Drama Class - 1st lesson

Introduction to Drama Class (5-7 min) Tell SS about Drama and what we're here to learn Learning objectives: to better learners' pronunciation and enunciation of the English language to develop movement and physical awareness to develop learners' creativity to enhance group cooperation and trust to understand and give symbolism in context to perform in front of an audience (end of term/year) to have fun! Getting to know each other Catch my name (10min) The group stands in a circle and begins by throwing a beanbag or bouncing a medium-sized ball, such as a children's football, across the circle from one person to another. Make sure people are ready to throw and ready to catch. Eye contact is important. Now, introduce yourself as you throw or bounce the ball across the circle - 'Hi, I'm Robert'. Once everybody has had a go at that, continue the game but this time say the name of the person that you are throwing to - 'Jessica to Kelvin'. The group should ensure that everybody receives the ball. One way of doing this is for everybody to hold one hand up until they have caught the ball, or each person folds their arms when they have thrown it. As a variation, the catcher can call out the name of the thrower Ask everybody to call out the name of the thrower More balls can be added in so that it develops into a Group Juggle. Don't make name games into an actual test - people are less likely to learn names if they feel pressurised. Keep it light and enjoyable A useful adaptation for language learners - use word categories so that each person throwing the ball must say a word in the named category. Two truths, one lie (1st part: 10min T monitoring; 2nd part: 10-15 min) Tell your partner three things about yourself - two of which are true and one of which is a lie. For example, you might tell your partner about your hobbies, your work, where you live, your family or where you have travelled. Afterwards, your partner tries to guess which was the lie. You might choose to tell three everyday facts or three more unusual things - but remember - only one of them should be a lie. Make sure each person listens carefully to what their partner says! Now introduce your partner to the rest of the group and see if they can guess which was the lie. Alternatively, tell your partner three true things about yourself and then swap over. Now the whole group makes a circle. Each partner introduces their friend to the group - they tell the group two of the true things and make up one lie about their partner.

Physical warm-up TPR (5min) T gives SS orders, SS take directions. E.g Stand up, Sit down, Stand on one leg, put you right arm on your right hip, hop, scratch your head, pat your head, rub you tummy (belly), put you finger on you nose, nod, shake your head, shake your hands, touch your toes with your legs straight... Traffic Lights (5-7 min) GREEN walk/run around the space. AMBER Stand on one leg. RED Stop still or lie down on the ground. The teacher/leader calls out the colours in any order trying to catch people out. The winner is the last person in. TPR to Music (10 min) SS start by making a ball on the floor, then when the music starts they move in a way that the music suggests. This can be done with interactions between SS, but without physical contact of the other. Concentration count to twenty (5-10min) SS sit or stand in a circle. The idea is for the group to count to twenty, one person saying one number at a time. Anybody can start the count. Then a different person says the next number - but if two or more people happen to speak at the same time, counting must start again from the beginning. It is possible to get to twenty if everybody really concentrates - but try and be relaxed as well. Obvious observing (10 min) Divide group into pairs and have them sit or stand facing each other. Then ask them to observe their partner focusing on details, clothing, jewelry and appearance, etc. After a few minutes observing they both turn their backs to each other and make three changes in personal appearance (change hair, move a ring to a different finger, unbutton a sleeve etc.) Partners then turn and face each other again trying to identify the changes. Repeat this process with different partners and different numbers of changes with more or less. Group Dynamics Blind Trust (5 min) SS in threes. One is blindfolded and has to let themselves fall backwards and trust the other to catch him/her, the other two hold their arms out so as to catch the blindfolded S as they fall. Mirrors (15 min) Divide group into pairs. Partners face one another about a meter apart. Learner A initiates movement, and Student B mirrors As actions. Stress co-operation, but make moves complex and fast enough to challenge your partner. Improvisation Antique experts (10 min)

SS sit in a circle. T takes any small, easily handled object in the room e.g. a pen, notebook, informing the participants that it is an extremely rare artefact, and that they must explain what it is, as antiques experts. They take it in turns to handle the object as it goes around the circle, offering a creative explanation for its design and function. time limit: 40-60 seconds per S as this makes their explanations more succinct. Mime and Movement HA! (5-10min) Learners spread out around room, standing with arms out, elbows bent, hands up. One random person at any point must shout HA! clap once and jump at the same time. The group must respond by jumping around to face that person, clapping and saying HA. Another random person does this, group jump to face them. Good focus game, important there is no talking during game. Reading remainder of class time T hands out copies of simple dialogues to practise entonation and pronunciation.