Drama in MLT

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DRAMA IN MODERNLANGUAGE TEACHING

Dramapdagogik Methodenzusatzausbildung in englischer Sprache

Schulartenbergreifender Lehrgangin fnf Modulen

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DRAMA IN MODERN LANGUAGE TEACHINGORGANIZERS OF THE TRAINING COURSE

Alfred Fischl (BMBWK), Anton Prochazka (IFU/PIB-Wien)

COURSE TUTORSStefan Egger, Karl Eigenbauer, Egon Turecek

OVERALL COORDINATIONAnton Prochazka

THIS BOOKLETCOMPILED BY

Karl Eigenbauer, Egon Turecek

LINGUISTIC ADVISOR/TRANSLATOR/PROOFREADINGSally Kowanda, Edith Hofer

LAYOUTMaria Regina Palka

This project was made possible by the financial support of the European Social Fund (ESF),the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Culture (BMBWK) and

the Federal Pedagogical Institute of Vienna, IFU/PIB-Wien

EDITORAnton Prochazka

Pdagogisches Institut des Bundes in WienInformations- und Fortbildungszentrum fr den Fremdsprachenunterricht

Wien, 2007

BESTELLADRESSEMag. Anton Prochazka; ifu

Pdagogische Hochschule Wien, Grenzackerstrae 18A-1100 Wien

[email protected]

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ConConConConContttttenenenenentttttsssss

Drama in Modern Language Teaching............................. 5Vorwort ............................................................................ 5Preface ............................................................................. 7Foreword by the Organizing Team............................................. 9Introduction ....................................................................... 9Curriculum in German ......................................................... 10

Curriculum in English .......................................................... 12Teachers, Mentors and Course Tutors ....................................... 13Guest Lecturers ................................................................ 14

Module 1................................................................ 16Programme ...................................................................... 16Drama in Modern Language Teaching ....................................... 17

Module 2................................................................ 31Programme ...................................................................... 31Course Summary................................................................ 32Andy Kempe - Additional Notes .............................................. 41Minutes: Workshop Andy Kempe ............................................. 42Notes on Workshop: Cecily ONeill .......................................... 43Minutes: Workshop Cecily ONeill ........................................... 47

Module 3................................................................ 51Programme ...................................................................... 51Minutes: Workshop Emelie FitzGibbon ..................................... 53Minutes: Workshop Pearl Nitsche............................................ 56Creative Drama Activities For English Teachers........................... 57Drama Workshop: Notes for Teachers on the Topic of Bullying......... 69Devising the Titanic ............................................................ 71

Module 4................................................................ 73Programme ...................................................................... 73Minutes: Workshop Andy Kempe ............................................. 74Cecily ONeill - Additional Notes ............................................ 75Minutes: Workshop Cecily ONeill ........................................... 79

Module 5................................................................ 82Programme ...................................................................... 82Minutes: Workshop Allan Owens ............................................. 84Minutes: Workshop Judith Ackroyd ......................................... 90

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Reflections ............................................................. 98

Projects .............................................................. 100Final Work for the Drama-Course .......................................... 100The Animals March ........................................................ 101Science Fiction .............................................................. 105The Canterville Ghost & Other Stories ................................. 106Drama in Education im Anfangsunterricht Latein ....................... 107Claras Day - A Project on Literary Appreciation ..................... 110Using Drama for Book Revisions ............................................ 113Beauty Plastic Surgery ................................................... 115Smoking ...................................................................... 122Dreams ....................................................................... 126Cavepeople .................................................................. 130Lesson Plan on Abortion ................................................... 131Cannes .......................................................................... 133Using Drama Techniques in The Test by Angela Gibbs ................ 135Die Auerirdischen ............................................................ 138The Witches & The Pirates of the Caribbean .......................... 139Charlotte ONeils Song ...................................................... 143Dramapdagogik im Franzsisch-Anfngerunterricht ................... 144Teaching English Through Drama Education For Younger Learners ... 152

Appendix ............................................................. 158General Hints for Managing Drama in the Classroom ................... 158Language Acquisition Strategies Two ...................................... 158Phrase Book Madness ......................................................... 159Questions of Identity ......................................................... 159Role Play Into Drama ......................................................... 160Lets Get Physical ............................................................. 161Three Frames And Beyond ................................................ 165The Plays The Thing.......................................................... 174Guidelines for Presenting a Piece of Scripted Theatre ................. 178The Plays Not The Only Thing! ............................................. 182Poems 4 Performance ........................................................ 183The Past Is a Forbidden Country ............................................ 186Some Notes ..................................................................... 187Concerning the Term Drama in Education .............................. 188Warm-ups ....................................................................... 200Bibliography.................................................................... 201Contacts ........................................................................ 206

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Dramain Modern Language Teaching

Vorwort

Die vorliegende Dokumentation zeigt fr viele Pdagog/innen neue Wegedes Unterrichtens auf. Diese Initiative zu einem Dramalehrgang fr En-glischlehrer/innen in allen Schularten und Bundeslndern ist vomBundesministerium fr Bildung, Wissenschaft und Kultur als Pilot-Fortbildung untersttzt worden, um Multiplikator/innen fr integrierteLerntechniken mit ganzheitlichkreativen Methoden zu strken.

Wir hoffen, dass dieses Projekt weiterwirkt und entsprechende Kreisezieht bzw. Anste zu neuen Entwicklungen hnlicher Art im Rahmen derknftigen Pdagogischen Hochschulen setzen wird.

Alfred FischlLeiter der Abt. I/4 im BMBWK,

Kulturpdagogik, Kreativitts- und Begabungsfrderung

zur vorliegendenPublikation

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PrefaceAnything you can do to increase communicationin your class will reduce your need to imposeorder by authority, and reduce the students

need to rebel against that authority.

John O. Stevens, Awareness

Drama is both a creative and holistic form of learning. Involving students in co-operative, process-oriented and at the same time peace-related drama activities,is therefore one of the most challenging tasks for the language teachers. As dramamethods have not often been included in teacher training so far, it is of greatimportance that in-service training institutions offer workshops or even a realtraining course on the use of drama techniques in language teaching.

Having personally experienced the effects of drama activities in languageteaching as a teacher, I came to the conclusion that it not only motivates studentsand helps to speed up the learning process, but also improves their relationshipswith each other and consequently, the class atmosphere. When Egon Turecek,Karl Eigenbauer and Stefan Egger told me about their dream of setting up atraining course on drama as a teaching method, I thought of how this dreamcould come true. In autumn 2004 - with the support of my former head, Dr. RobertDavies, and Dr. Alfred Fischl from the Federal Ministry of Education, Science andCulture (BMBWK) - we could finally start the course.

Integrating drama as a teaching method in language teaching, means bringingreal life as well as fantasy situations and characters into the classroom. It requiresenthusiasm and a willingness to take risks on the part of the students and theteacher. A risk that was gladly taken by almost 50 participants from all parts ofAustria to their own and their students benefit.

The main ideas and some of the tangible results of the training course are nowpresented in this booklet. Perhaps of even greater importance, is the fact thatduring these three years of drama course, new contacts were made, ideas andexperiences exchanged, and new friendships established among the participantsfrom various types of schools and parts of Austria.

As one of the organizers, I would like to take this opportunity to say how muchwe regret the recent unexpected passing away of AL DI Mag. Dr. Robert Davies.He was a valued member of our Institute and we thank him in particular for hisvaluable advice and support launching this unique training course in co-operationwith Dr. Alfred Fischl from the BMBWK Wien, who kindly promoted and helped tofinance this training course.

Special thanks are due to the Representatives of the Pdagogisches Institutdes Bundes in Wien, Principal OStR. Mag. Brigitte Krbler and and Principal ALMag. Dr. Gerhard Schmid, who both promoted this training course.

Last, but not least, my thanks go to the whole team of course tutors, EgonTurecek, Karl Eigenbauer and Stefan Egger. Without their marvellous cooperationand support this successful Professional Drama in Modern Language TeachingCourse would not have been possible.

Finally, I wish all the participants lots of joy along with success whenimplementing these ideas in their classrooms.

Anton ProchazkaLeiter des IFU

Informations- und Fortbildungszentrumfr den Fremdsprachenunterricht

am PIB-Wien/an der PH Wien

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Foreword by the Course Tutors

I

Stefan Egger, Karl Eigenbauer, Egon Turecek

In contrast to many other European countries, dramaas a teaching method is relatively unknown inAustria. In the year 2000, through an initiative ofMag. Johann Walter (BMBWK) and Mag. AntonProchazka, English language teachers who wereparticularly interested in drama, started networkingand held three consecutive conferences. The resultof one of these conferences was the idea of organiz-ing a training course for teachers of all types ofschool who already had some experience in dramaand who wanted to use drama as a teaching methodin the English classroom. The participants of thecourse would then, as a consequence, function asmultipliers and spread the drama virus.

As a starting point, a team of three teachers(Stefan Egger, Karl Eigenbauer, Egon Turecek)created a curriculum for a three-year course con-sisting of five modules. The curriculum, the exactwording of which is included in this booklet, definesdrama as a method and describes the objectivesand contents of the course. Module 1 was designedto give a basic introduction into drama techniques.The remaining four modules were conceived to bespecialist seminars with outstanding drama expertsfrom the UK and the US: Judith Ackroyd, EmelieFitzgibbon, Andy Kempe, Cecily ONeill, PearlNitsche, Allan Owens and Bethan Hulse.

The concept was obviously widely and readilyaccepted by teachers, because the number of

IntroductionKarl Eigenbauer

applications exceeded all expectations: there wereapproximately 80 registrations from all parts ofAustria, of which only 55 could be accepted. Themost difficult part of the project was you name it to find an institution that would guarantee thefunding of all five modules. Thanks to the effort ofMag. Anton Prochazka from the PI des Bundes in Wienand Dr. Alfred Fischl from the BMBWK this obstaclewas finally overcome. In November 2004, the projectwas launched at Schloss St. Martin in Graz. Thisvenue became a source of inspiration and creativityfor four further occasions.

The competence and professionality of the dramaexperts made each module a rich and rewardingexperience for each of us. To obtain a certificate,each participant planned, carried out and evaluatedan English drama project with pupils. Some of theseprojects are documented in this book.

We, the course tutors, would like to thank ToniProchazka and Alfred Fischl for their initiatives andthe enormous paperwork behind the scenes. Further-more, we would like to thank the staff of St. Mar-tins, especially Frau Schaller, for their patience withour need for artistic flexibility and for making usfeel at home in Graz. Last but not least we wouldlike to thank each participant for their enthusiasticcommitment to this project, for their creative andunique contributions, and for the intense coopera-tion and friendship which developed and will con-tinue beyond this course.

In communicative language teaching drama methodsplay an important part because of their holisticapproach, which is rooted in neuropsychology. Themore the senses are involved the more effectivelyand actively you learn, and the improvements youmake will be lasting.

Whereas teachers have long been familiar withgames and isolated drama activities for engagingstudents participation and promoting active learn-ing in the classroom, the methods and conventionsof process drama have largely been ignored inforeign language settings. In fact, there are lots ofbooks on drama and TEFL (Maley/Duff; Wessels;Rinvolucri; Tselikas; Turecek) but hardly any studieson the latter, i.e. process drama or educationaldrama and foreign language teaching. The fewexisting books are rather theoretical (Schewe; Kao/ONeill; Even). In addition to these informal dramaapproaches, there is also the more formal and

traditional method in which participants study a playand perform it. The difference between these twoapproaches is that, as Dorothy Heathcote, the greatBritish educator, points out

in the theatre everything is contrived so thatthe audience gets the kicks. In the classroom theparticipants get the kicks.

Although all the aforementioned drama activitiesprovide a variety of contexts for authentic languageencounters and improve speaking skills profoundly(apart from encouraging the learners creativity andstimulating their imagination), there is oneconsiderable disadvantage of isolated games anddrama activities: They are usually not embedded inwider contexts, they are short extra activities,which are easily discarded if there is not sufficienttime, and they are usually closed and controlledlanguage exercises. This would apply according toKao/ONeill to scripted role plays (which are often

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Curriculum in GermanMETHODENZUSATZAUSBILDUNGOFFENE METHODEN DES SOZIALEN LERNENS IM FREMDSPRACHENUNTERRICHTGRUNDLAGEN DER DRAMAPDAGOGIK AM BEISPIEL ENGLISCH

(wie das in vielen anderen europischen Lndernder Fall ist!) bercksichtigt werden.

Whrend in der Dramapdagogik inhaltlicheLernziele im Mittelpunkt stehen, geht es in derTheaterpdagogik und im Darstellenden Spiel eherum knstlerische Lernziele. Die Ausdrucksmglich-keiten der Kinder und Jugendlichen sollen durch dasMedium Theater geschult und sthetisiert werden.Beide Anstze der dramapdagogische wie dertheaterpdagogische haben zahlreiche Berhrungs-punkte und bedienen sich hnlicher Methoden undTechniken.

Lehr- und Bildungsziele

Der Lehrgang Dramapdagogik und DarstellendesSpiel im Fremdsprachenunterricht besteht auseinem Grundkurs und vier Aufbaukursen (insgesamt18 Seminartage) und soll die TeilnehmerInnen dazubefhigen, Methoden der Dramapdagogik undTechniken des Theaterspiels fr fremdsprachlicheLernziele einsetzen zu knnen.

Im einzelnen besteht der Lehrgang aus folgendenZielsetzungen:

Die TeilnehmerInnen erwerben Wissen, Fhig-keiten und Fertigkeiten, die Techniken und Methodender Dramapdagogik und des Theaters in denFremdsprachenunterricht zu integrieren, in einemeigenen Fach (Darstellendes Spiel) einzusetzen oderbei der Durchfhrung eines Schulprojektes anzuwen-den. Die TeilnehmerInnen sollen dramapdagogischeUnterrichtseinheiten planen, durchfhren, analy-sieren und evaluieren knnen. Sie sollen dazu be-

stereotyped and artificial), to dramatized stories,language games and simulations, which are used topractise linguistic structures or vocabulary etc.

The more open and the less controlled com-munication is, the more fluent, natural and sponta-neous and the more authentic it will be. This ofcourse means that the traditional boring (teacher)questions and (pupil) answers are no longer the coreof a lesson. Process drama is concerned with thedevelopment of a wider context for exploration adramatic world created by the teacher and studentsworking together within the experience. Very oftenteachers actively take part in the drama. Throughthe convention of Teacher in Role they can give anew direction to the development of the drama andcan even adopt a lower status than the pupils. Thekey characteristics of process drama include active

identification with fictional roles and situations bythe group, which will eventually lead to an improve-ment of communicative competence. Moreover, thetechniques and conventions of process drama (e.g.teacher in role, hot seating, angel and devil; thoughtalley, thought tracking, freeze frames, alter ego,forum theatre etc.) can fruitfully be applied in areaslike cultural studies, literature or the usual rangeof topics from generation gap to bullying and genderissues.

The two-year course we have now started willparticularly be concerned with process dramamethods in the teaching of English as a ForeignLanguage, and we are glad that such renownedspecialists as Cecily ONeill, Allan Owens and AndyKempe will be amongst workshop leaders.

Prambel

Dramapdagogische Methoden sind in sterreichrelativ unbekannt. Sie sollten als methodischesPrinzip strkere Beachtung und in die Bildungzieleder Lehrplne Eingang finden.

Dramapdagogik ist ein Lernbereich mit einemumfangreichen, fachwissenschaftlich fundierten,curricular beschreibbaren Inhalt. Dramapdagogikist eine handlungsorientierte, kreative und ganzheit-liche Form des Lernens, die Spielen und Darstellenim Unterricht miteinschliet und die durch dieInterdependenz von kognitiven und emotionalenInhalten den Unterrichtsertrag wesentlich erhht.Sie stellt neben ihren spezifischen Inhalten undArbeitsformen auch Methoden fr den Unterricht inanderen Fchern und insbesondere fr fcherber-greifende Projekte bereit. Dramapdagogik ermg-licht den Erwerb von Fhigkeiten und Fertigkeiten,die mit den sogenannten Schlsselqualifikationenund Grundkompetenzen eng zusammenhngen(Persnlichkeitsbildung, Kommunikationsfhigkeit,etc.). Dramapdagogik schafft durch die Als-ob-Situation Freirume fr subjektives Erleben undErfahren. In einer Zeit, in der das Darstellen einerIdee oder auch nur das Sich-Prsentieren-Knnen ei-nen immer greren Stellenwert in der Berufswelteinnimmt, ist es notwendig, diese lebenspraktischenund berufsqualifizierenden Kompetenzen in derSchule adquat zu vermitteln. Nicht zuletzt istDramapdagogik ein wichtiger Bereich der stheti-schen Erziehung von Kindern und Jugendlichen undsollte daher in allen Schulformen und Schulstufen

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fhigt werden, drama- und theaterpdagogischeMethoden auch klassen- und fcherbergreifendeinzusetzen sowie die Inhalte mit anderen Lernfel-dern zu verknpfen.

1) Die TeilnehmerInnen sollen durch praktischeAuseinandersetzung mit drama- und theater-pdagogischen Techniken und Inhalten erfahren,wie diese Sprechanlsse schaffen und zurVerbesserung der fremdsprachlichen Kompe-tenzen fhren knnen: Flssigkeit und Unge-hemmtheit im Ausdruck, Erweiterung des Wort-schatzes, Festigung der Strukturen, Verbesserungder Aussprache und damit eine Verbesserung derkommunikativen Kompetenz insgesamt.

2) Die TeilnehmerInnen sollen dazu angeregt wer-den, drama- und theaterpdagogische Methodenin den fremdsprachlichen Themenbereichen wiez.B. Landeskunde, Literatur, aktuelle Sach-themen einzusetzen.

3) Die TeilnehmerInnen sollen erfahren und erleben,wie Dramapdagogik und Darstellendes Spiel zurRealisierung bergeordneter Erziehungs- undBildungsziele beitragen knnen, insbesondere zurStrkung und Frderung personaler, sozialer undemotionaler Kompetenzen: Kommunikations-, Konfliktlse- und Team-

fhigkeit Wahrnehmungsfhigkeit Selbststndigkeit und Selbstsicherheit Urteils- und Kritikfhigkeit, Bereitschaft zur

Reflexion Auseinandersetzung im Rollenspiel mit sich

selbst und anderen Personen oder Situationen,Strkung von Akzeptanz- und Toleranzbe-wusstsein (Beitrag zur Integrationspdagogik)

Kreativitt, positives Gefhl des Erlebens undGestaltens, Gefhl fr sthetik

4) Die TeilnehmerInnen sollen dazu befhigtwerden, in der Folge als MultiplikatorInnen frdrama- und theaterpdagogisch orientiertenFremdsprachenunterricht in der LehrerInnenfort-bildung zu wirken.

Lehrinhalte

1) Grundlagen und Ziele drama- und theaterpda-gogischer Arbeit

2) Rolle und Verantwortung des Lehrers/derLehrerin, des Dramapdagogen/der Dramapda-gogin, des Spielleiters/der Spielleiterin

3) Methodik und Didaktik der Dramapdagogik unddes Theaterspiels im Fremdsprachenunterricht:a) Planung, Aufbau und Durchfhrung, Analyse

und Reflexion von drama- oder theater-pdagogisch orientierten Unterrichtseinheitenoder Projekten

b) Spiele und bungen zum Kennenlernen, zuInteraktion und Kommunikation, zur Sensibi-lisierung und Konzentrationsfhigkeit.

c) Theoretische und praktische Auseinander-setzung mit nonverbalen und verbalen Aus-drucksmitteln: Bewegung und Krperaus-druck, Mimik und Gestik, Atmung, Stimme undSprache.

d) Kennenlernen der Als-ob-Situation in dergelenkten und freien Improvisation, imRollenspiel und im einfachen Theaterspiel.Einsatz verschiedener fremdsprachlicherTextsorten (Reime und Lieder, Mrchen undKurzgeschichten, Einakter und Sketches,Comics und Foto-Geschichten, etc.) frdrama- und theaterpdagogische Zwecke.

e) Kennenlernen verschiedener Techniken desDramatisierens. Erprobung besonderer Spiel-formen wie Figuren- oder Schattentheater.

f) Verwendung drama- und theaterpdagogi-scher Elemente und Techniken (LehrerIn inRolle, gelenkte und freie Improvisation,Statuentheater, Hot-Seating, innerer Mono-log, Reportage, Rollenspiel, szenische Gestal-tung, etc.) fr spezielle Themenbereiche desFremdsprachenunterrichts, z.B.: Landeskunde und Geschichte (z.B. kul-

turelle Traditionen und Cliches, Vergleichvergangener und gegenwrtiger Epochen)

Medien (z.B. Printmedien, elektronischeMedien, Interview oder Rollenspiel zueinem aktuellen Thema aus verschiedenenBlickwinkeln)

Literatur und Film (z.B. Dramatisierungeiner Kurzgeschichte, eines Kinderbuchesoder eines Romanausschnitts, Gestaltungeines Liedes oder Gedichtes)

Jugendprobleme (z.B. Drogen, Gene-rationskonflikt, Freundschaft und Liebe)

Soziale Probleme (z.B. Minderheiten-fragen, Fremdsein, Anderssein, Mglich-keiten zur Integration)

Verbindung dramapdagogischer Methodenmit fremdsprachlichen Aktivitten wie z.B.kreatives Schreiben.

g) Kennenlernen grundlegender Techniken derSpielleitung. Aufgabenbereiche, Kompe-tenzen, Status und Rolle des Spielleiters/derSpielleiterin.

4) Vorstellung und Diskussion von Fachliteratur zuden verschiedenen Inhalten.

Didaktische Grundstze

Der Schwerpunkt des Lehrgangs liegt im Erwerbdramapdagogischer Kompetenzen. Dramapda-gogische Arbeit zielt auf den Prozess und nicht dasErgebnis. Es geht um die Erreichung eines bestim-mten Lernziels ohne Vertiefung des sthetischenMoments. Dramapdgogische Arbeit setzt neue oderungewohnte Arbeitsweisen und Anforderungen anden Lehrer/die Lehrerin: Den dramatischen Prozess vorantreiben

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Fragen stellen, die zu Diskussionen anregen SchlerInnen zum Fragenstellen motivieren Selbst Rollen einnehmen, um den Prozess voran-

zutreiben Impulse geben statt Regie fhren

In einem kleinen Teilbereich des Lehrgangs wird esauch um die Realisierung theaterpdagogischer Zielegehen, z.B. wie ein fr ein Publikum vorzeigbaresProdukt mit einfachen Mitteln hergestellt werdenkann.

Vertieftes Wissen und Erkenntnisse ber Lern-potentiale, Ziele und Wirkungsweisen dramapda-gogischer Arbeit sind nur ber die unmittelbarepersnliche Erfahrung im dramapdagogischen bzw.darstellenden Spiel und seiner Reflexion mglich.In allen Seminaren dieses Lehrgangs erfolgt daherdas Lernen in erster Linie durch die aktive Mitarbeitaller TeilnehmerInnen und die unmittelbare Er-fahrung ber das eigene Spiel.

Bei der Erarbeitung dramapdagogischer Me-thodenkompetenz ist im Sinne der Praxisnhe aufdie Verschrnkung mit den Zielen und Anforderungender sterreichischen Schullehrplne fr Fremd-sprachenunterricht zu achten.

Zwischen den einzelnen Seminaren werden dieTeilnehmerInnen in ihrer schulischen Praxis Er-fahrungen sammeln, dramapdagogische Einheitenbzw. Mini-Projekte durchfhren und diese freinen abschlieenden Erfahrungsaustausch am Endedes Lehrgangs dokumentieren.

Teilnahmebedingungen

Teilnahmeberechtigt sind LehrerInnen der Sekundar-stufe 1 und 2 an Sekundarschulen und Lehrende anPdagogischen Akademien (Hochschulen).

Die TeilnehmerInnen haben in ihrer schulischenPraxis nach jedem Modul ein Projekt in Form vonmindestens einer Unterrichtseinheit mit Schwer-punkt Drama durchzufhren und zu dokumentieren.

Alle TeilnehmerInnen erhalten ein Lehrgangs-zeugnis am Ende der Ausbildung.

Wien, im Dezember 2003

Mag. Stefan EggerMag. Karl EigenbauerMag. Egon Turecek

Curriculum in EnglishDRAMA IN MODERN LANGUAGE TEACHING

Translation: Sally Kowanda

Introduction

Drama as a teaching method is little known inAustria. It should be an integral part of the cur-riculum.

Drama is a creative and holistic form of learning.The interdependence of cognitive and emotionalcontents helps to further a number of educationalpurposes. The potential for linking drama with therest of the curriculum is considerable.

Drama helps students to acquire a wide range ofskills which are important both in private and inprofessional life.

Drama is important for the aesthetic educationof children and young people.

Teaching Aims and Objectives

To promote the use of drama as a teachingmethod in foreign language teaching

To integrate drama into the foreign languagelesson

To promote the use of drama as a teachingmethod in cross-curricular projects

To enable participants to plan, analyze andevaluate a drama lesson

To improve communicative competence throughdrama

To integrate drama into the teaching of culturalstudies, literature, etc.

To promote the use of drama to serve superioreducational purposes: communication skills,personality training, social learning, reflectiveskills, observation skills, aesthetic understanding,creativity, tolerance and acceptance, self confi-dence

To facilitate the work of participants as multi-pliers who will disseminate the contents of thecourse

Contents

1) The aims and objectives of drama work2) The role of the drama teacher3) The methodology and didactics of drama in edu-

cation

Preparation, analysis, evaluation etc. ofdrama-based lessons

Games and activities for interaction andcommunication, awareness, concentration

Drama techniques for the acquisition ofvocabulary and structures

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Nonverbal and verbal methods of expression:movement and mime, breathing, voice, etc.

Guided and unguided improvisation, role play,drama

Working with a variety of texts (rhymes andsongs, fairy tales, short stories, one-act plays,sketches, cartoons etc.)

Dramatisation techniques Specific elements and techniques of drama

work: freeze frame, hot seating, interiormonologue, etc.)

Drama and media Drama and history/cultural studies Drama and literature Youth problems Social problems (e.g. minorities) Combining drama with other teaching

methods, e.g. creative writing, story-telling Basic techniques of directing a play and

working with props and lighting etc. Presentation and discussion of literature

Didactic principles

The emphasis is on drama in education.Drama in foreign language teaching aims at the

process and not the result. It is mainly about theachievement of learning aims without a focus on

the aesthetic element. A small part of the coursewill deal with performance-oriented drama work,e.g. how to produce a play on a school stage withinexpensive means.

The teacher using drama as a method will have to encourage the process ask questions which provoke discussion motivate students to ask questions take various roles in order to speed up the process provide stimuli instead of instructions

Attention should be given to the attainment targetsand programmes of the modern language curriculumin Austria.

Active involvement and gaining of personal ex-perience will be required of participants. Partici-pants will have to carry out mini-projects in theirschools and document them.

Participation

The course is open to teachers of all types of schools.Priority will be given to participants who have abasic training in drama.The mini-project will consist of 8 individual drama units in a class/group or a project with a class/group lasting two con-

secutive days (at least four hours per day)

Teachers, Mentors and Course Tutors

They love Drama!(S. Egger, K. Eigenbauer, E. Turecek)

Prof. Mag. Karl EigenbauerTeacher of English, History, Social Studies and

Politics and Drama at the Realgymnasium (Schul-versuch) and Oberstufenrealgymnasium fr Studie-rende der Musik unter besonderer Bercksichtigungder musischen Ausbildung (Wiener Musikgymnasium)in Vienna; workshop leader for drama and theatrefor in-service teacher courses and seminars as wellas in the private sector and for companies both inAustria and abroad; Head of Drama for SecondarySchools in the Austrian Federal Association of Non-

professional Theatre (BV), in this position respon-sible for the development of drama within the schoolsystem and also responsible for organizing Austrianin-service drama seminars for secondary teachers,school theatre festivals etc.

Foto: Daniela M

iksche

Prof. Mag. Stefan EggerTeacher of Physical Education, English, Lern-

werksttte, Drama and Darstellendes Spiel at RGModellschule Graz and Kooperative MittelschuleStrassgang/Graz.

Running drama and theatre projects in Styrianschools; drama and theatre workshop leader for in-service teacher seminars, at the Pdagogische Aka-demie Graz-Eggenberg and for LAUT, theregional Amateur Theatre Association.

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Guest Lecturers

Dr Judith AckroydAssociate Dean in the School of The Arts at

University of Northampton, England. She has workedin schools at both primary and secondary levels, andhas delivered workshops over twelve years, bothnationally and internationally. Most of her publi-cations are for teachers and provide accessible waysto help them deliver teaching goals through drama.

Dr Allan Owensis Senior Lecturer in Drama and Distinguished

Teaching Fellow at the University of Chester. Hetaught in secondary school, FE and as an advisorydrama teacher for 14 years before moving in tohigher education where he now teaches onundergraduate and post-graduate courses. He is alsoa National Teaching Fellow and through this workcontinues to practise drama education in a widerange of contexts including school, prison, businessand the community both in the UK and abroad.

Emelie FitzGibbonis founder (1984) and Artistic Director of Graffiti

Educational Theatre Company in Cork, Ireland. Thecompany produces four substantial theatre tours peryear (Primary, Post-Primary, Irish Language Primaryand Early Learning), has two established attachedYouth Theatre Companies and a wide-ranging Out-reach Programme. Her educational theatre produc-tions mostly for Graffiti but also for Replay and VerySpecial Arts have been seen not only in Ireland butalso in the U.K., France, Sweden, Finland and theU.S. As an Educational Drama leader she has workedwith teachers and youth leaders in Sweden, Malta,the U.S., Austria, the Czech Republic, Switzerland,Hong Kong and the Czech Republic. Her reviews andarticles on poetry, Irish Theatre, Educational Theatreand Youth Theatre have been published in a widerange of newspapers, magazines and journals inIreland, the UK, Hungary, China, Switzerland, theU.S. and Australia. She has served on the EditorialBoards of Theatre Ireland, STET arts magazine,currently Youth Drama Ireland and has been ap-pointed to the Advisory and Review Board of boththe IDEA Journal and The Applied Theatre Researcher,based at Griffith University in Australia. As a memberof the Executive and as Chairperson, she has beeninvolved with the National Association for YouthDrama for about twenty two years with involvementin the National Festival of Youth Theatres, theNational Youth Theatre, European Youth TheatreEncounter (Dublin O91), National and InternationalDrama Conferences and was Chair both of the IrishEducational Drama Forum and the NCCA Committeeto introduce Drama as a subject at Junior Cycle.She has worked extensively with New York Uni-versitys Department of Educational Theatre, hasbeen six times Course Director of their Irish StudyAbroad Programs in Theatre and Youth, based onthe work of Graffiti Theatre Company. She has servedon the boards of Cork Theatre Company, EverymanPalace Theatre, NAYD, Asylum Theatre Company andthe Cork Midsummer Festival.

Bethan Hulseis Senior Lecturer in Modern Foreign Languages

at the University of Chester. Prior to this she taughtFrench and German in comprehensive schools inNorth Wales for 18 years, working with young peopleaged between 11-18 who demonstrated varyingdegrees of interest in learning to speak foreignlanguages. She has always enjoyed the challenge offinding new ways to persuade the more reluctantlearner that learning a language is worthwhile andfun.

Prof. Mag. Egon Turecekis teacher trainer at the Pdagogische Hochschule

Wien-Strebersdorf, coordinator of drama teachersat Pdagogische Hochschulen in Austria, lecturer atthe University of Vienna, guest lecturer at variousEuropean universities and in-service trainer inAustria and abroad.

Author of books and articles about drama as amethod in the English language classroom, includingAct it out in English, English around the Globe,Auf Englisch Theater spielen, all published bybvhpt.

Referententtigkeit beim internationalen Sym-posium fr Dramapdagogik im Fremdsprachen-unterricht in Cork 2003.

Organisation und Leitung des sterreichweitenMultiplikatorenlehrgangs Drama als Methode imFremdsprachenunterricht, Beginn: November 2004.

Publikationen (siehe Liste), Referententtigkeitim In- und Ausland.

Gastvortrge im Rahmen der Erasmus-Dozenten-mobilitt an den Universitten von Bremen, Leipzig,Malm, Nottingham und Volda.

Lehrauftrag an der Universitt Wien im Sommer-semester 2003 und 2004.

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Andy Kempetaught in comprehensive schools for ten years

and is now Director of the Post Graduate Certificateof Education Course at the University of Readingwhere he is also Senior Lecturer in Drama Education.He has extensive experience of working in dramawith pupils of all ages and has been providing INSETto Drama and English teachers throughout thecountry and abroad for many years. He works as anadviser to the Governments Qualifications andCurriculum Authority and has been involved in thedevelopment of examination specifications and thedrama strand of the curriculum for 11 14 year olds.He has written numerous articles and chapterscovering a wide spectrum of issues in drama and hisbooks are standard texts in a great many schools.His most recent publications include Speaking,Listening and Drama, Progression in SecondaryDrama Learning to Teach Drama 11 18 and TheGCSE Drama Coursebook.

Pearl NitscheFounder and director of SLL Institute which is

specialized in the art of communication. Teacher,teacher trainer, communications trainer andconference speaker in Austria as well as throughoutthe world. Specialized in nonverbal communication,Suggestopedia / Superlearning, NLP and creativelearning techniques. Author of Unterrichten mitLogik und Liebe. Nonverbales Klassenzimmer-management. Born in the U.S.A. and has lived for(a very happy) eternity in Vienna.

Loves her job!

Dr Cecily ONeill works with students, teachers, directors and

actors throughout the world, leading dramaworkshops, speaking at conferences, lecturing, andcarrying out research. She is an Associate Artist withthe Unicorn Childrens Theatre, a member ofIrelands Abbey Theatre Advisory Forum and anexternal examiner on post-graduate degrees at anumber of universities in the UK, the USA, Canadaand Australia.

Dr. ONeill was responsible for teachers in-service training in drama for the Inner LondonEducation Authority for a number of years. As anAssociate Professor at the Ohio State University sheestablished a drama in education programme in theCollege of Education. Now based in London, she is avisiting lecturer at New York University, theUniversity of British Columbia, the Central Schoolof Speech and Drama and Goldsmiths College.

Dr. ONeill is the author and editor of severalinfluential books on drama including Drama Worlds:A Framework for Process Drama, Worlds into Words:Learning a Second Language through Process Drama,Dorothy Heathcote: Collected Writings on Educationand Drama, Drama Structures and Drama Guidelines.She is General Editor of Heinemann EducationsDimensions of Drama, and Series Editor forHarpercollins popular series, Plays Plus and ClassicsPlus.

Marians Conscience

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Drama in Modern Language Teaching: Module 1

Module 1ORT:Bildungsheim Schloss St. Martin, Kehlbergstr. 35,8054 Graz, Tel. 0316/283635

ZEIT:Beginn: Donnerstag, 18. November 2004, 18:00 UhrEnde: Sonntag, 21. November 2004, 12:30 Uhr

LEITUNG:Prof. Mag. Stefan Egger, Modellschule Graz

REFERENTEN:Prof. Mag. Karl Eigenbauer, RG und ORG frStudierende der Musik, 1070 WienProf. Mag. Egon Turecek, Pdagogische Akademieder Erzdizese, 1210 Wien

ZIEL:Grundlagen drama- und theaterpdagogischer Arbeitim FremdsprachenunterrichtBasics of drama as a teaching method in foreignlanguage teaching

Inhalte:

Rolle und Verantwortung des Dramapdagogen/derDramapdagogin, Methodik und Didaktik der Drama-pdagogik und des Theaterspiels im Fremd-sprachenunterricht:a) Planung, Aufbau und Durchfhrung, Analyse und

Reflexion von drama- oder theaterpdagogischorientierten Unterrichtseinheiten oder Projekten

b) Spiele und bungen zum Kennenlernen, zu Inter-aktion und Kommunikation, zur Sensibilisierungund Konzentrationsfhigkeit.

c) Theoretische und praktische Auseinandersetzungmit nonverbalen und verbalen Ausdrucksmitteln:Bewegung und Krperausdruck, Mimik und Gestik,Atmung, Stimme und Sprache.

d) Kennenlernen der Als-ob-Situation in der ge-lenkten und freien Improvisation, im Rollenspielund im einfachen Theaterspiel. Einsatz ver-schiedener fremdsprachlicher Textsorten (fairytales, short stories, one-act plays, sketches,cartoons etc.) fr drama- und theaterpda-gogische Zwecke.

e) Kennenlernen verschiedener Techniken desDramatisierens. Erprobung besonderer Spiel-formen wie Figuren- oder Schattentheater.

f) Verwendung drama- und theaterpdagogischerElemente und Techniken (Lehrer/in-Rolle,gelenkte und freie Improvisation, Statuen-theater, Hot-Seating, innerer Monolog, Repor-tage, Rollenspiel, szenische Gestaltung, etc.) frspezielle Themenbereiche des Fremdsprachen-unterrichts.

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF DRAMA WORKThe role of the drama teacher, The methodologyand didactics of drama in educationa) Preparation, analysis, evaluation etc. of drama-

based lessonsb) Games and activities for interaction and com-

munication, awareness, concentrationc) Drama techniques for the acquisition of

vocabulary and structuresd) Nonverbal and verbal methods of expression:

movement and mime, breathing, voice, etc.e) Working with a variety of texts (fairy tales, short

stories, one-act plays, sketches, cartoons etc.)f) Dramatisation techniquesg) Specific conventions and techniques of drama

work: freeze frame, hot seating, interior mono-logue, etc.)

Programme

18. NOVEMBER 200418:00 Uhr - Dinner

19:30 - 21:00 Uhr: Workshop 1Group 1: Introduction, warm-ups (Eigenbauer)Group 2: Introduction, warm-ups (Turecek)

19. NOVEMBER 200408:00 Uhr - Breakfast

09:00 - 10:30 Uhr: Workshop 2Group 1: Improvisation exercises (Eigenbauer)Group 2: Non-verbal and verbal expression:mime, voice (Turecek)

11:00 - 12:30 Uhr: Workshop 3Group 1: Improvisation exercises, storytelling(Eigenbauer)Group 2: Drama techniques for the teaching ofvocabulary and grammar (Turecek)

13:00 Uhr - Lunch

14:30 - 16:00 Uhr: Workshop 4Group 1: Drama conventions: teacher-in-role,hot-seating etc. (Eigenbauer) Workshop 4Group 2: Drama techniques for the teaching ofcultural studies and literature (Turecek)

16:30 - 18:00 Uhr: Workshop 5Group 1: Drama conventions and pretexts(Eigenbauer)Group 2: Personal and social learning throughdrama (Turecek)

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18:00 Uhr - Dinner

19:30 - 21:00 Uhr: Workshop 6Group 1: Pretexts for process drama(Eigenbauer)Group 2: Dramatisation techniques, e.g.shadow theatre (Turecek)


09:00 - 10:30 Uhr: Workshop 7Group 1: Non-verbal and verbal expression:mime, voice (Turecek)Group 2: Improvisation exercises (Eigenbauer)

11:00 - 12:30 Uhr: Workshop 8Group 1: Drama techniques for the teaching ofvocabulary and grammar (Turecek)Group 2: Improvisation exercises, storytelling(Eigenbauer)

13:00 Uhr - Lunch

14:30 - 16:00 Uhr: Workshop 9Group 1: Drama techniques for the teaching ofcultural studies and literature (Turecek)Group 2: Drama conventions: teacher-in-role,hot-seating etc. (Eigenbauer)

16:30 - 18:30 Uhr: Workshop 10Group 1: Dramatisation techniques, e.g.shadow theatre (Turecek)Group 2: Drama conventions and pretexts(Eigenbauer)

19:30 Uhr - Social evening


09:00 - 10:30 Uhr: Workshop 11Group 1: Personal and social learning throughdrama (Turecek)Group 2: Pretexts for process drama(Eigenbauer)

11:00 - 12:30 Uhr: Workshop 12Group 1: Summary and reflections/feed back(Turecek)Group 2: Summary and reflections/feed back(Eigenbauer)

12:30 Uhr - Lunch and Departure

Drama in Modern Language TeachingTHE TEACHING OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Karl EigenbauerTranslation: Edith Hofer

Getting to know each other inplenary

Good Evening/MorningAll participants at the same time.

You shake hands with a person saying goodevening. You only let go of the hand as you grabanother persons hand.

Comment: very effective warm-up game tocreate readiness for games (also in the classroom)(Good Morning - group building)The group walks around the room. Shake hands withthe first person you meet, say good morning/eveningetc (you may even tell the person your name andonly let go of his hand as soon as you have grabbedanother persons hand.)Shaking Hands (welcoming/ introduction)Shake as many hands as possible within 30 seconds.

Comment: very effective warm-up game tocreate readiness to play (also in the classroom)King of Stones(matches/beans/lentils/chickpeas etc) (getting toknow each other)

Each gets three to five beans. The group membersare supposed to have fast changing conversationsin which the words yes and no are forbidden.The person who says yes or no must hand over oneof his beans to his partner.

Comment: good introductory game for eagergroups. There is also a considerable amount oflanguage involved.Changing TeamsThe group members walk around the room freely.

When the music stops or the game leaderwhistles, they get very quick instructions, e.g. get together in groups of four and shake hands

with each person in the group get together in groups of three, put your hands

together and tell each other your favourite smell groups of six, shoulders in the middle ,tell each

other what you are very good at groups of nine put your hands together high above

your heads, tell each other where you were born groups of five, lift your eyebrows, tell each other

who you consider the most attractive woman/man in the world

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groups of two, pat your own shoulder and tellthe others about a success of last year

groups of eight, scratch your chin and tell theothers about a question that you have been askingyourself right now

all together, go into the middle of the room andshout ahhhh

Bomb/Shield(concentration, various attention/space/ warm-up)

Each secretly chooses one person of the groupas a bomb and one as a shield. Move about theroom, making sure the shield is between you andthe bomb.

Comment: This game is good fun and involves alot of movementMap of Your Home countryThe participants place themselves according to thegeographical situation of their places of birth. Bytalking to their neighbours a map should beestablished fairly quickly.Distinctive Marks in a CircleAll participants form a big outer circle. Followingthe leaders instructions the participants to whomthe features apply quickly form an inner circle, holdhands and move back into the outer circle. Each isfree to choose whether or not they want to reveal acharacteristic feature by joining the inner circle.Possible instructions: Everyone who has shoe size 40 All natural blonds Everyone wearing blue pullovers/ shirts All vegetarians Everyone who has experienced love-sickness Everyone who has with brown eyes All smokers Everyone without an appendix Everyone that has still got his/her teeth Everyone who was not very happy to come here

etc

Finally the group forms a circle and the objectsshould be handed over to the people to whom theybelong.

Language input: vocabulary.(Name Game from Jonathan Neelands)Group stands in a circle. Each group member holdsa different object in their hands.

Teacher walks towards a member of the group,introduces him/herself and gives this person his/her object. (e.g. Hello. My name is Charlie and thisis my watch) while this other group member doesthe same (I am Claudia and this is my earring).

They both go to other group members, intro-ducing themselves and handing over the object theywere given adding who they were given it by (Hi.My name is Claudia and this in Charlies watch) whilethey get another object in return.

The group members then start walking aroundthe room passing on and exchanging objects.

After a while form a circle again (upon a signfrom the teacher) and try to return the object youare holding in your hand at that particular momentto its owner. Say your name, the name of the personyou are returning the object to, name the objectand walk up to the respective person. The teacherstarts. (I am Charlie and this is Egons wallet.) Thenthe person who was given back his/her objectfollows etc. until everybody has their objects again.Gossip Circle (name game)Sit in circle. You whisper your name into yourneighbours ear. Your neighbour has to react in aspecial way repeating your name (e.g. in a surprisedtone: Charlie?) Continue round the circle.Introducing Somebody from the Group withoutKnowing the Person/Introducing Each Other(improvisation/names)

Each participant introduces the next but oneperson saying something fictitious

e.g.This is Harald. I think he owns a race horseand does ballet dancing in his free time.

Comment: It is very funny to say somethingfictitious about somebody you do not know; thereis also language involved.Shakespeare Insult Sheet(warm-up/introduction/working off aggressions)

You walk about the room and you are allowed toinsult people choosing words from each column(= two adjectives and a noun) with a you or thouin front.

Comment: Introduction to the language of theBard; you can also work off your aggressions.

VOCABULARY AND GRAMMAR GAMES

I am ... Who are you?(game/imagination/creativity)

Three chairs next to each other! One player (A)sits down on the chair in the centre and says who orwhat he is (e.g. I am the sun), two other players (C

First Block

NAME GAMES/GETTING TO KNOW EACH OTHER

Changing Objects(A very effective game for beginners because it isnot linked with the usual movements/ actions thatare often considered embarrassing)

Each participant gets an object (there should notbe too many similar ones).Then the group movesabout the room. Each participant introduces himselfto another person, handing over his object andreceiving one in return.(I am Charlie and this ismy comb. I am Christine and this is my watch.)Then he carries on walking and says his name, thenhands over the object, and name its owner. (I amCharlie and this is Christines watch.) Carry ondoing this for a while.

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and B) sit down on the chairs to the left and to theright. A asks both C and B And who are you? BothB and C reply by saying what they are. This must berelated to what the first person is (e.g. B: I amyour rainbow and C: I am your eclipse). A decidesfor one of the two and they leave together, the onethat stays moves to the chair in the middle butremains who or what he was (e.g. I am the eclipseof the sun) Two other players reply to that etc...Memory(game/warm-up/voice/grammar game/vocabularyextension)

This game is played like Memory. If there is aneven number of players, the game leader has totake part, too. One person is sent outside. The otherplayers form couples and each couple agrees on onegrammatical structure (e.g. irregular verbs, com-parisons, plurals etc.)/opposites (wide-narrow) ora common sound/note/movement if this game isplayed in a non-linguistic context. Then the groupmembers spread out in the room. The person outsideis called back in and has to find the couples bytapping one person after the other who tell theirword/sound/movement. When a couple has beenfound, these two step aside.

Comment: a good game invented by myself. Ihave tried it out, pupils liked it a lot.This is a ...(concentration/warm-up/fun)

Everybody is sitting in a circle. The game leader(A) gives any object to the person on his right as apresent saying This is a watch.

B asks in an unsure way A what?A answers A watch.B takes the object in an amazed way saying

Ahhhh! A watch, and passes it on to C saying Thisis a watch. C asks B A what? B asks the gameleader A what? A answers A watch.

B passes this answer on to C. C takes the presentsaying Ahhhh. A watch! C carries on saying Thisis a watch.

Every time the questions must go back to thegame leader-until the present reaches him again.

At the same time A passes on another object tothe left saying This is a key.

(Problems arising when the objects cross eachother are part of the game!)Chinese Whispers (vocabulary extension)

Everybody is sitting in a circle. The game leaderwhispers a word into his neighbours ear, the nextperson thinks of a related word (the first one thatcomes to his mind) and so on.

Then in reverse sense everybody has to justifythe choice of their words.

Comment: whisper distinctly or ask back other-wise there will be listening errors, which does notreally matter. Quite successful even in the 7th formsof Oberstufe.

Variation: Association of wordsSame principle but loud justification at the end.The Adjective Cat (Vocabulary extension)

Sit in a circle. To the rhythm Clap-Clap-Clap-Clap(the whole group clap their hands four times) oneafter the other uses a different adjective each timebeginning with the letter a;

Player one: the ministers cat is an angry catGroup: clap-clap-clap-clapPlayer two: the ministers cat is an athletic catGroup: clap-clap-clap-clapetc.As soon as a player does not know any further

adjective beginning with an a or repeats anadjective, the next player starts with the next letterin the alphabet.Variation on Fruit Salad (warm-up)Sit in a circle. One person in the centre says whichgroup members should change seats (e.g. everybodyin trainers; or several groups: everyone with darkhair, all those wearing glasses etc.)

At the same time the rest of the group must moveon so that one chair to the right remains empty.

At the same time the person in the centre triesto get a seat.

You can play this game when you introduce atopic

(Language input: vocabulary; by moving on, the

Second Block

VOCABULARY, GRAMMAR AND CONCENTRATIONGAMES/STORYTELLING

Kevin Alone in the Circle (game/icebreaker)The players stand in a circle looking down at aparticular pair of shoes/ socks/ feet.

When the game leader counts to three, at threeeverybody looks up quickly and looks at anotherperson in the circle. When there is eye contact withanother person, put your hands on your temples,scream and leave the game.

If there is an uneven number of players, Kevinstays alone in the circle (If nobody screams- possiblewith very few participants only-repeat)Variation: circle of kissesSame game, but when dropping out of the gameblow kisses at each other.

Comment: very effective warm-up game to getinto contact with each other; children and youngpeople like it a lot.Easter Bunny - Hunter - Vegetarian - God(cf. Wolfgang Mettenberger)(Concentration/ reaction/ attention)

Circle: send impulses round the circle, one afterthe other in different directions; first the first one

well known fruit salad gets even more entertaining.)

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in one direction, then the second one in the oppositedirection, then the third one again in the oppositedirection to the second one; finally all four of themin different directions; none of the impulses shoulddie; speed them up and send them round the circleseveral times - a good concentration game and funif played fast.

1st impulse: Easter bunny turn to your neigh-bour, make a shrieking sound and bring up your arms- send this round the circle in one direction.

2nd impulse: Hunter aim an imaginary shotgunat your neighbour and shout bang - send this roundthe circle in the opposite direction some time afterthe first impulse has been sent round.

3rd impulse: Vegetarian Vegetarian that doesnot like meat - particularly not roast hare; turn toyour neighbour (again in a different direction, sometime after the second one), make a dismissive move-ment with your hands and shout a disgusted Yuck!

4th impulse: an Eastern God that watches all this extend your arms and say om (again in a differ-ent direction to the third one, some time after thethird one).Daduda (Concentration/ Rhythm)In a circle, stamp your feet to a rhythm of four, attwo snap your fingers, at four clap your hands.

Then at two, at the same time as snapping yourfingers somebody says a term, the neighbour answersat four with a similar term, clapping his hands atthe same time (variation: associated term); in thenext bar, the group repeats at two and three thetwo terms (while snapping their fingers), at foureverybody says daduda with the clapping (stay inthis rhythm).

In the next bar the person who had to react orassociate repeats his term and you carry on likebefore; if somebody just stutters, even that has tobe repeated and reacted to.

When mistakes are made, start again.VariationYou can speed up the game and make people dropout if they hesitate or stutter; keep stamping thisrhythm of four.

Language input: as with most word associationgames a very useful (holistic) approach to revisevocabularyWeaving Nets (concentration/variousattentions)Laying three different nets on top of each other.

In a circle point at somebody saying you andraise your hand so it is to be seen you have had yourturn; remember the person you got the you fromand the one you are passing it on to (or: charactersfrom literature).

Second net: capitals; same procedure as in one,remember both persons.

Third net: characters from fairy tales (or histor-ical events), remember both persons.

Then put all three nets on top of each other by

sending off you, capitals and characters from fairytales; after a few rounds all three nets should con-verge on the person who started them (game leader)without losing any net.VariationsFlowers, colours, characters from plays, food - what-ever you want.

Language input: you can revise anything you wantwith this game; it can also be used for beginners.Object Game (improvisation/imagination/group)

Form sculptures on a topic or a scene; the groupmembers join each other saying who/ what theyare e.g.:

Topic kitchen: I am the microwave oven; I amthe forgotten sausage in the fridge; I am the mouldon the sausage; I am the bottle of mineral water; Iam the label on the bottle; I am the bubbles in themineral water

Or more abstract topics (e.g. the Middle Ages;What we liked about Hollabrunn; the accusative etc.)There is no limit to topics.VariationsDevelop new pictures out of these sculptures (flow-ing sculptures); place yourself according to a newtopic.

A little picture story on a topic (the purchase oftrousers, the concert) in several pictures, as a flow-ing sculpture.

You can use this exercise in an improvisation ofa longer type.

Comment: also useful as a revision of word fieldsfor smaller childrenObject Game/Group Sculpture with Title(Improvisation)

The group names a place (e.g. kitchen, super-market, Ferris wheel) or a topic (Middle Ages, un-employment, drama, even as abstract as accusative)and builds a group sculpture by forming a statueone after the other and saying what and whoeveryone is (e.g. I am a bench. I am a banana skinunderneath the bench. I am the Third Man. I am theThird Mans conscience. I am vertigo etc.)

There are no boundaries to your imagination (alsoconcerning titles).Clap-Clap-Fill the Gap(Collective Storytelling/ Vocabulary Extension)

Sit in circle. First player starts telling a story,just half a sentence or parts of a sentence - thewhole group claps twice - the next player continuesthe sentence. A coherent text should develop.

e.g. Yesterday we were - clap - clap - in a bigpark. - clap - clap - There we met clap - clap- What Are You Doing? Improvisation Game for Grammar

Couples. A starts with a non-verbal activity (e.g.ironing). B asks: What are you doing?

A gives a different answer (e.g. I am feeding

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my cat.) B feeds the cat and A asks: What areyou doing? ...

Comment: An improvisation game, which can beused effectively as a grammar game to practise thepresent progressive (also useful for beginners).

Its usually more fun than asking for the obvious.Storytelling

The activities mentioned below create opportu-nities to talk, they lead to more oral fluency (some-thing I could observe in my 6th and 7th forms wherewe do a lot of storytelling and drama conventions)and they are fun activities for language develop-ment. Finally these activities improve ones ownpresentation techniques and increase creativity ingeneral. Most of these activities (but not all) can bedone from Mittelstufe onwards as they require acertain command of English.Fortunately/Unfortunately(Creativity/ Fluency/ Improvisation/ Imagination)

This game can be played as a whole group or inpairs. The simple constraint is that the story shiftsfrom positive to negative as each player takes aturn.

A: There was a man dying of thirst in a desert.B: Fortunately he suddenly saw a caf.C (or A): Unfortunately he did not have any money

on him.Etc.Comment: again a very encouraging activity that

usually gives students trust in their own ability togenerate new ideas.Creating Excuses/Because ...(Storytelling/Fluency)

Finding reasons/excuses/giving explanations.Groups of 4 to 6 create a story based on excuses. Astudent explains why he was not able to e.g. comehome from the disco on time. The second studentrepeats the excuse and gives reasons. Then the thirdetc. (example: Student 1: I didnt come home ontime because I didnt have a watch. S2: I didnthave a watch because I left it in the bathroom. S3:I left it in the bathroom because I was in a hurry.)

Language input: sentences with because, pasttense, fluency, creativity.Extend/Advance(Storytelling/Improvisation)

Couples or the whole groupA title is given. One group member tells a story.

At extend he gives detailed information about thisterm/passage in the story. At advance the storyis carried on. (Couples: change roles after sometime.)

e.g. A: I went to Paris to see my friend.B: Extend friend.A: Jean is attractive, has black hair, drives a

Peugeot and lives on the south bank of the Seine.B: Advance.A: I was quite excited before the trip.B: Extend excited.

A: I was so excited I couldnt sleep in the nightbefore my departure

B should vary their instructions and not wait untilA is stuck; so B should also support A in telling thestory.

Comment: a very useful exercise which helps thelearner to improve written and oral expression andcapacity for storytelling; can also be used in reallife with people who are not concise storytellers.You Will Never Believe What Happened to MeYesterday.

Couples.A begins: You will neverB: I know. I heard about it.Quite spontaneously he gives a fantastic explana-

tion (e.g. You were seen dancing wildly with Mrs.Gehrer at a rave.)

B ends with Can you tell me why?A must explain spontaneously and precisely what

happened.Losing The Thread-Couples Storytelling(Storytelling/Improvisation)

Couples. A starts telling a story, gets stuck. Bhelps out, finishes the sentences. A carries on etc.

e.g. A: Yesterday I .B: went into the supermarket A: Yes, and there I wanted to .B: tell the cashier my opinion Quick changes - dont talk endlessly - smooth

transitions.Comment: listening and speaking.

Explaining Words/What DYou Call It(Storytelling/ Improvisation)

Couples. Somebody starts telling a simple story.(e.g. where he was yesterday) or you give them thetitle of the story (e.g. the salted bread)

The partner keeps asking questions as if he didntunderstand, like an alien- when he hears certainterms/ words which the storyteller has to explainwithout thinking too long. Nothing is obvious.

(e.g. A: Yesterday I was in church.B: A church?A: Yes, the building where God is worshipped.B: God?A: .Become more and more courageous and interrupt

at words like because etc.Comment: a very good game for fluency and

vocabulary development in higher forms.Telling a Story Simultaneously/Anticipating aText/Verbal Mirrors(Storytelling/Vocabulary Development/Cooperation)

Pairs. A and B sit facing each other. Player Abegins a story (teacher can give a title). B must tryto say the words A uses at the same time as thespeaker. It is surprising how much you can anticipatefrom the sentence structure and the shaping of thespeakers mouth. The idea is to work together notto outwit each other, so slow speech works well to

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start with.After some time (at the clap of the teachers

hands) B takes over.Guided Tour through the Room (Storytelling)Either played in pairs or groups of 3 to 6. One is thetour guide and leads his partner/ group (who may,of course, ask questions) through the room referringto the items that are there. Make your tour asspectacular and interesting as possible (e.g. Thiscupboard once belonged to Queen Victoria) andwatch out for details and build stories around them(e.g. how a certain stain came onto the floor).Change tour guides.

Comment: Has been tried out several times, alsowith higher forms; can be fun; vocabulary develop-ment; opportunities to talk.Storytelling in CircleGroup stands in circle. Teacher counts the group. Each group member

ought to remember their number (if there is anuneven number of group members, the workshopleader has to take part as well). The teachermakes the uneven numbers turn left and the evennumbers turn right so that two people face eachother. The even numbers give their unevenpartners the title of a story (the title should beinteresting, e.g.Your grandfathers cupboard thathasnt been opened since his death 10 years ago),which then the even numbers have to tell.

Then the uneven numbers move clockwise so thatthey face a new partner while the even numbersremain where they are. They give a new title.

Other possibilities that give your stories more colour: About a certain country and the story told in this

country s accent (e.g. The French kangaroo thatwalked).

How something (e.g. hamburgers, teachers,..)came into the world.

Something embarrassing or mysterious thathappened to you (e.g. a spaceship in the bath-room) or a strange coincidence.

Give an explanation why you were late thismorning.

The workshop leader pointing at somebody whothen has to tell all the others aloud why he waslate this morning. This person may then in returnpoint at someone else in the group etc.

You keep changing partners after each round. Atsome time in the middle the workshop leader tellsthe even numbers to move anti-clockwise.Counting Step by Step - Game 21(Concentration/ Building a Group)

The group is sitting or standing in a circle withtheir eyes closed and starts counting, everybody cansay a number but you never know whose turn it is -counting is done at random. Each member candecide when to say a number. If two people say anumber at the same time, you have to start fromone again.

Aim: counting without interruption and gettingas far as possible.Variation: count to 21.This game helps the members to calm down but alsoto coordinate the group.Variation: a sentence.Each person says one word or a letter to the leaderof the game or you connect every number with amood/a feeling .

Note: dont guess, feel the moment!Language input: numbers or the alphabet (count

to 26) or certain word fields.EndingIt is recommended to end every session withsomething, e.g. Crick-Crack - Thats That!

(Styrian variation: Kold-hoass,deis woas)(Ending/conscious ending of a drama)Clap your hands twice (as if you were brushing

them off) at crick-crack and snap your fingers left(at thats) and right (at that) - ritual ending ofa lesson (or shake everything off your body).Bellows (Ending)

Tight circle. Breathing in the group members pullthe air from the middle of the circle towards themwith their arms and blow the air back out into themiddle of the circle breathing out and pushing theirarms back in; at the fifth time of breathing out shoutHey into the middle of the circle.Crust-Crumb-Creamcake(Concentration/game/Warm-up)

Narrow lane. Each is face to face with anopponent. At crust one row must run to the wallbehind them, the other row at crumb. Theopponents have to try and catch each other beforereaching the wall. When you catch somebody or youropponent runs into the wrong direction, you score apoint .It is also a mistake to move at creamcake.

Comment: a good fun reaction game.10-0 and Yeah(Warm-up/Group/Opting out of a Role)

Circle. The group counts down from 10 to 0, thenfrom 9 to 0, from 8 to 0 etc. and at every 0 jumpsinto the circle shouting Yeah.

Comment: a good game for opting out of a role,when you were deeply involved emotionally.Storytelling around a Picture PostcardTake a picture postcard and tell a story around thepicture. Some suggestions:1. Describe what you see (colours, buildings,

people, action)2. Describe what this place used to be like in the

old days (before the age of photographs)3. Tell a story about the most famous person who

lived in this place. Why was he/she famous?4. Tell a story about how this place got its name.5. Tell a story about the most tragic event that

happened in this place. When did it happen?Who was involved? Tell us about the people as

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well as the event.6. Shortly after taking this photograph, something

very unusual happened to the photographer-indeed strange things happen to anyone photo-graphing this scene. Tell us a story about whathappened.

7. This particular picture-postcard is much soughtafter by collectors throughout the world. Whyare they so anxious to obtain it? Tell a storyabout it.

8. There is a unique celebration held there on the4th of January each year. People come frommiles around to share in these unusual celebra-tions. Describe the celebrations, how you cameto know about them, explain why they are heldand what happened when you took part in them.

9. Something very unusual was invented in thisplace shown on the postcard. Tell us who it was,who invented it, and how it came to be in-vented.

10. The people who live in the place depicted onthe postcard speak in a very unusual way. Whatdoes this speech sound like? How did it develop?Tell a story about it.

11. A particular delicacy is prepared and eaten inthis place. People come from far afield to tastethis concoction. Describe the name of thisdelicacy, its preparation, taste and texture.

12. A treasure is hidden somewhere in the place-and the postcard itself contains no vital cluesto its whereabouts: Tell us the story about theperson who first hid the treasure and the possi-ble clues to its locale. (The treasure is guardedby ?)

13. Describe only one small part of the picture (inthis case one large picture could be used, e.g.by Breughel)

14. Tell a story about the strangest, the most un-usual person who lived in this place.

15. Describe in detail what is just off the photo-graph so the listeners can see it in their mindseye.

16. This picture makes an immediate impact on youwhen you first see it. Why? Devise some sen-tences using your words so carefully that thelisteners will receive a similar impact aurally.

17. Hundreds of these postcards, identical to theone you are now holding, are on sale in a shopthousands of miles away from the locale in thepicture. Why? Tell us the story!

18. Make up a legend about this place and let thiscontain a song about the place or the story.Make up the tune and words.

19. Who is the most respected person living in thisplace? Tell us a story about this person.

20. The publishers of this postcard were warnednot to issue it to the public for sale. Why? Wasthere any legal action? The outcome? If norpostcards were issued how is it that you, the

teller, have one to show your listeners?21. Who is the most feared person in this place?

The persons name, appearance - make up astory about why they are feared and how theycame to be feared so strongly.

22. There is a ghost in this place. Tell us about it.23. On taking office, every member of the govern-

ment is issued with one of these cards. Thiscustom first began 50 years ago. Why did it be-gin? Why does it still happen? Tell a story aboutit.

24. Customs Officers at Ports of Entry to the countryhave been told to seize any copies of thispostcard which may be brought into the country.Anyone carrying these cards may be arrestedand held in custody without trial. Why is thishappening? Tell a story about the time you wereapprehended. How did you get free? How areyou still able to show the card?

25. A mythical beast (long since thought extinct-or considered a beast of the imagination) livesin this place. Tell a story about what happenedwhen you first encountered this mythical beastand how you escaped to tell the tale!

26. If you gaze at this card for a long time, strangethings will happen to you. Tell a story aboutwhat happened the last time you did this.

Chain Stories with Pictures(Improvisation/ Storytelling/ Fluency/ Creativity/Vocabulary Development)

A series of pictures that have nothing to do witheach other are handed out. (e.g. a scene in a coffeehouse, two people on camels, somebodyabseiling,)Any member of the group starts tellingthe story around this picture (scene, characters,time, plot etc) and gradually the other memberswork in the stories of their pictures thus creatingone logical, coherent story.

In most cases the story develops logically.Comment: there is no limit to ideas.

Whats in the Wallet? (Storytelling)Required material: a wallet with all kinds of personalitems (about 10), such as international coins,stamps, a photo, a medical report, a visiting card,a map of a town, an advert, )

Scenario:A dead body was found floating down the Danube

and fished out. A wallet obviously belonging to thedead person has also been found. The police aretrying to reconstruct the dead persons movementin the recent past.

The teacher appoints two detectives from theclass. They go through the wallet and tell theaudience whats inside. One of them has to act assecretary and write down the items they find in thewallet on the blackboard. The audience may askquestions.

Then in groups of 3 to 6 work as detective squadsand pick 5 of the items listed and build up the

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persons story and his/ her movements in the recentpast. Present your findings to the class.

Optional: Form three tableaux of decisivemoments in the dead persons last 24 hours (beforehis death).Or: Hotseat an acquaintance/ a friendetc.Variation: Artefacts A couple of artefacts (bag, coat, a pair of shoes)are found by the beach. Make up a story or start awhole drama from there.Sculptures/Statues/Freeze frames/TableauxSculptures or freeze frames in the form of amotionless, still posture of a single person or groupare good exercises to achieve an expression, a moodwhich can also be used on the stage. On the otherhand they are useful in class to get into a topic orto deepen a story/ a theme or as a reflection tofind out what pupils think (e.g. statements about aliterary text, as a presentation of a dramatic turningpoint, for statements on a certain topic, to grasp/realize the core information etc.)Freeze Frames on a Given TopicFour to six participants create a particular sculptureon a topic together. There is preparation time (canbe used as a method to develop a topic/a play/adrama). These sculptures should be looked at bythe other groups

Variation: Each member of one sculpture makesa movement/sound that goes with it).

After this the topic must be guessed.Examples:

Everyday situations or terms like the sinking of aship, a traffic accident, a fire, the harvest, a bankrobbery, a party, a fountain or scenes from films(westerns/ horror films) or titles like Weve got 10seconds left! What a beautiful day that was!Leave the house immediately! How long is thisgoing to last?

In this exercise characteristic features of anobject/ human behaviour of a topic are developed.

Variation: not a concrete but an abstract term isrepresented in a concrete or abstract way (e.g.embarrassment, forgiveness, vengeance, envy,affection)

Comment: sculptures can be put to various uses- with literary issues or topics - depending on theobjective of a lessonFlowing SculpturesEach member of the group is given a number.According to the continuous numbering they standup and represent an association to a given topic(e.g. swimming pool/rock concert/Christmas etc),this means that number one begins, number twojoins in (as a sculpture). As soon as a group memberhas done that, they say their number. This is thesignal for the next person to place himself. Wheneach had their turn, number one breaks free andplaces himself anew, then number two follows etc.

Three rounds! Three completely different pic-tures on the same topic will develop.

We played it in two groups, one group waswatching.

Comment: I sometimes use this as a kind of warm-up for a topic - often very exciting to watch (alwaysto be done in two groups, one group watching) -shows different, spontaneous approaches to a topic.

Note: The reflection of the audience is important.

STRUCTURED DRAMA/PROCESS DRAMA/BASIC DRAMA CONVENTIONS

Stretching and Yawning(Warm-up/Coordination/Improvisation)a. neutral and individualb. with ants in your pantsc. in pairs mirroring each other and transition to

mirror exercise with flowing transition, no abruptchange of roles

d. then individual vulgar stretchinge. pair work: 1. stretches vulgarly; 2. dubs with

language and sound, then change rolesWriting Your Name with a Brush(Warm-up/ Reduction of Fear of Physical Contact)

Write your name as big/as small as possible withan imaginary brush between your shoulder blades.

Then in pairs, back to back, write the namebetween your partners shoulder blades.

Then in 30 to 60 seconds between as manyshoulder blades as possible.

Comment: a very good physical warm-up; canbe fun.

Pretexts

They are the framework, the springboard for thestory.

They should be a clear framework. They quickly introduce the participants emotion-

ally into working with drama. During the preparation bear in mind what the

drama is really about The participants should believe in the situation

and take it seriously

LARISSA - STRUCTURED DRAMAObjectives:

Using a short story as a drama pre-textEnglish:

Speaking and listening, writing, poetry, charac-terisation, vocabulary work (characterising, per-suading, making excuses etc.)Drama:

Using basic drama conventions (realist and non-realist)Other:Personal and social education, moral and valueseducation

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Warm-up:Character Adjective Circle/Emotion Circle

Group in circle. Trainer names a character ad-jective (e.g. pathetic, outgoing etc.) or an emotion(horror, despair, jealousy etc). After a few secondsthe group members strike a pose expressing thisemotion.

Comment: holistic character adjective revisionLesson plan:1. Look at the short extract from Francine Pascals

Wild Child and discuss the situation Larissafinds herself in.Is this a typical situation for a teen to findherself in?How do situations like this develop betweenparents and their teenaged children?What clues are there about Larissas character-what kind of a person do you think she is?Again, is she typical? In other words, is shelike many other people of her age?

2. Look closely at the dialogue used by the threecharacters - do you think their speech is alsotypical? In other words is that what motherssay, what fathers say, in situations like this? Insmall groups make lists of other typical father/mother sayings: e.g.Dont speak to your mother like that!Isnt it time for bed, young lady?You are not going out looking like that!Once you have some suggestionsEither: order them into a short poem in whichthe verses alternate between : Fathers say /mothers say Find an interesting and effectiveway for your group to perform the poem to theclass.Or:Hot SeatPlace a chair somewhere; one after the other(whoever feels like it) runs out, sits down andsays a sentence starting, Father says, orMother says, (whatever he/she can think of)You could also use this exercise as a starter forall kinds of units, e.g. Love- Love isWhena man/ woman is in loveA man/ woman inloveWe didnt do the following variations:Variation 1: You could also have Larissa or one ofthe parents on the hot seat starting a sentence:I hate/like it when my father/mother/daugh-ter or similar sentencesVariation 2: You could also have a father/motheron the hot seat talking about his daughter (withthe rest of the group asking questions) and hisdaughter reacting physically to what he/she saysor commenting fathers/mothers statements ina hushed tone.

3. Home-exercise options:What might Larissa write into her diary after thisincident? Write her diary entry.

What will her parents say to each other afterLarissa leaves the room?Write a dialogue between mother and father.Imagine this was the opening scene in a playabout Larissa and rewrite the extract as the scenemight look in the play script. Use stage directionsand some ideas of the setting.

4. The extract finishes with the line They didnteven know who I was. What does Larissa meanby this? In what ways can parents not know theirown children?Divide into four groups and let each group takeresponsibility for one of the following tableaux/still imagesGroup 1: Larissa as her parents would like tosee herGroup 2: Larissa as her friends know her to beGroup 3: Larissa as her teachers know her to beGroup 4: Larissa as older students might see herLook at each others still images. What is thegap between the image of how her parentswould like her to be and the other images? Also,consider what each group has added to thecharacter of Larissa- how has her character beendeveloped through the freeze frames and thediscussion of them.

5. Each group prepares a short scene which showsLarissa under different kinds of pressure. In eachscene your objective is to show the strategy thatmight be used to make Larissa give in to thepressure. The scene doesnt show what happens,it concentrates on showing how the pressure isapplied to Larissa. Teacher-in-role as Larissagoes from group to group. (Circular Drama)Group 1: Larissas parents want her to go andvisit her grandmother on her birthday but it isthe same day as the first night of Larissas play -what strategy might her parents use to try andmake her go with them to see grandma.Group 2: Larissas friends are fed up with thetime she is spending on rehearsals instead ofhanging out with them. What strategy might thefriends use to try and make Larissa give up theplay and spend more time with them.Group 3: Because of her poor grades Larissasmaths teacher decides to give her a detentionbut this will mean that Larissa will miss theauditions or an important rehearsal. Whatstrategy might the maths teacher use to try andmake sure that Larissa does her detentionwhatever the consequences might be for Larissain the play.Group 4: One of the older students wants themain part in the play for herself. She knows thatLarissa will also audition for it. What strategymight the older student and her friends use totry and make Larissa go for a smaller part in theplay?

6. Each group now takes responsibility for thinkingabout what tactics Larissa might use in each of

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the situations in order to tackle the pressure andstrategy used on her. At what point in the sceneshould Larissa try and take some control overwhats happening?Each group will be responsible for watchinganother groups scene again (1 2 3 4 1)(Circular Drama) but this time they call STOP atthe appropriate moment and one member of thegroup replaces Larissa and plays the rest of thescene out trying to show the best way for Larissato handle the situation (Forum Theatre).We played it, however, without anyone being ableto interfere.The scenes do not need to have endings. Just tryto show what might work and then discuss thedifferent scenes, strategies and tactics used byLarissa as a class.

7. Either:Each group now makes a tableau but this timewith a difference. The objective is to try andshow physically and visually all of the differentpressures Larissa is under at this moment in oneimage.(e.g. You could have Larissa as the centralcharacter surrounded by mother/father/teach-er/friend/older student pulling her in differentdirections standing above/below her etc. or likepuppeteers controlling her strings.Or:Imagine that Larissa has a nightmare in whichall the characters appear to torment her withtheir voices and physical appearance. Act out thisnightmare. (Remember that in nightmares peoplecan appear to be more exaggerated than in reallife).

8. Imagine that Larissa goes for a walk on her ownto try and sort herself out. As she walks, shehears different voices - some are the voices ofthe other characters and what they have said toher, some are the voices of help which offer heradvice on what to do and who try to raise herself-esteem and courage. Choose one voice foryourself and when you are ready, stand in a circlewith the rest of the class with one person beingLarissa. She walks around the circle listening toeach of the voices as she goes.(Advice Circle/Conscience Circle)

DRAMA CONVENTIONSTableauImprovisationHot SeatTeacher-in-RoleCircular DramaForum TheatreNightmareConscience circle/Advice circleSo UnfairMy mother crossed her legs and then uncrossedthem. She was fidgeting even more than I do when

I am upset. I thought you said Ms. Upton hadntgraded your test yet.

Her voice sounded weird like she wasnt openingher mouth all the way when she talked. Isnt thatwhat you said yesterday?

Well .um .I cant remember, I said.Well, I can! My father said it in a very angry

tone.Larissa, I just dont understand, my mother

said. How could you lie to us. You sat there andflat-out lied to us.

Im sorry, Mum. Really I am. I guess I justpanicked, I said. The thing is that Ive been toobusy rehearsing for West Side Story.

If you cant keep up your grades, my mothersaid, you shouldnt be in any sort of musical. Thatgoes without saying.

No! Im not giving up the play, I argued. Thiswas a total and complete nightmare. Id study mathsall weekend, and Id offer to take a makeup testnext week. But I wasnt quitting the play. Theycouldnt make me.

They hadnt even asked for details about mystupid grade point average. They didnt even knowwho I was.

(From Francine Pascal, Wild Child) (Sweet ValleyJnr. High Series Bantam - www.sweetvalley.com)

LARISSA - USEFUL PHRASES

ReproachWhy on earth didnt you .Whatd you mean by .You might have .You shouldnt have .You have no right to .How dare you .You cant expect me to .NecessityDo I need/ have to ?Have I got to ?Must I ?Advice/PersuasionWhy dont you ?If I were you Id I think youd better .Youd better not I advise you not to .I dont think you should Wont you , please?Please let me ..Why dont you ?You mustnt .I really think youd do well to .Are you really sure you cant/couldnt ?Come on!/ Go on!/ Dont be like that!/Please!How can I persuade you to ?If I were you, Id/ I wouldnt Cant I persuade you to ?Youd better not

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Just you dare/try!Dont you dare/try!Larissa-Drama with an extract from a text as astarting point.

Read through the text, talk about it (conflict ofthe generations, mistrust, stereotypes, which cluesof the characters do we get).

The drama teacher must try to see the worldfrom a 14-year-olds point of view.Formation of four groups/ Creative writingAsk the pupils: Is the language typical of parents?(Conditions, negative sentences, )

What do mothers/fathers say? Write downsentences typical of mothers/fathers (e.g. AskMum! This is your son! Im not your maid!)

Write short poems: Father says Mother says .And present them.Creative Writing (e.g. as homework)Larissas diary entry after the text extract.

Dialogue between mother and father after Larissahas left th

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