From Poetry to Mini Play
Henk van Oort
Henk van Oort trained as a primary teacher before taking a Masters Degree in English at the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. His forty years' teaching comprises work as general teacher, teacher of English and headmaster. He is also a teacher trainer on the Pilgrims summer courses at Canterbury, England. He recently wrote 'Challenging Children' with DELTA in which he published 100 activities for the English lesson in the primary classroom.
E-mail: vanoort-breman@quicknet.nl
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Introduction
Brushes
Picture postcards
The following lines have been written to be used in primary education. Depending on proficiency levels they are suitable for age group 8 - 12 years. The poems can be used in various ways but in my experience turning them into a mini play is most rewarding. These can be shown to other classes or performed at parents' nights. On such occasions your children are on the stage and in turn say their lines by heart. They may be provided with some props or even dressed up according to the inspiration the lines suggest.
Start teaching the lines orally only. Don't show your pupils the text. You say chunks of the lines, they say these after you in chorus while they are standing. Choral speaking is a huge breathing harmonizer and weaker pupils are easily supported by the clever ones. After you are satisfied with their pronunciation you show them the written texts. Next divide your class into small groups and assign parts of the text to each group. There will probably be as many groups as there are lines. While practising the mini play all sorts of ideas will arise as to the final performance. Handicraft may become part of the lesson when some props are made in school time.
It's real fun. And fun is a important stimulant in any learning process. More of this you'll find in my 'Challenging Children' published by Deltapublishing : www.deltapublishing.co.uk
A Mini-Play for Young Learners of English
Focus: Fluency training. Vocabulary extension.
Level: Age group: 9-12 years, depending on proficiency levels in class.
Duration: 15 minutes (after extensive rehearsals)
Preparation: *Ask your pupils to bring to class the various types of brushes that are mentioned in the text below.
*Introduce the names in English.
*Distribute the lines to your pupils. Each child says two lines only. The character of Kathleen says the introductory text. When a child says his lines s/he steps forward and clearly shows his/her cleaning utensil. Additional dressing-up is possible.
Rationale: This mini-play can very well be performed at a parents' night or shown to other pupils of the school. Pupils learn to speak to an audience. In large classes the lines can be said by two pupils at the same time. Alternatively the names of the utensils in italics can be said by a chorus.
Kathleen:
My name is Kathleen, they call me Miss Mop.
I live in New Castle and run a big shop.
Come buy my brushes big or small
to clean your room, to clean your hall.
I sell them to servants and Lords,
to barons and painters of sorts.
But get out of my way
at the end of the day.
I won't let you in
for then I'll begin
scrubbing my floor
from window to door.
With bucket and mop
I scrub till I drop.
For life can only be clean
with brushes and brooms from Kathleen!
Toothbrush
Brush your teeth before the night,
keep them clean and keep them bright.
Shaving brush
Shave your face, remove all hair
Use this brush: it won't be there.
Dustpan and brush
Sweep up the dirt in a rush
Use a good dustpan and brush.
Washing-up brush
This old friend will do the washing-up
in the sink, in a bowl or a tub.
Baby brush
Treat baby's head with care,
Use a brush with soft and tender hair.
Shoe brush
Polish your shoes and shine the leather:
they'll be fine in all sorts of weather.
Broom
Broom in hand, singing a song,
sweep the floor, while cleaning along.
Artist's brush
Brushes for artists I have in my hand
to paint pictures of this wonderful land.
Paint brush
A brush you will need to finish the door,
a brush you will need to varnish the floor.
Ceiling mop
Dust the ceiling. Remove all grease,
chase the spiders and disturb their peace.
Loo brush
I keep it well, I keep it clean.
I never smell what I've seen.
Wire brush
I eat all rust and dirt from steel,
remove the paint that starts to peel.
Clothes brush
Before going to a party in your Sunday best
brush up your better suit and all the rest.
Feather brush
The high-born lady was so tidy and so neat,
she daily brushed her long-dead parakeet.
Glue brush
Good glue is neither thin nor thick,
if well applied it will for ever stick.
Chimney sweep
Burning woodblocks will remain a proper feast,
if you sweep your chimney once a year at least.
ALL:
Now you have seen
all brushes and brooms from Kathleen!!!
Age group: 8 - 12 yrs. (depending on level)
Focus : vocabulary - listening and speaking
Duration: 30 minutes
Materials: Picture postcards. Blue tack.
Preparation: Ask each pupil to bring to class a picture postcard. Collect the cards. Single out one detail from each postcard and write the word in English on a sticky yellow paper.
Procedure:
1. Put the postcards on a pile on your table. Take the first postcard and ask: 'Whose card is this?' The owner answers: 'It's mine'. You: 'It's Mary's'.
2. Stick with some blue tack the card on the board.
3. Single out one item or detail in the picture and mention this in English. E.g. 'This is a deck chair'.
4. The class repeats the word in chorus.
5. Continue to do so with all postcards.
6. Repeat all new words, in chorus, with the help of the pictures in random order.
7. Invite pupils to come in turn to the board and ask to take away a card from the board. When doing so the pupil says the word that goes with the picture aloud. Class repeats. The pupil takes the card with him to his seat. Go on in this way until the board is empty again.
8. Stick on the board a sticky yellow paper with a word. E.g. 'deck chair'. The pupil with the deck chair postcard comes to the board and sticks it next to the word. Go on until all words and postcards are matched on the board.
9. Invite pupils to come in turn to the board. Ask them to remove one postcard and ask: 'Whose postcard is this?' The owner answers: 'It's mine'. The card is brought back to the owner.
10. Remove all sticky yellow papers from the board in random order and in a playful way e.g. by removing them very quickly and asking the word at the same time.
Extensions:
- give a dictation of the new vocabulary
- make a mosaic on the wall with the postcards.
- Invite your pupils to design a stamp. When finished they describe their stamp in English in front of the class.
- Invite a pupil to come to your desk and take a postcard from the pile and describe it. The others cannot see the image. They guess which postcard it is.
Please check the Methodology and Language for Primary Teachers course at Pilgrims website.
Please check the British Life, Language and Culture course at Pilgrims website.
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