Performative Language Learning with Refugees and Migrants

This book investigates the use of performative language pedagogy in working with refugees and migrants, exploring performative language teaching as the application of drama, music, dance and storytelling to second language acquisition. Documenting a community-based project - funded by the Irish Research Council and conducted with three groups of refugees and migrants in Ireland and Italy - the book explores the methodological, pedagogical and ethical elements of performative language learning in the context of migration. Written by a team of arts-based researchers and practitioners, chapters discuss findings from the project that relate to factors such as embodied research methods, a motivation to belong and the ethical imagination, while exhibiting how performative language pedagogy can be effective in supporting children and adults in a range of challenging contexts. Offering a poetic and pictorial representation of the Sorgente Project, this book will be of interest to postgraduate students, researchers and academics in the fields of English language arts and literacy education, drama in education, the sociology of education and second language acquisition more broadly. Those working in refugee and migrant studies, and teacher education studies will also find the volume of use.

Erika Piazzoli is Assistant Professor in Arts Education, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. Fiona Dalziel is Associate Professor of English Language and Translation, University of Padova, Italy.

Chapter 1: Performative language practice and ethical principles in the Sorgente project Part I: Painting the shades: Methodological, pedagogical and ethical hues Chapter 2: Arts-based methodology and embodied methods Chapter 3: Fostering motivation to belong with performative approaches to migrant language learning: Rustling in the wind Chapter 4: At the threshold of the ethical imagination: The 'not-a-fish' Part II: Embodied research methods Chapter 5: Zine-making and critical reflection: Portals of shared discovery Chapter 6: Exploring the potential of language portraits with refugees and migrants Chapter 7: Observational sketching as a pedagogical tool and a research method Part III: Embodied practice Chapter 8: Process music and performative language teaching Chapter 9: A sensory account of learning languages performatively with refugees and migrants: Eyes, ears and voice Chapter 10: Body-voice and improvisation to explore trauma-informed performative pedagogy: Open the door Chapter 11: Co-presence in brave spaces: Birds of a feather flock together Chapter 12: Conclusion: A poem and a painting