Process Drama and Additional Language Teaching: Reflections on the Dante Alighieri Immersion Weekends

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Author(s)
Piazzoli, Erika
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2010
Metadata
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This article considers process drama as a medium for teaching additional languages (AL). The Immersion Weekend is an intensive workshop of Italian organised by the Dante Alighieri Society. Traditionally, it featured a themed workshop where students created and performed theatre sketches. In 2008 and in 2009, I was asked to redesign the format of this event, using process drama to train the ten teaching staff and facilitate the workshop with 50 students. In this article, I reflect on the experience of training, designing and facilitating the dramas. I analyse the strengths and weaknesses of each workshop and reflect on ...
View more >This article considers process drama as a medium for teaching additional languages (AL). The Immersion Weekend is an intensive workshop of Italian organised by the Dante Alighieri Society. Traditionally, it featured a themed workshop where students created and performed theatre sketches. In 2008 and in 2009, I was asked to redesign the format of this event, using process drama to train the ten teaching staff and facilitate the workshop with 50 students. In this article, I reflect on the experience of training, designing and facilitating the dramas. I analyse the strengths and weaknesses of each workshop and reflect on three key features of AL process drama: the importance of an educational focus with intercultural potential, the value of a visual pre-text and process vs product-oriented language. In describing these issues, I reflect on the needs of AL teachers new to process drama, in terms of teacher training and support. My reflections point to the importance of the artistry of drama teaching in order to embrace the medium.
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View more >This article considers process drama as a medium for teaching additional languages (AL). The Immersion Weekend is an intensive workshop of Italian organised by the Dante Alighieri Society. Traditionally, it featured a themed workshop where students created and performed theatre sketches. In 2008 and in 2009, I was asked to redesign the format of this event, using process drama to train the ten teaching staff and facilitate the workshop with 50 students. In this article, I reflect on the experience of training, designing and facilitating the dramas. I analyse the strengths and weaknesses of each workshop and reflect on three key features of AL process drama: the importance of an educational focus with intercultural potential, the value of a visual pre-text and process vs product-oriented language. In describing these issues, I reflect on the needs of AL teachers new to process drama, in terms of teacher training and support. My reflections point to the importance of the artistry of drama teaching in order to embrace the medium.
View less >
Journal Title
Applied Theatre Researcher / IDEA
Volume
2010
Issue
11
Copyright Statement
© 2010 Applied Theatre Researcher/IDEA Journal. The attached file is reproduced here in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. Please refer to the journal's website for access to the definitive, published version.
Subject
Curriculum and Pedagogy not elsewhere classified
Specialist Studies in Education
Performing Arts and Creative Writing
Cultural Studies