2016/01/24 Yuka Kusanagi

Gundoku Workshop: Integrating a Performing Art into Foreign Language Education

by Yuka Kusanagi

This workshop introduced the participants to some techniques and activities of gundoku, or reading aloud as group performance. Gundoku is similar to Reader’s Theatre which is widely practiced in English-speaking countries. Although they are similar in practice, they developed independently in the East and West. Gundoku developed from appreciation and voice performing of Japanese classical literature by the well-known Japanese playwright, Junji Kinoshita, in the 1960s, and was adopted into Japanese language education mainly at primary and secondary schools. Gundoku also works successfully in second language and foreign language classrooms.

Similar to the drama approach, gundoku has a good deal of educational benefits: building a positive classroom community through strengthening learners’ empathy and solidarity, developing learners’ self-expression, creativity, communication skills (listening attentively, negotiating with others, raising awareness of nonverbal aspects of communication), and language skills (prosody and pronunciation).

Another strength is its flexibility, for example a wide variety of texts such as tongue twisters, poems, stories, or classical literature can be used. The number of performers is also flexible, ranging from two to a hundred people. In addition, gundoku is especially helpful for introverted learners who are reluctant to speak out in front of others and find it difficult to work with others cooperatively. It also helps learners who struggle with the target language sound system. Gundoku can be practiced solely, and used as an exercise introducing a drama.

The workshop began with ice-breaking activities: reading aloud tongue twisters, rhymes, poems, and stories, and making a script. The participants were encouraged to consider (a) for what purposes gundoku activities can be used, (b) how the activities can help learning a target language, and (c) what outcomes can be related to their own teaching situations. The facilitator also introduced a short report on her gundoku practice at a Japanese university.

Yuka Kusanagi is an associate professor at Gunma University. She has taught English language at various educational institutions in Japan. She received her Ed.D. in TEFL from Temple University. Her academic interests include investigating nonverbal communication in a foreign language, primarily teacher gesture, teaching English through arts (Gundoku/Reader’s Theatre, drama, literature, art), extensive reading, and learner autonomy. Dr. Kusanagi has published and presented on teacher gesture, teaching English through arts, extensive reading, English for specific purposes, and curriculum development.

Venue:

Maebashi Kyoai Gakuen College

Building 3, 3rd Floor, Room 3101

1154-4 Koyaharamachi

Maebashi, Gunma 379-2121

http://www.kyoai.ac.jp/?p=573

Time:

January 24th, 2016

2 to 4:30PM

Attendance:

Members, students, and 1st-timers: FREE

One-day Members: ¥1,000