The Teaching Artist Project Analysis

This article incorporates an arts integration program that utilizes drama and dance to promote foundational literacy skills, with an emphasis on the oral improvement of English Language Learners (ELLs). Previous research points out that arts activities pay for a beneficial opening for young students to practice language skills, but many teachers have received negligible training in the arts. The Teaching Artist Project (TAP) is a professional development program that assists classroom teachers use dramatization and creative movement to enhance comprehension and promote verbal interaction in the classroom. Children learn to imaginatively connect the decontextualized vocabulary of the classroom with their own experiences. A mixed methods study
Monolingual learners benefit from oral language practice; ELs need such practice even more because they have limited opportunities to use English at home and therefore rely on classroom experiences. As evidenced by state ELD standards, practitioners and researchers acknowledge the importance of oral language instruction; however, many teachers receive little training in using this resource during certification programs. Verbal interactions in the classroom have waned in the face of pressure to prepare students for written tests. Many teachers feel—and are, in fact—underprepared to address the needs of EL students. Researchers found, however, that in practice it was primarily the teacher, not the students, who directed this talk. Students did not engage in interactive dialogue with one another; instead, they responded directly to the teacher with little elaboration. The study revealed that reading instruction accounted for 87.3% of literacy instruction segments, with an average of 11.6% of the remaining segments focused on composition and writing. This left little time (1.1%) for oral language instruction, phonics, and so forth. Nationwide, other content areas that provide oral language opportunities have faced dramatic cutbacks. Since
“Feeling confident enough to verbalize something, even if it's given to them, is a good thing.” A first-grade teacher added, “The language alone was amazing. Kids who don't ever speak, speak. You see a lot of kids shine that you don't expect to shine…So it was really fun to see some new friends shine. That [encouraged] a new sense of confidence.” Teachers also mentioned that they used TAP strategies to mitigate behavior issues. One of the dance lessons uses an exercise in which children create a “personal bubble.” The teacher asks the students to stretch out their arms and legs and imagine that a bubble surrounds their outstretched limbs. The children then dance around the classroom, starting out slowly and then moving quickly. They are encouraged to move their bodies creatively; the only rule is to not break out of their bubble and enter into anyone else's bubble. One kindergarten teacher found this exercise particularly beneficial in teaching her class about personal space. Teacher-led classroom instruction limits interaction. Confident talkers answer the questions posed by the teacher, whereas students who are not comfortable, or perhaps do not have the language skills to comprehend or respond, remain silent. This limited interaction can handicap learners who do not have the tools to participate. Including arts activities is one way to