Performative foreign language didactics in progress: about still images and the teacher as ‘Formmeister’ (Form Master)

Abstract

This contribution focuses on performative teaching practice. After a brief introduction in which reference is made to an increasing performative orientation in education and the innovative concept of Performative Foreign Language Didactics, the idea of the teacher as ‘Formmeister’ (Form Master) is presented. The authors then focus on the still image as a concrete example of the wide range of forms that can be derived from the performative arts and gainfully utilised in pedagogical contexts. They outline the general characteristics, function and effect of still images and, via film clips based on their performative teaching practice at University College Cork, demonstrate some of the basic techniques teachers can use to access the different layers of meaning of still images.