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What are Drama Strategies?
Drama strategies - also known as drama techniques or drama conventions - are the everyday tools of the drama teacher. They help to develop enquiry skills, to encourage negotiation, understanding and creativity. They can enhance performance skills such as character development and storytelling and be used across the curriculum to actively involve students in their own learning.
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StorytellingStorytelling is one of the simplest and perhaps most compelling forms of dramatic and imaginative activity. A good place to start is by telling stories to your pupils and encouraging them to share stories with one another. All of us can become engaging storytellers with a little practice. There may also...Read More...
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TableauxWhat is it? In a tableau, participants make still images with their bodies to represent a scene. A tableau can be used to quickly establish a scene that involves a large number...Read More...
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Still Images / Freeze Frames Still images and freeze frames are both a form of tableau. With freeze-frame, the action in a play or scene is frozen, as in a photograph or video frame. Still images, on the other hand, require individuals or groups to invent body-shapes or postures, rather than freeze existing action. Groups...Read More... -
SpotlightSpotlighting is a useful teaching technique for sharing improvised drama when you have divided the class into smaller groups. When it is time to show their work, ask all the groups to sit on the floor. Explain that you will walk around the room and as you get closer to each group, that group will stand...Read More...
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Soundscape The leader or one member of the group acts as conductor, whilst the rest of the group are the 'orchestra'. Using their voices (and body percussion if appropriate!), the group paints a soundscape of a particular theme or mood, for example the seaside, a city, a jungle. The leader can control the shape...Read More... -
Thought TrackingA group makes a still image and individuals are invited to speak their thoughts or feelings aloud - just a few words. This can be done by tapping each person on the shoulder or holding a cardboard 'thought-bubble' above their head. Alternatively, thought tracking (also called thought tapping) can involve...Read More...
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Teacher in RoleTeacher in role (TiR) is an invaluable technique for shaping the dramatic process. Simply put, the teacher assumes a role in relation to the pupils. This may be as a leader, a peer, or a subservient role - whatever is useful in the development of the lesson. The teacher may ask questions of the students,...Read More...
Primary Drama Across The Curriculum
Wednesday 9th October 2013
10:30am - 4:30pm at Toynbee Studios, 28 Commercial Street, London E1
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This one-day drama INSET course immerses you in activities and ideas which you can take back and use immediately in the primary school classroom or drama club. The drama strategies can be used across the curriculum and are designed to meet statutory drama and literacy objectives. Read More > |
Teaching Shakespeare to 7-14 year olds
Wednesday 16th October 2013
10:30am - 4:30pm at Toynbee Studios, 28 Commercial Street, London E1
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A one-day course outlining a highly practical approach to teaching Shakespeare to children and young people aged 7-14. Includes a range of drama games and exercises that will quickly get pupils involved and enable the teacher to explore character, language and staging ideas through fun and accessible methods. Read More > |
Drama Books
"One of the handiest things to have around" - Teaching Drama magazine
Buy 101 Drama Games and Activities by David Farmer now from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
"...bubbles over with imaginative ideas which could be used to good effect by non-specialist as well as seasoned drama teachers." - Teaching Drama Magazine.
Buy 101 More Drama Games and Activities now from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
"A must-have for those serious about the teaching of drama in primary school settings" - Teaching Drama magazine
Buy Learning Through Drama in the Primary Years by David Farmer now from Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com
