Orff- Schulwerk and Italian

Presented by AnnamariaPaolino AFMLTA Conference, Darwin NT 8th July 2011 annamarp@our.ecu.edu.au Orff-Schulwerk and Italian

“Since the beginning of time, children have not liked to study. They would much rather play, and if you have their interest at heart you will let them learn while they play, and then, eventually, they will find they have mastered child’s play. This I true of any skill, but particularly, it is true of music.” (Carl Orff ) A Quote from carl orff

My background • Italo-Australian • Grew up in a musical household • Primary Music specialist • Primary Italian specialist • Use Music to teach Italian and vice versa • Orff-Schulwerk practitioner

Both music and languages Are… • Organised languages • Learnt codes which are built up in blocks • Used for expression and communication • Innate human universals • Used to transmit knowledge • Rhythm, pitch and sound dependent • Elements of all cultures

Brain Research • Traditionally considered that music is RB and language LB. Research has found that while the LB retains a language bias, both sides actually process music. This promotes “network thinking” as both sides of the brain is being used at the same time. It is believed that if network thinking in not encouraged than the side of the brain not used will remain dormant and impoverished. This is essential to teaching.

The Brain, Music and Languages • Music and song triggers many brain chemicals which in turn triggers many receptors within the brain encouraging the brain to work as a network. • Norepinephrine: responds to novelty and assists the brain in remembering what was presented.

Why Song/Music in L2 Classroom • Affective reasons: Makes the learner less anxious and more receptive to learning = Active involvement • Cognitive reasons: Repetition – Practice – Automation = Deep memory retention • Linguistic reasons: Provide meaningful chunks of language = Encouraging communication

Aims of My research • To find out if; • Other primary teachers of Italian used music to teach Italian. • Other primary teachers of Italian shared a similar background to me. • How and why music was being used in the Italian classroom. • Primary Italian teachers in WA would consider the Orff-Schulwerk approach appropriate for use in their classroom.

Current Practice • Common practice in junior classes • Used in isolation or a supplementary activity • Cultural artefact • Teachers lack confidence • Curricular frill • Music = songs and singing • Teachers want a song for every topic they teach

Areas of need identified • Lack of use of music with upper primary classes • Lack of teacher confidence • Lack of PL opportunities for teachers • Lack of appropriate resources available

What is Orff-Schulwerk • Developed in the 1930’s by German composer Carl Orff. • It is not a method. It is a multisensory approach. • The Orff-SchulwerkApproach; singing, chanting, clapping, creating, dancing and keeping beat. • These are instincts, directed by hearing, prepares students for reading and writing. • This learning process is the same one that is employed when language is being learned.

Let’s have some fun!!!

Discovering Orff-Schulwerk • Orff Schulwerk is unique • Offers students opportunities to play, clap, sing, move and create in a supportive, nurturing and inclusive environment • Mastery of Orff-Schulwerkis a life’s work but everyone can use these simple principles • Process involves moving from the simple to complex in small steps, ensuring student success • Think about how you learnt a song or rhyme as a child.

Curriculum with an Orff influence • Orff did not want teachers to imitate his classroom practices. • Orff lessons consist of a focus, a level of understanding to be achieved and a performance to demonstrate understanding. • The aims of an Orff-Schulwerkcurriculum is to; develop a self-sufficient student, to motivate, enhance skill acquisition and encourage participation.

Orff-Sculwerk and the Intercultural • The Orff-Schulwerk tradition uses many procedures that are common in many musical cultures around the world such as oral learning, movement and improvising. • Orff-Schulwerk is a holistic approach based on the understanding that humans are made up of more than anatomical parts and that as teachers we need to consider the physical, emotional, social, cultural and cognitive parts also.

Orff-Schulwerk in the L2 Classroom • “In order for foreign language teachers to use Orff principles in the classroom, they do not need to be musical they need to be able to make their language come alive rhythmically; that is they need to have rhythm.” (Pritikin, n.d., p.4)

What do I need to know? • Beat • Rhythm • Syllabification • Ostinato

What do I need to do? • Provide countless opportunities where students can play with sounds of language = SING and VOCALISE • Articulation of phonics • Allow students to ‘feel’ the language • Use Orff-Schulwerk techniques

ALLOW THE STUDENTS TO BE • Creative • Inventive with their own actions and body percussion sounds • Free to explore the language • Free to explore the instruments

Teachers response to orff-schulwerk • Allowed them to self reflect on their teaching • Flexible and easy to integrate • Relevant and contemporary • Increased their awareness of the cognitive process • Improved students language ability • Provided students with reinforcement and scaffolding • Increased students linguistic understanding • IT ENGAGED THE STUDENTS!!!

Student response to orff-schulwerk • Engaging as they were actively involved in their learning • Providing reinforcement and scaffolding to their learning • Increased their linguistic understanding as the activities assisted memory retention • INCREASED THEIR CONFIDENCE!!!

Conclusion • Students will take songs outside the classroom and will go on performing or listening to them long after the lesson has finished. Unlike drills, which usually slip from the students minds when they leave the classroom, songs can last a lifetime and become part of ones culture. (G.Ianterno and M.P. Salerno, cited in Kramer, 2001)

Orff- Schulwerk and Italian