Active learning - Drama

Children learn in many different ways and have different learning styles. Opportunities for children to experience language through song and rhyme, storytelling and games offer children ways to interact with the new language and with one another in a dynamic and social environment.

Through active methods and physical response children feel safe to explore and experiment with the new sounds. For those who prefer to listen and observe, they absorb the new language by watching others and gradually increase in confidence, until they too are joining in, responding to what they hear and see and engaging with others in short conversations and role-play.

Using mimes

A Higher Level Teaching Assistant (HLTA) is introducing and practising new vocabulary connected to the topic of evacuees during World War 2. She asks children to make up mimes for the new words, repeat the words and mime the meaning. Finally the class plays a Jacques a dit game using new and previously learnt language.