Learning Through Song, Drama, Play, and Art

1. Learning Through Song, Drama, Play, and Art KatieBain EnglishLanguageFellow ktbain53@gmail.com

2. Objectives • Teacherswilllearnresearchonusingsong, drama, play, and art effectively in theclassroom. • Teacherswillseehowtheseelementshavebeenapplied in theclassroom in Barranquilla and discusshowtheymightinfusetheirclassroomswith similar ideas.

3. AgreeorDisagree? • I thinkchildrenlearnwhiletheyplay. • I use drama in my Englishclass. • Childrenmustknowthatlearningisdifficult. • Itisnotgoodtoallowchildrentoplaytoomuch in theclassroom. • Itisourjobtomakelearningfun. • I use a variety of instructionaltechniques in my classroom.

4. SongResearch “Developments in brain-based research note that central features of music and language are housed near one another in the human brain, suggesting they may share features of a ‘grammar’ that orders musical elements and language elements similarly” (Lems, 2005)

5. Research • Pop songs provide learners with repetitive, focused (yet open-ended) lyrics that allow for a myriad of teaching opportunities for teaching grammar, vocabulary, idioms, and listening comprehension (Murphey, 1992).

6. BestPracticesforSong Use • Beginorend a lessonwith a song. • Use actionstoaccompanysongs and poems. • Puppets • Personal songbooks • Song and Poem Charts

7. SourcesforSongs • www.americanenglish.state.gov • www.bussongs.com • www.songsforteaching.com • www.tefltunes.com • www.eslcafe.com

8. Lesson Idea – Vocabulary/Fluency • Type song lyrics, and cut song lyrics into lines of lyrics. After playing the song once or twice, have students work in pairs or groups to arrange song lyrics in order as they listen to the song repeatedly. Good for …. -pronunciation, sequencing of events, modals • Hello, Goodbye. The Beatles • Should I Stay or Should I Go? by The Clash

9. Lesson Idea – Fill-in-the-Blank • Octopus' Garden by the Beatles - prepositions • Penny Lane by the Beatles – community vocabulary • Make copies of lyrics with blanks on words that you are working on (for example, prepositions or people or places in a community). • As students listen, have them fill in the blanks with the words that they hear.

10. Lesson Idea - Grammar • Listen to a song several times. Give students copies of the lyrics and discuss their meaning and the students’ enjoyment of the song. • Next, give students copies of the song lyrics with blank lines for inserting their own lyrics into the song. Students use the grammar construct being studied in class but use their own creativity to express personal ideas. • Allow students to share their writings with the class. • If possible, create a “songbook” of students’ writings.

11. Lesson Idea - Grammar • Level? • Benefits? / Shortcomings? • Objective? • Variations? • If I Were a Boy by Beyonce – Conditional Tense • Because You Loved Me by Celine Dion – Irregular Past Tense Verbs • Someone Like You, by Adele – Past Tense/Future Tense/ Imperative

12. Songs for Grammar Practice 1. Simple Present/Present Perfect: Here Comes the Sun 2. Prepositions: Octopus' Garden Animated Video Octopus' Garden Lyrics 3. Past Irregular: Because You Loved Me 4. Modals: Should I Stay or Should I Go 5. Conditional Tense: If I Were a Boy ***www.tefltunes.com***

13. If I Were A Bird Student Writing Sample 1 If I were a bird Even just for a minute I’d wake up in the morning and sing and fly and feel the freedom I’d fly long distances And I’d never get tired Cause I’d know that I had freedom If I were a bird I think I could go all over the world How would it feel to be completely free? I swear I’d not worry about simple things I’d have a shelter wherever I’d go Cause I know there were plenty of trees When you would keep me as a prisoner, I’d always fly away from you Cause I could fly away If I were a bird

14. If I Were A Millionaire Student Writing Sample 2 If I were a millionaire Even just for a week I would buy the most beautiful car in the world And wear some nice clothes and shoes I would create more business in Africa And I would hire young people in my company I would be a good man and I’d never disrespect people Cause I know how hard I’d worked for my money If I were a millionaire I think I could help the orphaned children in the world How it feels to live without your parents I swear I would help them 24/7 I would find all the websites for them and give donations Cause I know how hard it is to be an orphan If I were a millionaire

15. Drama Research • Teachingthrough drama “makesstudentsawarethatEnglishisnotjustwords, structures, and idioms, butitis a lively, dramatic and versatilemeans of communcation.” (Zalta, 2006)

16. Why use drama or role play? • Drama helpschildrentoactivatelanguage and havefun. • Drama and playmotivatechildren. • Drama is familiar tochildren. • Drama helpschildrenbuildconfidence. • Drama helpschildrenbuildskills in groupdynamics. • Drama incorporatesdifferentlearningstyles. • Drama contextualizeslanguage.

17. BestPracticesfor Drama • Choosetherightactivity. • Startsmall. • Givefeedback. • Build off of whatstudentshave done in theclassroom. • Practicemakesperfect! • Presentyour drama to a group of peoplethatisvaluableforthestudents.

18. Activity Ideas • Mimingstories • Mimingvocabulary • Transformstoriesinto mini plays • Studentsperformdramaticproductions

19. Story Telling • Step 1: Structure or a story and show examples • Abstract • Orientation • Remarkable event • Reaction • Coda • Language focus (past continuous) • Step 2: Students create stories • Step 3: Students revise stories • Step 4: Students become active listeners (Jones, 2012)

20. Reader’s Theater • Select a text • Practice – Explore – Practice (cycle) • Spoken Vocabulary (pronunciation) • Places to pause • Repeated text • Opportunities to express contrast • Perform • For a live audience • For a virtual audience

21. Reader’s Theater The Very Hungry Caterpillar - by Eric Carle A: In the light of the moon B: a little egg A: lay on a leaf B: One Sunday morning, A: the warm sun came up, and BOTH: ―Pop!‖ B: Out of the egg came a tiny A: And very hungry B: Caterpillar. BOTH: He started to look for some food.

22. Games • Choose your language and/or content objective. • Create a game or use a game that someone else has created that will allow your students to meet that objective. • Consider the materials and time that you will need. • Play the game with your students!

23. The Money Game – Practice Speaking and Listening The Money Game Questions 1. What is the objective of the lesson? 2. Did the students meet the objective? 3. Would you use this game in your classroom? 4. How could you change this game to make it more appropriate for your class?

24. Grammar Board Race Board Race Video Questions 1. What is the objective of the lesson? 2. Did the students meet the objective? 3. Would you use this game in your classroom? 4. How could you change this game to make it more appropriate for your class?

25. Art • Studentscreate and explaintheirown art. • Teacherbringsartisticimagestotheclassroomfordiscussion. • Studentsanalyzeworks of art that are relatedtothetopic of study. • Studentsmount and presenttheirworktootherclassmatesorpeople at school.

28. LearningthroughSong, Drama, Play and Art… Studentshavetheopportunityto… • Express themselves • Explore languagefreely • Explore feelings and findoutaboutthemselves and others • Developcooperation, care, consideration and control. • Developlanguageskills (listening, reading, writing and speaking) • Explore a fantasyword of theirowncreation.

29. AuthenticMaterials • AuthenticMaterials Video

30. Questions – Segment 1 1. How old are the students? What is their English proficiency level? Is the realia appropriate for this level? How did they demonstrate understanding?– 2. How do you think the teacher got the dolls? Could the teacher conduct this lesson without the dolls? What are the advantages and challenges of using this type of realia and the realia that the older children brought to class?– 3. What are students’ reactions to the dolls? To the show-and-tell items from home? What are some things the teacher might do in subsequent lessons to build on each of these lessons? What are some real-life items you might find in a classroom for teens? For adults?– 4. Do you think the realia for each class effectively met the purpose of the lesson? Why or why not? Could the teacher use the realia again? If yes, for what purpose(s)?

31. Questions – Segment 2 1. Listen to the young men’s description of the student project, and then describe it in your own words. 2. List the different materials that, according to the speakers, were collected for this and other projects like it. What student activities went into preparing the project?; 3. Who is involved in the creation and the use of the project? Where is it stored?

32. I.E.D “LA LIBERTAD”BARRANQUILLA BilingualSchool Project: EnglishisFantastic! “DEVELOPING SPEAKING SKILLS THROUGH SONG, POEMS, ROLE-PLAY AND GAMES” ELEMENTARY LEVEL MARÍA IGNACIA RIVERA J. English is Fantastic!

33. DESCRIPTION OF THE CONTEXT • Public institution • Goal of the School: • Students’ formation according to human development • Large classes (35-43 students) • English classes (3 hours per week) • Students from different sectors of Barranquilla • Students’ age from 7 to 13 • Learners of low socio-economical status • Co-educational (boys and girls together)

34. Strategy 1: Role Play Students role play, simulating a specificsituation. “At theDoctor’s Office”

35. Strategy 2:Thereis a song in my heart At thebeginningof a lesson, the teacher can help children make the transition from their native language into English.

36. Matchingexerciseopposites/synonys (individual work). • Brainstormaboutthetopic of thesong (wholeclass). • Filling in theblankswhilelistening (peer work). • Studentswritesentencesthatsummarizethesong. (Individual work). • Discussionactivity (Emotions of thesong) (Wholeclass). • Create a conversationrelatedtothesong (group). • WRITING TASK: : Students write a sentence about personal feelings related to the song and also write another version of the song (individual/peer).

37. OtherSongResources • http://americanenglish.state.gov/resources/sing-out-loud-traditional-songs • http://americanenglish.state.gov/resources/sing-out-loud-childrens-songs • http://americanenglish.state.gov/resources/american-rhythms

38. 2.Creating a song 3.SPIDERGRAMS wild animal eatsmeatroarsstrong yellow/orange color longtailrunsfast climbstreessharpteeth blackstripeslives in thejungle T I G E R

39. TheTiger’s Rock

40. Lyricsfor “The Tiger Rock” I can runveryfast. I can live in thejungle. I can use my sharpclaws. I can roarverystrong. You can see my blackstripes. Who am I?

41. 3. SAYING POEMS/CHANTS Studentspracticespeakingbysayingpoemsorchants.

42. Video of a Role Play and a ChantbyPrimarySchoolStudents 4. EnglishLanguageFair “William Shakespeare Room” Children’s performance

44. 5.ENGLISH DAY “THE WOLF”

45. TALKING ABOUT A COUNTRY (2nd grade) 6. ENGLISH DAY PRESENTATION

46. English Festival/Fair • It’s a great “window” thatallowslearnerstotakerisks • Childrengainconfidence in expressing English. • Childrentakepleasure in talking. • Teacher observes students’ performance duringthelessons and thebestones are selected. • Theschoolcommunityenjoysthe English festival and fair. • E.F. is a greattooltostarttheliteracyprocess.

47. 7.English festivalCinderellaBack tothe 80s 2007 2009(Thriller performance)

48. Christmas show • It is important to use the celebrations as an excuse for English practicing.

49. PracticalSteps • Talkwith a partnerabouthowyou can use some ideas in bigorsmallways in yourclassroom. • Share withthegroup!

50. References Ausbel, D.P. (1980) Teoría del Aprendizaje Significativo. London Chomsky, N. (1976) Reflection on Language. Glasgow.fontana/Collins Flórez, L. (2005) Reflecciones sobre el Constructivismo. U. de Caldas Piaget, J. (2001) Formación de la inteligencia. México. 2da edición Posada, M. (1998) El Constructivismo. México. Trillas Vigotsky (1965) Lenguaje y Pensamiento. México. Trillas Ley 115 de 1994 Ministerio de Educación Nacional. (2007) Estándares Básicos de Competencias en Lenguas Extranjera. Inglés ¡el reto! P.E.I Institución Educativa Distrital “La Libertad”