solvepp点点通2004

JonothanNeelands.
BeginningDrama11-14.
London:DavidFulton.
(2ndEdition.
)2004.
pp.
xiv+114.
Thisbookinformstheteacherswhointendtoconductdramalessonsonmanyrelatedissues.
TheteachersareintroducedtothepolaritybetweentheliteraryandprivateaesthetictraditionandtheoralandcommunaltraditionofperformanceinthePreface(p.
xii-xiii).
Thelatterisausefulconceptofperformancethatallowsthestudentstounderstandthemakingandknowingofdramathattranscendsbeyondstagecraftandprovidesanopeningofcommunalinteractionforaudiencebymeansofbecomingco-participants.
Issuespertainingtotheobjectivesofadramacurriculum,theplanningofdramalessons,theassessmentofdramalessons,andthechallengesoflogisticsandinteractions,aswellascertainpolicyconstraintsregardingadramacurriculumarediscussed.
Thecraftingofapedagogicalcontractbetweentheteacherandthestudentsfordramalessons,forexample,iscarefullyenlistedinthebooktoensurethequalityoflearningisattainedfromthedramacurriculum.
Theeffortprovidesabalancebetweenplayfulnessandmindfulnessasthepedagogiccontractwillguidetheselectionofspecificteachingapproaches…andidentifytheappropriateteachingandlearningstrategiesfortheobjectivesinthecurriculumplan(p.
16).
Dramaisregardedasanapproachtoencouragethepracticeofgoodcitizenry,asthepupilsoftentakeoncitizenrolesandactcollectivelytosolveproblemsandconflicts(p.
40).
Thisisanaddedadvantagethatisnotoftenaccentuatedinthecurriculumobjectivesfordrama.
Suchbenefitwilldefinitelyarresttheworryofpolicymakers,whoareyettorecognisedramaasausefullearningmechanism.
Animportantphilosophicalissueismentionedinthisbook.
Basedontheoralandcommunalaesthetictraditionindrama,thequalityofsocialexperienceistheemphasis,andthewillingnesstotakepart,regardlessofindividualability,shouldbethegivenpriorityinthelesson,ratherthanindividualshowmanship(p.
25).
ThisisparticularlyrelevantforaclassCaliforniaLinguisticNotesVolumeXXXIINo.
2Spring,20072withunequalinterestfordramatisation.
Theeffortofintrovertedpupilsinattemptingtoperforminthecommunalensembleisasignthatconfidenceisbeingattained.
Thereisplentyofinformationforteacherstobetterequipthemselvesfordramalessons.
Knowingtheclassprofileintermsofthesocialroleofeachpupil,forexample,isdefinitelycriticaltoensuretheformationofadynamicdramagroup.
Varioussocialrolesofthestudentsarecarefullyidentified,withtheirpositiveandnegativebehaviours,fortheteacherstoorganisethecohort.
Therolesthatmaybefoundamongthepupilsincludeleaders,followers,jokers,helpers,doers,negativespectators,sisterandbrothers,andloners(p.
45-47).
Thetermlaboratorytheatreisintroducedtorefertoextensiveexploratoryrehearsal,usedtoresearch,test,anddeveloptheunderstandingofhumannatureandculture(p.
52).
TheselectionofW-questions(what,who,where,when,why)areusefultoassistinclarifying,inferring,probing,challenging,andcheckingtherealityduringdramarehearsal(p.
53).
Intheprocessofsecuringclassroomsupportfordramalessons,teachersareregardedascontractmakers.
Theultimatechallengefortheteachersistopersistincreatingalearningcommunitythatregulatetheirbehaviourfortheconstructivelearningclimatetocrystallise(p.
56).
Theinformationondramaplanningiscomprehensiveforpractisingdramateachersaswellasanimateur,atermthatreferstoteacherswhousedramaoptionallyinanexistingcurriculum,orpractisedramaasco-curricularactivities(p.
43).
Theexplanationofmanytermsreferringtovariousdramaconventionsattheendofthebookisveryuseful.
Thedramatictermsincludealter-ego,choralspeak,circulardrama,collectivecharacterconsciencealley,forumtheatre,mantleoftheexpert,amongothers(p.
100-105).
Whilethereferencelistisquitecomprehensive,citingpioneeringworksofdramaandtheatremakerssuchasArtaud,Boal,Brook,Grotowskiandmanymore(p.
106-110),perhapssystemicgrammarpropoundedbyMichaelHallidayshouldbementioned,astheconceptsofCaliforniaLinguisticNotesVolumeXXXIINo.
2Spring,20073discourse,tenor,andmodeareinvokedinthebook(p.
32).
Nonetheless,thediscussionsofferedinthebookarehelpfultoclarifyissuesthatotherwisemightremainasblindspotstoteacherswhoarenewtodramatics.
Inshort,thisisabookthatdramateacherswouldfindrelevantinenhancingtheirduties.
Theresourcesassembledinthebookarepracticalandbeneficial.
Withthisbook,teachersmaybemorediscerningindramalessonsthatarecommunal,funyetstrikingagoodbalanceofefficacyofmindfulnessinlearning.
Thebookmakesanimportantintroductiontoanimateurswhointendtosecureanddeepentheirgraspsofdramatics;andbetterorganisethepupilsintheclassfordramalessons.
JyhWeeSewCHIJStTheresa'sConvent160LowerDeltaRdSingapore099138CaliforniaLinguisticNotesVolumeXXXIINo.
2Spring,2007