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Show THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT EXPERTS ON TEACHING Molly Barnewitz Christine Jones TEACHING FRENCH GRAMMAR THROUGH THEATER Molly Barnewitz (Christine Jones) Department of Languages and Literature University of Utah In second language pedagogy, a gap exists between language and literature teaching: lower level L2 courses teach grammar, while advanced classes focus on literary analysis. Students are left without the grammatical and literary analysis skills needed for success in L2 classrooms. In classes on either side of this language-literature divide, educators are missing an opportunity to use theater texts to bridge that gap through performance. This project explores the use of historical theater texts in a French classroom with the goal of improving students' language skills while presenting an embodied approach to the study of French culture and history. It endeavors further to assess the benefits of performing theater texts, and use that knowledge to construct exercises that implement theater in language classrooms. In this project's case study classroom, the Atelier de Theatre, students examined historical texts on theater and brought this theatrical perspective to the study Charles Perrault's 1697 fairy tales. Grammar lessons were built into the analysis of literature, helping students improve their language skills. Students then used the actor's method, read scenes aloud, and studied theater-related vocabulary to develop an appreciation of the story. As a final project, students performed a fairy tale for other language learners. Though students played different roles, everyone acted as a grammar expert to elucidate structures and meanings for the audience. Though quantitatively measuring language acquisition in a meaningful way is difficult, if not impossible, qualitative observation and survey of the Atelier's students indicate that performing the fairy tale gave students a novel and effective approach to language acquisition. Vocabulary and pronunciation were practiced through the play's preparation and production, with noted improvement. Students reported that they benefited from regular group interaction and enjoyed the blend of literary and grammatical work. Students commented that performing a play for other French speakers motivated them to understand the text better and to endeavor to communicate effectively in French. In this class, the students lived the language through the text, revealing the importance of active learning in L2 classrooms, and in particular the positive effects of theater in literary and language pedagogy. With these results in mind, more hands-on activities can be constructed to promote better language teaching. |