The English Corner - UNOi Internacional - Page 8
Necesito ayuda

Elaine Gallagher 11 cegby Elaine Gallagher

                The words you use are more powerful than you imagine. Most people greet each other with words that have no power. Think of the last time you heard someone else (or even yourself) respond to a greeting of «How are you?» with «Oh, I am doing so-so,» «Hanging in there,» «I’m surviving» or «Not too bad.» It probably wasn’t much past yesterday.

                Try this:

                Use words to change your situation, not to describe it.

                First, the next time anyone asks, «How are you?» whether it’s someone at work or a cashier at the store, respond with strength. Give them an energetic, enthusiastic, «Great!» or «Terrific!»

                It will be hard to do without a smile on your face, and you are likely to get one back. Second, you will likely feel a physical response of increased energy. Third, your words will send a message to your mind that will be consistent with feeling Great! or Terrific!

                To see the results, you have to do this often and with sincere enthusiasm (not robotically). When you do, your subconscious mind will begin to act on what you are saying and begin to design your reality to be consistent with your thoughts and words.

                Yoda from Star Wars, understood this when he   commanded Luke Skywalker, «Do or do not. There is no try.»

                Speaking with power also creates a sense of accountability and commitment to get the best from yourself and others. Your challenge is to consciously avoid using words that are power killers. These words sap energy and commitment from your interactions, and ultimately, your actions.

First, eliminate these words from your vocabulary:

                Omitting these words is not enough. A sports team needs more than just a good defense to win; it also needs a powerful offense. So, mobilize your own offensive assault with the words you choose.

Build positive mental connections and commitment by using these power builders:

                 The power of your actions is preceded by the power of your words. Speak with power to bring out the best in yourself and others.

________________________________

Elaine Gallagher 03 cegHi Elaine,
 
     I am writing you from _____ because we teachers are having some end-of-term meetings and we were really concerned about some issues.
 
     We are worried about grammar accuracy in our new CLIL philosophy system. In our opinion, most of our kids are learning and having fun, but they relax too much in verb tenses or word order with the result of many important mistakes which can even affect normal communication.
 
     We would love to be guided around the world of introducing grammar accuracy while we are not teaching grammar. Do you have any advice or technique to help us? Your help would be really appreciated.
 
Thank you,
Alberto.

_____________________

Dear Alberto,

         Thanks for the question. It’s a good one and a cause of concern to many English teachers who also want to support the CLIL philosophy.

        The two are not contradictory. Please share my responses with your English coordinator and the others at your school. Also feel free to share the attachments I am sending. 

CLIL does not say that we should not teach grammar at all.

CLIL supports grammar teaching after the students are using specific verb tenses, with a bit of fluency, but, yes, with some errors.in other words, teach grammar in context. 

1. If you hear students making errors in verb tense (the most common grammatical error), correct them orally, in a subtle way, by repeating what they said, but using the correct verb.

If a student says:

I go to my grandmother’s last night.»

Repeat…»Oh, you went to your grandmother’s last night.» the student should then (hopefully on his own), say, «yes, I went to my grandmother’s last night.»

2. If you see a mistake that several students are making, stop the class and tell them you need to interrupt with a «mini-grammar point». Then explain the error, show the correct form, and have students repeat and copy the mini-lesson in their notebooks. 

3. If the kids are needing to use past tense, it’s time to teach lessons on past tense. Students can repeat orally, and then copy examples in their notebooks. 

4. there are many fun apps using grammar games.  I can send you a list if you want some. 

5. The major point in CLIL is that the emphasis is on fluency not grammar, but teaching grammar in context, pointing out examples, giving mini-grammar lessons, and practicing the correct format are ways of teaching grammar in a subtle way.

You can still emphasize oral production, fluency, fun and games, yet teach grammar incidentally; as a way for students to see that there are correct and incorrect ways to say/write things in English the same as in Spanish.

6. Your major goal should be that students learn by gradually practicing, and they’ll see/hear that things sound «right» or «wrong». 

Example:

You was going there should sound wrong to your students.

You were going there should sound right. 

Once they can identify what sounds right or wrong (by frequent oral practice and by teacher modeling), then give the students a mini-lesson on the use of present i am, you are, he is, and past. I was, you were, he was, etc.

7. I have attached several things:

   (a) A grammar book I wrote (65 pages) it needs to be updated, but it’s a mini-guide of examples and grammar use; 

(b) A list of grammar topics with approximate ages / grade levels when they should be introduced.

Please don’t emphasize grammar. We want kids to get used to correct grammar, but not fear making mistakes.

(c) 20 lessons, a course Ii wrote for Mexican public school English teachers who needed more grammar work to support CLIL, gradually working on grammar points, with sample activities for practice.

These things are not to replace your own fun/games/activities/topics. They are to support you in a gradual grammar approach.

Please let me know, Alberto, if you need anything else or if you have any questions. I am at your service.

 

A big hug,

Elaine

________________________________________________________

Readers:

If you want any of the mentioned attachments, write to me (juniorbarney1@yahoo.com) and I’ll send them to you. Elaine Gallagher

 

Elaine Gallagher 02 ceg 

By Elaine Gallagher    

Plays are organized in three-month periods during the school year.

Among the five plays, there is a variety of difficulty. Choose the plays that are best suited for your students’ English level, so they enjoy the activity.

PLAYS FOR BASIC + ENGLISH LEARNERS: A-2 to B-1 (Grades 4 – 6)

____________________________________________________                             

1. August – September – October

 

PLAY TITLE: George, the Tallest Giraffe

SPECIFIC VOCABULARY: apple, cake, candy, lunch, cheese, chocolate, giraffe, egg, fruit, grapes, milk, bananas, I’d like, some, any.

SETTING: a jungle, with a tall tree….and maybe a little village (if you can make the scenery)

CHARACTERS

 THE PLAY

NARRATOR: George was a tall, tall, tall giraffe. He was taller than his mother.  He was taller than his father.  He was taller than anyone he knew. He was even taller than the biggest elephant. George was embarrassed at how tall he was.

GEORGE’S MOTHER: George, giraffes are supposed to be tall.

GEORGE: I’d like to be shorter.

NARRATOR: George decided that he was going to go for a long, long walk to see if he could find any other giraffe taller than he. So he left home, and left a note for his mother so she would not worry.

GEORGE: (READING HIS LETTER…) Dear Mother, I am going to the next village to see if I can find another very, very, very tall giraffe. If I do, I won’t think I am so strange.

NARRATOR: George walked a long, long, long time. He passed three villages but he saw no giraffes taller than he. George decided he would go home. He missed his family and he was tired. All of a sudden, George heard a strange sound.

YELLOW BABY BIRD: (HE IS LYING ON THE GROUND.) Cheep, cheep, cheep……. Help me, help me. I fell out of my nest and can not fly.  I am too little. If I can not get back in my nest, a cat might eat me.

GEORGE: Where is your nest?

YELLOW BABY BIRD: Up in that tree.  (POINTING UPWARD) No one can reach it because it is too high.  I have been here since morning and no one can help me.

(GEORGE SMILES…..A BIG, WIDE SMILE…)

YELLOW BABY BIRD: Why are you smiling?  I fell out of the tree.  I can not get back up in the tree because I am a baby bird and can not fly…..and you are smiling. I do not understand.

GEORGE:  I was always sad I was very, very tall. I was the tallest giraffe in many villages. But now…..now,  I can be useful. I can pick you up and put you back in your nest.

YELLOW BABY BIRD: Oh, thank you! Thank you!

NARRATOR: George felt so happy. George was never sad again.  He was proud and happy to be the tallest giraffe because……….

GEORGE: Giraffes are supposed to be tall. I have to go home now, and tell my Mother, that I am happy to be the tallest giraffe in our village.

 

THE END

________________________________________________________________

2. November – December

TEACHERS: 

  1. You will need a CD of the Christmas classic, The Nutcracker Suite, to provide music for the play. Waltz of the Sugar Plum Fairies is especially appropriate music for the play. It is on the CD of The Nutcracker Suite.(Suite is pronounced «sweet».) by the Russian composer, Tchaikovsky in 1892.
  2. Explain to the class what a nutcracker is.  Maybe you can bring one to show them, the kind that looks like a wooden soldier, used decoratively at Christmas time.
  3. Explain that this is a classic play from a ballet written by Tchikowshy, in ……….and Clara, the main character, falls asleep, and dreams that all her toys come alive on Christmas Eve.

 

PLAY TITLE: An Adaptation ofThe Nutcracker Suite

SPECIFIC VOCABULARY:nut cracker, godmother, waltzing, blink, festivities, dream, magical, reign, desperately, celebration, amazing, disobeyed, waltz.

SETTING: a beautiful living room, also the bedroom of Clara., toys for decoration

CHARACTERS:

THE PLAY

THE NUTCRACKER  (AN ADAPTATION)

(MUSIC is playing.  ENTER CLARA’S GODMOTHER. SITS IN CHAIR STAGE FRONT LEFT. )

GODMOTHER:  Good evening to you all and before I forget.. a very Merry Christmas!!!  This is a very special story,  about a very special girl named Clara.

(ENTER: CLARA WALTZING.  MOTHER FOLLOWS)

GODMOTHER: I don’t say that she’s special just because she’s my god  daughter but because everybody who knows her can’t help but remark about her kindness, her gentleness with others, her generous spirit and most of her great capacity to love.

MOTHER:  Come along Clara, it’s time to go to bed.

CLARA: Oh…… read me a story ,mother, please do.  I promise that I will fall right off to sleep before you’re finished.

MOTHER:  I’m sure about that!  Especially because tonight is Christmas Eve…

CLARA: That’s right!  Tonight is Christmas Eve the most special, the most magical night of the year.  It’s the night that Baby Jesus is born and with him hope and love will reign all over the Earth!

MOTHER: That’s right…tonight anything can happen.

GODMOTHER: This Christmas Eve was going to be a very unique one for our little Clara. She had all different sorts of toys and you would think that with so many of them she wouldn’t have time to play with them all, but you don’t know Clara.  She not only gave each of them a name but she loved them so dearly that they were like brothers and sisters to her. That Christmas I had made her a nutcracker in the shape of a toy soldier and she took to him right away.

CLARA: Now I’m really sleepy mother. (YAWNS AND STRETCHES )  But before I fall asleep I must say goodnight to all my toys.

(BEGINS WALKING AROUND THE ROOM SAYING GOODNIGHT AND GIVING A KISS TO HER TOYS.  SHE STOPS IN FRONT OF THE SOLDIER )

CLARA: Goodnight my Nutcracker, I haven’t thought of a name for you yet.  But don’t you worry I’ll think of something soon.  I hope you’ll be happy here….I hope that you’ll stay.

MOTHER: Wherever would he go Clara?  I’m quite certain he feels at home with all the other toys.

CLARA: (GETTING INTO BED YAWNING ) You never know, Mother…toys can be so strange sometimes.  He’ll only stay if he feels at home.  I must think of a name for him.

(MUSIC. MOTHER KISSES HER GOODNIGHT AND CLARA BEGINS TO FALL ASLEEP)

GODMOTHER: Clara was right.  Toys can be so peculiar.  Only a toy that is truly loved lasts a long time.  And as all of Clara’s toys were loved, they not only lasted forever but when she slept they came to life!

(MUSIC. THE SUGAR PLUM FAIRY COMES TO LIFE FIRST AND USES HER WAND TO WAKE THE OTHER TOYS, ONE BY ONE. TOYS BEGIN TO WAKE UP ALL EXCEPT THE NUTCRACKER.)

BALLERINA: Whoooooo are you???? SHE POKES HIM.)

TEDDY BEAR: (WALKING AROUND THE NUTCRACKER, AND MAKING FACES) What a strange looking character.  He doesn’t move…He doesn’t blink. He doesn’t even talk!

SUGAR PLUM FAIRY: Let him be.  Can’t you see that he’s new?

RAG DOLL: And so?  What does that have to do with anything?

SUGAR PLUM FAIRY: Well, when a toy is new, well you know ….he’s new!

TEDDY BEAR: And soooo?

SUGAR PLUM FAIRY: And so Clara hasn’t had time to get to know him yet.  To get to love him yet.  Why he doesn’t even have a name as yet!

RAG DOLL: I still don’t understand what you’re trying to say Sugar Plum Fairy.

SUGAR PLUM FAIRY: Why every toy knows or should know that a toy doesn’t…can’t come to life unless he is truly loved by the child who owns him.

BALLERINA: Oh…I see!  Well poor little thing.  I hope he stays.

TEDDY BEAR: Ok! Ok! Enough talk, it’s Christmas Eve and time for the festivities to begin.

RAG DOLL: That’s right….it’s that magical time of year when the gates of Toyland open up and we celebrate the joyous occasion of the night!

BALLERINA: Sugar Plum Fairy! Wave your magic wand…open the gates of Toyland and let the celebration begin.

(ENTER  SOME STUDENTS, HUMMING «WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS»…THEN THEY WALK THROUGH THE STAGE AREA AND LEAVE.)

GODMOTHER:  Poor Nutcracker.  He wanted so desperately to join in all the fun but he couldn’t.  But wait….are those visions of the nutcracker soldier dancing in Clara’s mind?  Could it be that as she sleeps she dreams of her brand new toy?

TEDDY BEAR: Bravo! Bravo!  What’s next? 

 (PAUSE)

BALLERINA:  Why are the toys taking so long?

(MUSIC. ENTER THE RAT KING)

RAT KING:  What is this?  What is going on here? 

SUGAR PLUM FAIRY:   Who…who are you?

RAT KING: I am the Rat King!  The new ruler of Toyland!  I am the one who says what should happen and when it should happen…what are you all doing with my subjects?

RAG DOLL: Well, it’s Christmas Eve, the most important night of the year.  It’s the night that Baby Jesus is born.

SUGAR PLUM FAIRY:  And every year we celebrate His birth by inviting the toys from Toyland to come and visit us and share in the Christmas spirit.

RAT KING: Well not this year! This year they won’t!  Like I said, I’m the new king and as far as I’m concerned there won’t be any Christmas celebrating tonight!

TEDDY BEAR: Now look here you… you….you RAT!  This is a very special night and you can’t stop it from happening even if you tried!

RAT KING:  Maybe not but I can forbid my subjects from coming to visit you and you can do nothing about that! Now what sort of Christmas Eve celebration will it be then?

RAG DOLL: You be careful with what you do Mr. Rat…we…we…we have a soldier here to protect us and he’ll see to it that you don’t get away with your evil plan.

RAT KING:  A soldier?  A soldier? (WALKS OVER AND POKES AT THE NUTCRACKER) Ha!  Is this what you call a soldier?  Why he doesn’t even move…he can’t even talk!  HA! You’ll have to do better than that!

(EXITS LAUGHING )

GODMOTHER:With that the evil Rat King took off, set in his ways to ruin Christmas Eve.  Poor nutcracker.  He wanted to help but he couldn’t move. Wait!  Clara is still thinking about him, maybe, just maybe she’ll come to love him in her dreams.  Look…he’s beginning to move!

SUGAR PLUM FAIRY: Did you see that?  He moved!

TEDDY BEAR: (GOES OVER TO CLARA IN THE BED) Oh Clara, dear Clara….please give him a name, chances are we’ll be needing his help tonight.

BALLERINA: Now what do we do?

RAG DOLL: Yes, what about our Christmas celebration?

SUGAR PLUM FAIRY:  Don’t worry, the toys won’t let us down.   I know they’ll come when we call them.  Watch…

(SHE WAVES HER MAGIC WAND) 

TEDDY BEAR: Oh that was so much fun and that horrible Rat hasn’t shown a whisker yet.

RAG DOLL: Maybe we’ll have our Christmas after all.  Call in the next ones, Sugar Plum Fairy

(SHE WAVES HER MAGIC WAND)

GODMOTHER: They were all having so much fun, even the nutcracker who could begin to feel himself tingle with life.  Then, suddenly…

(MUSIC.  ENTER RAT KING)

RAT KING: Stop all this fun and festivities right now!!!  I thought I had made myself clear!  There will be no celebrating tonight!  Not a single more toy will dance! Not a single more voice will sing or else I will punish all the toys in Toyland and you will never see them again!

(AS HE BEGINS TO EXIT, THE NUTCRACKER BLOCKS HIS PATH WITH HIS SWORD)

RAT KING: And what’s this?   (BEGINS TO LAUGH) You think you can stop me my little toy soldier?  My little lifeless nutcracker?  Ha! Ha! You’ll need more than that to get the better of me.

(EXIT  RAT KING)

TEDDY BEAR: Now what do we do?  I don’t want the other toys to get into trouble for our fault.

SUGAR PLUM FAIRY: Well I’m afraid there’s nothing that we can do.  Tonight is Christmas Eve and with it comes a special feeling.. a feeling of hope and peace for all the world.  The toys must sing…they must dance…they don’t know how to do anything else.

RAG DOLL: Well if it must be, then let it be!

BALLERINA: That’s right…nobody can take away Christmas.  Let the show continue!

GODMOTHER: And so they continued their celebration… the nutcracker becoming more animated as the seconds passed.

TEDDY BEAR: Lovely, just lovely!

RAG DOLL:  Shh! Listen!

(THEY ALL APPROACH CLARA’S BED. )

CLARA: (IN HER SLEEP) Ivan…your name will be Ivan!

BALLERINA: That’s it!  She’s given him a name! She really loves her nutcracker soldier.

SUGAR PLUM FAIRY: (APPROACHES THE NUTCRACKER AND WAVES HER WAND OVER HIS HEAD) Now my dear little nutcracker…you have found the true love of a little girl. Now you will become one of us!

(THE NUTCRACKER COMES TO LIFE AND BEGINS TESTING OUT HIS ARMS AND LEGS).

NUTCRACKER: Can it be?  Is it true?  Am I really real?

SUGAR PLUM FAIRY: Once you have been filled with the special love of a special child and been given a name you come to life.  Welcome nutcracker.  Welcome Ivan, welcome!

TEDDY BEAR: This is truly a most magnificent, a most blessed night!

(MUSIC. ENTER THE RAT KING)

RAT KING: I warned you all.  I told you that if you disobeyed my orders and continued with the celebration I would punish all the toys in Toyland! Now you will  only have yourselves to blame!

NUTCRACKER:  (TAKING OUT HIS SWORD) On guard, you scoundrel!  No on will be allowed to stop the spirit of Christmas. I won’t let you get away with it!

(THE NUTCRACKER AND THE RAT KING HAVE A SWORD FIGHT.  THE NUTCRACKER KNOCKS THE RAT’S SWORD AWAY AND SO HE RUNS OFFSTAGE.  THE TOYS ALL CHEER AND HUG THE NUTCRACKER.)

GODMOTHER: And that was the last time the King Rat was ever to be seen.  He ran far away from Clara’s house and never stepped foot again in Toyland which was from then onward protected by Clara’s brave and kind nutcracker soldier….Ivan.

TEDDY BEAR: Ohh…. look…the sun is coming up.

BALLERINA: Time for us to take our places.

RAG DOLL:  It most certainly has been the best ….

SUGAR PLUM FAIRY: The most magical…….

TEDDY BEAR: The most unforgettable Christmas ever!

NUTCRACKER: (TO THE AUDIENCE) Christmas is a time for dreams to come true…if mine did, maybe yours will too!

(MUSIC. CLARA WAKES, AND YAWNS, AND STRETCHES )

CLARA:  I had the most amazing dream….

(SEES THE NUTCRACKER STANDING GUARD OVER HER BED)

………….and how did you get here my nutcracker?

(PAUSE)

CLARA: Ivan, that’s your name..   Your name is IVAN. 

(MUSIC. CLOSE CURTAINS)

GODMOTHER: Like I told you, that was a very unique Christmas Eve for Clara. I hope you all have paid special attention to the message of our story tonight, that  we must never let anyone take away the true spirit of Christmas and like the Nutcracker  we must never be afraid to stand up for what we believe in.  HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS

 (MUSIC)

ALL ENTER – FINALE

THE END

_________________________________________________________________

3. January – February

 

PLAY TITLE: Paul, the Proud Peacock

SPECIFIC     VOCABULARY: shorter, taller, older,  peacock, younger, long, proud, excited, happy, sad, scared, giraffe, lion, elephant, handsome, feathers.

SETTING: A garden or farm

CHARACTERS:

 

THE PLAY

 

NARRATOR 1:A peacock is a beautiful bird. The female peacock is very plain and is called a “pea hen”.  When we think of a peacock, usually, we are thinking of the male.  The male peacock is outstanding.  It has huge, gorgeous tail feathers that fan out into a beautiful arch shape. Paul, the Peacock,  had a good, happy, peaceful home on the farm. 

NARRATOR 2: There were no kids running after him to pull out his tail feathers like at a hotel garden. Paul was peaceful, and he was proud. He spent much time teaching the turkeys, the chickens, the ducks, the geese, and the swans how to be proud.  Only the swans understood how to be proud, so they were easy to teach. 

PAUL: (TO A GOOSE) You are so elegant…..

GOOSE: Thank you, Paul. (She stands up a little taller, and looks more proud of herself. )  

PAUL: (TO A TURKEY) You have such a beautiful neck and gobbler. 

TURKEY: I never thought I had a beautiful neck. Thank you. GOBBLE..GOBBLE…. (The turkey gobbles and stretches his neck a bit longer, and he seems to grow taller.)

3 TURKEYS: Gobble, gobble, gobble. (Standing tall and proud)

PAUL:  (TO A GROUP OF 3 MORE GEESE) What gorgeous smooth white feathers you have, and such a nice long neck, too.

THE THREE GEESE:  OH..Paul, you are sooooooo kind.

(THEN….the 3 geese fluffed up their feathers and stood tall, making typical squawking sounds that geese make.  They honked in loud, proud voices. )

FARMER:  Paul, why do you teach everyone on my farm to be proud? I know that there is a saying, ‘Proud as a peacock’, so you need to be proud. But we also hear other sayings such as, ‘Silly as a goose’, or “He’s a chicken’, when someone is cowardly. Or we hear, ‘What a turkey’, about someone who fails at something. So WHY do you try to help everyone to be proud?

PAUL: Yes, I have heard those sayings, too.  But so have all the turkeys, the geese, and the chickens. When they hear those things, they become, more timid, and unfriendly.  When they feel good about themselves, they stand tall, and they are happier, and they help everyone to be happy, too.  So I spend my time praising the other animals. If we are all proud, we ALL will be happy.  It will help everyone on the farm.

FARMER: I hope that you keep teaching everyone to be proud. I never knew how important it is to be proud. I am so proud that you are living on my farm.

PAUL: You are the best farmer in the world. I am so happy you chose to take me home with you. You are terrific!

NARRATOR 1: The farmer stood a little taller, puffed out his chest a bit more, and looked proudly at his farm, and at Paul.

NARRATOR 2: Paul, the proud peacock looked back at the farmer, and spread out his beautiful tail feathers. He was proud that the farmer liked him to teach others to be proud.

 

THE END

_____________________________________________________________

4. March – April

 

PLAY TITLE: Samantha, the Slithering Snake

SPECIFIC VOCABULARY:What’s the matter? I feel awful.           I feel warm. I feel terrible. I feel sick. The doctor said, «Take an aspirin.» herself, himself, myself, yourself, break, fall, feel, have, hit, hurt, ride, telephone, helmet, baseball bat.

SETTING:  A grassy place, like a back yard, a rock (home), and a clock for a prop.

CHARACTERS:

THE PLAY

(ACTIONS:Samantha, the snake, is slithering very slowly to her home. )

MOTHER: What’s the matter, Samantha?

SAMANTHA: I feel terrible. I feel warm. I feel awful!  I feel sick!

CHORUS: Poor Samantha…She’s sick.

MOTHER: Poor Samantha. Let me give you some hot chicken soup. That always helps me when I am sick. Then, I will give you one baby aspirin, and you will feel better soon.     

(ACTIONS: Samantha curls up and goes to sleep. A clock moves ahead 3 hours.)

MOTHER: Samantha, dear, you’ve slept for three hours. How do you feel?

SAMANTHA: I feel great!  I feel like myself.  I want my baseball cap and my bat and ball!  I am ready to play baseball! Mother, you are best doctor I know.  The chicken soup and baby aspirin helped me feel better. THANK YOU!

CHORUS: Samantha feels Great! Terrific!

MOTHER: I feel great because YOU feel great! Now, your friends are here to play. Have fun!

CHORUS: Bye Samantha. Bye Samantha’s Mother!

 

THE END

_______________________________________________________________

5. May – June- July

 

 (A-2 or B-1 English Level)

TEACHER: The NARRATORS can read their lines from a small card, if necessary. They don’t have to memorize their parts.

PLAY TITLE: The Friendly Foxand the Rapid Rabbit

SPECIFIC VOCABULARY: choose, baseball, coin, insects, soccer, tennis track, volleyball. I think it’s fun. Which is the fastest? fox, rabbit, thought, caught, decided, slept, came, found, invited, missed, ran, went, ate, jumped, entered, city, country, characters, setting, fable, summary, laughed, sleeping, going to, sing.

SETTING: The countryside

CHARACTERS:

 

THE PLAY

 

NARRATOR 1: Once upon a time there was a friendly fox, and a rapid rabbit.  Usually, foxes eat rabbits, but this fox was friendly. He just wanted to be friends with the animals.  He was happy eating the left-over food that the farmer left near the big garbage bucket.

NARRATOR 2:The rabbit could run very quickly and loved to have races with the other rabbits because Rapid Rabbit always won!

TURTLE: Will you race with me , Rapid Rabbit?

RAPID RABBIT: No…you are too slow.  It would not be an exciting race.

TURTLE: Please, race with me.  I always see only  rabbits  running the race.  I want to try, too.

CROWD: Please race with the TURTLE, RAPID RABBIT.

RAPID RABBIT: O.K., if you insist. But it won’t be fair.  I can run so much faster than you.

TURTLE: That’s OK”, said the Turtle.  I just want to have the opportunity to race against you. I don’t expect to win.

NARRATOR 3: So the turtle and the rabbit lined up.  The Friendly Fox said that he would be the judge. The rabbit and the turtle had to run all the way to the end of the field and back again to the Friendly Fox.

FRIENDLY FOX: Ready…..set…..almost time to go. One, two, three….GO!!!!

CROWD: One…two…three….GO! GO!

NARRATOR 4: The rabbit took off quickly.  He turned around after a minute, and saw that the turtle had barely left the starting line. He kept running, and looked back again to see that the turtle was way behind him!

NARRATOR 5: A big, shady tree was ahead. The rabbit decided that it would take 30 minutes for the turtle to catch up with him. So  Rapid Rabbit sat down under the tree to rest for a few minutes.

NARRATOR 6: Meanwhile, slowly but surely, the turtle kept on moving. The rabbit, so sure he was going to win, decided to take a tiny, short nap because the sun felt so nice and warm.

NARRATOR 7: The turtle just kept on moving toward the end of the field.  Then he would have to turn back and return to the Friendly Fox who was the judge of the race.

FRIENDLY FOX: Wake up!  Wake up! Hurry!

NARRATOR 8: But the rabbit was sound asleep and did not hear his friend shouting.

NARRATOR 9: The turtle had reached the end of the field and was turning back towards the finish line, and Rapid rabbit was still sound asleep in the tall grass under the tree. Now it was getting close!   Forty minutes had gone by and the turtle was close to the finish line! 

FRIENDLY FOX: Wake up!  Wake up! YOU’LL LOSE THE RACE!!!

CROWD: Wake up! Wake up! YOU’LL LOSE THE RACE!!!

NARRATOR 10:  The rabbit opened his eyes and saw the turtle close to the finish line. He got up from under the shade of the tree, and began to run very, very fast. The little turtle just kept on moving.

FRIENDLY FOX: Hurry!  Hurry! Rabbit, hurry!

CROWD:  Hurry1 Hurry! Rabbit, HURRY!

NARRATOR 11: It was too late!  The turtle reached the finish line a split second before the rabbit got there!

THE CROWD: Congratulations Turtle!!!!  You won! You won!

NARRATOR 12: The people were glad to see that the turtle had won the race because Rapid Rabbit was too lazy about winning. Now the Turtle was the champion of the village!

FRIENDLY FOX:  We all learned a good lesson today. Do you know what the lesson is Turtle and Rapid Rabbit?

TURTLE AND RABBIT:  What is the lesson, Fox?

CHORUS: Yes, what’s the lesson, Friendly Fox???

FOX: The lesson is one we all need to know:

         «SLOW AND STEADY WINS  THE RACE!”

CHORUS and ALL the actors in the play:

         «SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE!”

 

THE END

__________________________________________________________

 

Elaine Gallagher 07 cegby Elaine Gallagher 

Plays are organized in three-month periods during the school year.

Among the five plays, there is a variety of difficulty. Choose the plays that are best suited for your students’ English level, so they enjoy the activity.

FIVE PLAYS FOR BASIC ENGLISH LEARNERS: A-1 to A-2      (Grades 2 – 4)

1. August – September – October 

PLAY TITLE: Frogs Need Love, Too

SPECIFIC VOCABULARY: under, behind, in, frog, frogs, in front of, children, playground, sandbox, dog, boy, grass, flowers, there is, there are, climbing, running, bugs, table, bench, love, need

SETTING: a park with a pond

CHARACTERS:

THE PLAY

 

 NARRATOR:  Fernando was King of the frogs in his pond. Frogs eat many bugs each day, especially flies and mosquitoes.  The biggest problem that frogs have is that no one loves them.  They are not a favorite pet of anyone.  You cannot walk with them.  They can not do tricks.  You cannot take one to bed with you, to sleep near your bed, as a dog or a cat might do. That is why frogs are not popular pets.

One day, Fernando was in a park under a table. A boy came by and sat on the bench in front of the table.

 FERNANDO: I hope the boy goes to play in the sandbox. I do not want to scare him.  I do not want to hear him say that I am ugly and slimy. 

 NARRATOR:But the boy did not leave. He sat on the bench. Fernando heard the boy softly crying

 FERNANDO:I wonder what is wrong? Don’t be afraid of me, little boy. I will not hurt you. I am Fernando, King of the frogs in the pond in this park. Who are you?

JORGE: I’m Jorge.  I am six years old.  I feel lonely. I have no friends, and no one loves me. Only my mother and my father love me, but I have no friends.

 FERNANDO:Why not?

 JORGE:We moved here from far away. I am home because it is summer vacation. I have not met any new children yet. I am all alone.

 FERNANDO:You don’t have to be sad, Jorge. I will be your friend. I do not have children for friends because they think that I am slimy and icky.  If I am your friend, Jorge, you will not be lonely. When school starts, you will make new friends. I will be a good friend to you.

 JORGE:And I will be a good friend to you, too, because I know that even frogs need love.

 NARRATOR:Now both Fernando and Jorge will be happy and be loved, because they are friends to each other.

THE END

______________________________________________________________________

2. November – December

PLAY TITLE: The Bells of Christmas

SPECIFIC VOCABULARY:love, rose, traveler (Amer. English), travel, traveller (Brit. English), servant, child, snow, spirit, heaven, message, fever, forehead, faith, endurance, weary, tired, exhausted

TIME / SETTING: Christmas night

CHARACTERS: See the list below. There are 16 parts, plus the rest of the students can be sitting around, with a small bell they will ring when directed to do so by the teacher.

THE PLAY 

CHARACTERS:

 They can have a sign hanging around their necks, so the audience will know who they represent.

SCENE 1

NARRATOR : ( ENTERS RINGING A BELL) Ring out, ring out, oh Christmas Bells. Ring out your tale of joy and mirth. This night – the night of Jesus’ birth. This one night of the year, oh, world, oh world, give love from man to man. And with the bells, your love we’ll send!

( BELL MUSIC. ENTER THE SPIRIT OF THE BELLS, SPIRIT OF SNOW, SPIRIT OF THE CHRISTMAS ROSE, SPIRIT OF HOLLY, SPIRIT OF LOVE .  THE SPIRIT OF THE BELLS STANDS IN THE CENTER WHILE THE OTHERS SIT AROUND HER. )

BELLS: Well my dear spirits. Tonight is our night.  It is Christmas night. The night in which love comes down from heaven, hope is born on earth and peace reigns among all men.  We all know that it is our labor….

LOVE: (INTERRUPTING)  A delightful labor!

BELLS: To spread this message to all! Tonight is and has always been the most special night of the year. And it is our duty to let everyone know…

ROSE: (INTERRUPTING )  Through our music….

BELLS: That Christ has been born! So fly my friends….over the corners of the earth, each to her place where her music is needed!

(BELL MUSIC GETS LOUDER. THE SPIRITS EXIT. )

SCENE 2

(MUSIC CHANGES SUDDENLY TO A MORE SOLEMN TUNE. ENTER RICH MOTHER WITH 2 SERVANTS AND HER SICK CHILD)

MOTHER: (FEELING THE SICK CHILD’S FOREHEAD)  Oh….. Emily. You’re so hot! Your fever just won’t go down.

 (SHE SITS AND CRIES SOFTLY INTO HER HANDS)

SERVANT 1: ( COMFORTING MOTHER) Don’t cry Lady Anne. We’re here to help you. Maybe if we washed her down with some cold water….

SERVANT 2:  No! No! What she needs is more heat. Maybe if we covered her with more blankets…

EMILY: I don’t need anything! I just need to hear the Christmas Bells and then I know I will get better.

MOTHER: What bells are you talking about Emily? Do you want me to buy you bells? Is that what you want to make you feel better?

EMILY: No mother. Not just any bells but Christmas Bells. You can’t buy them, they come to you! When they sound, they speak of the  birth of Christ! When I hear this music mother, I know I shall be well.

(MOTHER AND SERVANTS PACE AWHILE, THEN SIT AND SLEEP.  RISE BELL MUSIC AND ENTER SPIRIT OF SNOW WITH HER HELPERS. )

SNOW: Hello Emily. I know that you have been waiting for me.  I haven’t forgotten you or the special gift that has been sent for you!  Listen.

NOW: A GROUP OF STUDENTS CAN SING A CHRISTMAS SONG.

(THEN EXIT HELPERS AND SPIRIT. EMILY STANDS UP AND BEGINS TO WAKE EVERYONE UP.)

EMILY: Wake up! Wake up! It’s Christmas Day!

MOTHER: Emily! You’re well! You have no fever!

SERVANT 1: It’s a miracle!

EMILY: (SMILING) It’s the Christmas Bells and their music; their music which tells of Christ’s birth and God’s love for us all.

 (MUSIC GETS LOUDER.. ALL EXIT.)

SCENE 3

(CHANGE OF MUSIC TO A SADDER TUNE. ENTER POOR MOTHER AND HER THREE CHILDREN. SHE SITS IN A CHAIR CRYING SOFTLY INTO HER HANDS WHILE HER CHILDREN STAND AROUND HER)

CHILD 1: Please don’t cry mother.

CHILD 2: Don’t be so sad.

MOTHER:  But what are we going to do? Tomorrow is Christmas and we don’t have any food.

CHILD 3: Do not worry, Mother! Bread and a little wine will be enough.

MOTHER: But don’t you understand that we may not even have a place to sleep. If the landlord comes for his rent and I don’t have any money to pay him, he will throw us out! (SOBS)

CHILD 1: Don’t worry, mother. At least we have the bells.

CHILD 2:  Yes! That’s true.  The bells belong to everybody.

MOTHER: Bells?  What bells are you talking about?

CHILD 3: Listen! I can hear them now! Christ has been born!

(BELL MUSIC. ENTER SPIRIT OF THE CHRISTMAS ROSE AND HER HELPERS. THEY STAND BLOCKING THE POOR FAMILY)

ROSE:

The legend of the Christmas Rose is old,
but always worthy of being told!
At the very first Christmas a little beggar girl
Wanted to enter but did not dare.
She had no gift to offer the Babe
Until the arch- angel Gabriel appeared.(«arch» is pronounced ARK-ANGEL)
He showed her a great bank of white flowers
That were the first of the Christmas Roses to follow.
Take them to him he bade,
For they are God’s gift to you today!

(THE SPIRIT AND HELPERS SWING BACK TO  STAND ON EACH SIDE OF THE POOR FAMILY.  A MIRACLE HAS HAPPENED.

THE POOR FAMILY IS NOW WARMLY DRESSED WITH FOOD ON THE TABLE AND A CHRISTMAS TREE.)

ALL EXIT TO BELL MUSIC.

A SONG: A GROUP OF STUDENTS CAN SING A CHRISTMAS SONG AT THIS POINT.

SCENE 4

(SLOW,  SOLEMN MUSIC. ENTER A GROUP OF TRAVELERS)

TRAVELER 1: Oh how much further do we have to travel to find a good enough place to rest?

TRAVELER 2: We have been walking without stop for an entire day, and the cold bitter wind is biting through my very bones!

TRAVELER 3: It’s not the cold that bothers me so much. It is that I’m hungry and tired and not sure how much further I’ll be able to walk.

TRAVELER 4: Don’t worry. Don’t complain. We’ll know when it’s time to stop. When the Christmas bells sound, that will be our sign that Christ has been born and then it will be our time to rest.

TRAVELER 1: Stop! Listen! Do you hear that? Or is it just my imagination?

 (BELL MUSIC. ENTER THE SPIRIT OF HOLLY. )

HOLLY: Oh tired and weary travelers, lay your burden down here and rest for the night.  Your faith and endurance will be well rewarded. For tonight Baby Jesus has been born and sleeps sweetly until morn.

EVERYONE IN THE PLAY COMES TO THE FRONT , AND SAYS:

«HAPPY CHRISTMAS …AND PEACE ON EARTH TO EVERYONE.»

( ENTER HER HELPERS WITH BLANKETS AND TWIGS FOR A FIRE , THAT THEY GIVE TO THE TRAVELERS.

MUSIC IS PLAYING.

 (ANOTHER GROUP OF STUDENTS CAN SING A SONG.)

 (ALL EXIT TO BELL MUSIC.)  

THE END

______________________________________________________________________

3. January – February

PLAY TITLE Louie, The Lonely Polar Bear

SPECIFIC VOCABULARY: can, can’t, sing, polar bear, fly, birds, bears, tails, big, little, their, long, short, ice, snow, iceberg, wild animals, seal, cold, igloo

NOTE: CORRECTED BY Pablo Sánchez – NO POLAR BEARS LIVE IN ANTARCTICA (The original version).

SETTING: near the North Pole, on a glacier or iceberg

CHARACTERS:

THE PLAY

 

NARRATOR 1: Louie is a baby polar bear who lives with his mother on one of the coldest places in the world, the North Pole. Polar bears are big, with long white fur to match the snow. They have a little, short tail, and can swim very fast in the cold ocean water.

NARRATOR 2:  Louie has no brothers.  He had no sisters.  He had no friends because no other bears live near Louie’s family. His father had gone to hunt food. Maybe he would come home with a seal or a big fish.  Louie had no one but his mother.  He was alone when his father went to hunt for food. Louie was sad.

LOUIE: I am not big.  I am not strong.  I do not eat much. I wish the other animal babies would play with me. They are all afraid because polar bears grow to be VERY big, and kill other animals to eat.

NARRATOR: One day, Louie saw a large group of baby seals.

LOUIE:  Wow!  Maybe one of those baby seals can be my friend!

GROUP OF BABY SEALS:  Run! Run! There’s a polar bear.             He may try to kill and eat us! RUN!

NARRATOR: Louie was sad. he went home to see his mother.

LOUIE: Mama…the baby seals ran away from me. I will never have any friends.

LA VERNE: Someday, Louie, you will have a chance to have a good friend. Be patient.

NARRATOR: Two days later, Louie’s mother was all excited, and called him.

LA VERNE:  Louie, Louie.  Guess what?

LOUIE: What, Mother?

LA VERNE: A new polar bear family has moved to our part of the iceberg…… a mother polar bear and her baby.

NARRATOR: Louie and his mother began to walk to the other side of the iceberg.  They saw a mother polar bear with a small cub. They did not see the father bear, so they carefully and slowly went towards the mother and her baby.

LA VERNE: Hello………

MARIE: Hello.  Who are you?

LA VERNE: This is my son, Louie, and I am La Verne, his mother. We live near here. Who are you?

MARIE: I am Marie, and this is my daughter, Chinook.  We moved here because hunters were bothering us.  They shot Chinook’s father for his beautiful fur skin.  So we had to move far away be safe.  Are there hunters near here?

LA VERNE: No…only once or twice have we seen bear hunters. It is safer here for us.  But, it is very lonely. Louie, this is Marie and her baby, Chinook.  Maybe the two of you can become friends.

NARRATOR: Later that day, Louie’s Father arrived home after having been away for four days, hunting.  He was swimming towards them in the open ocean. He had a huge fish he was carrying in his mouth.

LOUIE: Daddy, Daddy! You’re home! I missed you!

FATHER POLAR BEAR: Hello, Louie. I am happy to be home. I brought you and your mother a big fish to eat so you will not be hungry.

LOUIE: Thank you, Daddy.     Guess what, Daddy?

FATHER POLAR BEAR: What, son?

LOUIE:  We have new neighbors, Marie and Chinook.  They do not have a Father bear to help them. Can we give them some of our fish?

FATHER POLAR BEAR: Of course. We will all be neighbors now and we will help each other.

CHINOOK: Can we play, Louie? Can we slide on the ice together?

LOUIE: Oh yes.  Yes! Yes! Yes!  Mom!  I have a friend!  I won’t be lonely any more!

NARRATOR: Louie and Chinook went to slide on the ice.  They became great friends, running, sliding, playing, and swimming!  Louie was not lonely any more.

__________________________________________________________________

4. March – April

PLAY TITLE: The Ugly Duckling

SPECIFIC VOCABULARY: barn, country, farm, fence, field, grass, elegant, pond, swan, duck, beautiful, have to, has to, in, on, under, in front of, behind, reflection.

SETTING: a farm with a pond

CHARACTERS

THE PLAY

 

NARRATOR 1:Once upon a time, there was an egg that cracked open in a barn, on a farm in the country, far from town. Out popped an ugly duckling.  He was odd-looking. The farm was big and beautiful, except for the ugly duckling.

NARRATOR 2: The ugly duckling was different.  Everyone laughed at him. He walked funny.   He could not swim as fast as the other baby ducks. When he was next to the other ducks, it was easy to see that he was different.  He would hide so they could not see him.

FARMER: Don’t worry duckling. You will not always be ugly. When you grow up, you will be handsome and elegant.

NARRATOR 3: After three months passed by, the ugly duckling saw the farmer coming with food and water.  He shyly moved towards the farmer who was now his friend.

FARMER: Wow, Duckling! Look at you!  Look at you!

DUCKLING: WHAT??? Look at me…..WHY?

FARMER: Go look at your reflection in the pond.

                (The duckling walks to the «pond» to see himself… You can use a mirror to represent the pond.)

DUCKLING: What is wrong, Farmer?  I am not here. I do not see myself. I see another beautiful bird in my place.  What has happened?

FARMER: You have grown up.  You are not an ugly duckling anymore. You never were a duck. Your egg got mixed in with duck eggs. You are a swan.  A swan is the most handsome and most elegant bird on my farm. You are not the ugly duckling anymore..  You have changed into a beautiful, graceful swan.  You are the most beautiful bird on my farm.

DUCKLING:   Thank you, Farmer, for being my friend all this time.  I have learned a good lesson.  I will never make fun of anyone.  I will be fair and kind to everyone so no one will feel sad as I did.

NARRATOR 4: The ugly duckling was not ugly any more.  He walked to the pond and began to swim, proudly and smoothly. The ducks said they were sorry for saying he was ugly.  They told the swan that he was gorgeous. They promised that they would be kind. The ugly duckling, now a beautiful swan, slowly swam away.  He was happy and he was proud.

THE END

_________________________________________________________________

5. May – June – July

PLAY TITLE: Pauline, The ParrotWho Talked Too Much

SPECIFIC VOCABULARY: forest, jungle, river, parrot, sleeping, flying, monkey, do, don’t, elephant, parrot.

GazeboSETTING: Timothy’s Exotic Pet Shop…

TEACHERS: from cardboard, or other material, have students prepare some sort of gazebo, because it will be needed in the final scenes.  Here is a picture of a gazebo…also called a «kiosk».

CHARACTERS

THE PLAY

 

NARRATOR 1: Pauline was a beautiful parrot with long, smooth, feathers of red, and yellow, blue, and green.  All the animals in the pet shop where Pauline lived in her huge cage, said that Pauline was the most gorgeous parrot they had ever seen. The monkey, the puppies, and the pet rabbits admired Pauline because she was so beautiful.

NARRATOR 2: You may know that parrots can live to be 100 years old, so they can be pets for a very long time.  Pauline was 35 years old, young for a parrot.  She was so pretty.  People who came into Timothy’s Exotic Pet Shop loved to look at her.

NARRATOR 3:   Pauline’s best friends were Emily, the elephant, who lived in the field behind the pet shop, and Thomas, the turtle.  Thomas had a very large area outside, with water from a small river.  It was almost like a jungle. Pauline, Emily, and Tomas were friends for 30 years.  Parrots and elephants and some types of turtles live a very long time, many, many years.

Pauline, Emily, and Tomas had met at Timothy’s Exotic Pet Shop when they were young, and they stayed friends all these years.

NARRATOR 4: If Pauline is beautiful, doesn’t bite people, is clean, eats only a little food each day, why don’t people want to keep Pauline? (PAUSE about 10 SECONDS.) Why? Sad to say…Pauline talks too much.  She only is quiet when she is sleeping.  During the day and night, she never shuts up. If a phone rings, she’ll  yell over and over again:

PAULINE: Pick it up! Pick it up! Pick it up!

NARRATOR 1:If someone rings the doorbell, she’ll shout,

PAULINE:  Come in! Come in Come in! Come in!

NARRATOR 2:  If a woman walks by, Pauline will whistle at her, and say,

PAULINE:  Hi beautiful!  Hi beautiful!  Hi beautiful!.

NARRATOR 3: When a man walks by, Pauline will call out,

PAULINE:  Hello handsome…hello handsome…hello handsome!

NARRATOR 4: If an animal walks by, Pauline says,

PAULINE: You are ugly.  You are ugly.  You are ugly!

NARRATOR 4: (LOOKING AT THE AUDIENCE…) Do you know why Pauline talks so much?  (PAUSE.) Pauline is sad that she is not with her friends outside. She wants to be with Emily and Thomas.  She only sees them when her cage is outside on nice, sunny days. When she is with Emily and Thomas, she is quiet, because she is happy to be near them. But when she not with them, she says the same thing five or ten times, over and over. Now you know why no one wanted to keep Pauline. She talks too much!

EMILY: Pauline needs to be outside with us.

THOMAS: No, Emily….Pauline could fly away……or a cat could catch her and eat her.

EMILY:  Poor Pauline…..I know she is sadder and sadder, every day because she is friendly and needs to be with us….not in her cage.

THOMAS: You’re right, Emily. I wish we could help Pauline.

NARRATOR 1: Mr. Timothy, the Exotic Pet Shop owner,  heard Emily and Thomas, but he didn’t know  what to do to help her. Finally, he had a wonderful idea to help Pauline! What do you think Mr. Timothy is going to do?

NARRATOR 2: First, he built a round gazebo for Pauline in his big back yard where Emily and Tomas are most of the time. He put plants, food trays, and water dishes in the gazebo. He put screening on the gazebo so Pauline could not fly away, and so other birds would not bother her. 

NARRATOR 3: He added a big mirror so that Pauline could see herself  and talk to herself without bothering the humans.  When Mr. Timothy finished making the gazebo, he brought Pauline there in her cage.  He opened the cage, and  let her fly freely into the huge gazebo. Pauline never had had so much space!

NARRATOR 4: Now, inside the gazebo, she could fly and be safe. Pauline was so very happy!  She had a new home!  She could see Emily and Tomas every day! Pauline felt safe and comfortable, and not alone. She didn’t talk too much anymore…just enough so people would say, “Let’s see if we can get that parrot to talk!”

PAULINE:  I am so happy!!!!! Thank you so much for my new home,

EMILY: This is so wonderful!

THOMAS: Now Pauline can be outside with us.

EMILY:  Yes. Let’s celebrate!     

NARRATOR 1: Pauline, and Emily, and Tomas all looked at each other and smiled! They were all so very happy!

(PAULINE, EMILY, AND THOMAS ALL HUG EACH OTHER.)

THE END

____________________________________________________________________

Next: Part 9 – Plays for grades 5 and 6

 

Elaine Gallagher 10 cegby Elaine Gallagher

(Grades K – 2) A-1

Plays are organized in three-month periods during the school year.

Among the five plays, there is a variety of difficulty. Choose the plays that are best suited for your students’ English level, so they enjoy the activity. 

1. August – September – October

PLAY TITLE: The Happy Snake

SPECIFIC VOCABULARY: color, eyes, mouth, big, small, ears, head, shoulders, knees, toes, body, circle, four, five, brown, black, green, is, are

SETTING: a park or garden

CHARACTERS:

THE PLAY

SAMMY………….. What a nice, sunny day!

CHORUS………….  What a nice, sunny day!

SEVERAL OTHER SNAKES……. Let’s play, Sammy. Let’s have a race!

SAMMY………….. OK….Let’s see who is the fastest. Ready?

CHORUS………….  Ready? Are we ready?

SAMMY………….. I’ll count to five. Then we can run. One…two…three….four…..five.

CHORUS…………. One…two…three….four…five.

SAMMY………….. GO!

CHORUS…………. GO! GO! GO!

(All the snakes begin to run as if they are in a race. Then they suddenly stop  because they see a girl playing in the park. When they stop, they are in a circle.)

THE GIRL……….. Oh, wow! Look at the cute, little snakes. They are in a circle. They are pretty with colors of green and black. They are small.

CHORUS………….   They are small! They are small.

THE GIRL………..   Hello baby snakes. Do you have names?

SAMMY…………..   My name is Sammy. I am small. You are very big. What are you doing?

CHORUS………….  What are you doing? What are you doing?

THE GIRL………..  I am playing and singing. I am singing a song.  Do you want to sing about the body with me?

SAMMY and OTHER SNAKES……. Yes, yes. We want to sing.

THE GIRL …..How can you hear me if you do not have ears?

SNAKES: We can FEEL your song.

THE GIRL ….. OK…We will sing.

          (She begins to sing, using motions …)

«Head and shoulders, knees , and toes,
Knees and toes,
Head and shoulders, knees, and toes…..
Knees and toes……
Eyes, and ears, and mouth , and nose..
Head and shoulders, knees and toes…
Knees and toes.»
 
SAMMY, ALL THE SNAKES, AND THE CHORUS….

They sing the same song that the girl sang.

«Head and shoulders, knees, and toes,
Knees and toes,
Head and shoulders, knees, and toes…..»  etc.

THE GIRL ….This is fun! Maybe we can play again tomorrow.

SNAKES….. Yes! Yes! Yes!

CHORUS…………. Yes! Yes! Yes!

SAMMY……… I am  a happy snake…I am happy!

EVERYONE…….Yes, we are happy!

THE END

___________________________________________________________________

2. November – December

PLAY TITLE: A Day for Snow

SPECIFIC VOCABULARY: apple, banana, let’s, cereal, egg, good, milk, triangle, six, seven, no, yes, snow, laughing, bells, fun, ride, all the way, Happy New Year, snowman.   Song: Jingle Bells NOTE: o’er = over

SETTING:

         a house, on a Sunday….

         The sky outside is dark and cloudy.

         It is very cold outside.

         The two girls, Brianna and Cheyenne, are seated at a table, eating breakfast    cereal.

         Mother is in the kitchen with them.

         There is a fireplace and a window in the scenery.

         There is a CLOCK set at 10 a.m.

CHARACTERS

         Narrator, Mother, Father, Brianna, and Cheyenne (sisters)

TEACHER: Because there are only 5 speaking parts in the play, the other students can make sound effects of the wind or snow…

                    OR you can divide the class into several sections. Each section will present the play and the sound effects, so that more students who want a speaking part , can participate.

                    You will need all the words to the song JUNGLE BELLS so you can teach it to the children.

THE PLAY

ACT 1: inside the dining  room

NARRATOR: It is Sunday morning. The family is relaxing. 

MOTHER:It looks like a good day for snow.

                   The 2 girls and mother look out the window.

CHEYENNE: I wish it would snow. I love how snow looks when it covers everything.

BRIANNA:  Me, too. I love to play in the snow.

                   FATHER walks into the room.

FATHER: I will go light a fire in the fireplace. It is getting colder outside.

MOTHER: I am going to the kitchen to begin to prepare chicken soup for dinner.

FATHER: mmm, good…..I LOVE chicken soup.

and he walks out of the room…

CHEYENNE: I have to finish my cereal, milk and banana.

BRIANNA: And I have to finish my egg and eat my apple.

a few minutes go by…..

BRIANNA : I’m done my breakfast now.

CHEYENNE: I’m just about done, too.

THE TWO GIRLS: Let’s go read. / OK//Let’s go get our books.

They go to their backpacks, and each takes out a book. They go back to their chairs and sit quietly, and begin to read.

NARRATOR: Time passes, and lunch is over. It is getting colder and darker, and windier.

 Then the NARRATOR goes to the clock on the wall…and changes the time to show 5:00 p.m.

FATHER:  That was delicious chicken soup, dear.

THE TWO GIRLS: Yes, Mom, it was delicious.

MOTHER:  Thank you. Hot soup tastes so good on a cold day!

CHEYENNE: Look! Look out the window. 

BRIANNA: I see snowflakes! It’s beginning to snow.

                            Tiny, pieces of ripped white paper can be «snowflakes».

MOTHER: Let’s put on our coats, and go out and feel the snowflakes on our tongues.

THE GIRLS: OK, MOM..Great idea!

They put on coats, and go outside. Thye stick out their tongues  and catch snowflakes…. (a few tiny pieces of white paper.)

Cheyenne sticks out her hand and catches a snow flake.

 ACT 2: Outside

CHEYENNE: Look, Mom! I have a snowflake. It looks like a triangle!!!!….

MOTHER:  No, dear, it can’t be a triangle….Triangles have THREE  sides…..Every snowflake has SIX sides…..and every snowflake  is different, even though they all have SIX sides.

BRIANNA: I didn’t know that, Mom.

MOTHER: Let’s go inside now, girls. It’s getting colder.

ACT 3

They walk inside the house.

FATHER: Welcome back inside, my three girls. Was it cold outside?

MOTHER: Yes, and windy…We did catch some snowflakes on our tongues.

                   Time to get ready for bed, Cheyenne and Brianna. You have school tomorrow.

CHEYENNE AND BRIANNA: O.K. Goodnight Mom and Dad. See you tomorrow.

NARRATOR: The girls go to their room. Mother and Father shut off the  lights, and the room is dark.

ACT 4. The lights come on….

NARRATOR: Now it is morning. The family is getting up. Mother is getting breakfast ready. Father is seated, with a cup of coffee. The two girls enter the kitchen in their pajamas. 

BRIANNA: Good morning, mom and dad. I’m hungry.

CHEYENNE: We have to eat so we can gt ready for school.

FATHER: Maybe you should look out the window first.

The two girls walk to the window and look out.

THE 2 GIRLS TOGETHER: WOW! LOOK! “Snow!  Snow! There is snow everywhere!!!! The trees are covered with snow.”    

MOTHER: There is no school today.  The roads are too snowy. You can stay home and play.”

CHEYENNE: Let’s eat breakfast and get dressed so we can go out.

BRIANNA:     O.K.:Let’s make a snowman!

NARRATOR; The girls go out to eat and leave the room, and then go out to play. They make a BIG snowman.  Then they come back into the house. They take off their jackets, hats, mittens, and snow boots.

FATHER:   Girls, in two weeks grandma will be coming for a  visit. I will teach you a song called ‘Jingle Bells’ so you can sing it for your grand mother when she arrives. You will like the song. Mother, sing it with me, please.

 (They will use small bells, ringing them as they sing.)

 “Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way.
 Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh……
 Hey……….
 Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way.
Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh»…..
 
Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh,
O’er the fields we go,  laughing all the way.
Bells on Bobtail ring, making  spirits bright….
Oh, what fun to laugh and sing,  a sleighing song tonight!
 
 
Oh……  Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way.
Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh»…..

BRIANNA: This day was so much fun!

CHEYENNE: We loved making the snowman. It was the first one we ever made!

MOTHER: I told you that this would be a good day for snow!

FATHER: Let’s all sing Jingle Bells together to practice for grandma’s visit.

ALL TOGETHER: 

 “Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way.
 Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh……
 Hey……….
 Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way.
Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh»…..
 
Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh,
O’er the fields we go,  laughing all the way.
Bells on Bobtail ring, making  spirits bright….
Oh, what fun to laugh and sing,  a sleighing song tonight! 
 
Oh……  Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way.
Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh»….. 

EVERYONE, EVEN THE AUDIENCE: (ringing small bells as they sing..)

Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way.
Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh…etc..

As they continue singing, they walk off the stage.

THE END 

___________________________________________________________________

 3. January – February

 PLAY TITLE Loretta, the Ladybug

SPECIFIC VOCABULARY: fly, walk, crawl, ladybug, swim, bug, worm, big, brown, curious, yellow, duck, eating, black

 SETTING: a park

CHARACTERS; Narrator, Loretta the ladybug, Miss Worm, yellow Duck, a small group of children

THE PLAY

NARRATOR:Loretta was a red and black ladybug.  She was a friendly bug. Children played with Loretta, watching her crawl up and down their arms. She was the favorite of the children because she was so friendly.

 Loretta is walking in the park. She is curious. She sees a brown worm.

LORETTA: Hi, Miss Worm. Do you play with the children?

MISS WORM: No. Children do not like me. They say, ‘icky..icky’ when they see me.

LORETTA  Thank you. Bye, Miss Worm. I will keep walking.

LORETTA:  Hi, Duck.  Do you play with children?

YELLOW DUCK:  No, no, no!!   When I swim, they try to catch me. Little children hold me too tightly.  It hurts me and bends my feathers. When I am eating, they throw food at me and hit my head with pieces of bread.

LORETTA:  O.K., Duck, BYE.  I am going to walk some more. 

NARRATOR: Loretta decided that she did not want to be with the worms.  She did not want to be with the ducks. Loretta wanted to be with the children.  She loved to crawl near the children. She loved to have the children talk to her…

A GROUP OF CHILDREN: Here’s Loretta!  Look at Loretta.  Isn’t she just the most beautiful bug you have ever seen?  Loretta, you are so cute!

NARRATOR: Loretta was so proud, and she was so happy to be with the children again. Everyone wants to be loved, even Loretta. the ladybug.

THE END

___________________________________________________________________

4. March – April

PLAY TITLE: The Cute, Little, Lost, Baby Fish

SPECIFIC VOCABULARY: family, mother, brother, sister, baby, little, he, they, black, green, yellow, white, blue, together, eight gray, fish, turtle, cute, under, on, behind, in, over, swimming, eating, see

SETTING: in the ocean, underwater

CHARACTERS (Put cards around their necks, identifying them.)

THE PLAY

NARRATOR: The shark, the mother fish and all her baby fish are swimming in the blue ocean. The shark is far from them, but he is getting closer.

BIG SHARK: mmmm delicious…Look at all those baby fish. mmmm I am hungry. I love eating baby fish.

 

MOTHER FISH: Children, run, hide, quickly…a big shark is coming! Hide! Hide!

(All the fish scatter and disappear. The shark swims off alone.)

MOTHER FISH….Come back , babies. The shark has gone.

(The fish begin to swim back to their mother, little by little.)

ALL THE BABY FISH: Mama…mama…We are safe.

NARRATOR: They all swim off together…. Then, in swims the little, lost baby   fish….all alone..

CUTE LITTLE BABY FISH: I am lost. I am all alone. I must look for my family. I have to swim away and find them.

GREEN TURTLE: Hello, cute little baby fish.

CUTE LITTLE BABY FISH: I am lost. Have you seen my mother, and my brothers, and my sisters?”

GREEN TURTLE: No, sorry. I have to go. Bye.

CUTE LITTLE BABY FISH: Here is a yellow star fish, maybe he has seen my mother, and my brothers, and my sisters swimming near here.

STAR FISH: Hi, little fish.

CUTE LITTLE BABY FISH: I’m lost. Have you seen my mother, and my brothers, and my sisters?

STAR FISH: Nope……I saw a clam under the rock. Nothing more. Bye.

CUTE LITTLE BABY FISH: I have to keep looking, over, under, and behind everything.                 

MISS OCTOPUS: Hi…You are cute.

CUTE LITTLE BABY FISH: Thank you, Miss Octopus. I’m lost. Have you seen my mother, and my brothers, and my sisters?

MISS OCTOPUS: Sorry, baby fish…..Maybe this black and yellow fish can help you.  Ask him.

BLACK AND YELLOW FISH:  How are you, Miss Octopus? …..and who is this cute, little, baby fish?

CUTE LITTLE BABY FISH: I’m lost. Have you seen my mother, and my brothers, and my sisters?

BLACK AND YELLOW FISH: I can’t help….sorry….No fish families have swum by in eight hours. Look over near that white rock. Maybe they are hiding there.

MISS OCTOPUS….Bye, baby fish. I have to go now, bye…good luck.

CUTE LITTLE BABY FISH: I miss my mother, and my brothers, and my sisters. What am I going to do? What am I going to do?  I am so lonely.

NARRATOR: The cute, little, lost , baby fish is scared. He feels and hears the water above him moving quickly.

BABY FISH: Listen! What is all that noise ? Why is it getting so dark? Why is the water moving so fast?

 (The little baby fish looks scared. He slowly looks up above him….)

BABY FISH:  Wow!  It is not a big fish!  It is not a big, black octopus.  It is not a big shark to eat me. Wow! Look! Look!  It’s my mother, and my brothers, and my sisters. 

They found me! They found me! Oh, Mother, I am so happy you all found me! Now we are a big, happy family again.

MOTHER FISH: Yes, now we are a big, happy family again.

(They all swim off together,,,,,)

 THE END

___________________________________________________________________

 5. May – June- July

 (Level of English A-1 / A-2)

A MOTHER’S DAY PLAY A Gift for Mama

 

PLAY TITLE: A Gift for Mama

SPECIFIC VOCABULARY: family, purse, love, dog, boy, girl, sister, brother, gift, three, mother, surprise

 TEACHER:

  1. Practice the «th» sound: three, mother, Samantha, brother
  2. Narrators can READ their lines from a small card, if necessary.

SETTING: a living room in a home of the characters outside the home in the garden

CHARACTERS: 5 Narrators, Samantha, Timothy, Mother, Junior (a German Shepherd dog) A Chorus (the rest of the students in the class)

 THE PLAY

 NARRATOR 1: It is two weeks before Mother’s Day. Samantha and Tim, her brother, are talking with each other.

SAMANTHA: Mother’s Day will be in two weeks, Tim. What gift can we  give to Mother?

TIM: I don’t  know . Let’s  ask Junior. Hey, Junior, what would Mama like for a gift?

JUNIOR: WOOF, WOOF, WOOF….

SAMANTHA: You are so silly. Dogs don’t talk.

CHORUS: Dogs don’t talk.

TIM: Yes, they do. Junior, what did you say? Tell me again.

JUNIOR: WOOF, WOOF, WOOF….

TIM: See, Samantha…Junior spoke……in dog talk.

SAMANTHA: Yes, but what does it mean? Let’s go ask Mama what she wants for a Mother’s Day gift..

BOTH CHILDREN: MAMA!  MAMA!

CHORUS: MAMA! MAMA!

(Mother walks quickly into the room.)

MOTHER: Is something wrong, Samantha and Timothy?

BOTH CHILDREN: We want to know what gift you want for Mother’s Day.” 

MOTHER: Hmmm………Let me think for a minute. Hmmmmm…… I know what I would like!

BOTH CHILDREN: What? Tell us, please!

CHORUS: Tell us, please!

MOTHER: I would love something that you make with your own hands. 

SAMANTHA: But, like what, Mama.  Give us an idea.

MOTHER: No, you need to decide for yourselves. I like surprises.

NARRATOR 2: Samantha and Tim went outside to sit with Junior and to think.

BOTH CHILDREN: What can we make?  What can we make?”

JUNIOR: WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!

NARRATOR 3: The two children, with their dog, Junior, sat, and sat, and thought, and thought.

SAMANTHA: I have a great idea, Tim!

TIM: What is it ?

CHORUS:  Yes, Tim, Tell us. Tell us!

SAMANTHA: Why don’t we make Mama a cute little purse out of paper?

TIM: What will she do with a paper purse?  That’s a silly idea!

SAMANTHA: It will not be just an ordinary purse.  It will be a special purse with a special note inside.

TIM: What kind of a note?

SAMANTHA: A note with the best words a mother wants to hear.

TIM: Mama said that anything made with love is a great gift.

SAMANTHA: We’ll make a paper purse, and put a note inside that we write with gold or silver ink.

TIM: How do we make the purse?

SAMANTHA: I’ll show you. It’s just like making an envelope.

TIM: What will we write on the note?

SAMANTHA: The nicest three words in English…..

TIM: What words?

SAMANTHA: I LOVE YOU.

CHORUS (softly) I OVE YOU. I OVE YOU.

JUNIOR: WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!

TIM: Did you listen, Samantha? Junior just barked «I LOVE YOU.»

NARRATOR 4: Tim and Samantha worked quietly. When they were done making the purse, they took a pen with gold ink, and two pieces of paper that they cut into two heart shapes. On one heart Samantha wrote: «I LOVE YOU, MAMA, Love, Samantha”. On the other heart Tim wrote: “I LOVE YOU MAMA, Love, Tim.”

SAMANTHA: Let’s put these away until Mother’s Day, Tim.

TIM: O.K. Samantha.

NARRATOR 5: The two weeks flew quickly. On Mother’s Day, Mother received the little paper purse her children made. She was so happy when she saw the two notes inside.

MOTHER: I love you, too, Samantha and Tim. This is the best gift I could ever receive!

CHORUS: This is the best gift I could ever receive!

JUNIOR: WOOF! WOOF! WOOF!   I LOVE YOU ALL!

TIM:  See….I told you Junior could talk!

EVERYONE: (LAUGHING…)

THE END

___________________________________________________________________

Next: Part 8: Plays for grades 3 – 4

 

Elaine Gallagher 07 cegby Elaine Gallagher 

GRADE 4

 MORE REVIEW WORDS and PHRASES 

 NEW WORDS AND PHRASES

 

(Vocabulary fluency increases gradually, over time and with practice.)

GRADE 5

GRADE 6

MORE NEW WORDS AND PHRASES 

 __________________________________

Next: Part 7: Plays for grades K, 1 and 2  

Elaine Gallagher 05 cegat BASIC Level: CEFR A- 1 to A-2  

by Elaine Gallagher  

1. REVIEW of BEGINNER WORDS(Seen in Grades, 1, 2)

(Vocabulary fluency increases gradually, over time and with practice.) 

 

2. WORDS / PHRASES (for Grades 2, 3, and 4)

(Vocabulary fluency increases gradually, over time and with practice.)

GRADES 2 (Review) and 3

 

 Lexis

  

GRADES 3 and 4

  

3. MORE WORDS and PHRASES:

What’s the weather like?        warm, sunny, cloudy, absolutely, rainy

 

What do you study?  art, biology, chemistry, multiplication

Free time: music, homework, go out, play video games

Tell me about your town or city.          I live in……    historic city, crowded, quiet

What are they doing?       He’s brushing his teeth, shopping, working,      watching TV. washing up, reading, eating

Best friends:            short, blonde, friendly, straight, wear, strong

Work:         What does your father do? He’s a lawyer.

Where’s your classroom?         It’s down the hall. go along, turn left / right

Family matters:          using the future, describing people,  possessives

Play time:           frequency, time expressions, every day, six o’clock

School’s out:      holidays, present / future, when, where, why, who

Sports:         likes and dislikes, present continuous, questions

Memorable meals:  food, cooking, talking about a meal

Future with going to

Nice work:         jobs, work, quickly, well, occupations

Shop around:         describing ways of shopping, sequencing: first, next, after, finally

In class:         talking about the past, comparison / superlative the best, the most difficult, easiest

______________________

Next: Vocabulary for Grades 4 (review), 5, and 6

 

Elaine Gallagher 00 cegBeginner Level (CEFR: By end of 2nd grade, A-1)   

by Elaine Gallagher   

GRADES K & 1 

 (Vocabulary fluency grows gradually, over time and with practice.)

          Lexis

         (a) Understand  (Recognition precedes production!)

         (b) Understand and use          (Production)

 GRADES 1 & 2

          Lexis

         (a) Understand  

                                (recognition)

 

         (b) Understand and use

                                        (production)

 

         Your students should also be able to discuss and answer questions such as:

       MORE WORDS TO KNOW and USE:

 GRADE 2

(Vocabulary fluency increases gradually, over time and with practice.)

 

===============================================================

Wait for the Plays for Grades K, 1 and 2 that will be published on Part 7.

Next: Part 5 – Specific Vocabulary for grades 3 – 4

 

Elaine Gallagher 06 cegby Elaine Gallagher     

A. GENERAL INFORMATION 

         Acting is an art, a craft, and a talent. It can be taught and developed. Even though some students may have a natural talent for acting, or writing, or mathematics…they must be taught how to improve and expand on these skills and talents. Frequently, some students appear to have no talent for anything, yet when exposed to new experiences, they blossom and grow, building an interest where one previously had not existed.

         Our responsibility and privilege as an educator is to provide our students with as many opportunities as possible. Period.

         Presentation of plays, in several of its modes, is one of these experiences. As actor and stage crew, students need to be exposed to various modes to experience the full scope of acting and play production.

B. ROLE PLAYING & OTHER ACTIVITIES

         1. Have the children read or repeat your words in a story they know.

                   For example:

          2. Have students come up front, or stand by their chairs, to «act out» parts of a story, such as swimming motions, or walking in a circle, or other physical activities connected to or described in a story.

         3. Students can use percussion instruments, or clapping, or other sounds, to show rhythm  or action or tension in a story. The goal is that they learn how to recognize when sounds are needed and how sound effects can enhance a story. 

         4. Play games such as «Simon Says» or «Musical Chairs» so students will know how to respond to music, or to oral directions in a prompt, responsive manner. 

         5. Provide an envelope or small bag with slips of paper inside. On each slip of paper write a simple sentence that can be acted out in pantomime, such as «I have a headache.» or «What time is it?»  The other students will try to guess what phrase or sentence is being acted out. The student who is the «actor» get points for how many seconds it takes the audience to guess what he/she is demonstrating. The faster the audience understands the phrase, the better it is for the actor. Try to have 5 – 10 students act out a phrase every few days, so that eventually, all students have the opportunity to be an actor.

         6. Teams or pairs of students can write simple sentences for others to act out.

         7. Teams or pairs of students can write an outline, or an idea for topics that would make a good play, listing characters, setting, and a plot.

          8. You can read a story aloud to your students, and teach them actions to accompany the story, or, they can invent their own actions, to perform in small groups for the others to watch. Stories such as Jack and the Beanstalk, The Country Mouse and the City Mouse, The Ugly Duckling, Goldilocks and the Three Bear, and The Three Billy Goats Gruff all lend themselves to the use of actions, repetition, and sound effects.

         9. Designing, drawing and coloring stage sets, scenery, or backgrounds for a play setting can be a good introduction for students to understand how a play director «sees» things to make the play more interesting for the audience.

         10. You can play sections of various kinds of music, and ask students to describe or illustrate what they feel, and what they «see» in their brain’s eye as they are exposed to different styles of music.  Soft, classical music, lullabies, jazz, modern rock, modern romantic music, opera, rap music, instrumental marches, are some ideas. Students may not like all the music…which is OK…The immediate goal is that they respond to the music in some way…..physically, mentally, artistically, or verbally. The long-term goal is that they recognize that the music of a play or movie can show the audience many things: suspense, fear, love, calmness, relaxation, excitement, suspense, etc.

         You will have to make your own CD for this activity, by copying segments of various pieces of music to exemplify as many styles of music as possible. It may take you some time, but is very worthwhile because the CD can be used over and over for this activity with your groups, as well as a good base for a game of Musical Chairs.

         These ten activities show you ideas of what you can do to enhance the abilities of your students in the area of acting and play production. You may think of others.

C. USING MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES IN DRAMA ACTIVITIES

         We need to remember that a student may have various «intelligences» or «learning preferences» that we might not recognize unless we look more deeply. This implies that we MUST offer a wide variety of activities in our classrooms so we can reach all of our students by one method or another.

         Obviously, very traditional, rigid teaching styles will not be able to meet the needs of 21st Century students with their various learning preferences. We must recognize that our students’ have strengths that may not be too easily identifiable, and for that reason, if we are to be truly professional educators, we need to offer a variety of activities to meet our students’ learning  needs, intelligences, and preferences.

         When we use acting and play production in the classroom, our students use a variety of intelligences, also known as learner preferences.

Depending on the mode used in the preparation of a play production (actor or stage crew) , these are the some of the learner preferences used:

                   The only one not included is Naturalist, but, perhaps, if a play were  to be presented about Audubon, or Darwin, NATURALIST intelligence would be included. It is clear to see that plays and acting will be one easy way to reach most of our students’ learning styles.                           

__________________________

Next: PART 4 – Specific vocabulary topics and English expectations for grades k1 and k2.

 

Elaine Gallagher 07 ceg

by Elaine Gallagher

         The single best and quickest way to have a view of someone’s linguistic intelligence is his/hers vocabulary. A composite of the words they use, the nuances, the preciseness, the fluency and smoothness of speech gives a picture of the person speaking.

         Please note that speaking with an accent is not part of this composite view. Accents are acceptable if, of course, the pronunciation is intelligible. Even within a country, such as the United States of America, there are various accents of English, depending on which section of the country you live. The same can be said of English accents within the United Kingdom, or between countries, such as differing English accents in the USA, Canada, India, the UK, and Australia.

         The goal of vocabulary enhancement is to build FLUENCY and ACCURACY, based on the CLIL emphasis in second language acquisition.

         CLIL = Content and Language Integrated Learning, is a philosophy, which emerged in 1994, from research in Europe, based on 30 years of studies on second language acquisition. CLIL supports the idea that we learn a language better by studying subjects in the language to be acquired. 

         The idea for the necessity of CLIL developed from the CEFR.

The CEFR is the Common European Framework of Reference, a scale to identify the communicative level of any language, to make levels easily understandable between countries. Gone are the unspecific, vague, ambiguous terms such as «advanced English speaker», or «80% French required for this job.» or «Fluency in English is required.»

         Now, the result of much work by many people from many European countries, chaired by David Marsh in Finland, was publicized in 1994, and it specifies language levels, under varying circumstances, in all four skills.

         BASIC: ENGLISH LEARNER = A1, A2,

         INDEPENDENT ENGLISH USER = B1, B2,

         ADVANCED ENGLISH USER = C1

         PROFICIENT ENGLISH USER = C2 

                   These are the six general descriptors (A 1 – C2) used to identify people’s language skills. A manual of about 260 pages (downloadable on Internet) explains in detail, the characteristics of each level in the basic skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Exams are readily available (Cambridge, Trinity, TOEFL, MATT, etc.) to determine a person’s language ability according to the CEFR scale, now in use internationally in most European countries, Mexico, South America, and Central America.

         Book companies that are «with it» now are producing their language texts with a small circle of stars on the front cover ( a symbol of the European Union) with the CEFR number in the center of the circle, showing the book’s level…..such as A1 or B2, so there can be no ambiguity about a level. The editors decide which level to put on the book’s cover, but it must be decided based on guidelines in the CEFR guidebook explaining all levels.

          Performing or participating in a play production meets that expectation.

         Three other essential aspects of CLIL philosophy are:

          (1) FLUENCY is more important than grammatical accuracy (which will come with time).

          (2) ERRORS are a natural part of learning a language.

          (3) LEARNING a language is a life-time project. Our language skills grow as we are presented with various experiences and activities in the language to be         acquired.

         CLIL philosophy, and its influence on educators for the past 15 years, has led us to see how important vocabulary is in the growth of our students’ language fluency. Therefore, vocabulary growth has to be part of every lesson. The pronunciation of a word, using it orally, writing a simple, teacher-given definition or  drawing, and the word’s use regularly by the teacher, will help the students to assimilate the word in his/her long-term memory.

          Each of the plays will be preceded by a suggested vocabulary list so the teacher will be able to plan well in-advance, by introducing, casually, and by modeling the word’s use for the students, so that by the time the play is to be a classroom activity, the students will know about the general vocabulary to be included in the play.

         ALL the words on the vocabulary lists may not be included in the play. The words are provided to present a general guide, so teachers will know what level of vocabulary is expected at each of the three English levels at which the plays will be presented:

         VOCABULARY LEVELS:

                   1. English Beginners (K, 1, 2)                No CEFR  or A-1 at Grade 2

                   2. Basic English Learners (2, 3, 4)          A1- A2 on the CEFR scale

                   3. Basic + English Learners (4, 5, 6)       A2 – B1 on the CEFR scale

 

         Now that you understand the necessity for guiding your students to develop a broad vocabulary, let’s look at some more activities you can practice to get them on the road to acting or play producing.

______________________________

Next: PART 3: Activities to Develop Fluency & Drama Skills