Short description:

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.

Long description:

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.

"A refreshing outlook on arts-based practices through an eclectic collection. This book will make you think differently about taking risks and being brave, and the value of practice as research. The authors don't shy away from the challenges of multilingual work in their exploration of ethical dilemmas when using arts-based methodologies across diverse (forced) migration contexts. A great text to better understand trauma-informed practice and participatory research."

- Caroline Lenette, Associate Professor, University of New South Wales, Australia.

"Piazzoli and Dalziel?s book is filled with generative and arts-based ways of making language learning accessible for migrants and refugees. This book belongs on the shelf of anyone interested in working in creative ways with communities under stress and is filled with practical strategies useful to both researchers and teachers."

- Dr. Monica Prendergast, Professor, University of Victoria, Canada.

Table of Contents:

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