Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, Collective Encounters have been running monthly ‘Skillshare’ sessions for the Sefton Performers’ Network. Richard got Kurt to share some clowning techniques as part of a longer term exploration of 'problems' in translation, language restoration connected to the current 'Culture Wars'. So we tried intellectual muddling: turn-taking; naming and mis-naming objects; embodying words and improvising thoughts. If you are evolving a persona to present to society, can you draw on serious language development; and can humour overcome your reticence?
Kurt Zarniko theory of language learning: TRP, is a straighforward bowdlerisation and mis-translation of 'TPRS' - Total Physical Response Storytelling. The latter promotes the 'total physical response', in the foreign/second language acquisition process (Asher ,2000; Ray 2004; Krashen 2004). TPRS exploits the learner's availability to storytelling and the benefits of literature in aiding literacy and comprehension. In turn TPRS advocates are influenced by Noam Chomsky inclining away from more formal structural grammar teaching and in the spirit of the post-modernist aversion to an authoritative voice.
The proponents of TPRS refer in passing to Method acting (Krashen interview 2020) or the actor's facility for mimicry as an ideal (Kaufmann Jan 2020). So this workshop brings devising, actor training into play in exploring the semiotic elements of language.
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