Article: The Power of Theater in the Dual-Immersion Classroom

From http://www.ascd.org/publications/newsletters/education_update/jul13/vol55/num07/In_the_Classroom_with_Liliana_X._Aguas@_The_Power_of_Theater_in_the_Dual-Immersion_Classroom.aspx

In the Classroom with Liliana X. Aguas: The Power of Theater in the Dual-Immersion Classroom
by Liliana X. Aguas
July 2013

As a dual-language immersion teacher, I constantly seek opportunities for my students to engage in rich language activities that promote academic and oral-language development. Dual-immersion programs are designed for native and nonnative English speaking students to become bilingual and biliterate individuals.

Two years ago, I received a grant that allowed me to host a Berkeley Repertory Theatre teaching artist to lead a theater workshop for my students. Our teaching artist was fully bilingual and delivered the workshop in Spanish. Under her guidance, my students wrote a 12-act play in Spanish, and it was a great success! Students were no longer reluctant to speak Spanish and loved every aspect of the play: making props, developing original characters and story, writing the script, rehearsing, and performing—all of which were done in Spanish. With Berkeley Rep's teaching artist, my students were also able to enhance their literacy-analysis skills by exploring the plot, setting, and characters of stories—all in Spanish.

Since witnessing the success of oral-language development with theater, I started to use readers theater in my classroom as well. If you want to jump right in, many scripts are readily available online.

Read the full article at http://www.ascd.org/publications/newsletters/education_update/jul13/vol55/num07/In_the_Classroom_with_Liliana_X._Aguas@_The_Power_of_Theater_in_the_Dual-Immersion_Classroom.aspx