teaching foreign languages through the arts

Teaching Foreign Languages Teaching Foreign Languages through the Artsthrough the Arts

Karima BenremougaSan Jacinto College Central

Karima.benremouga@sjcd.edu

• How do you reach 2nd language learners?

• What are some examples?

• Have them perform.• Sing it, act it out.• Model.• Act out concepts using full body

movement.• Use technology.• Use realia.• Use hands-on activities.• Do not be afraid of repetition.• Encourage co-operative learning.• Encourage participation and make

it safe to make mistakes.• Be uninhibited.• Be flexible.

IntroductionIntroduction…

• What are the arts?

• Why the arts?

““Respect for who we are, where Respect for who we are, where we’ve come from, and where we are we’ve come from, and where we are going is the core of creating a going is the core of creating a classroom that is conducive to classroom that is conducive to learning and being human.”learning and being human.”

Merryl GoldbergMerryl Goldberg

Teachers should learn how to…Teachers should learn how to…

engage students mentallymentally and physicallyphysically in the learning process;

provide students opportunitiesopportunities to explore, investigate, and discover;

create new waysnew ways for students to present their ideas

be less inhibitedless inhibited in the classroom

create new ways tonew ways to assessassess students’ knowledge

Teachers …

• see students in new ways

• reach more students

• are involved in some risk taking

Students…

• get excited about learning

• are exposed to the arts

• are motivated and involved in learning

• are involved in some risk taking

kindergarten

creative thinking

85%

10%2nd grade

Ginsburg & Opper, 1988

• To promote genuine understanding, the teacher should therefore encourage the child’s activity. When the teacher attempts to bypass this process in various ways—for example by lecturing at a class of young children—the result is often superficial learning. Perhaps this is one reason why so much of what is taught in schools is immediately forgotten after the school year ends. By contrast, genuinely active learning can lead to a more solid and long-lasting understanding.

movement

• Clap=1

• Stomp=10

• Spin=100

• Military March

• Hand game

Songs in the FL classroom…

• develop listening and reading skills-enjoyably!

• teach natural pronunciation in a efficient manner.

• generate enthusiasm for learning in the classroom.

• provide ready-made class activities, review exercises, and homework assignments.

• easily embed new vocabulary and grammatical structures in the conscious and unconscious memory.

Singing

• words

• phrases

• concept

• repetition

Jazz chants

developed by Carolyn Graham

Provide language learners with a rhythmic means for improving speaking and listening skills.

“Brother John” tune

• Aline pense à Paul, Aline pense à Paul

• Elle pense à lui, elle pense à lui

• Paul pense à Aline, Paul pense à Aline

• Il pense à elle, il pense à elle

Verb with preposition à: penser àDisjunctive pronouns: lui, elle

Your turn…

• Spanish?• German?• Italian?• Japanese?• Chinese?• Arabic?

• tune?

• words?

• objective?

• Jacquot dit…

• La sala de clase

poetry… Word Cinquain

• 1st line: a word or two to name the topic• 2nd line: two words or three that

describe the topic• 3rd line: three or four words that

express action• 4th line: four or five words that express

personal attitude• 5th line: a word or two to rename the

topic

poetry… Word Cinquain

A cat

Full of mischief

Charges, dances, pounces

Brightens my longest days

A wonder

poetry…Tanka

• 1st line: 5syllables

• 2nd line: 7 syllables

• 3rd line: 5 syllables

• 4th line: 7 syllables

• 5th line: 7 syllables

poetry…Tanka

Drifting in the sky

Clouds come and go in patterns

I look to the sun

The darkness hovers around

Slowly rain begins to fall

poetry…Haiku

• 1st line: 5 syllables

• 2nd line: 7 syllables

• 3rd line: 5 syllables

poetry…Haiku

Flowers wave to me

As I pass them in the field

Gentle, swirling wind

Events in students’ lives provide some of the impetus for writing and sharing poetry.

greeting cards, graduation, birthdays, holidays

draw pictures, then write poems…

• Images en folie

(Mad Libs)

History quilt…

Extraterrestrials

role play

Different intelligences

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