A progressive sequence of theatre techniques for teaching science Paris Papadopoulos Fanny Seroglou Aristotle University of Thessaloniki - Greece

theatre techniques provide a cultural bridge between the two “worlds” inside and outside the school teachers pupils

a progressive sequence of theatre techniques pantomime the experts robe role play the expert’s chair debate trials of historic characters

a teaching course on weather phenomena  What’s is the weather today? year-old pupils  primary school of Drymos

flexible zone  subject-free period of the curriculum  teachers may develop various projects and activities  two hours per week

      haven’t been taught science as an individual subject  the developed course is their introduction to science concepts and phenomena

weather phenomena  rain, snow, hail, wind, water circle  multi-level platform for introducing pupils to the science  children water always play with water  weather phenomena are part of and affect every day life

challenge  motivate pupils to participate in theatre techniques speaking, moving, acting styles   use this creative environment in order to learn science

a progressive sequence  focus each time on a new element of acting (learning through acting)  focus on encouraging the related skills

stepfocustheatre technique 1 movingpantomime 2 speakingdialogues story-telling 3 moving & speaking dramatization 4 debatingrole-play debate expert’s chair trials

learning science becomes… more creative more appealing a pleasure ! pupils involvement in learning increased rapidly

pantomime allows pupils to create movements, sounds and mime pieces about science phenomena water circle and weather phenomena

pantomime the physical representation allows pupils to reflect on the unfolding procedure of the circle of water in an non-verbal way they touch, see and experience the meaning of the science vocabulary

role-play students form three groups: scientists, adults, children each group has its own interpretation about weather phenomena

role-play provides pupils with opportunities to explore and elaborate a range of ideas other than their own introduces them to variety of values and interpretations about the nature of science

fruitful feedback design and re-design the various episodes of the course theatre techniques gradually got engaged in the teaching of other subjects of the curricula became a bridging instructional tool between different subjects

analysing data  qualitative analysis of the videotaped sessions key-ideas concerning the potential and the limitations of using theatre techniques in the classroom

data interpretation three dimensional cognitive, metacognitive and emotional framework theory of multiple intelligences

Table 1. Cognitive Dimension: qualitative data analysis of the videotaped sessions ConcerningBoys (%)Girls (%)Total (%) Involvement in learning 75%67%71% Problem solving skills 60%50%55% Content of Physics 85%88%86% Learning and thinking trough observation and experiments. ( Scientifically) 55%60%58%

Table 2. Meta-cognitive Dimension: qualitative data analysis of the videotaped sessions ConcerningBoys (%) Girls (%)Total (%) Interactions of science and society (Moral, Cultural, Democratic and usefulness). 30%40%35% Nature of science (Methodology, content, science as not an absolute truth, changes of science through time). 41%45%43% Justify, form and express opinions78%70%74% Synthesising ideas in order to question and explain reason. 70%65%67%

Table 3. Emotional Dimension: qualitative data analysis of the videotaped sessions ConcerningBoys (%) Girls (%)Total (%) Exploring attitudes and values other than their own 70%65%67% Increased students interests and motives 90%95%93% Positive classroom climate100 % Feeling that the work was meaningful. 85%90%67%

Table 4. Linguistic Intelligence( According to Gardner’s theory) : qualitative data analysis of the videotaped sessions ConcerningBoys (%) Girls (%)Total (%) Increased narrative comprehension and production. 45%40%42% Decreasing need for adult support during writing. 35%30%33% Use of unfamiliar (scientific) and wider vocabulary. 80%75%73% Longer retention of information65%70%67%

Table 5. Intrapersonal Intelligence( According to Gardner’s theory) : qualitative data analysis of the videotaped sessions ConcerningBoy s (%) Girls (%)Total (%) Express of feelings55%70%63% Self-esteem and self awareness 43%30%37% Self-control60%65%63% Making decisions55%50%53% Increased independence25%30%27%

Table 6. Interpersonal Intelligence( According to Gardner’s theory) : qualitative data analysis of the videotaped sessions ConcerningBoys (%) Girls (%)Total (%) Social and communication skills65%60%63% Sharing and working collaboratively 80%85%82% Acceptance of the difference90%85%87% Pupils’ participation through peer- group 100%

Table 7. Bodily- Kinesthetic-Intelligence( According to Gardner’s theory) : qualitative data analysis of the videotaped sessions ConcerningBoy s (%) Girls (%)Total (%) Usage of body-gesture symbols 55%60%53% Acting skills60%55%57% Ability to observe carefully and then to recreate scenes in detail (imitate) 72%70%71%

Meta-cognitive Dimension: qualitative data analysis of the videotaped sessions 1 st Step 2 nd Step3 rd Step4 th Step MovingSpeakingMoving and SpeakingDebating Panto- mime Dialog uesStory telling Depiction image of weather forecast Depiction image of impacts on people’s life. Role play Image Trial Interactions of science and society Moral - 35%25%- 40% Cultural - -18%-32%45%55% Demo- cratic % Utili- tarian - 31%35%- 60%65%

Meta-cognitive Dimension: qualitative data analysis of the videotaped sessions 1234 MovingSpeakingMoving and SpeakingDebating Pantomi me DialoguesStory telling Depiction image of weather forecast Depiction image impacts on people’s life. Role play Image Trial Nature of science Methodol ogy -30%35%--58%55% Content -30%45%--55%60% Science as not an absolute truth -25%20%--50%40% Changes of science through time -25%20%--75%65%

Meta-cognitive Dimension: qualitative data analysis of the videotaped sessions 1 st Step2 nd Step3 rd Step4 th Step MovingSpeakingMoving and SpeakingDebating Panto- mime DialoguesStory telling Depiction image of weather forecast Depiction image impacts on people’s life. Role play Image Trial Justify, form and express opinions %75% Synthesising ideas in order to question and explain reason %64%

Intrapersonal Intelligence( According to Gardner’s theory) : qualitative data analysis of the videotaped sessions 1 st Step2 nd Step3 rd Step4 th Step MovingSpeakingMoving and SpeakingDebating Pantomi me DialoguesStory telling Depiction image of weather forecast Depiction image impacts on people’s life. Role play Image Trial Express of feelings 60%--67%63%60%65% Self-esteem and self awareness 35%--38%40%35%40% Self-control 67%45%55%70%72%70%60%

Intrapersonal Intelligence( According to Gardner’s theory) : qualitative data analysis of the videotaped sessions Concerni ng 1 st Step 2 nd Step3 rd Step4 th Step MovingSpeakingMoving and SpeakingDebating Panto mime Dialogues Story telling Depiction image of weather forecast Depiction image of impacts on people’s life. Role play Image Trial Making decisions ---30%42%40%100 % Increased independence 25%--20%32%20%42%