This document discusses how dance can be integrated into the ESL classroom to benefit kinesthetic learners. It provides several examples of dance activities that target different language skills, such as having students physically represent "being" words or using parts of speech like verbs and adverbs to create dances. Interviewing dance educator Carolee Bongiorno, it outlines her philosophy of making students feel comfortable expressing themselves through dance to boost engagement and language learning. The document advocates that with commitment and respect for students, teachers can successfully incorporate dance into language lessons regardless of dance experience.

1. Dance in The ESL Classroom Arielle Scott LING 481

2. “Dance is a living language, capable of expressing an infinite number of thoughts, hopes and possibilities.” Carolee F. Bongiorno

3. Why dance? Dance is a form of artistic movement. The instrument for dance is the body and other bodies. Dance is made up from the imagination, words, feelings, and moments. The integration of Dance/Movement into the Language classroom is beneficial for kinesthetic learners.

4. The Benefits “…Children who engage in dance may actually gain more energy for their academic work” (Kienänen, Hetland, and Winner 259). “Dance exercises stimulate visual thinking and perception, which are considered right brain processes. These are often ignored in traditional modes of instruction. This is critical for students whose learning or cognitive style is characteristically nonverbal…” (Bongornio) “The process of dance is an excellent way to record creative ideas and student development through the use of videotape and film. Such recordings help students focus their writing activities because they enhance observation and self-expression” (Bongornio).

5. Kinesthetic Learners Although dance/movement is a means to help create more comprehension within students language knowledge, dance/movement lessons must be well applied in order for students to actually make improvements. For instance: Asking the students to interpret dance a scene from a selection of reading may be a fun way to integrate kinesthetic activities, but a teacher must ask them self ‘why does it matter?’

6. Movement through ‘being’ Words Objective: Students will explore being words through movement. As a group, students will “be” words. The teacher will announce a “be” word and the students will react to the word. No answer (in the form of movement) is wrong, because the word may mean something different to each student. Hartley, Susan. “Integration with Dance/English Language Arts”.ncpublicschools.org. North Carolina Public Schools. 2000.

7. Movement Through ‘being’ Words Classroom Model: Teacher: Up Students: -stand on tip-toes- Teacher: Down Students: -roll on floor- Teacher: Crooked Students: -make random body shapes- These types of activities are great for class bonding, as well as active demonstration of ‘being’ words and how they can be used. Students will create and challenge themselves to consider the ‘being’ words as physical representations.

8. Parts of Speech and Dance Objective: The students will discuss elements of dance, as well as sharing ideas on how language arts can be used to deconstruct dance. Students will use parts of speech as a basis for developing a dance composition. Examples of parts of speech to review with students: noun, verbs, adverbs, preposition Hartley, Susan. “Integration with Dance/English Language Arts”.ncpublicschools.org. North Carolina Public Schools. 2000.

9. Parts of Speech and dance Teacher must explain each part of speech as review for the students. And then the teacher must explain to the students that: “In dance terms, a noun says what or who moves, a verb says what you are doing, an adverb says how you are doing it and a preposition says where you are doing it.”(Susan Hartley, Integration with Dance/English Language Arts) Hartley, Susan. “Integration with Dance/English Language Arts”.ncpublicschools.org. North Carolina Public Schools. 2000.

10. Parts of Speech, Visual Activity Showing videos of simple performances to the students will prime them for the task of developing compositions. Students will visualize movement and correlate it to parts of speech, through class discussion. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NnW5hZcj0Q The link above is a good example of a simple performance that students can describe by using the parts of speech reviewed in class. Example: The dancers spun with their arms upward. Dance Choreographer for video: JayannChipman, University of Montana

12. isolation of the body parts: nouns

13. a verb warm-up: twist, stretch, glide, freeze, melt, etc.

14. a verb/adverb warm-up: twist slowly, stretch widely, glide softly, etc.

15. verb/adverb/preposition warm: up twist slowly around your spine, stretch strongly towards a neighbor, etc. Note each part of speech for the students, if the students don’t nominate to tell you themselves. Hartley, Susan. “Integration with Dance/English Language Arts”.ncpublicschools.org. North Carolina Public Schools. 2000.

16. Parts of Speech and Dance:Group Work Teachers will allow students to form groups of three or four Teacher will distribute three cards to each student. Each card will name a verb, adverb, and preposition. Students will decide how the cards relate to each other, and are given time to compose a piece that has a beginning, middle, and end (only using the cards objectives given to them). They will practice over time, and perform for the class. In the end, students will constructively critique each performance on paper and through discussion. Were the parts of speech identifiable? How did the choices of the performers movements relate to one another?

17. Dance: An Inspiration for Language in the ESL Classroom, An Interview with CaroleeBongiorno The interview with CaroleeBongiorno outlines why she believes dance is an important tool in ESL classrooms, and how she has effectively put it to use in her teaching experience. Bongiorno reports to The Journal of the Imagination in Language Learning and Teaching that she used to teach grammar in a more conservative way, but found that using dance in instruction and learning actually increased the rate of students who passed state-mandated test.

18. The Bongiorno Way BE COMMITTED, AND HAVE RESPECT Students come from various backgrounds and hold unique beliefs, and a teacher must be 100% willing to guide students through the process of integrating dance into lessons. FREE THE BODY (fade inhibitions) Allow students to become comfortable dancing in the classroom space by: alternating music, inviting them up in groups, dancing in a circle, displaying to the students how one can move freely in space to express themselves. RECORD Recording the performances is essential for students. They can evaluate performances for daily writing, and discuss the illusions and symbolism in dance. CaroleeBongiono, has a B.A in English and a M.S in Education, with a concentration in Learning to Read through the Arts. She has taught Language Arts, Art, and ESL at New York City PSS 24. She is a certified Art Therapist and working on receiving a certificate in Dance Therapy.

19. The Bongiorno Way WRITE IT DOWN! Students aren’t just dancing for fun, although they will receive a “release from the inertia of their sleeping abilities, to the joy of having the spirit of the moment” (Bongiorno). Students can brainstorm and write to focus their ideas. They can even write narratives and stories, that will later be acted out through dance or movement. TAKE IT SLOW Teachers are responsible for providing a comfortable learning atmosphere for students. If the students aren’t ready to perform, don’t push it! Finally, “Teaching ESL through dance is both effective and rewarding…Because the students are dealing with themes they enjoy such as music, movement and makeup, they begin to verbalize more, while enjoying their creativity. Their spontaneity in the classroom reduces their inhibitions and allows them the opportunity to learn language as their own choice…” (Bongiorno)

20. Everybody dances Bongiorno says teachers need little training in order to successfully apply dance/movement into language education,. “Self-confidence, belief in the power of art, commitment, respect of your students-that's all you need. Then you explore and allow them to explore.”

21. Work Cited Borgiorno, Carolee. Interview by Clyde Coriel. “Dance: An Inspiration for Language in the ESL Classroom.” The Journal of the Imagination in Language Learning and Teaching. 6 (2001). Hartley, Susan. “Integration with Dance/English Language Arts”. ncpublicschools.org. North Carolina Public Schools. 2000. Keinänen, Mia, Lois Hetland and Ellen Winner. “Teaching Cognitive Skill through Dance: Evidence for near but Not Far Transfer.” Journal of Aesthetic Education. 34. 3 (2000).