Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
2
The arts in ELT
Many painters, musicians, philosophers, scientists and even politicians have contributed definitions of what they believe art is:
Read more about defining art: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_art.html
The Oxford Dictionaries define the arts as “the various branches of creative activity, such as painting, music, literature, and dance” http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/translate/english-‐german/art
The arts in their manifold realizations are explicitly and implicitly integrated into school curricula: as subjects and as topics in English as a foreign language (EFL). Analytical approaches to the arts are also quite common. At an advanced level poetry, paintings, theatre, dance -‐ anything really that is an “expression or application of human creative skill and imagination” (Upitis) works as content for discussion and analysis.
These examples depict teaching for cognitive competences.
In a somewhat more art related learning environment students work in a creative way and produce artifacts. Regardless of their age, they are taught how to use techniques and procedures typically applied by artists to make something new on their own. They also implement artist products in a performance piece or they have a closer look at products trying to assign meaning to them. For the purpose of LETTA, the purpose of Learning English Through The Arts, we used the definition of the arts by Rena Upitis, the professor of Arts education at Ontario University. To Rena Upitis, the arts means “passion and seriousness”: “All arts undertakings”, she says “require engagement on every level: intellectual, social, emotional, and physical.”
Read more: Rena Upitis: Arts Education for the Development of the Whole Child http://www.etfo.ca/Resources/eResources/ArtsEducation/Pages/default.aspx
LTTA: Learning Through The Arts
LTTA has been very influential in the recognition of the arts as a tremendously effective tool for learning. The “Learning through Teaching the Arts” (LTTA) model developed in Canada over the last 20 years LTTA promotes the infusion of the arts directly into the general curriculum. On a more practical level the LTTA philosophy has spread in the classrooms of many countries making artists and teachers cooperate in teaching a topic of the curriculum through dance, drama, visual arts, music and movement.
Read more on LTTA: https://learning.rcmusic.ca/learning-‐through-‐arts/about-‐ltta
LETTA: Learning English Through The Arts
The educational success of the LTTA approach, as reported in empirical studies, should encourage EFL teachers to extend the model to the field of foreign language learning. Since its application has the potential to promote all of the communicative, educational, intercultural and aesthetic learning outcomes as defined in European curricula, LTTA can be conceived a valuable tool for teaching EFL.
3
As a rule artists should be involved. But teachers should be encouraged to rely on the LETTA model even if artists are not available.
Read some convincing reasons Amy Lightfoot (http://www.theguardian.com/profile/amy-‐lightfoot) mentions in her article “Art in the [ELT-‐] classroom” here:
1. Responding to art can be very stimulating 2. It can lead to a great variety of activities. 3. Using art provides a useful change of pace. 4. Thinking about or even creating art can put an emphasis onto the ability to clearly express
thoughts and ideas. 5. Responding to art has the potential to develop students’ creative and critical thinking skills.
Read more on Art in the ELT-‐classroom: http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/art-‐classroom
The benefits of LETTA for language learning influence all fields of communicative competence
Communicative competences: to practice the skills in arts related contexts to read, listen, talk and write about performances to use language in discourses about the arts to use language in dramatic performances to use language in experimental products to communicate ideas in ways other than language
LETTA promotes other competences as well:
Aesthetic competence: to enjoy and appreciate plays, visual arts, music, dance and storytelling to experiment with artistic techniques, approaches and performances to develop and apply criteria for evaluating artistic products and performances to develop and apply a critical attitude towards art products and performances
Cultural competence : to understand and appreciate diversity of artistic expression
to discover and appreciate artistic resources in learners’ own culture to discover and appreciate artistic resources in other cultures to discover and appreciate cultural differences in art to use arts as a cultural context to express feelings, thoughts, emotions and ideas through language, dance, music and visual arts and performing arts
Strategic competence: to activate and use individual talents and intelligences for solving tasks
to use and produce artistic products to consolidate the skills Social competence: to work together in the endeavor to develop an artistic piece
to work together to develop a performance for an audience Read more about talents and intelligences: http://howardgardner.com/multiple-‐intelligences/
4
Read more about using art in the classroom: http://www.onestopenglish.com/skills/integrated-‐skills/using-‐art-‐in-‐the-‐classroom/pdf-‐content/using-‐art-‐in-‐the-‐classroom-‐introduction/550073.article
Read more about ideas for teaching arts in the classroom: http://resources.curriculum.org/arts/dance.shtml
Clips, lead-‐ins and more on arts in ELT: http://efl-‐resource.com/materials/topic-‐based-‐esl-‐materials/art-‐and-‐design/
References:
Learning Through The Arts. A Guide to the National Endowment for the Arts and Arts Education
http://arts.gov/sites/default/files/ArtsLearning.pdf
Smithrin, K./ Upitis, R.: Learning Through the Arts: Lessons of Engagement
http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ695662.pdf
5
Creative writing
What is creative writing?
In the EFL-‐classroom creative writing is an experimental context in which learners use the English vocabulary, phrases, idioms and patterns they know in a productive way. Anything goes, really. As long at it’s interesting.
Your dictionary (http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/word-‐definitions/definition-‐of-‐creative-‐writing.html) defines creative writing as writing “that expresses ideas and thoughts in an imaginative way.”
Bitesize is a BBC website preparing British students for the GCSE English Language. This is what they should know about creative writing: http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/english/creativewriting/
ELT-‐author Alan Maley on why creative writing (CW) is good for EFL-‐learners
• CW aids language development at all levels • CW requires learners to manipulate the language in interesting and demanding ways • CW encourages them to take the risks without which learning cannot take place in any
profound sense • CW puts the emphasis on the right side of the brain, with a focus on feelings, physical
sensations, intuition and musicality • CW tends to develop self-‐confidence and self-‐esteem among learners
Read more about what Alan Maley writes about “Creative writing for language learners (and teachers)” http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/creative-‐writing-‐language-‐learners-‐teachers
The eighth edition of In English Digital asks the question: ''How creative can you be?" suggesting approaches to creativeness in ELT-‐classrooms: http://issuu.com/britishcouncilportugal/docs/inenglish-‐digital-‐08
Resources
Teachers need ideas how to initiate creative writing. Here is a list of very helpful prompts:
http://creativewritingprompts.com/
You don’t know how to structure a lesson on (creative) writing? Try this:
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/planning-‐a-‐writing-‐lesson
6
A more sophisticated form of creative writing is digital storytelling. Here are Digital Storytelling Resources for the Classroom http://www.livebinders.com/play/play_or_edit?id=36524
Creative writing is not just about telling a story. Write texts articles in a creative way adding graphics and images. In other words: try infographics: http://www.teachthemenglish.com/2014/05/using-‐infographics-‐to-‐teach-‐language-‐the-‐why-‐how-‐and-‐where/
A helpful reference
Find some more teaching ideas in “English Story Dice: Creative Writing and Story Telling Activities.” (Intermediate learners)
http://books.google.de/books?id=1E8QAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA3&dq=creative+writing+lesson+plans&hl=en&sa=X&ei=IjV6U4y3IMLnOp-‐pgZAD&ved=0CGwQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=creative%20writing%20lesson%20plans&f=false
7
Dramatic art
As far as drama is concerned, LETTA differentiates between: a) drama as a communicative approach; b) drama as a play, written to be performed on stage; and c) drama as an art form, a piece of literature for analysis in advanced classrooms.
A focus on c) would include tasks where learners are supposed to e.g. characterize protagonists or analyze plot elements. They would be asked to comment on the author's viewpoint, attitudes or opinions of characters. An analytical approach would also imply analyzing the play in relation to its socio-‐cultural and historical-‐political context, its media adaptations, its performance practices, etc. Applying a) and b) in class would require learners to interact, assume different roles, act them out and perform. Investigating the potential of drama in school environments basically means considering its educational function and its function for the development of communicative competence (Sam 1990)
Why drama?
From a communicative point of view using drama:
• contextualizes the language in real or imagined situations
• helps to extend, retain and reinforce vocabulary and sentence structure through role-‐play
• provides opportunities to use language meaningfully and appropriately
• provides opportunities to be involved actively
From the educational point of view performing the art form:
• releases imagination and energy • fosters the social, intellectual and the linguistic development • fosters a sense of responsibility and co-‐operation • can help solve emotional and behavioral problems • encourages students to exercise their sensitivity and imagination.
Read more about Drama in Teaching English as a Second Language: http://www.melta.org.my/ET/1990/main8.html
Approaches
Role-‐playing: A basic approach to drama is acting out communicative roles in typical settings of the everyday culture thus gaining practice in mastering speech functions in predictable and unpredictable dialogues.
8
Simulations: In simulations learners are faced with a problem, situation or a critical incident to be dealt with in a communicative and appropriate manner. Language use is not restricted nor is it focused on particular items. Learners are to use the vocabulary and structures they have access to in their mental lexicon.
Language through drama: This approach uses drama techniques to promote all the communicative competences. The space in the classroom is the stage, the learners are actors who use language in meaningful contexts of C-‐ and c-‐culture. These define roles, language, facial expressions, body language and movements on the ‘stage’.
Drama method: The term drama method means all kinds of activities that are supported by drama techniques and suitable to involve learners in situations and fictitious contexts. In those they are to cooperate with each other and take decisions by communicating to each other.
Process drama: Students elaborate on scenes in order to experience contents and attitudes within a drama situation. A product (a final performance that is) is not intended.
Product drama: A product is what drama groups or societies at schools are working towards: a final performance of the drama project. Classroom theatre is a simplified version because the expectations are getting familiarized with the script and reading a scene or scenes of the play sit out dramatically.
Story drama: In this approach learners respond to themes and motifs present in or emerging from a story. They do not enact the story itself. They rather work on and develop a conflict based on the story.
Read more about Drama-‐based foreign language learning in the doctoral thesis of Helga Tschurtschenthaler: http://books.google.de/books?id=Jc2jAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA260&dq=drama+in+elt&hl=en&sa=X&ei=4PeaU7jLMYa1O4KwgagB&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAzgK#v=onepage&q=drama%20in%20elt&f=false
Didactic drama settings
Didactic drama settings are formats for employing particular drama techniques. The ability to use the foreign language freely without being afraid of errors is a prerequisite for enjoying interaction within these rather sophisticated didactic drama settings. Here are some:
Hot seating: If you are in the hot seat, you are questioned by the group about the character you are playing.
Thought tracking: During a freeze frame or still image a character speaks out loud about his/her inner thoughts
Narrating: During a play an actor or a character (you?) comments on the action taking place.
Read more about drama settings an explorative strategies at Bitesize http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/drama/exploring/
9
Resources
More strategies and some lesson plans can be found at Drama Resources http://dramaresource.com/strategies
Paul Davies, a ELT-‐author, on The Use ofDrama in English Language: Teachinghttp://www.teslcanadajournal.ca/index.php/tesl/article/viewFile/581/412
Helpful reference
Eisenmann, M./Lütge, Ch. (Hrsg.): Shakespeare in the EFL Classroom: http://www.winter-‐verlag.de/en/detail/978-‐3-‐8253-‐6236-‐2/Eisenmann_ea_Eds_Shakespeare_EFL/
Farmer, D.: Drama games and activities: http://www.amazon.de/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?__mk_de_DE=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&url=search-‐alias%3Daps&field-‐keywords=farmer%20drama%20activities
10
Films
Why use films?
Because they: • provide exposures to authentic input, a ‘language bath’ • address multiple senses simultaneously • help work with all the skills • provide multiple decoding aids (e.g. redundancy, pantomime, gesture) • have a beneficial effect on learning English • provide opportunities for cultural learning
And because they:
• bring fun to class • can catch the learners’ interests • can positively affect learners’ motivation to learn
Levels
One of the main goals of using films in the ELT-‐classroom is to improve the learners’ abilities in audio-‐visual reception. It is called that way because learners simultaneously receive an auditory and a visual input. According to the CEF (http://www.coe.int/t/dg4/linguistic/cadre1_en.asp) such activities include TV productions, videos, or a film with subtitles. Following a text as it is read aloud and using new technologies are also labeled audio-‐visual reception.
In classrooms for beginning language learners, talking about films can mean joyful and interesting dialogical-‐activities: http://efl-‐resource.com/wp-‐content/uploads/talkaboutfilms_and_movies.pdf
More intermediate learners would get involved in basic discussions about films, without being asked to use technical terms already: http://www.esldiscussions.com/m/movies.pdf
For advanced learners Wolfgang Liebelt (http://www.nibis.de/nli1/bibl/pdf/tfm06.pdf) suggests watching a film, exchanging opinions and discussing attitudes with students after the reception in the language of the film itself. This specific language would include technical terms such as camera angles and camera movement, the casting or the sound track.
Read more about the Language of Film: http://scotlandonscreen.org.uk/movingimageeducation/CameraPlacement.php
Approaches
A traditional approach to films is the analysis of its narrative structures and elements. This would normally lead to the discussion of the characters, the plot, the storyline, the setting etc.
http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/phillips-‐film/default.asp?s=&n=&i=&v=&o=&ns=0&uid=0&rau=0
11
As films can also mean big business, at least in advanced classrooms, the students could also concentrate on the commercial aspects of films. They would critically approach the coverage of films in newspapers and magazines. Students would read and write reviews, and analyze a film’s influence on culture and/or media itself. All these approaches do contribute to the development of media literacy.
Read more about teaching media literacy aspects in the following articles from the New York Times: http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/teaching-‐topics/film-‐in-‐the-‐classroom/
Read more about Media Studies Support Materials: http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/Images/8464medi2_tcm4-‐123801.pdf
A useful teaching unit:
http://www.cornelsen.de/webunits/englisch/engl11/film/index.html#start
Some useful work sheets
• writing a review (middle school): http://www.kingms.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=19344&type=u&pREC_ID=34325
• analyzing a film: http://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/worksheets/motion_picture_analysis_worksheet.pdf
Some interesting lesson plans on movies: http://www.teachwithmovies.org/index.html
Make your own movie: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-‐us/windows-‐live/movie-‐maker#t1=overview
A helpful reference:
Engelbert Thaler: Teaching English with Films http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/3825239462/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=A3JWKAKR8XB7XF&pf_rd_s=center-‐2&pf_rd_r=03S3PQQ8C3ZPCH3YB6ZH&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=455353807&pf_rd_i=301128
12
Movement and dance Ministries of education all over Europe have fostered teaching concepts that engage students in physical learning. This is true not only for physical education only. Any subject allows teachers to promote physical activities that make the learners leave their chairs and move around.
In English classrooms it is easy to establish a learning atmosphere in which movements are promoted. Beside various cooperative formats (double circle, fish bowl etc.), the method known as Total Physical Response (TPR) supports movement. In fact it is very much based upon the assumption that learners acquire a language mainly by responding physically to commands by their teachers. Typical TPR activities include instructions such as ‘walk to the window’, "open the blackboard", "stand up" or "give Dilek your dictionary".
READ MORE: http://www.onestopenglish.com/support/methodology/teaching-‐approaches/teaching-‐approaches-‐total-‐physical-‐response/146503.article
In the primary classrooms learners sing a lot and actions songs, where the lyrics contain many words that can be acted out, are extremely popular. This is one of the most famous actions song in German primary English classrooms: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkK-‐_OBe-‐0A
As Lusi Nurhayati writes in “Using Action Songs to Promote Fun English Learning at Elementary School ” action songs can “increase attention span” and “ develop listening skills.”
Read more: http://staff.uny.ac.id/sites/default/files/penelitian/Lusi%20Nurhayati,%20S.Pd.,%20M.Appl.Ling%20(TESOL)/Using%20Action%20Songs%20to%20Promote%20Fun%20English%20Learning%20at%20Elementary%20School.pdf
Action stories
Some more sophisticated TPR-‐tasks would require learners to act out little stories or a line of related actions. Here is an example from ESL café:
1) You're walking in the rain (pantomime walking with an umbrella) 2) Stop. There's a big puddle. Step over it. 3) Oh! It stopped raining. Close your umbrella. 4) There's some mud. 5) Slip in the mud. (exaggerate it) 6) Fall down. (humiliate yourself. They'll love it.) 7) Get up and look at yourself. You're all muddy. 8) Go back to the puddle. 9) Step in it. 10) Jump up and down.
Read more: http://www.eslcafe.com/idea/index.cgi?display:913702275-‐1928.txt
13
Dancing classrooms
Dancing is mostly done in physical education. In this context some educational projects promote what they call “dancing classrooms”. Here is a list of major objectives:
• Increase student awareness of other cultures • Increase student social skills • Increase student self esteem • Increase student perception of school • Increase student physical exercise levels • Decrease student behavior management difficulties
Read more: http://www.dancingclassroomsnorthtexas.com/
Physical theatre in the classroom
In dancing classrooms cultural learning is promoted as standard dances (Waltz, Tango etc.) are taught and practiced. Physical theatre is more concerned with creation. Learners are supposed to physically create characters, situations, emotions, stories, feelings etc. using their imagination or a choreography that is negotiated to them.
Read more:
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_some_physical_theatre_techniques?#slide=1Tanztheater
Tanztheater
“Tanztheater”, according to the artist Olaf Nollmeyer, who writes on our website, “is interested in the stories our bodies tell“. Artists use their bodies to create a setting. In addition they use speech and music. The German artist Pina Pausch developed this genre in the 1980s in Wuppertal.
Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2009/jul/01/pina-‐bausch-‐obituary-‐dance
Watch the Guardian step-‐by-‐step guide to Tanztheater: http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2010/mar/29/dance-‐pina-‐bausch-‐tanztheater-‐wuppertal
The documentary Rhythim is it (http://www.rhythmisit.com/en/php/index_flash.php) is an impressive account which proves that everyone can do dance theatre. Provided that excellent teachers support them. Rhythm is it had two very famous and extremely talented ones. Conductor Sir Simon Rattle (http://www.theguardian.com/music/simon-‐rattle) and choreographer Royston Maldoom (http://www.royston-‐maldoom.net/start/intro?id_language=2) worked with 250 school children to stage their performance of Igor Stravinsky's ballet The Rite of Spring.
Watch the trailer of Rhythm Is It: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOUl7-‐gu4Eo
14
Resources
The Royal Conservatory of Canada offers a lot of extremely helpful lesson plans for introducing and doing dance starters in the classroom: http://learning.rcmusic.ca/learning-‐through-‐arts/lesson-‐plans
The New Zealand Ministry of Education lists brilliant dance activities that can be easily integrated into any language curricula: http://artsonline.tki.org.nz/Dance
A helpful reference
Martin Lewis, John Rainer: Teaching Classroom Drama and Theatre: Practical Projects for Secondary Schools.
http://books.google.de/books?id=-‐i5jBt985GkC&pg=PA45&dq=physical+theatre+techniques&hl=en&sa=X&ei=8B9-‐U_7mE8ap4gSazIHQAw&ved=0CEQQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=physical%20theatre%20techniques&f=false
15
Music Music greatly affects and enhances learning, as Chris Boyd Brewer writes:
Music helps us learn because it will:
• establish a positive learning state • create a desired atmosphere • build a sense of anticipation • energize learning activities • change brain wave states • focus concentration • increase attention • improve memory • facilitate a multisensory learning experience • release tension • enhance imagination • align groups • develop rapport • provide inspiration and motivation • add an element of fun • accentuate theme-‐oriented units
Read more about it in Music and Learning: Integrating Music in the Classroom by Chris Boyd Brewer:
http://education.jhu.edu/PD/newhorizons/strategies/topics/Arts%20in%20Education/brewer.htm
Read more about research on literacy through music. The results are interesting for ELT-‐teachers as well: http://www.imerc.org/papers/nlo/nlo_final_report_lite.pdf
Music and language learning
Suggestopedia is the only method of language teaching that strongly relies on music. In his article Teaching approaches: what is suggestopedia? Tim Bowen briefly introduces the main assumptions of Suggestopedia:
http://www.onestopenglish.com/support/methodology/teaching-‐approaches/teaching-‐approaches-‐what-‐is-‐suggestopedia/146499.article
Read more about using suggestopedia in EFL-‐reading http://www.academia.edu/3694819/suggestopedia_a_case_report
Resources
These online resources about ESL through music were compiled by the Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers:
http://www.caslt.org/resources/english-‐sl/classroom-‐resource-‐links-‐music_en.php
16
The EU funded project PupuLLar (http://popullar.eu/) aims to harness music, the primary social interest of secondary school students, in to their language learning.
The project asks students to write their own lyrics to songs of their choice. They are then to translate their songs in to the target language they are learning, The students will then record their song (audio or video) and share it with students all over Europe.
Students can combine their love of music, with creativity, literacy, digital competencies, group collaboration and, most importantly, use LWULT languages.
A helpful reference:
Music and song by Tim Murphey is a resource book with plenty of helpful ELT-‐classroom ideas:
http://www.amazon.de/MUSIC-‐SONG-‐Resource-‐Books-‐Teach/dp/0194370550/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1400598358&sr=8-‐1&keywords=tim+murphy+music+and+song
Find lesson plan:
Here is a lesson plan making music a topic of conversation in the ELT-‐classroom: http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/conversation-‐lesson-‐music
17
Sequential art
All visual narratives are representations of sequential art. They combine visual elements (picture, drawing, motion, color etc.) with literary techniques (plot, character, setting etc.)
A visual narrative is a story that is told with integrated pictures and words, most of them in bubbles. This kind of storytelling can also be called sequential art. Will Eisner coined the term in the 1980s to describe comics. He defines sequential art as “a means of creative expression that deals with arrangements of pictures or images and words to narrate a story or dramatize an idea”.
Read more about Will Eisner and his Theory of Comics and Visual Art. http://www.floobynooby.com/pdfs/Will_Eisner-‐Theory_of_Comics_and_Sequential_Art.pdf
Why should we read sequential art in the ELT-‐classroom?
Sequential art:
• is content-‐based rather than pattern-‐based • tells stories in a way learners are open for and interested in • has the potential to motivate learning • provides a meaningful context for language learning • helps learners review words, chunks, phrases and speech acts in a meaningful context • increases the learners’ confidence in reading • supports promoting the learners’ visual literacy • supports top-‐down processing
Types of sequential art that are mainly used in the ELT-‐classroom comprise picture books, comics, graphic novels and digital storytelling.
Picture books
They:
• are written for children • tell a story for children through a series of pictures with text in or below them • provide a story that can be read aloud while showing the pictures • use pictures and text for telling the story.
Comics
• are juxtaposed pictorial and other images in deliberate sequence • tell stories that continue from issue to issue • are generally published monthly • are thin – similar to magazines • focus on a wide range of story lines
(Thompson 2008: 9)
18
Material on comics:
Exhibition: Here is a “ wonderfully vulgar” online exhibition of our university. It presents a selection of British comics from the 1870s to the 1930s.
http://www.wonderfullyvulgar.de/
Resources
If you are looking for more information on comics or an interesting selection of articles, go to http://teachingcomics.org/ The site also has worksheets, lesson plans and handouts.
More tips, tools and resources for teachers
http://www.teachingdegree.org/2009/07/05/comics-‐in-‐the-‐classroom-‐100-‐tips-‐tools-‐and-‐resources-‐for-‐teachers/
More resources for using comics in the classroom by Kerry Eustice, a Guardian professional:
http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-‐network/2012/aug/26/teaching-‐with-‐comic-‐books
Teaching
Here is a lesson plan Lesson plan for using Comic Books to Teach Onomatopoeia
http://www.readwritethink.org/classroom-‐resources/lesson-‐plans/buzz-‐whiz-‐bang-‐using-‐867.html?tab=3#tabs
Activity: Do your own comic strip trying this site. It provides a simple interface for creating comic strips online.
http://www.makebeliefscomix.com/
Activity: Make your own comics. Here is a step-‐by-‐step guide and range of layouts. http://www.scholastic.com/charlottesweb/
Activity: This online tutorial explains how to use the Pages application to turn your own photography into comic books.
http://www.maclife.com/article/howtos/how_turn_your_photos_comics_pages
Activity: Another way to make comics is pixton.com http://www.pixton.com/
Graphic novels
• are sequential art in book form
19
• are juxtaposed pictorial and other images in deliberate sequence • tend to have full length story lines • tell stories that start and end within the same text • cover a wide range of topics an themes
(Thompson 2008:9)
Why we should read graphic novels?
Answers: A journalist gives answers. She explains how she learned to love graphic novels and reveals some of her personal favorites:
http://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2010/jun/13/graphic-‐novels-‐rachel-‐cooke
Answers: The educationalist Paul Templer discusses graphic novels in the ESL Classroom and finds answers.
http://www.hltmag.co.uk/jun09/mart03.htm
Resources: A good source for comics and graphic novels. The content is organized by genre, style and format:
http://www.webcomicsnation.com/
Resources: You can do a graphic novel is a teacher’s guide with many ideas for the classroom. http://www.penguin.com/static/pdf/teachersguides/you_can_do_a_graphic_novel_TG.pdf
Recourses: If you need even more answers why you should use graphic novels in the classroom try this site:
http://us.macmillan.com/uploadedFiles/FirstSecond/Menu_Items/On_Graphic_Novels_-‐-‐_Bookstores.pdf
For learners who prefer reading comics online, here is a site with webcomics:
http://www.reddit.com/r/webcomics
Digital storytelling
Digital storytelling has been practiced since the early 1990s. It is the practice of using computer-‐based tools to tell stories. These include graphics, audio, video, and Web publishing. Most digital stories focus on a specific topic and contain a particular point of view. In addition they contain some mixture of computer-‐based images, text, recorded audio narration, video clips, and/or music.
Read more about digital storytelling, find sample stories and education material at the Educational Uses of Digital Storytelling website of the University of Houston, Texas.
http://digitalstorytelling.coe.uh.edu/index.cfm
20
A helpful reference:
Thompson, T.: Adventures in Graphica: Using Comics and Graphic Novels to Teach Comprehension, 2-‐6
http://books.google.de/books?id=8vvENkF_MQUC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false
21
Songs There are a lot of good reasons for using songs in the ELT classroom. Here are some of them:
Songs can:
• motivate students through song-‐based activities, which they perceive to be fun • help practice any of the main language skills • calm or energize class atmosphere • make students retain more vocabulary • engage both sides of the brain • help improve prediction and comprehension skills • help language learners practice pronunciation • guide learners to speak in a native cadence • help students learn to segment new words more effectively
Find more reasons at tefltunes: http://www.tefltunes.com/whyusesongs.aspx
Read more about why using English songs is an enjoyable and effective approach to ELT http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/elt/article/viewFile/341/305
What songs should we use in the classroom?
Beginner learners could do chants in order to learn stress and intonation. Caroline Graham developed Jazz Chants. In this clip she’s doing some chants with ELT-‐learners:
http://community.eflclassroom.com/video/teaching-‐jazz-‐chants
Caroline Graham wrote books about jazz chants also including a long list of inspiring examples:
http://yanko.lib.ru/books/lit/engl/jazz-‐chants.htm
Karaoke games
Activity: Singing along with the help of karaoke devices goes like that: http://community.eflclassroom.com/video/directions-‐1
Activity: Try the BBC samples of karaoke games for young children:
https://elt.oup.com/student/playtime/songs/?cc=de&selLanguage=de
Activity: Last but not least, the karaoke version for EL-‐fans of popular music:
http://englishwithmusic.blogspot.de/
22
Resources
Looking for lyrics? A-‐z lyrics is most helpful.
http://www.azlyrics.com/
A table of songs listed by grammar:
http://www.tefltunes.com/grammarsongs.aspx
23
The visual arts
The visual arts are art works for visual perception, such as images. Images are representations of people or objects. They can be pictures, drawings, photographs, cartoons, paintings, sculptures. Diagrams or tables can also be called images. They are not necessarily works of visual arts, though.
Using images in the ELT-‐classrooms has been popular for more than 150 years. At the beginning pictures were mainly used to explain the meaning of vocabulary in a visual way. Nowadays images fulfill a lot of functions, as John Corbett in his book An Intercultural approach to English language learning suggests (2010:143f): http://books.google.de/books?id=yU6a4xuZ960C&pg=PA140&lpg=PA140&dq=using+pictures+in+elt+classroom&source=bl&ots=bxR1HGOKwy&sig=UHYKthYB0JruyzIkMahX1j5YafY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=IxGYU9yvCcKyPJ7tgLAN&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=using%20pictures%20in%20elt%20classroom&f=false
Images • can be used at all levels of language learning • can bring objects into the classroom which would otherwise be restricted to the outside • can bring vocabulary to life • can act as input in information-‐transfer activities • can be used as prompts for language production • make textbooks look attractive • contextualize the language use in any given lesson • can make linguistic concepts easier to grasp (e.g. tenses represented on a time line) • can be used as cues for speech • can be used as data for the exploration of social issues in then home and target culture
Working with images
The artwork can be used to introduce, consolidate or expand vocabulary and speech acts. Expected learning outcomes can include a) naming an object or a group of objects, b) developing a list of appropriate adjectives to describe the objects, c) conveying activity words (verbs), d) establishing relationships of objects through functional words (preposition etc.).
Read more about how students can get into a learning experience using visual arts, by Doris Vazquez: http://www.yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1981/4/81.04.12.x.html
Paintings, photos, pictures or illustrations are some of the possible sources of information, which can be used as materials for teaching about culture.
Apart from their functions as visualizations of cultural content and lexical meaning images are also useful for contextualizing and thus initiating multiple speech events at any level. Net-‐based activities help learners connect image to its meaning, strengthen this link and promote experimenting with vocabulary.
24
Working with images online
Activity 1: Montage Maker. Students type in a word and it will pull up photos in a montage (40 of them). Great for explaining a word or guessing a term represented by the photos. http://grant.robinson.name/montage-‐maker/
Activity 2: 5 Card Flickr. Students choose a set of images from random offerings and tell a story http://5card.cogdogblog.com//index.php
Activity 3: Wordle. Students type in text transforming it into attractive images http://www.wordle.net/create
Read more about ways to use images in class: http://community.eflclassroom.com/profiles/blogs/50-‐ways-‐to-‐use-‐images-‐in-‐class
Find online sources for images here: http://larryferlazzo.edublogs.org/2008/10/11/the-‐best-‐online-‐sources-‐for-‐images/
A helpful recourse
Grundy, P./Bociek, H./Perker, K.: English through Art. 100 Activities to Develop Language Skills. London 2011. http://www.amazon.co.uk/English-‐Through-‐Art-‐Resourceful-‐Teacher/dp/3852722888/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1402924720&sr=8-‐2&keywords=English+through+Art.
