What could possibly be better — and cuter — than a group of little kids learning to dance?
Tutus, recitals, that one kid who totally ignores the choreography … it’s all too adorable.
All images via KLRU Public Affairs.
How about a group of little kids learning to dance while also learning English?
An immersion program that teaches conversational English through dance — 50% reading and writing English and 50% dancing.
Dance Another World is an after-school program that gives young girls a chance to practice their English in a fun, safe environment.
The program is based in Austin, Texas, and “works with young, non-native English speaking girls, primarily from lower socio-economic areas,” instructor Dawn Mann explained to Austin’s public television station KLRU.
Students can practice their English without fear of being made fun of and without relying on traditional exercises like translation. “Translation doesn’t work,” says Mann.
Instead, the class focuses on a variety of storytelling exercises. They read and write stories, then portray them with dance — or vice versa.
The program works because the girls want to learn to dance — and to do that, they’ve got to learn English.
Who wants to learn a language by sitting at a desk and taking grammar tests? Certainly not little kids.
As Mann told the Texas Association for Nonprofit Organizations, Dance Another World allows students “to focus on what they love — their passion for dance. … We circulate love and respect for ourselves and one another, and build confidence in ourselves as well as in dance and English.”
Today we made tutus! #danceanotherworld #tutu #tutus#wespeakenglish #nonprofit #contentbasedteaching #wedanceinenglish
A photo posted by Dance Another World (@danceanotherworld) on
What a great way to get kids interested and engaged in language learning!
Take a look at KLRU’s short feature on Dance Another World, below.
