All pupils learn in different ways. Kinaesthetic learning takes place by pupils carrying out physical activities. Not only does this help learning it engages through fun. It is like the school learning equivalent of hiding vegetables in a burger.
We have seen great success in using page to stage technique to explore any number of ‘set texts’. (Don’t those words just make you shiver!) The authors craft working as a blue print for exploration. Using drama workshops pupils use the characters to explore a text. What clues has an author left us to create a character? Metaphors, onomatopoeias, and pathetic fallacy… the list goes on. Suddenly, without knowing it, pupils have analysed and annotated a text finding themes and authors intent.
It is an old method that I learnt at primary school – Look, Cover, write, check – put into action. If a pupil can reinvent a text on a ‘stage’ then they begin to understand it for themselves. The processing of information helps understanding.
Take our murder mystery days for example.
Each student will be given an excerpt from crime novel. Ask students to read them all out. Once they have all been read they need to analyse the text for clues!
These are the clues left by writers so actors can create a blueprint to take it from the page to the stage.
To understand characters we set up a court scene where the suspects can be questioned. Set up smaller groups into defence, prosecution and jury. Get the defence and prosecution to come up with questions to try to figure out the innocence or guilt of each suspect. It is up to the Jury after each group have asked their questions to decide their guilt or not. (this is a more role-played version of hot seating)
We can then turn the characters and plot into three key scenes. Begin with a tableau of the scene and then add sound using ‘mind tracking’ (tapping each person on the shoulder to say what their character is thinking) Let the group turn each tableaux into a spoken scene.
This kinaesthetic learning then feeds back into the classroom with written activities. In creating their own clues they are processing the original text. Creating diary entries from characters will show understanding; secret photographs can portray relationships bado cams and plot developments.
If you are interested in how we run these days give us a call for a chat or drop us an email.
