Country Studied: Italy
Type of learning difficulty the Case Study is supporting:
- General or specific learning difficulties.
Aims and objectives of Case Study
The study derives from experiences of using theatrical languages in the English language teaching-learning process with regard to pupils in five primary school classes, including SEN students. The path was structured on the assumption that the curricular activity of teaching a foreign language can be developed almost completely in the language, even with younger students or those with SEN: this responds to a natural teaching method (or direct), by ‘linguistic immersion’, according to which ‘a second or foreign language can be learnt following the same itinerary as the acquisition of the mother tongue’ through ‘the exclusive use of the language being studied, the absence of an explicit formalisation of the various grammars (which will be reached at a later stage of the learning process), the strong focus on the phonological dimension’. This becomes a concrete way of ‘doing in language’, thanks to the combination of mimic, gestural, proxemic, iconic, expressive codes of voice and face, musical. Furthermore, it has been demonstrated that the use of such non-verbal languages is capable of activating fundamental processes in the person’s more general learning and training pathway, such as affective processes (motivation, attention, interest), cognitive processes (linguistic, logical, social, cultural) and behavioural processes (mimicry, gestures, manipulation). The second element considered fundamental: the importance of cooperative activities, an educational modality that, in supporting a more secure and shared acquisition of knowledge, allows for experiential and operational aspects that motivate and generalise, contextualising the contents (JohnsonD.R. & Johnson R.T., 2005).
In the preliminary, observation, the SEN pupils between the ages of 5 and 11 showed, compared to their peers, early difficulties in reproducing English phonemes on the various occasions in which each was called upon to produce words, sentences and expressions in that language; they also showed difficulties in memorising and finding vocabulary and structures; the difficulties noted in writing were even greater: difficulty in transcribing words and texts from the board, correctly and in adequate time; spelling errors, even following a given model; autonomous writing that tended to adhere to pronunciation; extreme slowness; difficulty in associating written and oral form; confusion of homophonic (but not homographical) words and sounds to be distinguished according to context; difficulty in reading.
SEN students also had difficulty (much more than their peers) in recognising foreign language as a functional mode of effective communication; they seemed to see it rather as a superstructure ‘artificially’ proposed by the teacher.
Short description of Case Study
The group of pupils involved in this study consisted of 138 pupils between the ages of 5 and 12 (10 were diagnosed as SEN, 2 ADHD.
The classroom lesson (of one to two hours per week) proposed vocabulary and structures, related to each learning objective, through contextualised situations with pictures and cartoons, mimicry, and with the continuous use (in addition to the teacher constantly speaking in English), of mechanical aids (CDs, audio tapes, videos) with native English speakers. In a second stage, once understood in context, vocabulary and structures were re-proposed for executive reproduction by the children.vocabulary and structures were practised in collective oral production, then with pairworks, which allowed them to work autonomously, in a collaborative and sustained situation (Topping, 1997), which offers the opportunity for repeated and autonomous oral production, desirable in foreign language learning (and which in a collective situation would be reduced in terms of production time). Finally, after memorising the oral form, in classes two and upwards the written form is proposed in reading, associated with its oral expression. As a final step, pupils read aloud the written forms (except the SEN pupils: their “tutors” did it for them or they performed silent reading, with a glossary of English words accompanied by pictures to compensate for difficulties).
Co-operative groups were also used, organised as teams with their own identity and their own objectives, which initially carried out oral and written content exercise and reworking tasks in a playful and collaborative manner (board games, word games, card games; production of wall posters representing words associated with images, small thematic compositions, glossaries of English terms associated with images). This method made it possible to propose, in a motivating manner, practice in written and oral production (aimed at memorising words and their spelling, the production of learning support and compensatory materials and tools).
With regard to the 5-6 year old age group, a highly interactive mode was favoured in terms of proxemics and kinaesthetic, since the language learning objective focused on oral language learning and the acquisition of a vocabulary, initially in comprehension, progressively in collective production, which only then became individual and autonomous. The activity was therefore based on an initial proposal of simple linguistic structures, combined by the teacher with action, which the children spontaneously imitated. Among the proposed objectives was the comprehension of motor verbs, which the children performed in the form of a game. Subsequently, it was possible to use a series of ‘formats’ whereby the children ‘performed’ requests and commands for actions, or interpreted the typical attitudes of well-known characters and animals (e.g. Mickey Mouse.). Another interactive method was the use of traditional English and non-English dances that matched actions to words: the children reproduced the gestural sequence, thus simultaneously accessing listening and meaning by induction; they then spontaneously developed and associated the reproduction of oral language at different times from child to child. It should be noted that the reproduction of the same words combined with gestures alone, without the musical aspect, seemed to make it more difficult to memorise the words.
For the production (which mainly takes place from the age of 6), masks and puppets were used, with which the children reproduced very short dialogue and action formats, imitating what the teacher proposed and the cartoons presented to accompany the dialogue, listened to from a CD with a native English speaker. The children naturally tended to reproduce the intonation and accent.
3 Key learning Principles that were used in this Case Study to support learners with LD
- Perform tasks to simulate conversations related to real-life situations.
- Using multilingual approaches.
- Learning by immersion.
Strategies used as part of Case Study
- Adapting instruction to various learning styles.
- Individualized Learning Plans.
- Guidance on creating and implementing individualized learning plans.
- Collaboration with support services and professionals.
- Strategies for modifying or creating teaching materials to suit different abilities.
- Creating a positive and supportive classroom environment.
According to the study, the use of practical, multisensory, and multilingual didactics, where the multiplicity of languages also involved the non-verbal (mimic-gestural, iconic, musical…). plays a key role, as this can enhance learning (and not only linguistic learning, but a more general ‘plasticity’ and transferability of learning, Dodman,2005), since it privileges the component of operativity and visualisation within the diversity of learning styles. Doing theatre’ allows one to ‘really’ experience concrete everyday situations, enabling the child to ‘live’ the language, instead of assimilating it as something that one ‘has’ to learn, and that has little to do with ‘his’ real experience.
The theatrical techniques used refer to the concepts of format and drama. The format (Bruner, 1975) refers to structured, repetitive and predictable micro-situations shared by adult and child, which are essential for the acquisition of the first language, and which can be validly applied to second language learning in the forms of listative formats (routines of association of words with action) and narrative formats (e.g. fairy tales, nursery rhymes with association of movements) (Taeschner, 1993). In this way, ditties, stories and sentences can be presented and ‘participated in’ in the first person by the children, so that each word or sentence corresponds to the same mimic-textual expression; comprehension takes place gradually, associating the words with the meaning of explicit gestures (which do not need to be ‘translated’ into the mother tongue). Drama is a theatrical type of representational modality (Cangià, 1998) that can be used in the classroom for the ‘staging’ of role-playing, interviews, presentation of characters, in a process of using and elaborating structures, experienced in the first person and applied (in a progressively more flexible manner) to various possible situations.
Results and impact
All the children participated and referred to the experience as positive and motivating. They spontaneously requested the application of the theatrical and communicative mode to all the subject matter addressed. The variety of verbal and non-verbal languages used made it possible to practise certain vocabulary and structures several times, without getting bored, and to apply them appropriately to individual contexts; the theatrical mode made it possible to apply the linguistic expressions proposed in practical situations, contributing not only to fix them better, but also to know their usefulness in the context of use.
The study is currently being deepened by means of a comparative analysis of the various most appropriate and effective teaching methods for motivating and making children with SLD and their peers learn English. In fact, to date, all the pupils at risk and with a diagnosis of SLD have achieved the minimum learning objectives set by the various classes in the English language discipline. It would also seem appropriate to extend the study longitudinally, in order to verify the applicability and methods of use with regard to subsequent ages and more articulated language learning objectives.
Why can this Case Study be useful for the project research?
The authors preferred a communicative rather than an analytical-structural teaching approach. They have therefore chosen to focus on comprehension and oral expression rather than on written expression. This choice can be very useful both for students who are in the initial phase of language acquisition and for pupils who have learning difficulties.
Transferability
Overall, the transferability of the study extends beyond the specific context of the research to influence educational practices, curriculum development, teacher training, inclusive education initiatives, research endeavors, community engagement efforts, and policy decisions related to language teaching and learning.
The transferability of this study on using theatrical languages in English language teaching-learning processes for primary school classes, including SEN students), can manifest in several ways:
- Educational Practices: The findings of the study can inform educational practices by demonstrating the effectiveness of integrating theatrical languages into English language teaching. Educators in primary schools and beyond can adapt and implement similar strategies to enhance language learning outcomes for diverse student populations.
- Curriculum Development: Insights from the study can contribute to the development of language curricula that prioritize experiential and interactive learning approaches. Curriculum designers can incorporate elements of drama and theater into English language programs to cater to diverse learning styles and abilities.
- Teacher Training: The study can serve as a basis for designing professional development programs for teachers aimed at equipping them with the necessary skills and knowledge to integrate theatrical languages into their teaching practices. Training sessions can focus on techniques for implementing drama-based activities and strategies for supporting SEN students in language learning.
- Inclusive Education: By highlighting the benefits of theatrical languages for SEN students, the study promotes inclusive education practices that prioritize the diverse needs of all learners. Schools and educational institutions can use the findings to create inclusive learning environments where every student can thrive and participate actively in language learning activities.
- Research and Innovation: The study contributes to the body of research on innovative approaches to language teaching and learning. Researchers can build upon the findings to conduct further investigations into the effectiveness of drama-based pedagogies across different contexts and student populations. Community Engagement: The study can facilitate collaboration between schools, communities, and cultural organizations to promote language learning through theatrical experiences.
- Community-based initiatives, such as drama workshops and language clubs, can provide additional opportunities for students to engage with English in meaningful and enjoyable ways.
Critical issues
The study is being carried out by means of a comparative analysis of the various most appropriate and effective teaching methods for motivating and teaching English to SEN children and their peers. In fact, to date, all the pupils at risk and with a diagnosis of SEN have achieved the minimum learning objectives set by the various classes in the English language.
