The Radio Show

Our formal school time-table content is insufficient to attain all that is required for an overall development of the student.In my class, I felt the need to focus on improving their public speaking, as an extra-mural activity  involving language. Good habits of oral delivery mastered at school will be of value to my students. In their adult working years they may have to make formal presentations at meetings, seminars and all manner of negotiations.

Activities that provide students with non-threatening opportunities to improve their public speaking skills help develop learner confidence and language skills. What a wonderful gift to give our students!

 I had always been wary of public speaking activities in language classrooms. I wondered about the relevance of oratory for my students' language needs and I doubted whether it would be possible to encourage and motivate the students through such a difficult activity. One thing I was sure about - was that it had to be in a different learning environment and it would work.

Sitting in the audience are not just any students. The students comprise of  peers and their junior batch. This activity was a perfomance of only the top 2 teams and in front of a'learning ' audience.They were bonding not only with language but also with their seniors and learning too. It was challenging for them to try to do better than their seniors in the next year.Good habits of oral delivery as in the radio show, mastered  at school will be of value to my students.

The radio show was designed in such a manner that these first timers got a 'private space' to themselves to perform as is done in a recording studio,  Only therir voices would be audible to the audience and all their others movements and fallacies invisible!

When all the presentations had been made, I, as a teacher made comments on their performances with the aim of helping students to improve their performance. Correct usage of phrases, exact pronunciation of words, tempo of delivery and audibility of voice were looked into.

The teacher’s attitude is of course vital. To err is human but we can all learn from our own errors and those of others. They were provided a good opportunity  to speak and others  got a chance to learn through listening and observation.

The juniors put up questions  to develop their positive questioning attitude [Bloom's taxonomy] which helps trigger a higher level of thinking. So questions that require analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Here a student  is asking the "whys" and the 'hows" of certain things.No one probably ever fails when they ask questions. This is one of the fundamental tools in a successful communication process. Questioning is the key to better understanding of the things that are not clear to us.

This activity helps gain confidence and helps to express clearly and use english language effectively. It enables the students to improve in asking clear questions, and answering their questions audibily and appropriately.It also helps in speaking to a group of people in a particular manner intending to inform, influence or entertain listeners. Radio shows also help to remove reluctance to public speaking and inculcate teamwork spirit.- an important skill in public life too! 

Dramatic Inquiry in the Classroom

I took a keen interest in using Dramatic Inquiry in the classroom as a teaching and learning approach. All of us got to learn quite a few things from the experience. I hope to post some of that on the blog over the next few days or weeks to share our learning with others who may be interested in making their classes more active and interesting places that engage pupils deeply in their learning. My posts will be about their performances on the final day with an audience of 'their peers' and 'my peers'!

"As teachers, we are not destined to teach like other teachers, even when we admire their approaches"

At times I feel the need to get me and my students out of the four walls of the classroom and try new methodologies and strategies to challenge myself and make sure I don’t stagnate standing behind a rigid and inflexible podium.

“Dramatic playing is essential for children’s learning empathy and self-control. Children learn to empathize as they view the world from other people’s perspectives including those of peers, adults, and people in stories.”

The most important thing is to create a respectful, emotionally safe community of learners so everyone feels comfortable working and growing together.

Drama revealed aspects of realistic human conditions- while having fun they were developing skills of coordination, imitation and it helped them to flex their emotional, mental muscles in a controlled setting.

The dramatic approach helped my students to come together as a group. There were arguments but slowly they learnt to make adjustments, they realized ..'United we succeed, Divided we fail' 

I wanted them to feel special as a class..... as a community, as a group- and grow together, evolve together... and I think they did!

As a teacher I just set the tone for it all. They learnt cooperation, planning and decision making skills. It helped them build their self esteem and refined their presentation skills. The best part was when they took immense pride in their work and learnt problem solving. They made their own norms- they made their teams, worked in teams, built trust and mutual respect.

At one point of time they wanted to be graded but during the preparations, they relegated grades to the last seat. Their priorities had changed. They let flow their artistic abilities and vivid imaginations.

The whole class was amazed on how effective dramatic inquiry had provided an endless opportunity to them for personal growth. They had become more responsible, had improved their management and organisational skills, their creativity and imagination...

A student centred class!

An enraptured audience

In the whole process I stood strong - adorning the role of a supporter. I wanted them to take responsibility for their own learning. I wanted the classroom to be student-centered. I believe every student is a potential teacher for the whole group.

It makes sense that dramatic skills can help us become the person we want to be. Dramatic Inquiry has the potential of making our lives better as we will be better understood and may help us become the people we want to be. Drama is all about how we present ourselves. If the student can communicate better, the more likely others will see him/her as he/she wishes to be seen.

The team behind the scenes - Who made things possible !!

Therefore, the skills of drama can help the student become the person that he/she wants to be.