Gaeilge + Drámaíocht - Drama

Gaeilge focus                    
1. Tús a chur le comhrá.              
2. Críoch a chur le comhrá           

Drama focus
 1. Drama contract.
 2. Forming drama circle

Materials

•  Leathanach Tagartha 1 / Reference page 1, with four vocabulary boxes.
  

•  Filteán / Folder for each pupil to hold ‘leathanach tagartha 1’ and other G+D      materials
  

•  Rabhlóg / tongue twister: "Bhí Bean ag Joe"
  

Note:

This first lesson is part of a set of three lessons that are linked by means of the reference page ‘Leathanach Tagartha 1’ with lesson 2, ‘Gugalaí Gug’ and lesson 3 ‘Agallamh faoi theaghlach’.

Joe agus a bhean

The Process

       The class has got their room ready and formed a drama circle with their chairs in the   centre of the room. Forming the drama circle is a planned and timed process.

1. Rabhlóg 1: Bhí Bean ag Joe. The tongue twister is learned and repeated a number of times, quicker and quicker then quieter and quieter to whisper.

2. Leathanach Tagartha 1: Bosca 1: Tús a chur le comhrá.
  Quick read of bosca 1: teacher reads and pupils say. A brief discussion about ‘bosca 1’ eg. Spelling of Haigh, or didn’t hear of ‘Móra duit ar maidin‘ before.  
Bosca 1 random read with hand gesture: the pupils pick one to say and add a hand   gesture to go with it eg. a wave

3.  Cluiche: pás an bualadh bos / pass the clap - a game with a micro story.
 In the first round the emphasis is on passing the clap aroud the circle with   communication in mind i.e. The body, and particularly the face of the ‘pass’ giver A, is   facing the receiver B, then having received the clap, B turns to face the next person   C in the circle as the clap is being passed. The communication aspect of this simple   game is vital from a drama perspective.
 For the second and third passes of the clap, speed is emphasised.
 Fourth and subsequent rounds imagination is key - its a bubble, oh it burst or its   fragile and needs to be passed gently - simply having fun with a clap that has an   imaginative micro story.

4. Leathanach Tagartha 1: Bosca 2: Críoch a chur le comhrá.
 Quick read of bosca 2, similar to above.
Bosca 2 random read with relay action: the pupils pick one item to say with their own   gesture to pass on in the drama circle. When they are receiving they repeat the   gesture and saying given to them by the first pupil, then turn to pass their saying   with their gesture on to the next.
 In effect each pupil is saying goodbye in Irish in two different ways with gestures.

5. Siúil timpeall /Walk about the drama space. A layered approach to ‘hello and goodbye‘ as Gaeilge (30 - 45 seconds per layer).

Layers:
 1) The class walk about the drama space in total silence without even looking at one   another. Alway moving on and using their peripheral vision to avoid bumbing into one   another. Stop and freeze.
 2) Walk about again and give a smiling glance as they pass one another and move on.   Stop and freeze.
 3) Walk about smile and gesture (a wave for ‘hello’) and move on. Stop and freeze.
 4) Walk about smile, gesture and say one ‘hello’ from bosca 1, with no reply and move   on. Freeze.
 5) Walk about smile, gesture, say a hello from bosca 1 and other replies with "Dia is   Muire duit" and move on. Freeze.
 6) Walk about smile, gesture, say a hello from bosca 1, other responds with "Dia is   Muire duit" and originator replies with one ‘slán’ from bosca 2 and move on. Freeze.

 6. Rabhlóg 1: Bhí Bean ag Joe again to finish part A.

7. Room is restored to normal class arrangement.

A bilingual approach is best for the ordinary class teacher while doing "Gaeilge agus Drámaíocht agus iad fite fuaite le chéile."

To support a bilingual approach, I've devised a simple switch over hand signal when a Gaeilge/English or English/Gaeilge change is called for in any communication within the class be it pupil to teacher; pupil to pupil; or teacher to pupil.

The switch over hand signal is a simple wrist movement, where the hand is outstreched facing towards the speaker with the thumb above the four fingers - the sign for Gaeilge- or with wrist movement switch the thumb below the four fingers - the sign for English. My explaination to the pupils to remember which is upper in the signal, thumb or fingers, is Gaeilge (1 thumb) is spoken less often than English (4 fingers) spoken more often.

"Gaeilge agus Drámaíocht fite fuaite" is a new inovative creation in learning to speak Irish through Drama.  It's available to all teachers of Oral Irish.
Initiated on 3rd. September '13, lessons and snippets will appear here as the academic year rolls on.
If you want to join with me, particularly if you teach in the greater Dublin area, to be part of this adventure send me an email.