Fifth Graders' Story Dramatizations during Literature Study
Jeffery Siddall1999
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Abstract
Dramatizations as a response activity during literature study provide a vehicle for students to use language, both verbal and nonverbal, in an educational context. A study focused on a group of five students who chose to use story dramatizations as one way to create their interpretations of the book, "The Slave Dancer" (Fox, 1973) . The study, which explored possibilities of how these fifth-grade students, the classroom teacher, and the researcher could co-construct meaning for the novel, combined two research paradigms: action and interpretive research. Data collection was a recursive process; key sources of data were audio-and video-tapes of a small group responding to literature; field notes of classroom observations; a teacher journal and interview; photocopies, videotapes, or student work samples; and interviews of each student who participated in the literature group. The recursive research process was one of revisiting the data, narrowing it down, making interpretations, and describing it. During their reading, journaling, and discussion of the book, the students created two drama projects for "The Slave Dancer." Detailed transcripts of their interaction in the dramatizations show that the students had comprehended the novel and shared that understanding with their classmates. (Contains a list of children's literature and 19 references.) (NKA)
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THE USE OF DRAMATIZATION IN EDUCATION
The teaching CLIL approach seeks to teach two subjects in one -a content subject and a language. In dramatization, students learn, not only a language but also the subject of theatre, history, among others. Dramatization also teaches learners personal development and social skills, and as educational policies do, it also enhances open-3 mindedness and cultural communication, the use of other languages, and thinking skills in the classroom; the ability to apply knowledge and use "know how" to complete tasks and solve problems. That is why, I strongly believe, dramatization can be such a complete teaching method to be applied to the curriculum in education.
Teaching Literary terms through drama to Intermediate level.
This investigation is focused on how to teach literary terms through drama, as it was mention before, drama can help teachers to teach a lot of topics and this case it's not the exception because through it, educators can teach important literary concepts and at the same time develop both areas: theory and practice. On the one hand, it can be thought through dramatic literature and on the other, the show. For teachers represent a challenge to teach students with innovating and creative ideas. Drama is important in order to incorporate different projects into classes, because it can help to improve the participation of the students also can be used to teach a lot of topics and to develop the four skills, such as, listening, speaking, reading and writing. Besides that, students get more confident, give them an opportunity to work with their partners and they can be more creative. 4 5
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