Faculty of Education - Theses
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ItemFrom theatre to communication: the application of theatre techniques to an orientation program for overseas students( 1994)This thesis is a reflective account of my teaching in a program for non-native speakers of English from the Asia and Pacific region, preparing to enter a tertiary system that was vastly different from their previous educational experience. My contribution was to design a compulsory Drama course to train the students in acting techniques to improve their overall communication in a Western English-speaking context and to assist them with integrating the new ideas. A distinctive feature of my course is an extensive study of non-verbal communication through mime and movement activities. In 1993 the period of reflection led me to an important discovery. With the assistance of the Action Research model of plan, action, observation and reflection, devised by Kemmis and McTaggart, I was able to articulate and understand my methodology for the first time. What I had supposed was instinctive, was in fact a thoughtful and systematic process emanating from my background knowledge of drama and experience in professional theatre. This approach, influenced by the philosophies of Grotowski and Stanislavski, enabled me to respond to the students in such a way that I could adapt the curriculum to suit both their academic and personal needs. The students showed the interpersonal skills required to begin development as professionals in Australia, as well as managing the challenge and choices required of them to live in contemporary Australian culture whilst they were students. Without these skills, many aspects of their personal identity were threatened. Further, I recognised that my process as a teacher, solving the pedagogical problems in the development of a responsive curriculum, paralleled the preparation of actors for performance. This thesis documents the exciting journey of my reflection and analysis.