How to Stage Direct Young Language Learners
How to Stage Direct Young Language Learners
Preparing an end of year show (in English 🇬🇧) with young children can be a frustrating and exhausting experience. It’s enormous fun for kids but less so for teachers, right?😱😵😆
One of the biggest hurdles to overcome when preparing a show is selecting and adapting a suitable script 🎭 for young language learners.
The second major obstacle is directing your mini-performers how to move and act on stage. It sounds simple but I assure you it’s not, especially if children have very a limited knowledge of English and don’t yet know their left from their right!
A big mistake many “directors” make is giving children over complicated movements and multiple entrances or exits which ultimately confuse and stress kids.
To avoid getting kids frazzled I recommend keeping stage directions simple and minimal and start by introducing and practicing with children some basic stage positions before rehearsing.
Make it fun by turning stage directions into a warm-up game.Playing will help children both memorise new vocab and move on stage with more confidence
Try calling out:
⬇️⬅️“Pablo walk downstage right”
⬆️➡️“Camilla hop upstage left”
↔️“Francesco, tip-toe centre stage”
⬆️⬅️“Jessica, fly upstage right” etc…
You can also add extra movements to the game for extra fun:
📣Jazz hands (everyone waves)
📣Ballet Dance (everyone dances and twirls)
📣Comedy (everyone laughs uncontrollably)
📣 Shakespeare (everyone calls out “to be or not to be”)
📣Opera Singer – (everyone sings)
📣Frankenstein Monster (everyone walks around like a zombie)
📣 Audience (everyone claps)
📣 Curtain Call (everyone stands in a line downstage and takes a bow)
I’ll add in the comments below a floor plan with some basic stage directions as a teacher reminder.
I hope this helps you get started and if you want to learn ALL the ins and outs of performing with young language learners act now😆 and join me on the next Teacher Training Masterlcass dedicated to Staging Children’s Theatre Florence, Italy ==> http://www.kidsenglishtheatre.com/teacher-training-courses/
📕Download the FREE e-book Teach Children English Through Drama ==> http://www.kidsenglishtheatre.com/free-ebook/
