How to promote languages through drama

1. How to promote languages through drama Joint KS3 and KS5 project on �LE PETIT CHAPERON ROUGE�

2. The content of this presentation 1.Introduction: The aim of this project 2. How to promote Languages through drama in the KS3 Step 1: create an MFL drama club Step 2: The sessions of the drama club a. Opening scene b. Day dreaming in the forest c. Day dreaming in the forest: the videoing

3. The content of this presentation 3. How to promote languages through drama at KS5: Linking the KS3 MFL Drama clubwith a vocational course a. The NVQ: A project based learning course b. The classroom as �The work place� c. The content of the course (1) d. The content of the course (2) e. The assessment process 6. Step 3: The meeting between the wolf and �Le petit chaperon rouge (a joint videoing project) 7. Step 4: The videoing (process; legal requirements and purpose) a. Keep the parents informed of your intention to make their child part of a videoing project b. Using the video recording as a means to improve the performance c. Getting the students� feelings about their performance

4. The content of this presentation Step 5: Getting the students to write and perform the end of the play a.The drama competition as part of the MFL class (1) b. The drama competition as part of the MFL class (2) C. The NVQ French project:Simulation 2- Writing Conclusion�

5. Introduction: the aim of this project Linking drama to MFL Making the students feel that they are part of a community and favour cooperation Linking an extra-curricular club with a vocational course Drawing links between various age groups and various ability groups Use Videoing as an incentive and as a means to improve the quality of the performance Making the actual sessions more interesting through the input of our French NVQ students It�s fun!!!!

6. How to promote Languages through drama in the KS3 Step 1: Create an MFL drama club If you are an MFL teacher, you could liaise with the drama department in order to have their expertise. It would be ideal to run the club with a member of the drama department. (It could just as well be a PGCE student or a GTP student).

7. A. How to promote Languages through drama in the KS3 Step 1: Create an MFL drama club Try to have a good mixed ability group in order to have a variety of students with various levels, personality and learning styles.

8. Step 2: The sessions of the drama cluba. Opening scene Give to the students an adapted script of the story of �Le petit chaperon rouge� (see attachment) and make them practise the language in turn, Get the students to practise their part using various emotions (tired, happy, sad�) Make your sessions more active by involving the students a lot more in giving suggestions about how they would perform and make them use the space around them. At the same time, get the students to practise their pronunciation.

9. b. Day dreaming in the forest 1 Split the group in three different groups and get them to practise the language. The students will find it easier because it is less threatening. Make the girls act the short sentences that they have to say. They will find it fun because once again they can personalise their part by adding emotions�.

10. c. Day dreaming in the forest: the videoing. After practising the scene in small groups and then, all together, the students should be a lot more confident using the language At this stage it should be easy for them to say their part and act out the �actions� at the same time.

11. 3. How to promote languages at KS5 through drama: linking the KS3 MFL Drama clubwith a vocational course Drama is a wonderful subject because you can do drama in any language and the NVQ French course is a very flexible course in terms of planning. It gives to the teacher many opportunities to explore cross-curricular links.

12. a. The NVQA project based learning course The NVQ is a National Vocational Course enabling less academic students as well as more academic students to carry on with languages in the Sixth Form. It is also a practical course that allows students to be more confident and more confident in the use of languages and because they are accountable for their work, it helps them to mature quicker as well.

13. b. The classroom as �The work place� The students must bear in mind when he/ she goes to his/ her NVQ lessons, that he/ she is not anymore a student but a that he/ she is working as if he/ she were an employee in a company/ a business. He/ she is accountable for the quality of his/ her work but he/ she can work at his/ her own pace so the pressure is less that other courses and it helps students to mature.

14. c. The content of the course (1) The teacher plans lessons in order to cover the fours learning skills: Listening; Reading; Speaking and Writing skills. For each one of these skills, the teacher plans activities based on real life that are called �simulations�. In other words, the teacher and the student (the candidate) both play the parts respectively of �the boss� and �the employee�.

15. d. The content of the course (2) For each simulation, the teacher has to follow a set of criteria depending on the level of the students: Level 1 (beginners) Level 2 (beginners on their 2nd year) Level 3 (intermediate) Level 4 (advanced)

16. e. The assessment process Students are assessed on the quality of their portfolio both in school by the Internal Verifier and outside school by the External Assessor. They have to be assessed for each simulation that they complete so the assessment is on going but not pressurizing since the students can draft and redraft their work up to until the level of their work is satisfactory.

17. The assessment process The students either get PASS or FAIL when their portfolio is being assessed but the teachers generally assess their students when they are fully ready and it is very unlikely that a student will get a FAIL for his/ her portfolio unless the teacher did not understand the requirements from the course.

18. Step 3: the meeting between the wolf and �Le petit chaperon rouge�:a joint videoing project While the KS3 MFL drama club is rehearsing this scene � introduce with your French NVQ students (year 12 students)a new project to do involving the four skills in which the students will get to act out the scene of the meeting between the wolf and �Le petit chaperon rouge� (see project in attachment)

19. Step 4: The videoing (process; legal requirements and purpose) It�s important to video the girls while they are rehearsing as well as when they are actually performing for an audience (the people who are going to watch the video: family, friends, teachers, students) The purpose of the video is to allow students to see the evolution of their work and motivate them to perform. It gives them the feeling that there is an audience and that they need to perform to the best of their ability at all times. They will love to be able to actually see their progress concretely.

20. a. Keep the parents informed of your intention to make their child part of a videoing project Legally, you need to send letters home asking parents if they would not mind their son/ daughter to be videoed (see attachment) The response should be extremely positive and the students should feel very privileged if you stress on the importance of this project as a whole school project and the importance of their participation

21. b. Using the video recording as a means to improve the performance The video recording should be used as a means to improve the students� performance in the foreign language. The students become their own audience and are able to reflect on each other�s performance. Beside, it should allow them to reflect on their performance in a positive way. Hopefully, they would be able to discuss their strength and weaknesses without it being too threatening�

22. c. Getting the students� feelings about their performance The first step is to get the students to give their feedback on the last session when their performance was recorded. Then, students watch the video recording of a scene that they have rehearsed and then performed and then, they compare both. The students need to jot down comments about their performance in pairs on a piece of paper, without naming anyone for about 10 minutes. Then, the pieces of paper are being collected and redistributed to all students. Each student reads aloud each one of the comments. (Teacher to check first whether all comments are acceptable or not).

23. Step 5: Getting the students to write and perform the end of the play KS3 MFL drama club During a session, ask the students to write the end of the play and to make original. Give them some examples. It might be useful to get the contribution of the Foreign Language assistant in your school Ask the students to bring the script back in their MFL class and ask them to suggest to their MFL teacher to organise a drama competition.

24. a. The drama competition as part of the MFL class (1) Using drama in the MFL class always helps to motivate students. Lesson 1: (The preparation) The teacher could first introduce the MFL drama club and explain all the work that they have done so far and what they have been working on. Depending on the level of the students, the MFL teacher could give them the script and work out with them the meaning of the text. Then, the MFL teacher could divide the class in small groups and ask each group to rehearse. In order to ensure that each group is doing well, it would be useful to ask the contribution of the Foreign Language Assistant for this lesson so that the teacher and the FLA could support each student in a better way.

25. b. The drama competition as part of the MFL class (2) Lesson 2: the performance and the vote The teacher would introduce again the aim of the lesson The students would then get 10 minutes to rehearse in groups. After 10 minutes, the students are being asked to be quiet: �It�s time to perform� Each group would perform in front of the class and give a mark from 1-10 for �La prononciation� and �La qualit� du jeu� At the end of the lesson, the students are awarded a prize and the best group will perform in front of the drama club and be video recorded. (Make sure that you have got the consent from parents- see letter attached)

26. c. The NVQ French project:Simulation 2- Writing As part of their NVQ French project on �Le petit chaperon rouge�, students have to complete their last simulation about creating their own ending to the famous story of �Le petit chaperon rouge�. In order to give them an idea of what they have to produce, the students have to watch the video of the students who have been selected as �the best actors from the MFL class�. This should make the simulation interesting.

27. Conclusion: This project draws links between KS3 and KS5. It�s also a good way to bring extra-curricular work into the day-to-day lesson and make it more exciting. It boosts the confidence of both lower and higher achievers. It will give to the participants of this project a real sense of achievement!