On April 28th, 29th, I joined the LSE Language Centre at the PETALL (Pan European Tasks for Language Learning) conference on New Trends in Foreign Language Teaching in Granada, Spain.
We presented a workshop on Improvisation for Language Learning and for 60 minutes, the teachers became students...
We presented a workshop on Improvisation for Language Learning and for 60 minutes, the teachers became students...
Most presentations at the conference focused on students being at the centre of the class (flipped classes), or on how to better develop students’ competences in L2. The research looked at how to motivate students and empower them as language speakers and also emotionally.
In the context of the conference, our workshop touched on many of the key learning issues:
Our four activities linked in nicely with these topics, basing interaction on listening, speaking, presenting and being creative. We presented a warm-up, a group activity, a pair conversation tool and a presentation activity which can immediately be incorporated into language classes.
The teachers were very taken by the fact that the skills learned in the improvisation classroom are not only useful for language learning but also for life... even for teaching.
In the context of the conference, our workshop touched on many of the key learning issues:
- Empowerment: students gain practical tools and the confidence to speak up.
- Motivation: students enjoy playing games and look forward to taking part.
- Spontaneity: students use the vocabulary that they have learned without a script or text book.
- Participation: students take turns by volunteering and stepping up.
- Peer support: students learn from each other, applaud, and explain vocabulary.
Our four activities linked in nicely with these topics, basing interaction on listening, speaking, presenting and being creative. We presented a warm-up, a group activity, a pair conversation tool and a presentation activity which can immediately be incorporated into language classes.
The teachers were very taken by the fact that the skills learned in the improvisation classroom are not only useful for language learning but also for life... even for teaching.
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