empowering the english learner through creativity

LITERACY COUNCIL of NORTHERN VIRGINIA

MONICA MULHOLLANDNovember 19th, 2013

Empowering the English Learner through Creativity

Warm up

OVERVIEW

• CREATIVITY: DEFINITION

• RATIONALE: THE THEORY OF MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES & DRAMA TECHNIQUES

• EXAMPLES FROM THE CLASSROOM

• EXPERIENTIAL PARTICIPATION

• Q & A

WHAT IS …?

Creativity

1. The ability to create: to cause to come into being something unique that would not naturally evolve or that is not made by ordinary processes.

2. The ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, or imagination.

THE THEORY OF MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES

THE THEORY OF MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES

• Verbal-linguistic

• Logical-mathematical

• Visual

• Inter-personal

• Intra-personal

• Musical

• Kinesthetic

• Naturalistic

• Existential-philosophical

Through story-telling, poems, songs, drawing &

painting, role-play & TPR activities, for example.

Any class activity where the focus is MEANING, FEELINGS, THOUGHTS, AND

, WHY NOT, FUN?

HOW?

DRAMA TECHNIQUES

• Provide meaning and relevance

• Link to the emotions: both sides of the brain are at work

• Build on prior knowledge

• Provide a safe and nurturing environment

• Are challenging but should not be threatening

• Exemplify active learning and interaction

• Provide room for choice

Alan Maley and Alan Duff: Drama Techniques in Language Learning: A Resource Book

Drama activities develop second language learning skills by constructing situations that require the student to concentrate on the meaning and emotional content of language rather than on its structure. In an attempt to involve the whole personality of the learner in the acquisition of language, a drama approach stresses the importance of:

* setting or physical environment

* the role that the learner is to assume

* consideration of the mood, attitude, feelings, and other unspoken assumptions that are part of real conversation.

Language learning through drama concentrates on developing natural language by:

* interpreting listening and breathing exercises;other sensory experiences

* descriptions of objects, clothing, or unusualobjects;

* playing with letters, verbs, or split sentences;picture sets;

* mime

SUMMING UP

• TITLE: EMPOWERING THE ENGLISH LEARNER THROUGH CREATIVITY

• WHAT DOES POWER MEAN? The capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events.

• How can we empower our students through the approach we have just analyzed and experimented?

The Power of Listening

Thank you very much!Monica

Monica MulhollandBasic Spanish Program Director and InstructorUpper level InstructorDepartment of Modern and Classical LanguagesGeorge Mason University4400 University Dr.Fairfax, VA 22030Office: Aquia 328Phone: 703-993-1224mmulholl@gmu.eduWebsite: www.monicamulholland.comBlog: www.nuestroblog.info