Teacher's Game
When studying any subject at
school, like literature, history, math or physics, students remain themselves.
They speak their own language and retain their own names. They remain within
the context of their native culture.
When studying a foreign language,
children and teachers play a game.
The teacher assumes the
role of a foreigner who speaks a different language at every lesson. The
students gradually become "foreigners" at their foreign language lessons.
Maria and Vassily, Dimos and Sophia, Giuseppe and Silvana may turn into
Mary and John for the lesson. The role they play helps them switch from
one language, one culture, into another. The students make various exercises,
enact dialogues, make presentations. They learn customs and traditions,
they begin to speak fluently, they communicate with their peers and the
teacher in the language which seemed, in the beginning, strange, difficult,
and maybe uninteresting. The better their knowledge and the higher their
level, the more enthusiastic they are. Yet, once the lesson is over, they
emerge into the school hallways and shout at each other in their native
tongue.
The game is over. The role
is abandoned - until tomorrow!
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