Lesson 9 – Teaching with Dramatized Experiences

Listening to storytelling or reading is an individual activity, even if the story is presented to a group of children; dramatization of a story is a collective activity. Dramatization of a story means that we are “inside” of events and not “outside”, as often in story reading activity. “the pupils can be liberate to explore, what they understand of the original author’s ideas, they can embellish, expand, create ones…They become a powerful community with the ability to solve problems and resolve dilemmas” (Toye & Prendiville, 2000, p18). Individual experience is juxtaposed with a social context in ‘acting out’ the story, which is very important for young children.

Dramatizations together with adults offer an opportunity not only to observe but to practice ‘acting’ skills as well. We can conclude that the story gives shared content to children’s play activity and creates strong motivation.

Dramatic entrance is something that catches and holds our attention and has an emotional impact.

Formal  Dramatized Experience

    A. Plays - Depict life, character, or culture or a      combination of all three.

    B. Pageants  - usually community dramas that are based on local history, presented by local actors.

    C. Puppets – unlike regular stage play, it can present ideas with extreme simplicity, without elaborate scenery or costume yet effective.

Less Formal Dramatized Experiences

A. Pantomime – is the art of conveying a story through bodily movements only.

 B. Tableau – (French word means PICTURE) is a picture-like scene composed of people against a background.

 C. Puppets – unlike the regular stage play, can present ideas with extremely simplicity, without elaborate scenery or costume, yet effective.

Quite simply, a puppet is an inanimate object, constructed of wood, cloth, plastic, cardboard, papiermâché, or any other type of material, brought to life and personified by the puppeteer. The puppet does not need to look like a human being, rather it must act like one. This is the puppeteer’s job and it will be discussed later.

1.      Types of Puppet

The Marionette

Marionettes are generally fashioned from wood and resemble a human body. Body joints (ankles, knees,etc.) are connected by movable hinges. String is attached to various parts of the body, but most commonly to the arms, legs, and head, and it allows the puppeteer to create very lifelike movements. Although marionettes are renowned as an artistic and sophisticated method of puppetry, they are difficult to manipulate, especially for the beginner.
For the inexperienced marionette operator, the performance can be frustrating, as the puppet may not move in the intended fashion, and the operation strings may tangle or break.

Shadow Puppets

Similar to the marionette, but less sophisticated, is the shadow puppet. Shadow puppets are generally flat characters created from heavy paper or cardboard. Again, the characters are hinged, thus allowing the puppets to move freely, and rods are used to operate the gross movements. The figures are placed against a thin fabric panel, and a bright light is shone behind the screen. The result is that the audience sees a clear silhouette or shadow of a puppet. Although these puppets are quite simple to produce, they are not always simple to present.

Stick Puppets

Like most puppets, stick puppets vary in their complexity. A stick puppet can be as simple as a Styrofoam ball head attached to a stick, or a two-dimensional picture attached to a stick, or as complicated as a two-stick process whereby one stick supports the puppet’s head and body and the other stick becomes an arm and hand. Puppets can also be created using wooden spoons. Spoon puppets are easy to create and manipulate, but the puppeteer is restricted to very simple movements when using them.

Hand Puppets

Hand puppets are by far the most common type of puppet. They are relatively simple to
create and readily available to purchase for those who are not inclined to make their own. With a hand puppet, the puppeteer’s hand is placed directly inside the puppet. Different fingers control the head and arms of the puppet. In addition to moving their head and arms, these puppets can pick up or manipulate props. The puppet becomes an extension of the puppeteer’s own hand, thus making movements with the puppet relatively natural. I recommend this type of puppet, particularly for the beginning puppeteer.

Mouth Puppets

(Muppet® type)

Mouth puppets are my favorite type of puppet. They appear more lifelike than their counterparts (although this is not necessarily important to the child).
Mouth puppets are distinguished from other puppets in that they have movable mouths, thus allowing the puppets to talk more realistically. The puppeteer inserts his thumb into the lower jaw of the puppet and the other fingers operate the upper jaw. If the mouth puppet also has a body and arms, the puppeteer must decide what to do with the arms. A beginner might choose to simply leave the arms hanging to the side of the puppet. A second option is to tie some fishing line or invisible thread to both the wrist and the neck of the puppet.
Consequently, any large movement by the puppet would result in smaller movements of the arms.

Rod Puppets

Flat cut out figures tacked to a stick, with one or more movable parts, and operated from below the stage level wire rods or slender stick .

Glove-and-finger puppets

Make used of old gloves to which small costumed figure are attached.

2. Other Puppet Ideas

1. Stocking puppets
2. Silhouettes makes good shadow puppets
3. Cardboard face  on a stick is excellent for lower-grade children
4. Cardboard face fastened to a band on pupils head

3. Making Puppet Theatres

Steps:

1. Nail stick legs to each corner of a wooden crate that has two sides removed.
2. Drape cloth from the bottom of the box and tack it around sides and front. Operators crouch behind the theatre.
3. You may also use pieces of plywood, heavy cardboard,

       Or masonite  to produce a self-standing puppet theatre.

4. Suggestions of the puppeters

1. Do not use puppets for plays that can be done just as well or better by dramatic mean.
2. Puppet plays must be based on action rather than on words.
3. Keep the play short.
4. Do not omit possibilities of music and dancing as part of the puppet show.

Adapt the puppet show to the age, background, and tastes of the  students.

D. Role Playing: How role playing is done:

It can be done  by describing  a situation which would create different viewpoints on an issue and then asking the students to play the roles of the individuals involved. Any kind of conflict situation, real or potential, is useful for role playing or any situation in which real feelings are concealed. Consider situation in school, at home, on the playground, at work, in the government.

The role playing has to be followed by a discussion.

Among the questions that may be asked are:

v  How  did you, as actors, feel? Would you act/think that way in real life?

v  As observers, would you agree with what the actors sais or did?

v  Any lessons learned?