This second blog entry on the use of drama in the English language classroom focuses on the importance of getting students ready to engage fully in a more substantial and involved piece of drama work such as dramatising a text or devising a scene.

In all of our teaching but especially when doing collaborative, ensemble drama work, we should be aiming to create a safe, non-threatening environment with low anxiety, productive classroom dynamics and enjoyment so that natural, meaningful learning and authentic communication can take place and students remain engaged and intrinsically motivated.

For this reason, it is always worth spending just five or so minutes at the beginning of a drama-based lesson on activities that for the most part are non-verbal designed to get the adrenalin flowing, generate laughter, relax the learners, develop co-operation and improve dynamics and classroom climate. Games and activities that do or don’t necessarily have a competitive nature force us to work closely together as a team because they have rules and guidelines which should be followed if we want them to succeed. They usually require learners to move around and often necessitate touch, which helps to lower inhibitions and any social barriers. They also provide opportunities for students to explore and maximise the space in which they are working.

As teachers, we continuously make choices and decisions about whether an activity is appropriate for a particular group in a particular cultural setting but do not be put off by the playfulness or slightly risky nature of some of the suggested example games below because, in my experience, the vast majority of learners greatly enjoy the opportunity to be able to play regardless of their age and background. However, one crucial question I always ask myself when I am planning a session is: “Would I be prepared to do this if my teacher asked me”? In addition, it is important for the teacher to firstly demonstrate and then take part, too as this would engender the students’ trust in her/him.

Many physical warm-up activities tend to be noisy and energetic so you need a fast and effective way of getting the group’s attention again afterwards. Here are some tried-and-tested non-intrusive techniques you can try. Their greatest advantage is that you don’t have to raise your voice or indeed say anything at all. These should be explained to your learners in the very first drama session:

1. You raise your hand in the air. Soon enough, a student will notice this, stop talking and raise his/her hand. Then another will notice what is going on, stop talking and raise his/her hand, and so on, until everyone is quiet with their hands in the air.
2. At mid-tempo and in 4/4 time, slap both thighs, clap your hands, click your right fingers, click your left fingers continuously until all students have stopped what they are doing and are copying the rhythm you’re slapping and clapping out – everyone should be in unison.
3. Quickly switch the lights on and off twice.

I have selected the following activities as they require minimal space and also minimise the need to reconfigure the classroom layout.

Name learning
1. Stand in a circle. The teacher demonstrates. Say your first name plus an adjective that begins with the same letter as your first name plus a voice that matches your adjective plus a gesture and facial expression that match your adjective. For example, “My name’s Mark and I’m magnificent” (tell them that the adjectives don’t have to necessarily be true!). I say this in a slow, deep, loud voice, one eyebrow raised standing in a Superman, hands on hips pose. Deliberately make it comical and exaggerated so it raises laughs, dispels any nervousness and indicates that silliness is encouraged!

2. Go round the circle one at a time with each person firstly introducing everyone before them, mimicking their voices, facial expressions and gestures as accurately as possible and then introducing him/herself with an appropriate voice, face and gesture. For example, “This is Mark and he’s magnificent. This is Silvia and she’s shy. This is Federico and he’s funny and I’m Bianca and I’m beautiful”! Encourage participants to let go, and emphasise the sillier they are, the better.

3. Everyone should now have a fairly good idea of each other’s names. So, with you starting off as an example, make eye contact with another person in the circle and walk towards them. As you do this, say their name loudly and clearly and take their place. This person then moves out and does exactly the same with someone else. Once the group has got the idea, there should be a flowing movement of one learner crossing the circle taking another’s place and so on. As this is happening, you can walk up to a different person thereby having two people crossing the circle at the same time, then three, then four …!

4. Students now move around the room in all directions making eye contact with individuals, approaching them, shaking their hand and greeting them using the other person’s name. However, they are not allowed to let go of a hand until they have hold of another person’s hand ie. they should always be holding someone else’s hand. They should try to greet everyone else in the group.

Knee Fights
1. Students work in pairs, find a space in the room and stand opposite their partner with legs slightly bent touching their toes. The object of this game is to touch your partner’s knee(s) as many times as possible. You have to stop your partner touching your knees by pushing his/her hand away or putting your hand on the knee s/he has aimed for ie. protecting it. At the same time, you have to try and touch your partner’s knee(s) while s/he tries to prevent you. Stop after about five minutes and check with each pair who the winner was.

2. Next, students put their hands on their knees. If your hands are on your knees, they cannot be touched and vice versa. You forfeit a point if you keep your hands on your knees for more than 3 seconds. On the teacher’s signal, everyone begins trying to touch their partner’s knee(s) and guarding their own making sure they don’t keep their hands on their own knees for more than three seconds at a time. The first to three is the winner.

Hand Games
1. Pair students up by asking them to mingle, compare hands with each other and find another person who shares a physical characteristic with them e.g both are wearing a ring on the same finger, both have a mole on their left hand or even their finger nails are roughly the same length.

2. Facing their partner, they stand with their hands together (as if in prayer) pointing forwards towards their partner. On your signal, they randomly try to slap their opponent’s hands as many times as possible. They avoid being slapped by pulling their hands back or up. After every attempt at slapping their opponent’s hands, they must put their own hands back into the ‘prayer’ position. Finish the game when one student has slapped his/her opponent’s hands ten times.

3. In the same pairs, student A holds his/her hands out facing upwards and student B places his/her hands face down on top of them. As many times as possible and with either hand, student A tries to slap the top of B’s corresponding hand. Student B tries to avoid being slapped by pulling his/her hand in towards the body. After two minutes, swap roles. After a further two minutes, stop the game and check the scores.

4. Again In the same pairs, student A holds his/her hands out about a foot apart. Student B moves one hand in and out vertically between A’s hands as quickly as possible. Student A claps his/her hands together trying to capture B’s hand. After two minutes, swap roles. After a further two minutes, stop the game and check the scores.

It is important that all of these activities are done in a fun, light-hearted way but that students are reminded that drama is the art of self-control so to gain maximum benefit, they should always keep to the guidelines that you set.

The next blog post in this series will deal with how we can develop trust, rapport and mutual respect amongst our students as this is crucial when working together in teams on any kind of collaborative drama-based task.

 

Mark Almond is often invited to speak at international conferences and also deliver short teacher training courses on the use of drama in language teaching.

His book Teaching English With Drama was published by Pavilion Publishing in 2005.