Teaching languages has changed since the pandemic started. On the one hand, students travel abroad way less than they used to do in the past. On the other hand, opportunities to get in touch with teachers and students all around the world have increased. We teach much more online, whilst in-person training has become some sort of special event. Also, students are more demanding in terms of quality and type of learning experiences they want to take part in, as well as of expectations toward the methods and the entertainment side of the training. This article is about how teaching language through drama and ludactics can help to offer breakthrough learning experiences that keep your students entertained as well as focussed on the results.
Proposing a fresh training offer is key if we want to survive and keep our mission about language teaching alive. In my view, implementing drama and ludactics (aka teaching through games) is the most effective solution to this challenge.
Implementing drama and games in our language courses is the biggest opportunity I see amid such uncertain times. teaching language through drama and games:
- It is engaging for everyone (yourself included!)
- It offers the chance to have a full-immersion experience in the target language
- It offers something students can’t usually find in most of language courses
- It is strongly oriented to results (if well designed!)
Here is the 3 reasons why I invite you to look at teaching language through drama as the solution you really ought to implement as soon as possible: it is a flexible approach, suitable for any educational settings and aiming at specific goals.
The 3 key features answer the question:
In what language programmes could you implement teaching language through drama
and for whom could it suitable?
Let’s have a closer look at those 3 key features.
1) A flexible approach
This approach offers a variety of possibilities when it comes to formats, schedule and delivery method. When you plan a language class or a course programme based on drama, you can choose to create:
- Online training rather than an in-person training programmes ☟
- ☛ The approach works brilliantly in both cases
- Short or long workshops, one off lessons, intensive courses, on-a-regular-basis classes, local and in-person classes ☟
- ☛ You can really unleash your creativity and think about what else you could propose to your students, in addition to your usual training offer
- Programmes for any type of targeted students, regardless of their age, skills level and expected results ☟
- ☛ You can adapt the method to any needs and requirements. It doesn’t work only with children: it is actually perfect for working in companies, for offering experiential training to adults and teens.
2) Suitable for any educational settings
The approach is suitable to any type of educational setting: teaching in schools and nurseries, in your own training courses (if you are a language business owner or a freelancer, for instance, and you organise your own courses), in companies, etc.
3) Aiming at specific goals
You can implement the approach for aiming at specific goals or for working on specific topics. For instance: a workshop specifically designed for practising phonics, a series of classes for exploring a topic related to the culture of the target language – for this, a particular drama method called Process Drama, for instance, is really helpful.
In conclusion, if you become able to outline and plan good language by drama teaching programmes, you can finally offer to your students a variety of training experiences they wouldn’t otherwise find elsewhere. This means your training offer becomes unique.
Final tip
If you don’t feel sure about what to start with, choose a training format you know it will be for you easy to deliver. Leave apart for now long-term, articulated programmes (e.g.: programmes lasting the whole academic year). Instead, go for a one off class or a short workshop which you will be designing by embodying some drama. This simple tip will make your first attempt doable and stress-free.
Wrapping up
The pandemic reshuffled many of the pillars at the basis of our teaching practice, as well as many of our consolidated habits in teaching languages. I truly believe it is time for us, language teachers, to face this challenge, get on with it and actually make the most out of it.
My invitation is to allow yourself to shine as a language teacher, to unleash your creativity and potential, to push the boundaries of what you used to do for creating a training offer well rooted in solid teaching foundations and that looks at innovation at the same time.
Teaching languages through drama is the thing your students have been waiting for you to implement.
Want to learn more about how to become a pro in teaching languages by drama? Have a look at this:
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