about available resources, as well as similar programs which are already in operation.

Thanks

Glen

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Date: Sun, 17 Apr 1994

From: "Shari L. Rosenblum" < SLRBM@CUNYVM.BITNET

>

Subject: ESL & Drama < ASTR-L@UIUCVMD.BITNET

>

As a follow-up to my post forwarding the request for suggestions on using drama in ESL, I am forwarding this reference which was posted to the same list.

Shari (slrbm@cunyvm)


Date: Sat, 16 Apr 1994 16:24:28 -0500

From: Jonah Salz < J_Salz@ACAD.FANDM.EDU

>

Subject: Re: ESL & drama textbook

After useing drama to teach ESL in Japan for a number of years, I published a book that I used successfully in my college/adult classes:

Stages of Life: Mime, Improvisations, Roleplays and Skits for English

Language Learning. Kyoto: Yamaguchi Publishing House, 1989 (revised edition, 1990).

Their address:

Kyoto City

Sakyo-ku

Ichijoji 72

Tel.81-75-781-6121

****************************************************************************

Date: Sun, 17 Apr 1994

From: Laurence Sachs < sachs@SUN490.FDU.EDU

>

Subject: RE. Drama games for E.S.L.

Netters:

Receintly I saw saw a request for Drama as a way to teach ESL.

THeir is a Porgram which was put together by Martir Rainey who is currently

Teaching at the AMERICAN LANGUAGE INSTITIUTE at N.Y.U.

What the program contains is varous ways through the means of theater games to teach all aspects of ENglish to non-native speakers.

One of the theater games is called The Collaborative Shape. It is usefull in teaching all all levels of students and is a good way of reviewing a recent lesson.

THe class is stands up , moves all the desks etc to the sides of the room thus leaving most of the room clear. THe Teacher standing to the side asks the class to to either make a shape or a letter using there collective bodies. With one catch, the students can't use their hands. THey must be placed behind their backs. THe teacher then times the activity, usually two or three minutes. AFter time expires, teh teacher observes the final outcome to see if objective was met. What is re enforced with this activity the review of all content areas. If a lesson had been given in the letters A or Q, a day later by doing this excersise, THe power of recalling and building memory is used. Also, the activity helps to increse to sensitivity to others in a group as well as increases the ability to wortk as one in a team(team work). In the real team work is important. Without it good luck finding as job.

When I was a theater major my first semseter as an undergrad at Monmouth

College in 1982, I took part in some of the above mentioned theater games and, last summer, in a Advanced Esl Methods class at L.I.U.

Westchester campus,The theater games approach was taught as part of the class.

I recently applied one of the games as part of a lesson plan using the Fairleigh

(DMZ) approach for the Methods class I am taking.

I think that if used properly, the games. can work. If anyone out there wants me to go into greater detail, I can at a later date. You might want to contact

Maria Rainey, As of 1993, when she gave her presentation to us in the summer class, she was still a staff menber at the American Language Institute.

Be warned she dosen't just present, she makes sure that you will actively participate. Trust me, it is a lot of fun.

Larry Sachs

M.A.ESL Graduate Student F.D.U.

Teaneck, N.J. sachs@sun490.fdu.edu

****************************************************************************

Date: Tue, 19 Apr 1994

From: Leilani G Hinds < hindslei@HCC.HAWAII.EDU

>

Subject: Re: ESL & Drama

Regarding Drama and ESL, Richard Via first developed that method in

Southeast Asia in the 1970's, teaching students through staging full length plays in English. He taught in the graduate program in ESL at the

University of Hawaii at Manoa where I took his class on the subject. He was a Fellow at the East--West Center for quite some time, and, if I remember correctly, published several articles/books on the subject.

****************************************************************************

Date: Wed, 20 Apr 1994

From: Tom Leverett < LEVERETT@UKANVM.BITNET

>

Subject: Drama & ESL

Hello! I support the idea that drama can be used successfully in an ESL classroom. My classes have written, produced, and performed many successful plays. My students have come back years later to tell me how much they learned and how much they enjoyed it. Here are some references:

Wessels, Charlyn, (1987), Drama. Resource books for teachers, ed. Alan Mahey, Oxford UP, NY.

Stern, S., (1980), Drama in 2nd lang. learning from a psycho- linguistic perspective, Language Learning 30/1.

"The (drama) role shields learners against the less desirable consequences of their assertions, and their assertions thereby become freer." --Stern

-Tom Leverett, IEP, Pittsburg St., Pittsburg KS USA

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Date: Thu, 21 Apr 1994

From: Andrew Rouse < ROUSE@BTK.JPTE.HU

>

Subject: Re: Drama & ESL

At first, on reading this list, I was surprised that the question as to whether drama can be successful in the EFL classroom had been raised at all. It's a good fifteen years since the first teachers' handbooks that I came across were published (Drama

Techniques in Language Learning by Alan Maley (NOT Mahey!) and Alan

Duff, and Drama in Language Teaching by Susan Holden) and a decade since I wrote my own "Do It Yourself" for the Hungarian Educational

Publishing House, Tankonyvkiado Vallalat. Since then, a mass of material has come on the market, and what used to be bunched together

as Drama is now separated into boxes: simulation, role-play, situations, drama.....

After a little thought in front of the screen, I was reminded of a demonstration lesson I did last autumn with a mixed group of about fifty 12- 14 year-old kids from different schools of a Hungarian town about 100kms away from where I work. Some of them knew some of the others; none knew me. I had a great time, and so, I believe, did they, even when the lesson was disturbed by about twenty teachers who turned up nearly an hour late to see me at work.

After the children had left, I did some of the things again with the teachers, punctuated with discussions at to what the purposes of the various activities were. Although there was no open rebellion, I could sense a certain amount of scepticism emanating from them.

The reason for the scepticism (as is often the case) was fear. There seems to be a belief that in order to teach Educational Drama you have to have a level of English equal to that of a native speaker.

This is absolutely untrue, especially as ED is one of the occasions when the learners, and not the teacher, have to converse.

Another very practical problem arises. (Two, in fact.) First, ED in education (i.e. the mother tongue) is, in my experience, exclusively part of Anglo- Saxon culture (and please correct me from out there if

I'm wrong). I would not face the same problems if asking English or

American kids to do some acting out in a French or German or Spanish lesson, because they already know and have done ED. Secondly, experts in ED are few and far between, and the method is very difficult to describe within the confines of a teacher's handbook - believe me!

You can write down some of the WHAT, and can wax eloquent on the WHY, but it is by no means an easy task to convey the HOW. In a far more limited way, I am sure that conference workshops are far more effective than books; despite the limitations of time and numbers, there are the massive advantages of immediacy and tangibility.

ED is great fun and reaps massive rewards when it is understood, and the way toward a better understanding, while a relevant library is without doubt helpful, is for teachers to come into contact with it on the receiving end.

****************************************************************************

Date: Tue, 26 Apr 1994

From: Howard Sage < SAGE@ACFCLUSTER.NYU.EDU

>

Subject: Theater in the ESL Classroom

I am sending this message for Maria Guida-Rainey, who is not on line. She asks that interested persons respond to her at 11 Seaman Avenue (Apt. 5B), New York,

New York 10034.

This is a correction of some information sent on E-mail on April 17, 1994 by

Sachs referred to a Theater Game which I demonstrated in one of my workshops, where I present Theater Games and Acting Improvisation Techniques for use in the ESL classroom. Mr. Sachs' description of the exercise I have named "The

Collaborative Shape" was not an accurate representation of this exercise, and I would like to clarify it. The Collaborative Shape exercise is designed to give students practice with the Command Form in English and with expressing the

notion of direction. It is also an enjoyable way to review any vocabulary which identifies shapes, numbers, Roman numerals, punctuation, and many other words which bring to mind one specific visual image. Here's how it goes. Students all stand in an open area which has been cleared of all furniture; they must, as a group, create one "picture" with their bodies. The stimulis is given when the teacher calls out one word which brings to mind one simple visual image (for example, a square, a question mark, an X, a ladder, the Roman Numeral 27, the

Big Dipper, etc.). Students have 60, 30, or 15 seconds (Teachers, use your discretion about time; decreasing the time frame increases the fun) to collaboratively create that pattern which would be clear from an aerial view.

(Students may stand, sit, lie on the floor, curl up in a ball, etc.) The rules are that 1. no student may physically touch another, 2. no student may gesture to another, and 3. students may communicate only through the use of spoken

English while they are moving. After the allotted number of seconds, the teacher calls "Freeze!" and the students have an opportunity to look around to see how successful they were in creating this collaborative shape. This is fast fun and a good warmup review; it also helps increase students' sensitivity to working with others in a group.

I invite any teachers interested in the useof Theater in the ESL classroom to contact me directly: Maria Guida-Rainey, 11 Seaman Avenue (Apt. 5B), New York,

N.Y. 10034, or to attend one of my workshops. I will also have my own E-Mail account shortly.

SAGE@acfcluster.nyu.edu

****************************************************************************

Date: Thu, 5 May 1994

From: "Parker, Ray J." < R.J.Parker@SHEFFIELD-HALLAM.AC.UK

>

Subject: Intonation activities (was R&L)

Recently Gwyn Williams posted a number of interesting drills and activities including a roleplay of waiter/waitress and customer ordering a meal. I have found such roleplays particularly productive if the "orderer" pretends to have lost their voice and so has to mime their needs. The waiter/tress then has to question the customer quite intensively in order to elicit progressively less ambiguous miming. The same technique works for a whole range of roleplay situations and is not only productive linguistically it's also good fun.

Greetings from Sheffield.

****************************************************************************

Date: Mon, 9 May 1994

From: Gwyn Williams < gwyn@IPIED.TU.AC.TH

>

Subject: Re: Intonation activities (was R&L)

A nice idea! I tried something like this once. Instead of miming, waitresses/waiters act hard of hearing, illiterate, etc. Absolutely hilarious! Funniest thing I've ever done in class. When the customers don't know the waitresses/waiters difficulties in advance, their faces are a delightful study in nonplussedness. And great practice in repetition, elicitation, stress, etc.

Gwyn

****************************************************************************

Date: Fri, 14 Oct 1994

From: Kate Garretson < KGAKB@CUNYVM.BITNET

>

Subject: plays

In an intensive program, at the high intermediate level, I have team-taught the following plays with great success:

Neil Simon: Prisoner of 2nd Avenue, The Odd Couple

"Miracle Worker" (I've forgotten the playwright's name--but you know, it's the story of Helen Keller)

Tenessee Williams: Streetcar Named Desire and Glass Menagerie

"A Raisin in the Sun" is also a reasonable choice at this level.

All of these plays have been captured in some form on video so it's fun to read scenes together in class, act them out in students' "own" English, and then see the video.

I guess Marlon Brando is a little too steamy for your context, but the rest are more or less squeaky clean.

****************************************************************************


From: Andrew Barfield < andyman@SAKURA.CC.TSUKUBA.AC.JP

>

Subject: English through drama repeat

Aplogies for the garbled message before. Hope this one's more readable.

I've been using English through drama with a couple of classes where students rehearse, create, and perform their own short ten-minute plays. The students are about pre-intermediate level, and their plays involves a lot of moevement, action, language and gestures etc.

In making the plays, the students work from scripted, semi-scripted and improvization tasks. The work involves a lot of repetition and extension of core functions.

Question: If you use English throuigh drama, what kind of balance do you try to keep between scripted and unscripted work ?

Is E thru D a method or just a collection of techniques ?

****************************************************************************

Date: Wed, 2 Nov 1994

From: Andrew Rouse < ROUSE@BTK.JPTE.HU

>

Subject: Re: Turn-offs and Turn-ons for Texts

I am reminded of a drama project that I was engaged in for somebody else's diploma work, many years ago. The end result was a performance of "The Exception and the Rule" (Bertold Brecht?), but of this we knew nothing for several weeks, as we were moved from one piece of improvisation to the next dramatization of a children's poem.

I have found sending learners on such voyages of discovery very rewarding, and in the TEFL context have had much fun building up small scenes set in the twentieth century that, together, suddenly turn into one or another well-known nursery tale. Invariably some of the group members start looking suspiciously at me before we get to the end, as the relationship between the scenes and the identity of the tale becomes apparent.

I can now then ask them to write the tale, but even now I make

conditional twists: write "Little Red Riding Hood" as if you were the policeman who arrived at the scene of the crime....

Our server is on the point of malfunction.

I send this NOW....

Andrew C Rouse

Janus Pannonius University

Pecs

Hungary e-mail: ROUSE@BTK.JPTE.HU

****************************************************************************

Date: Tue, 21 Mar 1995

From: Laura < kimotol@UHUNIX.UHCC.HAWAII.EDU

>

Subject: Summary: Drama Volunteer

Thank you for the ideas on how to use a volunteer with drama background in an Adult Education ESL class! I am summarizing the suggestions for everyone:

Dennis Oliver made the following "Some off-the-top-of-the-head suggestions:"

-- Have the volunteer dramatize short situational monologues illustrating different registers/formal vs conversational forms/ age-different ways of saying the same things.

-- Have the volunteer organize sing-alongs (since most students love to sing, but many teachers feel uncomfortable as songleaders).

(All kinds of content-based spin-off activities can come from songs.)

-- Have the main teacher and the volunteer improvise short conversational exchanges with the kinds of differences (etc.) noted in the first suggestion. (These can be models for the students, the basis for comprehension exercises, discussions, and much more.)

-- Have the volunteer organize a reader's theater or help the students put on a short play (or group of plays).

-- Don't have the volunteer work with pronunciation/articulation, though!

Lynn Ramage recommended the book: _Drama Techniques in Language Learning_ by Maley and Duff, part of the Cambridge Handbooks for Language Teachers series.

Dorine S. Houston suggested that the volunteer could develop role-plays and skits and create songs that the class produces. Students could even get one act play texts from the same sources that any school gets them from and rehearse them for performance, using minimal stage sets

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

! laura kimoto kimotol@uhunix.uhcc.hawaii.edu

!

! university of hawaii at hilo ua mau ke 'ea o ka 'aina i ka pono !

! 200 w. kawili st. "the life of the land is perpetuated !

! hilo, hi 96720-4091 in righteousness." !

! fax (808) 933-3736 ... hawaii state motto !

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

****************************************************************************

Date: Tue, 30 May 1995

From: "ELLEN M. KOHN" < ekohn@OSF1.GMU.EDU

>

Subject: drama & pronunciation

One possibility other than looking for scenes from already existing plays would be to have the students read a short story or folktale. Then have them decide on the characters and the scenes that they want to present.

Different groups of students can work on different scenes. The scene is performed once and then there is a discussion about what worked and didn't work so well. Then the scene is performed again. Scripts do not have to be written out in detail. I participated in a workshop in which we performed "Little Red Riding Hood." The process was engaging and lots of fun!

Ellen M. Kohn

English Language Institute

George Mason University

***************************************************************************


From: Sally Jacobson - 2688117 < sjacobso@NUNIC.NU.EDU

>

Subject: Drama scenes for pronunciation

When my director asked me to dream a one month elective course, I mentioned, in passing, that I'd been to Valerie Whiteson's workshop on using plays in class. My director got all enthused, and now I'm scheduled to teach a class entitled "Pronunciation through Drama" class

(a 1-hour class which meets about 6-7 times.)

Unfortunately, although I have taught pronunciation before, I haven't a literary bone in my body. I've been combing through plays and found a juicy scene from Ibsen's "Doll's House", and another in a similar vein in an anthology of short scenes. I'd like to find others my students can relate to. I've combed through Pinter plays, and find them a little wierd, although strong on dialogue. Does anyone have any suggestions of scenes for 2 or 3 players? And any suggestions on how to incorporate pronunciation? I don't plan to require any memorization (our elective courses need to be low stress/minimum homework). The students will probably be intermediate, ethnically mixed (Taiwanese, Turkish, Thai, etc.) in an intensive ESL program.

I would appreciate any advice. Thanks.

P.S. Tapes, records and videos are not available.

Sally Jacobson National University San Diego

***************************************************************************

Date: Wed, 21 Jun 1995

From: Vivian Leskes < vleskes@MECN.MASS.EDU

>

Subject: Re: Skit or Play Scripts: Where?

I have had success with students writing their own scripts. we have used video clips from sitcom TV shows to start. We listened to a clip, then reconstructed the script in the students' words (as a class).

Then they acted out the scripts and we videotaped them. They loved this exercise. After that, the students broke into groups and wrote their own dialoques of a situation they chose (with some teacher supervision).

Topics students chose were shopping, doctor's visit, hospital, restaurant, TV quiz show, newscast. The skits they wrote showed a lot of humour and creativity. We also extended this project to pronunciation, grammar, culture. The students were so involved with this, they made props and planned costumes. Finally, we collaborated with a video class to make a glitzy final product which all the students took home with them. I hope this is helpful.

Vivian Leskes vleskes@mecn.mass.edu

Humanities Division

Holyoke Community College

Holyoke, MA 01040

***************************************************************************

Date: Wed, 10 Jan 1996

From: Dana Walker < aiw@SPEAKEASY.ORG

>

Subject: Using Plays

While teaching literature in the States, a previously shy Cambodian student suddenly started speaking English. I had turned the class into a

"play reading" exercise for teaching drama. Sometimes we had access to a stage. With my background in community theatre, students read the play on stage, while their classmates wrote "play journals".

Play journals included students' response to what they saw, their own acting/reading, and reflections on issues the play presents. "Whose Life

Is It Anyway?" was very successful. "Private Lives" with its humor about relationships was also successful. Students seem to feel safer with comedies.

I asked the Cambodian student why he enjoyed the drama section of the course. "I can speak English, but I don't have to think or worry about what I am going to say."

When I was on stage in the UAE, I too discovered on-stage is the safest place to be because it's someone else's life, someone else's problems, and someone else's words.

Playscripts are cheap, small, easy to hold. Ordering five per play, and passing them around is cost effective. It also encourages listening skills. Since students don't have the script to read along with, and it may be their turn to read after five minutes, so most students listen very carefully.

Please email me should you like the phone and fax numbers of a play publisher.

Respectfully,

Alice Dana Walker, MFA aiw@speakeasy.org

****************************************************************************

Date: Mon, 15 Jan 1996

From: Dana Walker < aiw@speakeasy.org

>

Here are three sources for play scripts, as well as some suggestions for using plays in a classroom. I am vaguely aware of an ESL methodology that has developed play applications as a valid form for ESL teaching.

If you know of it, I would be interested if you could direct me to that group.

1. Samuel French, Inc. is my original source for publishers. Their catalogue is nearly 400 pages long. Plays are divided by catagories: full-length, radio, murder mystery weekend, musicals, one-act, theatre for youth, tv plays, religious, monologues, etc. They are then subdivided into categories by number of characters. A comprehensive summary includes the genre (biography, drama, comedy, etc.). Just having a class, or play-reading club, select which plays to purchase, is an excellent problem-solving reading task. Argument over which ones to buy would also provide problem-solving speaking/listening practice.

This catalogue costs. I forget how much, but it was sent to me in Taiwan.

SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. 45 West 25th Street PHONE: 212/206-8990

New York, NY 10010-2751 FAX: 212/206-1429

7623 Sunset Blvd. PHONE: 213/876-0570

Hollywood, CA 90046-2795 FAX: 213/876-6822

80 Richmond St. East PHONE: 416/363-3536

Toronto, Ontario M5C 1P1 363-8417

CANADA FAX: 416/363-1108

I called the University of Washington's Drama Library for the following two sources. Please note, these two are much smaller operations. They have fax numbers, but since they must pay $1 per faxed paged, I haven't included their fax numbers. I called them, and they are quite willing to send free catalogues to USA addresses. One was especially kind, and I strongly suggested she charge for foreign postage, since I wanted her to make money to stay in business. Those of you who live in high-risk areas of erratic mail systems, let me know. Or see if UPS delivers in your area for a reasonable sum.

These publishers specialize in plays for k-12th grades.

2. PLAYS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE Box 8067

ANCHORAGE PRESS New Orleans, LA 70182 PHONE: 504/283-8868

3. NEW PLAYS INC. P.O. Box 5074

Charlottesville, VA 22905

PHONE: 804/979-2777

Plays can be read or performed. The actual play reading can begin after the class has done a variety of warm-ups, discussion, vocabulary practice

(words in the play) etc.

1. For a reading, I have older students arrange their desks as a long dinner table, face to face. This is more intimate than a circle, especially for larger classes.

2. Characters are assigned by sex, down one side. One student reads the stage directions.

3. After 5-10 minutes reading, stop.

4. Ask a listener to summarize the action so far.

5. Ask readers to discuss their character. Don't worry too much if there's confusion. Repeating the process builds confidence.

6. Teacher summarize, using students' comments.

7. Pass scripts to next set of students, repeat.

VARIATIONS:

1. Second set of students re-do what's been done, with more voice inflection.

2. Do an entire scene or act before repeating the same with different students.

3. Reverse sex roles: have males read females, females read males

4. Have students assigned to groups to prepare and present a scene, its vocabulary, meaning, etc.

5. Tie-in reading with subject matter of play.

6. Tie-in writing with play journals.

7. Tie-in non-verbal communication with gestures.

8. Tie-in comprehension with short-answer written or oral questions re plot, characters, motivation, etc.

9. Encourage a modest use of props.

10. Get access to a stage.

11. Invite actors to speak, instruct, direct a class.

12. HAVE FUN!

13. Etc.

Oh, it would be nice to e-mail me back with your experiences, so I can keep track of all this and we can develop our own book for using plays in the ESL classroom.

Regards,

Alice Delaney Dana Walker, MFA aiw@speakeasy.org

****************************************************************************


From: mark richards < markr@VIR.COM

>

Subject: Re: Skits and Plays (long Message)

I was looking for some new ideas for skits and plays, however several people emailed me asking for any that I had tried myself. Here's the first of three:

The Gravedigger

The gravedigger is standing in the centre of the stage getting ready to jump off the "bridge" and kill himself. As he counts to three, he is about to jump when somebody comes running out on stage and stops him. The second person asks why he is going to jump and the gravedigger explains that nobody has died in several weeks and he hasn't any work nor money for food and so has decided to end it all. The new person says, " You think you have problems, I'm an ESL student at XXXXXXXX School and ........complaint, complaint, complaint" After the "student" recounts all his problems (humorously based on the realities of your particular school), he decides to jump also. They both count one, two, three, but before they can jump, another person comes running out on stage.

"You think you have problems, I'm a tutor at XXXXXXXXXX School and......... complaint, complaint, complaint". When we did this skit, we used the gravedigger, a student, a tutor, a teacher, a guidance counselor, a pastoral animator (Catholic School), a priest, a cafeteria lady, a vice principal and a director, all caricatures of real people in the school as portrayed by students. As each new person comes out on stage the previous personalities briefly recount why they are going to jump. At the very end the stage should be full of people, they count to three and everybody jumps with the exception of the gravedigger who spins around and faces the audience rubbing his palms

together and sporting a nefarious grin!

Stone Soup

Here are some other ideas for skits and plays. There is a children's story called Stone Soup about three soldiers who come to a village looking for food.

They are refused and so decide to make soup with nothing but three large round

"magical" stones. The people of the village intrigued by the possibility of making soup from stones are conned into first lending them a pot, then some carrots for a touch of flavoring, then some potatoes, and salt and spices and and a soup bone with some meat left on it and so on and so on. At the end, everybody tastes the soup which of course is delicious - and to think it was made with nothing more than three stones. Before leaving, the soldiers sell the magical stones to the villagers. This is a children's play (I played one of the soldiers when I was about eight years old), but we used it successfully with adult education students in an ESL centre. The nice thing is once you lay out the scenario the students don't have to stick word for word to a script.

Peter Pan and Wendy

Another successful skit a colleague performed around Christmas at an ecumenical peace celebration was Peter Pan and Wendy. Peter who was crying had lost his "peace" and Wendy was trying to help him look for his "piece of what???" After a nice dialogue which revolved around the wordplay they eventually decided that he hadn't really lost it, which was a cue for about thirty to forty students to go through the auditorium lighting peace candles.

Very very effective.

The Baby

The last one I will mention was created and performed by students at a

French school I taught at several years ago - again adult ed. A Black student from Haiti put on white face, a white student from Quebec put on black face, and a very pregnant Latino woman who didn't speak French was trapped in an elevator with them. Of course the woman goes into labour and the two other students did racial caricatures of each other while trying to figure out what to do. In the end, through cooperation the "baby" is born and everything worked out fine. The school was about 25% Haitian students, 40% Quebecois,

15% Latino and the rest a mixture of various cultures. Because this skit hit so close to home, because it was created and performed by students and because there was an uplifting message at the end, it was hilarious and extremely well received by staff and students alike.

Mark Richards

Montreal, Canada markr@vir.com

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