Page 95 - Diversity in Action

Process Drama in Teaching Multilingualism and Multiculturalism

cultural awareness through the understanding of different storytelling
traditions (e.g., oral stories or written fairy tales in European traditions),
and fostering critical thinking and collaboration through group cre-
ation and discussion of stories. These goals ensure that the activity de-
velops multicompetence and intercultural sensitivity in a context rele-
vant to the learners.
3. Creating the dramatic context. The dramatic context is the Global Story
Museum – a fictional museum where participants represent storytellers
from different cultures who are sharing their stories at an exhibition.
The teacher sets the scene using simple props like paper books, illus-
trations, or signs with the names of ‘countries,’ defining the time (e.g.,
the opening day of the exhibition) and place (e.g., a museum hall). This
context is appealing and flexible, encouraging children to use multi-
ple languages and explore cultural norms related to storytelling, with
adaptations according to the group’s knowledge level.
4. Designing roles. The roles are diverse and adapted to the childrens’ age,
such as a storytellerfromCroatia who shares a folk tale, a storytellerfrom
Italy who presents a fairy tale in Italian, or a storyteller from Africa who
uses oral tradition. The roles are assigned according to the childrens’ in-
terests, with the teacher’s support in modelling phrases (e.g., This is my
story ... in multiple languages), encouraging collaborative interactions
and cultural exchange.
5. Structuring the activity. The activity is structured in three phases for a
balanced flow:
• Introduction to the dramatic world (10–15 minutes): The teacher in-
troducesthecontext with astoryabout themuseumexhibition and
assigns roles, using visual aids like story illustrations or short videos
about storytelling, and prepared scripts with phrases in multiple
languages (e.g., Croatian, English, Italian) so that children can get
acquainted with key expressions.
• Plot development (20–30 minutes): Through episodes, children
share their ‘stories,’ using phrases in multiple languages and dis-
cussing the cultural elements of storytelling (e.g., how stories are
passed down in different cultures), with the teacher’s guidance to
encourage collaboration and creativity. For example, children can
act as storytellers who create a new story together, combining ele-
ments from different cultures.
• Reflection (10–15 minutes): Through a group discussion or a creative
task, such as making a poster that displays their joint story, children

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