The Linguist

@CIOL_Linguists SUMMER 2023 The Linguist 19 in the film. They claimed it felt "fun, natural", that they "got" the scenes better that way. Their sense of joy was truly felt and before long the whole plot was ingrained in their memories. They were starting to become not only young scholars but also actors. In subsequent readings, we would take this exercise much further. By December, they were invited to read the lines while standing up, and to imitate the comings and goings of the characters. Their voices became ever more refined, differentiating the many characters and even altering the speed of their movements based on each character's age. Importantly, the influence of this exercise could be heard in their diction elsewhere too. Regaining their sense of fun, they would speak in the target language in a much faster, more self-assured way, generously borrowing terms from the play. These students were on their way to obtaining some of the highest IB Spanish marks in the school's history. Findings and discussion As they faced their final assessments in lockdown, my students could not participate in face-to-face interviews about the sessions, which made it hard to assess the outcomes. I settled for an online survey comprising six questions, with the option to add comments. This was anonymous to make sure students felt comfortable to relate their experiences accurately. The sample size was undeniably small, but the three students who gave feedback agreed that reading the play had helped them to gain the confidence to speak Spanish publicly, and to become a more fluent Spanish speaker. One question I was particularly interested in concerned how useful watching the film had been to their understanding of the scenes. Despite the noticeable improvement in their diction, the students had a more moderate take on this. When ranking the activities in terms of promoting fluency, reading the play scored most highly, followed by watching the film and finally analysing the characters. They all agreed that studying the play had helped them in their Spanish learning, with one commenting: "Genuinely speaking in class has made a huge contribution." It is clear that these students learnt and enjoyed their time in the classroom. Seeking further insights, I met with two teachers in the Spanish department, who were both positive about the use of drama in the MFL classroom. One has had success directing students in Lorca's Bodas de sangre, using a range of audiovisual materials related to the play, including music and the film adaptation (La Novia), to expand students' knowledge of Hispanic culture. She recommended taking learners to the theatre whenever possible, not just because of its educational potential, but because "they always love it." I started my research out of curiosity. Aware of the problem of fluency, I wanted to avoid my students becoming mute learners – those who avoid all utterance in the target language – and I can report that they completed their final assessment with unmitigated success. It seems that bringing theatre into the classroom is a safe, fun exercise which does not feel like studying. To Anne Dareys, in appreciation. Notes 1 Fawkes, S & Christie, C, 'Conversation in the Classroom'. In All-languages.org.uk, 18; cutt.ly/All-Fawkes 2 Canale, M & Swain, M (1980) 'Theoretical Bases of Communicative Approaches to Second Language Teaching and Testing'. In Applied Linguistics, 1,1, 38 3 Crichton, H et al (2017) 'Face Values: The use of sensitive error correction to address adolescents' "face" issues in the modern languages classroom'. In The Language Learning Journal, 45,1, 51; cutt.ly/FaceValues 4 Chang, L-Y & Winston, J (2012) 'Using Stories and Drama to Teach English as a Foreign Language in Primary Education'. In Winston, J, Second Language Learning Through Drama, Abingdon: Routledge, 16; and Abebiyi, A & Adelabu, B (2013) 'Improvisation as a Tool for Developing Students' Competence in English Language: A study of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria'. In International Journal of Education and Research, 11,1, 1-14 5 Piazzoli, E (2011) 'Process Drama: The use of affective space to reduce language anxiety in the additional language learning classroom'. In Research in Drama Education: The Journal of Applied Theatre and Performance, 16,4, 571

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