Every culture has some performance art, such as music, dancing and drama, and also a way to talk about these activities.
Beginning Learners:
Learn the names of different instruments, dances or dancing styles, and drama performances.
Possible vocabulary:
- Instrument names (such as drum, flute, stringed instruments, etc.)
- Names for people who play these instruments (such as drummer, flutist, guitarist, etc.)
- Song (and different kinds of songs, such as folk song, hymn, pop song, etc.)
- Singer
- Choir
- Orchestra or band
- Dance (and different kinds of dances, such as folk dance, ballet, — whatever types are recognized in the culture)
- Dancer
- Play (theatrical production)
- Puppet
- Actor
- Performance
- Set
- Theatre
- Ticket
As with many other topics, take pictures or find pictures of as many of the vocabulary items as possible. Use Look and Listen techniques to learn the names, or make it more interesting by acting out the words: If you hear the word “drum” for instance, act out playing a drum and say “boom boom”. Act out dancing, or being a puppeteer or singing or whatever activity you hear mentioned. Then you say one of those words and ask your LH to act it out!
Intermediate Learners:
Get a short text from your LH about his or her favorite musician, dancer or actor. Ask what makes that person particularly good. Continue your work on comparatives and superlatives, as well and general comprehension of short oral texts. Learn who are some of the best-known and most popular artists in popular culture.
