Gary Carkin, Ph.D. - Teaching English through Drama - Southern New Hampshire University

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THEATEROGRAPHY
Institute for Language Education 2500 North River Road, Manchester, NH 03106 (603) 668-2211

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Gary Carkin, Ph.D.

Biographical Information
 
Gary Carkin is Professor of TESOL at the Institute for Language Education, Faculty of Arts, Science, and Education, Southern New Hampshire University. His primary academic fields of study are teaching English through drama, using process drama for second language acquisition, and utilizing dramatic techniques as means to accelerated language learning. Dr. Carkin teaches courses in the M.S. TEFL and intensive English programs and directs all Institute dramatic productions. He is co-founder (with Nigel Caplan), coordinator, and co-moderator of TESOL-Drama, an online workshop/forum connected to the International TESOL organization and is a regular speaker and workshop leader at regional, national, and international TESOL conferences where he has conducted  Pre and Post Convention Institutes on the effective uses of drama in second language acquisition.  He has been an invited speaker at a number of events including  keynote speaker at the Third International Conference on English Education and Drama held in Taiwan and continues his Methods of Teaching English through Drama workshops at Vietnam National University in Ha Noi, Vietnam and in the U.S. at Southern New Hampshire University.
 
Gary was born in York, Maine, grew up in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, studied drama and speech at the University of New Hampshire, acting and directing at Carnegie Mellon University and the Old Vic Theatre School in Bristol, England and then served with International Voluntary Services as an ESL/EFL teacher in Vietnam, 1966-1968. He has always been active in professional theatre and toured with the Players' Theatre of New England after returning from Vietnam. He then took a position teaching at Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand where he taught acting, directing, modern poetry, and modern drama as well as produced major American plays in Thai translation including, Death of a Salesman, Streetcar Named Desire, and Ah, Wilderness!
He completed his M.A. in Speech Communication at the University of New Mexico and then studied for his doctorate with the leading expert in Indianized drama, Farley Richmond, at Michigan State University. His dissertation topic was "Likay, the Thai Popular Theatre Form and Its Relation to Thai Society" which  research was supported by a Fulbright Dissertation Abroad Award. He is married to a Thai lady and frequently returns to Thailand to visit the family and to practice his still imperfect Thai.
He has been working at Southern New Hampshire University since 1982.
 
 

Education
 
  •       1984 Ph.D. Michigan State University
  •       1977 M.A. University of New Mexico
  •       1966 School of Modern Languages, 
  •        Washington, D.C.
  •       1965 Old Vic Theatre School,
  •        Bristol England
  •       1963 B.A. University of New Hampshire
  •       1961 Carnegie Mellon University

 

Conference Presentations and Workshops

Two week CERTIFICATE WORKSHOP in "Methods of Teaching English through Drama" at Vietnam National University in Ha Noi, July, 2017
"Methods of Teaching English through Drama - Ban Mai School System"  eleven, 3.5 hour sessions for Ban Mai School System in Hanoi, Vietnam
"Methods of Teaching English through Drama" a two week workshop at Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam, August 17-28, 2016
Tea with Distinguished TESOLers  "Teaching English through Drama"   TESOL International Association Convention, Baltimore, Maryland, 2016
"Ten Years of EVO-Drama"
EV CLASSICS at the TESOL International Association Convention in Toronto, Canada, March 26, 2015
"Motivation, Participation, and Ongoing All-Skills Practice with "Process Drama"
with Leslie Sapp and Judith Trupin
Full Day Pre-convention Institute at the TESOL International Association Convention in Toronto, Canada
March 25, 2015
"EVO DRAMA  2014: Structuring Drama Work,"  March 29th, 2014, TESOL International Association Convention, Portland, Oregon
"How Drama Works," EV CLASSICS, March 28th, 2014,  TESOL International Association, Portland, Oregon
"Structuring Drama Work," a five week online workshop sponsored by the Electronic Village Online, Jan. 12 - Feb. 13, 2014
"The Many Faces of Drama: A summary of the EVO-TESOL-Drama five week workshop," EVO Classics, TESOL International Association Convention, Dallas, Texas, March, 2013
"The Wonderful World of Teaching English through Drama," Five-week online workshop sponsored by the Electronic Village Online, Jan. 14 - Feb. 17, 2013
"The EVO Workshop: Implementing and Evaluating the Facilitation of English through Drama." Electronic Village Online Fair, TESOL International Association Convention, Philadelphia, PA (March, 2012)
"Don't Ask Fake Questions: Promoting Authentic Communication Through Drama," with Shin-Mei Kao. TESOL International Association Convention, Philadelphia, PA (March, 2012)
How Acting Exercises Enhance Teaching Assistant's Performance, in Interesection on "Technologies for Refining Teaching Assistant's Speaking, Pronunciation and Listening." TESOL International Association Convention, Philadelphia, PA (March, 2012)
Teaching English through Drama, "Tea with TESOL'S BEST" series
TESOL International Association Convention, Philadelphia, PA
(March, 2012)
The Integration of Pronunciation in English Language Teaching: The Drama Perspective, in the Speaking, Phonology, and Listening Interest Section's ACADEMIC SESSION: "The Integration of Pronunciation in English Language Teaching" TESOL International Association Convention, Philadelphia, PA (March, 2012)
Energizing Language Skills through Process Drama, full-day workshop, TESOL Preconvention Institute with Shin-Mei Kao, Leslie Sapp, and Jessica Davis. TESOL International Association Convention, Philadelphia, PA (March, 2012)
How to Teach English Using Readers' and Story Theatre, workshops at National University of Tainan, Taiwan (March 13, 2012); Kaoshiung University of Applied Sciences, Kaoshiung, Taiwan (March 12, 2012); Chang Kung Christian University, Tainan, Taiwan (March 9, 2012); National Quemoy (Kinmen) University, Kinmen Island, Taiwan (March 5, 2012)
Implementing and Evaluating the Facilitation of English Language Learning through Drama with Shin-Mei Kao, Leslie Sapp, Jessica Davis, Susan Hillyard, and Fernanda Molla. Electronic Village Online Five Week Workshop, (January 9 - February 12, 2012)
The What, Why, and How of Process Drama, with Shin-Mei Kao, Leslie Sapp, and Jessica Davis. (March, 2010) The 44th International TESOL Convention, Boston, MA.
Bringing Language Alive through Process Drama, with Shin-Mei Kao and the TESOL-Drama group. (January 11 - February 21, 2010) Six-week online workshop through the Electronic Village Online.
"How 'Strategic Interactions' Can Train Better English Speakers" as part of "The Political and Social Ramifications of Misunderstanding American English". (November, 2009) . Invited Panelist. South Atlantic Modern Language Association Convention, Atlanta, GA.
Readers' Theatre from A-Z (2009, March). Full day Pre-Convention Institute at 43rd TESOL Convention, Denver, CO.
Teaching English through Drama: Dramatic Questions, Dramatic Answers (2009, March). Electronic Village Fair, 43rd TESOL Convention, Denver, CO
Teaching English through Drama (January-February, 2009). Six-week online workshop through the Electronic Village Online
Acting in the ESL/EFL Classroom (2008, November). Invited Speaker, South Atlantic Modern Language Association, Louisville, Kentucky
Holistic Drama Workshop (2008, July). Invited Teacher. Ninety-hour/three week workshop/study conducted at Tainan University of Technology, Tainan, Taiwan
Using Drama Techniques in the Language Classroom (May, 2008). Invited Speaker, Connecticut Council of Community College Teachers, Tunxis Community College, Farmington, CT.
Language, Drama, and Thought: Vygotsky, Stanislavski, and You (2008, May) Invited Keynote Speaker, The Third International Conference on English and Drama, Tainan University of Technology, Tainan, Taiwan
Introduction to Teaching English through Drama (2008, April) Electronic Village Fair, 42nd TESOL Convention, NYC, NY.
Why Teaching English through Drama Works (2008, April) 42nd TESOL Convention, NYC, NY.
Getting Started with Drama in the ESL/EFL Classroom (2008, January-February) Six-Week Electronic Village Online
Readers' Theatre Online Workshop (2007, March) Electronic Village Fair, 41st TESOL Convention, Seattle, WA.
How Readers' Theatre Teaches All Levels (2007, March) with Alexis Finger, Nigel Caplan, and Judy Trupin 41st TESOL Convention, Seattle, WA.
Drama in Second Language Acquisition: Why and How (2007, February)
International Congress for Teachers of English, Buenos Aires, AR.
Using Readers' Theatre in the Second Language Acquisition Classroom
(2007, January-February) Six-week Electronic Village Online Workshop
Processing Image and Thought in Second Language Acquisition
(2006, November) Northern New England TESOL, Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester, NH.
Approaches to Using Drama in Second Language Acquisition
(2006, November) Northern New England TESOL, Southern New Hampshire University
Effective Uses of Drama in ESL/EFL (2006, March) TESOL Post-Convention Institute, Tampa, FL.
Welcome to the Drama Club (2006, March) 40th TESOL Convention, Tampa, FL.
Drama in Second Language Acquisition Theory (2006 January-February)
Six-week Electronic Village Online Workshop
Using Plays for Pronunciation Practice (2005, November) TESOL-France Coloquium, Paris, France
Overcoming Drama-Phobia in the ESL/EFL Classroom (2005, March) 39th TESOL Convention, San Antonio, TX.
Using Plays for Pronunciation and Culture (2004, November) NNETESOL,
Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester, NH.
Let's Put on a Play (2004, January-February) Six-week Electronic Village Online Workshop
Using Drama for Pronunciation Practice (2004, March) 38th TESOL Convention, Long Beach, CA.
Using Drama for Pronunciation: From Practice to Performance (2003, November) International Conference for Drama in English Language Teaching, University of Constantine, the Philosopher, Nitra, Slovakia
Readers' Theatre Techniques for Pronunciation Practice (2002, November) NNETESOL Conference, Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester, NH.
ESL Drama (2000, April) NNETESOL, School for International Training, Brattleboro, VT.
Learning English through Culture and Drama (1996, April) School for International Training, Brattleboro, VT.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Teaching English through Drama
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The class/cast of The Romantics

Publications
 
Books
 
Carkin, G. (2007) Teaching English through Drama: The State of the Art. Manchester, NH: Carlisle Pulbications.
Carkin, G. (2005) Ten MORE Plays for the ESL/EFL Classroom, Manchester, NH: Carlisle Publications.
Carkin, G. & Hall, D., Day, C. Ten Plays for the ESL/EFL Classroom, Manchester, NH:
Carlisle Pulbications.
Carkin, G. How to Succeed in the USA, (Mandarin-English) Taipei, Taiwan: Discovery Publications. (Thai-English) Bangkok, Thailand: SE-ED Publications
 
Selected Articles
 
Carkin, G. (2010) Vygotsky, Stanislavski, and second language acquisition. English Teachers Association of Swtzerland Journal, Spring.
Carkin, G, Kao, S.M. & Hsu, L. (2009) The Effectiveness of and student satisfaction related to three approaches of learning English through drama: applied drama techniques, process drama, and readers' theatre. Occasional Papers, Manchester, NH: Carlisle Publications
Hsu,L. & Carkin, G. (2009) A holistic English classroom through drama: applied drama techniques, process drama, and readers' theatre. ETRA Conference, Seoul, South Korea.
Carkin, G., et al. (2009) Readers' theatre: turbo-charged language acquisition. Authenticity in Adult Classrooms and Beyond. Ed. Sarah Rilling. Alexandria, VA: TESOL, in press.
Carkin, G. (2005) Seven ways to use written plays for language acquisition: acting and English in seven easy steps. ETAS (English Teachers Association of Switzerland) Journal. 5 (1) 39-41.
Carkin, G. (2004) Drama for pronunciation. In Compleat Links, The Essential
Teacher. ET 1 (1.5) Winter. Alexandria, VA: TESOL.
Carkin, G. (2003) The promotion.  Southern New Hampshire University Journal 20 (1) 124-128.
Carkin,G. (1985) Likay: the Thai popular theatre and its political function in Thailand. New Hampshire Colloge Journal 3 (1) 6-15.
Carkin, G. & Gerace, F. Drama in development: its integration in non-formal education. Occasional Papers: Non-formal Education Information Center. Institute for International Studies in Education. MSU: East Lansing, MI.

Research Biography
 
Dr. Carkin's scholarship focuses on how dramatic activity can create context for language learning while at the same time providing framework for the acquisition of culture, acceptable social behavior, appreciation of diversity, and ethical decision making.
 
He is the author of two books of plays related to the needs of international students and his book, How to Succeed in the USA, offers simulation exercises to prepare students coming to the USA with appropriate vocabulary and strategies that lead to successful social interactions.
 
Dr. Carkin has developed a theory and practice of dramatic activity to produce  personal growth, increase linguistic facility, and develop awareness of self-worth. From over four decades of classroom research and theatre production, he has distilled principles that lead to accelerated language learning through focus on inner speech, imaging, movement, and motivation. Through such focus, language acquisition is supported by aesthetic conditions that encourage language learning and acting that extends from the classroom and can be applied to everyday situations.
 
Theaterography: Please click the navigation bar above under "HOME" for acting and directing credits.
 
 
Professional Memberships
  • TESOL (Co-founder, TESOL- Drama e-group)
  • Northern New England TESOL
  • South Atlantic Modern Language Association

Courses

  • EFL 530 Methods and Strategies of Teaching English through Drama
  • EFL 531 Methods and Strategies of Teaching Pronunciation Techniques
  • EFL 505 Methods of Second Language Acquisition
  • EFL 523 Methods and Strategies of Teaching Listening and Speaking


 

Gary's ESL/EFL Drama Log

TESOL-Drama: The English language drama forum connected with the Electronic Village Online. Click here and look at the bottom of the site's home page for the site of each year's workshop, 2005-current. Join each year and enjoy the rich archives!

Brouse the Institute for Language Education and the M.S. TEFL program offerings at Southern New Hampshire University