LET'S TALK ABOUT DRAMA
This is a fantastic drama strategy that can be used to
demonstrate and describe a multitude of experiences. Tableaux can be used for a
variety of purposes: to represent storylines and themes in literacy, to
demonstrate environmental issues in science and communities and interactions in
social studies. For example, in drama class we read the story “The Varmints”
and used tableau to demonstrate various scenes throughout the story. I enjoyed
using tableaux in the classroom and will be implementing it into my future
classrooms. Since tableaux is silent, it takes away the social anxiety that a
lot of students may feel speaking in front of the class. This drama form
doesn’t require a lot of movement, so it works for students who may have motor
or movement difficulties. I would love to incorporate this strategy with an
inquiry-based learning unit to allow for more student directed learning.
The following image illustrates how to effectively grade a tableau, as I can see how there would be confusion surrounding how to assess them.
The following image illustrates how to effectively grade a tableau, as I can see how there would be confusion surrounding how to assess them.
Corridor of Voices
This drama strategy has got to be my favourite one. Corridor
of voices occurs when “The character moved along the corridor between two lines
of students who voice feelings, thoughts or moral concerns the character might
be likely to have. The convention can also be used to explore the thoughts of a
character who is facing a difficult task or decision” (pg. 167).
When relating this to personal experience, I think often it can be difficult for humans to reach a decision regarding something that may be stressing them out. We usually feel a pulling in our mind and heart to do something, followed by another part of us telling us to do something else. This strategy well illustrates this struggle of indecisiveness. According to the Ontario Curriculum, role/character is a critical component of the elements of drama. Corridor of voices is a perfect strategy to demonstrate “adopting a role and maintaining focus in role, sustaining belief in character and varying voice” (Ontario Curriculum – The Arts, pg. 102). This is a strategy that can be differentiated to meet the needs of all students, as students can sit or stand, write their words down or use assistive technology to contribute.
When relating this to personal experience, I think often it can be difficult for humans to reach a decision regarding something that may be stressing them out. We usually feel a pulling in our mind and heart to do something, followed by another part of us telling us to do something else. This strategy well illustrates this struggle of indecisiveness. According to the Ontario Curriculum, role/character is a critical component of the elements of drama. Corridor of voices is a perfect strategy to demonstrate “adopting a role and maintaining focus in role, sustaining belief in character and varying voice” (Ontario Curriculum – The Arts, pg. 102). This is a strategy that can be differentiated to meet the needs of all students, as students can sit or stand, write their words down or use assistive technology to contribute.
Teacher in Role
The Ontario Arts Curriculum defines Teacher in Role as "A teaching strategy in which the teacher provides input into a drama activity by taking a role in the drama instead of commenting from outside the process" (pg. 173).
In one of our drama classes, we experimented with the strategy of “Teacher in Role.” I thought that this strategy was perfect to implement into both primary and junior classes, as it can be modified for both age groups. During our class, our instructor showed us a video that could be connected to the science curriculum, with a boy who was frantically making a protest and joining some group. There were very few details in the video and it left the students in the class very confused. The instructor then took on a role of a potential character who could have been involved in the ‘group’ as mentioned above. For primary grades, having a teacher act out a role other than who they are in real life can be a very enthralling experience. Primary students are still at the age where they can have a vivid imagination, so this activity would flow well with imaginative scenarios. For junior students, the role the teacher would be playing would have to be from a more serious topic, but one that would still grip student attention. For primary students, a more primary story would be suitable to use (such as a book primarily picture based) or a more humorous book such as Doctor Seuss. For junior students, a mystery novel could be used, with more suspense to it. Students would have an opportunity to ask the teacher in role a limited number of questions regarding the role, to further their investigation about the specific topic of conversation.
In one of our drama classes, we experimented with the strategy of “Teacher in Role.” I thought that this strategy was perfect to implement into both primary and junior classes, as it can be modified for both age groups. During our class, our instructor showed us a video that could be connected to the science curriculum, with a boy who was frantically making a protest and joining some group. There were very few details in the video and it left the students in the class very confused. The instructor then took on a role of a potential character who could have been involved in the ‘group’ as mentioned above. For primary grades, having a teacher act out a role other than who they are in real life can be a very enthralling experience. Primary students are still at the age where they can have a vivid imagination, so this activity would flow well with imaginative scenarios. For junior students, the role the teacher would be playing would have to be from a more serious topic, but one that would still grip student attention. For primary students, a more primary story would be suitable to use (such as a book primarily picture based) or a more humorous book such as Doctor Seuss. For junior students, a mystery novel could be used, with more suspense to it. Students would have an opportunity to ask the teacher in role a limited number of questions regarding the role, to further their investigation about the specific topic of conversation.
I would be interested to see if there would be a connection between
this drama strategy and inquiry-based learning. For example, could the teacher
choose a subject, a role to play based on this subject and ask students to
partake in the inquiry process? I would like to find out more about this.
Choral Speaking
This is a strategy that I LOVE. Whenever I think of choral speaking, I always think of my favourite production 'Les Miserables,' written by Victor Hugo. Choral speaking or singing is frequently used in the live production, with rounds (from the music curriculum) as well. I think that choral speaking is incredibly powerful and I think that it would work so well cross-curricular in a social studies class. I have used choral speaking in my placement, in a social studies class previously. My students were learning about Early Communities in Canada and I integrated shared speech as part of their literacy/social studies learning. Choral speaking can be especially used in literacy, with short and long stories. This strategy can be differentiated by allowing students to use applications such as speech to text, instead of verbally using their voices. It can be used in all grade levels - more simply in the primary grades and more complex in the junior grades.
According to the curriculum choral speaking can be defined as "The reading or reciting of a text by a group. Preparation for a performance may involve experimentation of language, rhythm, volume, pace, etc" (pg. 166).
The link below is from Les Miserables.
Soundscapes
I have had plenty of experience experimenting with soundscapes in drama this year. Humans can recreate all kinds of sounds, and making sounds is something that children love to do. Soundscapes could be particularly useful in the context of science class, when specifically thinking about weather or weather patterns (sounds that rain makes, sounds that thunder makes, etc). There was an activity from someone's lesson that I participated in, that was centered around making animal noises in a jungle. The group that was presenting read the whole class a story and we were asked to make soundscapes based on the images we saw and the words we heard. This was a fantastic way to get students involved and get imaginations flowing.
Soundscaping is "A combination of sounds used to create an atmosphere or to enhance important moments of a scene" (pg. 172). Soundscapes is a highly effective strategy for all learners; just about anyone can partake in making sounds. If a student is non-verbal, they can still participate through making sounds with objects, or creating noises through an application on an iPad. Soundscapes can be used for primary grades with simple sounds such as wind, rain and animals, and can be used for junior grades with complex sounds such as thunderstorms, traffic, school and home noise, etc. The following is an example of a rainstorm soundscape created by humans.
Comments
Post a Comment