drama in education Switzerland

National Drama International Conference April 2006

„Drama for the Future"

The Empty Classroom

SHORT DESCRIPTION

Inspired by the way Peter Brook works, I want to illustrate how students of foreign languages with beginners’ to intermediate skills can create a drama production of artistic quality. Language, movement and props are reduced to a minimum, music and rhythm give the work artistic coherence. The students work with stories, either transforming (fairy)tales to modern times or creating their own story. Thus, the students’ receptive and productive skills are enhanced, they experience the foreign language with all their senses. The foreign language is embedded in the specific context of the story they create and thus, a maximum feeling of ownership for the new skills can be created.

THEME RELEVANCE

The ideal surrounding to learn a language is a natural context. In the case of foreign language learning, such contexts must be created by the teacher. The only way to appeal to all forms of intelligences and to involve the learners with mind, body and soul is drama. Drama specialists in Switzerland include various drama techniques in their language and literature teaching. Others tackle larger projects that lead to performances of plays. My workshop illustrates how learners can use language naturally in the planning process of their drama project and how they can gain pride by creating a work of art with minimal linguistic skills.