Workshop and Drama-Based Seminar Held in Cooperation with Marmara University and Heidelberg University of Education
Within the scope of the DAAD-GIP Project between Marmara University’s Department of German Language Education and Heidelberg University of Education, a workshop and a drama-based seminar were held with the participation of faculty members and students from Heidelberg between November 11–14, 2024.
On November 11 and 12, a workshop titled "Graphic Novels in the Teaching of German as a Foreign Language" was organized for students from both universities. During the two-day event, students worked in groups on one German and one Turkish graphic novel. The texts included well-known examples such as “Heimat” by German author Nora Krug and “Sarmaşık” by Turkish writer Yekta Kopan. Students first conducted literary-theoretical analyses of the texts. In the second phase of the workshop, the focus shifted to how these texts could be utilized in foreign language teaching. Using didactic models and lesson planning schemes from the literature, participants created lesson plans and presented the outcomes of their group work.
Both German and Turkish participants provided highly positive feedback. The workshop was facilitated by Prof. Dr. Daniel Scherf and Marie Kias from Heidelberg University of Education, along with Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gülay Heppınar and Dr. Katharina Müller Esenç from Marmara University.
Simultaneously, from November 11 to 14, a drama workshop was conducted at Marmara University’s Department of German Language Education under the direction of Nicholas Humphrey, a theater pedagogue from Heidelberg University of Education. The workshop brought together students from both institutions.
This hands-on seminar focused on approaches often overlooked in traditional language instruction, exploring the physical, sensory, biographical, and performative dimensions of language learning through theatrical play. The aim was to encourage participants to reflect on their personal attitudes toward language learning and coping with foreignness. It also explored how individual resources—such as sensory associations, memories, and personal references—can facilitate access to and deepen the acquisition of a foreign language.
On the final day of the drama workshop, a performance was held showcasing the students’ learning outcomes. The event was attended by Prof. Dr. Seyfi Kenan, Dean of Marmara University’s Atatürk Faculty of Education; Assoc. Prof. Dr. Özgür Doğan, Vice Dean; and faculty members from the Department of German Language Education.
