Drama as a teaching tool

Drama-Based Pedagogy (DBP) uses active and dramatic approaches to engage students in academic, affective and aesthetic learning through dialogic meaning-making in all areas of the curriculum. (Dawson, Katie; Lee, Bridget Kiger. Drama-based Pedagogy: Activating Learning Across the Curriculum (Theatre in Education) (p. 17). Intellect Books Ltd. Edición de Kindle.)

This methodology uses strategies that bring together the body and the mind through the art of drama/theatre. As others have noted (Edmiston, 2014), both active and dramatic approaches are necessary to fully realize the potential of drama-based inquiry. We also have proved in this experience that you really learn what you live. Our students can remember the lessons they performed more easily and more accurately than the ones learnt in the tradicional way.

As always, we have to take drama/theatre here as a tool. We are aware that the curriculum is huge in some countries and schools and we don't have the time to work every single unit this way, but it's worth trying it every now and then within the curriculum. Our students will keep more engaged to the areas worked this way.

In addition, the students develop all sort of learning to learn skills, like cooperation, confidence, control, coordination, creativity, cognition, culture, communication, compassion, critical thinking and challenge.

The course book can be used as a basis for your drama lessons. Reduce the direct teaching time to the minimum and select the activities you need and convert the methodology you use from a transmission mode to a drama mode. Change grammar exercises into games, written true/false exercises into body exercises, comprehension passages into role plays with dialogues or into presentations. Drama should not be an add-on but rather a new way to exploit the course book. It is usually found that drama acts as a bridge to Literacy leading to much improved reading and writing skills.

The formats of drama might vary from live drama in the classroom to video edition after class, documentaries, contest TV programs, etc.

In this part of our guide, some tools are provided to make your work easier. There are some videos which can be useful as an explanation but you can also download some lesson plans that can be adapted to you own curriculum or area of expertise.

Before each session, it's advisable to do some warm up exercises, which can be found and downloaded from the chapter called "Performing Art".

Once you've tried this method, you don't want to go back to traditional methodology and your students neither. If you click below, you'll find different examples which help you find your own style. We have arranged videos and lesson plans by areas of the curriculum.

Watch the videos

Have a look and download lesson plans

Establish a calm atmosphere with explicit expectations of behavior Keeping control in the drama lesson is one of the main reasons why some teachers are reluctant to teach drama. Drama lessons are there to encourage free expression, which explains why many teachers are concerned that this will just lead to noise, over-excitement or even fighting. However with the right approach any teacher can lead a focused drama lesson where pupils learn to express themselves positively, develop teamwork and many other skills. Pupils need to be clear about your expectations of acceptable and unacceptable behavior during drama activities. It helps if you establish a clear routine from the start. If pupils are coming into a designated space for drama such as the hall or studio, then make it clear how they should behave from the beginning, for example sitting quietly in a circle.

Tip: Freeze/Go - This game encourages awareness of moving around safely as a member of a group in the space and introduces a control signal that will quickly get students’ attention. Ask everyone to spread out around the space. Explain that when you give the signal “Go”, pupils should start walking around the room. When you say “Freeze”, they should stop and freeze every muscle. Try this out and look for accurate and quick responses. Encourage children to change direction every now and again, rather than walk in a circle or with their friends. Experiment with moving faster or slower. Now, when you need to quickly get attention during a lively activity, you can just call “Freeze!”