Using Drama Techniques and Activities in the Classroom

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    BY :

    Isymah

    Kyra

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    Most children start school familiar with storiesand narrative conventions in their ownlanguage and quickly transfer this familiarity

    into a willingness to listen to and participate instories in English.

    Stories provide a natural, relevant and

    enjoyable context for exposure to languageand an opportunity to familiarize children withthe sounds, rhythm and intonation of English.

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    The discovery and construction of meaning is supportedthrough things such as visuals, mime, gesture, voice andcharacterization, and children also develop learningstrategies and thinking skills, such as predicting,hypothesizing, guessing and inferring meaning.

    Stories help young children to develop concentration skillsand also aspects of emotional intelligence, such asempathy and relating to other people.

    Stories also provide a springboard for a wide range ofactivities which develop language, thinking skills, positiveattitudes and citizenship, as well as appreciation of othercultures, or understanding of content from other areas ofthe curriculum.

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    Stories can be selected from a range of sources,including graded readers, story websites on theinternet or picture books.

    Whatever the source, the most important thing is thatthe story chosen is suitable for the children it isintended for.

    Teacher need to check that the content is relevant,interesting, appealing and memorable and attractive

    which will support childrens understanding.

    The language level of the story also needs to beappropriate with the syllabus (KSSR).

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    The story must be repetitive, cumulative or includes arhythmic refrain. Therefore, it promotes participation,aids memory and practices a particular languagepattern.

    It is important to vary the kinds of stories including, forexample, traditional stories, fables or stories with amoral, myths, legends, funny stories, rhyming stories,stories with flaps or pop-ups, biographical stories.

    Teacher also can choose stories that help childrenunderstand their own feelings, stories from othercultures and stories which are linked to content fromother areas of the curriculum.

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    Before telling a story to children for the first time, itis usually advisable to practice how we are going todo this, such as , mime or actions we plan to use toconvey meaning, the way we are going to use ourvoice and etc.

    When telling the story, teacher need to make surethat everyone can see and hear the story and, ifteacher are using a picture book, hold this up andshow each illustration slowly round the group.

    With younger children it is usually best if they can siton the floor in a semi-circle near the teacher andteacher may also can introduce the story with a

    rhyme to settle the children before you begin.

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    As you tell the story, it is a good idea to maintainfrequent eye contact with the children, in order tohelp them stay focused and attentive.

    Teacher need to give them time to think, look,comment, ask or respond to questions and, ifappropriate, encourage them to join in.

    At the end, it is important to invite a personalresponse, e.g.by asking children if they like the story, or have had similar

    experiences or feelings to the characters in the story, and beready to recast or extend their contributions in English asnecessary.

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    If teacher want to use a story in an extended wayover several lessons, then this is likely to be acyclical process which starts by creating interest,motivation and attention in the story and predicting

    what it is about, followed by an initial telling of thestory, related activities and follow-up.

    The cycle can then be extended through acombination of retelling(s) of the story in a variety of

    ways, interspersed with a series of appropriatelyselected activities that lead children from an initial,global understanding of the story to using more andmore of the language it contains.

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    In some cases, the storytelling cycle may lead tochildren producing their own versions of the storyor dramatizing some aspect of it in a role play.

    With older/ advance children, as part of theirunderstanding of storytelling, it is also important todevelop their awareness of how stories areconstructed and to give them opportunities tocreate stories themselves.

    As part of activities in the storytelling cycle, and inorder to enrich and enhance childrens learning, itis often appropriate to integrate storytelling withdrama.

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    Through listening and responding to storytelling and doing short,introductory drama activities, children use mime, sounds,gestures and imitation to show their understanding and to makeconnections between language and corporal expression.

    It helps young children associate actions, words, and meaningsand memorize key language in a natural and enjoyable way.

    As children become familiar with the story, more extended dramaactivities provide opportunities for recycling the language itcontains through retelling or acting out, either by the children

    themselves or by the children using puppets.

    In these activities, the use of drama provides a focus and supportfor children to use (some) language from the story in anindependent way and also contributes to building up theirconfidence and self-esteem.

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    At a more sophisticated level, the use of dramatechniques such as hot seating, role play orthought tunnel provides opportunities for childrento go beyond the story and explore the issues,

    problems or moral dilemmas that it contains.

    This not only provides opportunities for children touse language they know beyond the story script

    within a clearly defined framework but alsoencourages them to develop critical and creativethinking skills and to work with others in acollaborative way.

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    Usually, it is advisable to introduce drama

    gradually, in activities which are short and

    where teacher can use technique such as

    freeze to control the action.

    It is vital to show yourself willing to

    participate in classroom drama and tomodel the kinds of responses you expect

    from the children.

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    Although it is important to give childrenencouraging feedback after doing a dramaactivity, it is best not to look at them (too)

    directly during the activity, as this mayunwittingly convey an impression that youare judging them.

    This can be off-putting to some children,who will be drawn in naturally as long asthey do not feel under pressure.

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    Teacher need to think about the followingquestions to evaluate how things went andplan possible improvements for next time:

    3. Creative thinking: How did the children respond to activities which invited a creative orimaginative response? Did this affect the way they used language? If so, how?

    2. Participation: Did the children participate actively? What factors encouragedor

    discouragedthis?

    1. Interest: Did the story engage the childrens curiosity, interest and attention? Why? /Why not? If so, how was this sustained?

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    6. Enjoyment: Did the children enjoy the story and relatedactivities? Why? / Why not? What effect did this have on their

    motivation, confidence and self-esteem?

    5. Collaboration: Did the children collaborate and work welltogether? What factor influenced this?

    4. Kinaesthetic learning: How did the children respond toactivities involving mime and movement? In what ways did suchactivities seem to help or detract from the childrens learning?

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    Quite simply, this is "making it up as you go along". Itworks best when there is some kind of simple framework(e.g. pupils are told the "beginning of the story" and takeit from there).

    It may also be appropriate to set a few simple guidelines(e.g. "characters must not fight" may help to curb thenatural tendency of exuberant young boys).

    Improvisation has the advantage over role play because

    children can "be themselves". Improvisation can be usedin literacy lessons to develop storylines; in geographylessons to simulate living in different social conditions; orin history lessons to consider "how it might have been" orto generate "alternative endings" to historical scenarios.

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    F:\sem 5 pismp\Huge Improv Theater_ _I

    Am a Tree_.flv

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    While there is no need to use any costume

    at all, it can help remind pupils that they

    are "in character".

    There is no need to use anything

    complicated: a simple hat, cloak or scarf is

    often sufficient. Teacher could use simplename-badges to remind children who's

    who.

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    As in improvisation, children act out a scene - withthe added factor that each is allocated a specific roleor character.

    It is a good idea to allow children a few minutes tothink about their character (or to discuss it with afriend) before the activity commences. Even so, theemphasis should be on play.

    Role play can be used in literacy or citizenshiplessons to explore different points of view; in foreignlanguage lessons to practice use of language; inscience lessons to consider implications of usingparticular scientific inventions.

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    Although there is no need to useprops, itsometimes helps to have a few simple "bitsand pieces" to hand.

    These can provide something for children todo with their hands. Props can also be usedto indicate who the characters are (a crownfor a king; a sword for a soldier; a Bible for a

    priest; etc.).

    It is often useful to have a few pieces offurniture available (a couple of chairs will do)that can form the "set".

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    This is a conversational rather than adramatic device. Children work in pairs,seated and without props, to hold a

    conversation.

    Children can be allocated roles or speakfrom opposing viewpoints.

    The activity can be useful in preparingideas to be used in persuasive writing

    tasks.

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    Although not strictly a dramatic technique, this activitycan be used as a follow-up from role play or thoughttracking. A large outline drawing of a character ispinned on the wall (if you are "artistically challenged"

    you could draw around a child).

    Children write words around the outline to show howthe character is perceived by others. Children also

    write words inside the outline to show the character'sinner feelings. This can lead to useful discussion ofreal and fictitious characters.

    F:\sem 5 pismp\Role on the Wall.mp4

    http://f/sem%205%20pismp/Role%20on%20the%20Wall.mp4http://f/sem%205%20pismp/Role%20on%20the%20Wall.mp4http://f/sem%205%20pismp/Role%20on%20the%20Wall.mp4http://f/sem%205%20pismp/Role%20on%20the%20Wall.mp4http://f/sem%205%20pismp/Role%20on%20the%20Wall.mp4http://f/sem%205%20pismp/Role%20on%20the%20Wall.mp4http://f/sem%205%20pismp/Role%20on%20the%20Wall.mp4
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    Children stand facing each other in two lines thatform an alley. As the character walks between thelines, each child that they pass speaks to theirconscience - providing arguments for and against

    a possible course of action. It is not essential for every child to say something

    and some children may wish to repeat a previouscontribution.

    If there are several options for the main characterto consider, the activity could be adapted into a"conscience triangle" or a "conscience square".

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