Acting Out in the Young Learners Classroom

Theo NavarroCUP Methodologist

AstanaKazakhstan

How do we use Acting activities in our classes?•Use props. Using things made in crafts activities

is GREAT! You could also use things that you bring from home, or tell the students to bring things from home. Props help the students “Disappear” into the story they are acting out.

•Act out stories or songs that you have ALREADY done together in class. The children will feel more comfortable performing a story that they know, and if they know the meanings of all the words.

•Give the students enough time to prepare for the activity. They will feel much more comfortable acting if they know exactly what they have to say and do.

•Split the students into groups. Do this for both the preparation (e.g. every child playing Kate the cat practices together) and for the acting itself (the characters come together and the students act at the same time).

•Avoiding FORCING the children to act in front of the whole class. Some children might feel too nervous to do this. This is why we split them into groups. You CAN, however, ask for volunteers to act for the class AFTER the group activities.

•LIMIT the time for acting activities. Just like with craft activities, it’s best to NOT devote a whole lesson to acting. Acting is a tool, not a whole lesson.

•Acting only benefits the people who are doing it. Don’t spend too long making students just sit and watch. They will get bored. Make sure EVERY student has an opportunity to act, even if they are only comfortable sitting down and reading the words.

•Do not push the shy students too much. Some students need a bit more time to get comfortable with acting. If a student needs to sit and watch the first time you use an acting activity, that is okay! They’ll soon want to join in and have fun with the rest of their friends!

Thank you for your time

Theo NavarroCUP Methodologist

AstanaKazakhstan