Towards the Creative Teaching of English

Maggie Melville, Lou Spaventa, Lydia Langenheim, Mario Rinvolucri, Lou Spaventa

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781351236126
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education General

Originally published in 1980. This book is a collection of language learning activities in the area of drama, mime, roleplay, problem solving, group work, music and song – all classroom tested and ready for use in teaching English, no matter the level. The exercises are designed to promote and stimulate real language communication and to involve teachers and students on a personal level. The authors taught on training courses for ELT teachers and developed these excellent techniques and ideas for educators looking for whole-person learning ways of teaching.

1 English Through Drama

MAGGIE MELVILLE

1.1 INTRODUCTION

1.1.1 WHAT IS ‘ENGLISH THROUGH DRAMA’?

It is a selection of supplementary material based on roleplay and imagination games. The aim is to stimulate natural spontaneous spoken English, and to help the student use language that is both grammatically correct and appropriate as defined by place or mood.

1.1.2 WHO IS IT FOR?

The lessons cover a range of ability from lower intermediate to advanced levels. They are suitable both for students who have a good knowledge of the English language and for students meeting English for the first time. In both cases, these lessons offer the opportunity to revise and reinforce orally structures that have already been acquired and, at the same time, provide a new learning environment.

1.1.3 WHY USE IT?

The lessons are student-centred, leaving the teacher free to give individual attention to students who need help and correction. The lessons are quick to prepare. The lessons are fun to do.

1.1.4 HOW DO YOU USE IT?

The age-group, level, number of students per group, time of the lesson, and specific aim are indicated at the beginning of each section or lesson. A brief set of instructions follows, plus, if applicable, possible variations on the theme.

Age-group: The ages given are only a guide, not strictly chosen bounds.

Level: The level indicated is a guide for the teacher. The approach is the same for any level indicated, although the execution of the exercise and the time might well vary according to the class.

Number of Students: The number indicated is intended as a guide for the teacher.

Time: The time it takes to complete each activity depends on the level of the students. A good rule is to draw the lesson to a close while the students are still enjoying themselves, so that they will enjoy themselves a second and a third time.

Aim: Each lesson is centred on a particular area of language within the general aim of stimulating oral work.

1.2 ARRANGING THE CLASSROOM

As these lessons involve group work and presentation of individual group work to the class as a whole, it is helpful to arrange the seats in a semicircular or horseshoe shape if possible. Thus the teacher can be a member of the group or apart from it. There is an audience area and a sketch or mime area.

Fig. 1

Fig. 2

1.2.1 GROUPING

The following grouping technique enables the teacher to divide the class quickly and efficiently and to split up natural groups. For example:

1. If there are twenty students in the class, and five groups of four are required, the teacher gives each student a number from the sequence 1, 2, 3, 4; repeating the sequence five times. There will, therefore, be four students with 1, four with 2, four with 3, and four with 4. Students who have the same number form a group.

2. For pair work, designate one student A and one student B in each pair. The A student in each group has one set of instructions and the B student another.

3. Draw a sheet of symbols—six bowler hats, six pipes, six saucepans, etc. Cut the symbols out and put them into a pack. Each student takes a card and forms a group with the other students who have drawn the same symbol.

In the same way, students can be divided by being given sets of words, all those with the same word forming a group.

1.3 A WAY OF STARTING A LESSON

Age-group: all ages

Level: lower intermediate to advanced

Group size: five to twenty students

Time: ten to fifteen minutes

Aim: to concentrate the attention of the group on a particular subject; to unite the group

I. Ask the student on your right his or her name. The answer should simply be the name, e.g. ‘Mario Rinvolucri’.

II. Student Two repeats the first name of Student One and adds his or her own.

III. This process continues round the group and back to the teacher who has to repeat all the names. If anybody forgets the names, it is an advantage because the group members can help each other.

Further Suggestions:

an imaginary English name;

a profession;

a country of origin;

a favourite food.

1.4 TENSE DRILLS THROUGH MIME

Age group: all ages

Level: lower intermediate to upper intermediate

Group size: five to twenty students

Time: half an hour

Aim: to practise tenses

Prepare a short mime and present it to the students. Ask the students questions about the mime using the tense that is to be practised.

I. Choose a title which determines the tense.

II. Prepare a mime which includes about five actions. Your choice depends on the students’ knowledge of vocabulary, and on whether you want them to revise or to learn.

Examples:

‘What do I do every morning?’

‘What am I doing at the moment?’

‘What did I do last night?’

‘What do I sometimes/always/usually do?’

‘What will I never do?’

‘What will I do if I win a lot of money?’

‘What would you do if your car broke down?’

‘What have I just done?’

‘What would you have done if you had lived in the middle ages?’

III. Write the title on the blackboard. Present the mime twice simply and clearly. Exaggerate the movements.

1.4.1 EVERY MORNING (Lower intermediate to intermediate level)

The five actions are:

1. waking up at eigh...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• SECTION 1—ENGLISH THROUGH DRAMA
• SECTION 2—AM I ME? ROLEPLAY FOR INTERMEDIATE TO ADVANCED STUDENTS
• SECTION 3—MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC
• SECTION 4—TEACHERLESS TASKS