Page 88 - Diversity in Action

Lorena Lazarić and Kristina Riman

mals in the forest organising a joint picnic, using simple phrases in different
languages (Cro. hvala, Eng. thank you, or It. grazie) to express gratitude for
sharing food, thereby practising basic vocabulary and language structures
in a context that mimics real interactions. In another example, children can
participate in a simulation of a magic toy shop, where they act as sellers and
customers, using expressions like Ovo je lopta (Eng. This is a ball)inmultiple
languages (e.g., ball in English, palla in Italian) to describe the toys, develop-
ing sociolinguistic skills such as using polite phrases in different languages.
Yet another example involves children acting as passengers on a magic train
that travels through different countries, where they learn greetings like Ciao
in Italian or Tschüss in German as they visit stations, getting acquainted with
linguistic and cultural diversity through play. These activities enable chil-
dren to become multicompetent speakers, capable of using their linguistic
repertoire flexibly and appropriately according to the context, while simul-
taneously developing basic intercultural competencies (Council of Europe,
2001).
Oneofthekeyadvantagesofprocessdramaisthatchildrenlearnlanguage
as a means of communication and collaboration, spontaneously acquiring
language structures and vocabulary through interactive dialogues and play-
ful scenarios (Kao & O’Neill, 1998). For example, in a scenario where children
act as friends building a world park together, they use words like drvo (Eng.
tree)or cvijet (Eng. flower) in multiple languages while planning the park,
naturally integrating linguistic diversity and learning about cultural symbols,
such as the meaning of different plants in various cultures (Galazka & Bald-
win, 2021). This unobtrusive approach to language learning through play re-
ducesthefearofmakingmistakes,aschildren arepreoccupiedwith thejoyof
storytelling and collaboration, which increases their confidence in linguistic
production. Process drama, along with role-play, also encourages the under-
standing of cultural nuances, as children, through these activities – for exam-
ple, by acting as inhabitants of a fictional village sharing stories about differ-
ent holidays, such as Christmas or Eid – develop empathy and awareness of
cultural diversity (Kramsch, 2009). Techniques like Heathcote’s collaborative
role-taking enable children to reflect on their experiences, for instance, by
discussing how they felt while sharing ‘their’ toys at a marketplace, deepen-
ing their ability to connect language and culture (Bolton & Heathcote, 1999).
Through this integrated approach, process drama and role-play make multi-
lingualism and multiculturalism dynamic bridges that connect linguistic di-
versity with cultural understanding, preparing young learners for life in di-
verse, globalised communities (Galazka & Baldwin, 2021).

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