Sociocultural Theory and Language Learning as Performance: Teaching and Learning Additional Languages through Performing Arts

(Hardback)

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Description

The author leads us on a journey of his years teaching additional languages through the use of performing arts. Drama, theater games, music, and other performance activities promote language use in authentic and engaging ways that differ from typical classroom activities and allow the language learners to have fun as they solve challenges in the target language. Drawing on the work of Lev Vygotsky and Sociocultural Theory, he demonstrates how learning is social and how learners create their knowledge by working with each other. Drama and creative arts are a powerful means for teaching and learning language because of the emotional support and encouragement it entails. He shows how performing arts engage learners intellectually, physically, and emotionally while offering supports and scaffolds that lead to powerful learning outcomes. He has effectively used these techniques with children and adults both at home and abroad in many different cultures and settings and argues that anyone can use these learning strategies to augment their teaching.

Reviews

This book is a tremendous resource for teachers. Haught provides a wide range of drama activities as well as the theoretical principles that can make these experience the most effective. Scholars will benefit from reading about how language development for diverse learners can be developed through many types of drama activities. -- Nancy Mack, Professor of English, Wright State University

Author Bio

John R. Haught is associate professor of applied linguistics and TESOL at Wright State University.