This last weekend I had the opportunity to give a presentation at the 3rd Annual Interdisciplinary Conference in the Humanities at CSU Sacramento. The panels I attended included presentation by Dr. Kristina Vassil on the Tales of Okei, Dr. Kazue Masuyama on using Manga to Introduce Japanese literature, Dr. Tatematsu on creating communicative language classrooms, Dr. Kogasawara on Samurai ceremonial tools, and Dr. Sato on Japanese notation by Soseki. Each presentation opened a flood of questions from on culture, history, psychology, and education. (Link to Conference program)
My presentation was on the use of Rakugo in the Japanese language classroom. Here is a rough draft of my presentation:
1: What is Rakugo?
Rakugo is a 400 yr old performance art that takes place on the world’s smallest stage. A zabuton, (japanese cushion) where one person performs the entire story. Rakugo according to Dr. Kimie Ooshima, is “comic acting and mimicry as well as the art of narration.”In Rakugo it is desired for the storyteller to disappear while becoming multiple characters, tapping into the audience’s imagination. I believe Rakugo has continued on as modern Japanese entertainment through the performer’s ability to engage with the audience and their imagination.
2: What do you need?
Japanese – Fan Sensu
Hand towel – Tenugui
Optional:
Zabuton – pillow to sit on
Kimono / Yukata
Music – Narimono
Most Important:
Participation of the audience’s imagination & performers intent to tell a story
3: Rakugo in class
Most classroom material that makes use of Rakugo seeks to introduce the “art” as a cultural example of Japan or as a linguistic lesson in grammar. Failing to make use of Rakugo’s fundamental component as a performance art.
Dr. Hatasa from Purdue University has been making use of the performance of Rakugo along with the study of language and culture in the classroom. Here is a picture of the website, which I will mention later as a resouce.
As for me, I started using English Rakugo in Japanese high schools while I was an ALT (assistant language teacher) on JET. Upon returing to the United States, I translated the English rakugo into Japanese for 4th to 6th grade students at Sacramento’s language school Sakura Gakuen to perform at their annual speech contest.
4: Rakugo as a Teaching method
The best method of teaching rakugo is by following the traditional method of rakugo teaching, where the master works one on one with the student.
Interestingly, this method of practice is in line with James Asher’s Total Physical Response (storytelling) TPR (s). Where the language learner attaches a physical gesture to the phrase or statement they make. This method was “developed to reduce the stress people feel when studying foreign languages.” TPR allows the students to “enjoy their experiences in learning to communicate,” while preserving the traditional oral tradition of rakugo.
5: Getting started
There are three possibilities: Kobanashi (which are shorter stories often told to preced the main rakugo story) An actual Rakugo story (wich vary in length from 5 minutes to 30 minutes) or English Rakugo (which are translations of Japanese Rakugo performances including kobanashi)
My recommendation is to start with the English Rakugo first to get students to enjoy the art. Followed by a short kobanashi, and if the level is appropriate a more extensive rakugo story.
There are techincal elements that need to be explained in the beginning as well.
1 – Performer to act out the story to engage the audiences imagination
2 – Maintaining consistency of the characters through their gaze
Chow Chow example (3 characters) Dog, person 1, person2