Learning a language creates all sorts of fear and apprehension, as it’s very easy to make mistakes and lose confidence to try and speak – With this lack of spoken confidence comes lack of motivation and engagement to complete all the other aspects of learning a language.
If you eliminate this fear with lessons that allow the children to progress naturally through games, activities and creativity, the motivation to speak, and hence improve quickly in all areas is huge!
It’s why we have designed creative, film, theatre & art project weeks.
They create a positive, confidence building environment.
Now, it’s clear that English, every lesson during our project weeks has massive advantages to the typical 4-5 English lessons a week, but that’s not to say a similar approach can’t be undertaken for at least some of a typical week.
I understand it’s a different situation in a classroom, week in, week out, following the ‘More’ course curriculum and having to test on the units for grading purposes.
Nonetheless, there is an opportunity to add art, film & theatre, among other activities, to inspire, motivate and build confidence, ultimately giving the students more desire to achieve more.
Hope that helps a little, and in the next blog, I’ll touch on how to use film & theatre in the classroom to enhance language learning.
Feel free to get in touch if you have any thoughts or questions!