Pantomime is a silent form of drama where the actor uses movement and facial expression to communicate information. No lines or sound effects allowed. Drama-based experiences such as pantomime are a powerful strategy for increasing reading comprehension. The quiet nature of pantomime is an appealing starting point for classroom teachers who are sometimes worried about maintaining classroom management during drama-based lessons.
Avillanoza, (1995) enumerated the significance of the pantomime as a learning tool:
Pantomime enhances subject areas study. Reading lessons understood better, when pupils requested to act out characters of stories, emote important feelings and put themselves in the shoes of the characters.
Pantomime aids in the internalization of values. This made possible through acting out of behavior, vices, traits intention, dreams hopes and aspirations.
Pantomime activities develop self-confidence. Pantomime frees children to move, imagine, concentrate and create. It makes them feel they are at their best when they perform pantomime activities.
Pantomime enriches personal interaction. In terms of non-verbal communication, pantomime trains the young to be effective communicators of ideas. On the other side, they can easily detect feelings and ideas of the people they are interacting with.
Pantomime has future use. In spite of limited time in the classroom, acting may serve as a lifetime career to the young in the near future. Pantomime may serve as the initial stage in teleplays and movies.
Three tips for introducing pantomime to students.
1) Start with simple movements that kids know well.Begin by giving a quick explanation of pantomime and modeling it yourself.
2) Once children understand the basic idea of pantomime, take them through a guided pantomime activity as a whole class.This means that you read a piece of text aloud and guide them in “acting it out” as you go.
3) Invite students to create pantomime independently when appropriate. Once students get the hang of pantomime, invite them to do it on their own.
Through pantomime, learners can be encouraged to participate orally in classroom activities without feeling the pressure of having to perform. The teacher, in acting out simple situations before the class, assumes the role of the performer. The students work together to interpret the gestures, losing their sense of individuality in their intense concentration on the action. The immediacy of the pantomime experience guarantees spontaneous utterances of authentic communicative value and students who get to “act out” text demonstrate dramatic increases in comprehension.
By: Angelica R. Magno | T-III | Luakan Elementary School
