“In what ways does drama-based instruction support learning for elementary and middle school students?”
“All other (non-drama) secondary and post-secondary teachers right across the curriculum need just the basic skill and confidence to use dramatic pedagogy in their specialist area[s], and understand the role of drama in the school context” (O’Toole, 2011, p.14). Drama can be used across the curriculum; drama does not have to exist on its own, it can be interwoven in the ‘core subjects.’ That is not to say that drama is not a standalone subject; the cross-curricular nature of drama simply means that it can serve as an incredible foundation for generalist teachers who feel that they cannot teach drama to their young learners.
Drama supports learning for young children in that it is engaging. Because drama can be integrated into any subject, it presents a unique ability to increase engagement in areas students may not be drawn to. Throughout my education, I could not find my interest in history. However, through the story drama Ash Maiden, I was able to learn about Indigenous ways of being to understand some historical conceptions. Had this same lesson be taught to me via a lecture style, I may have been less engaged. I remember specifics of this lesson today because I was engaged and excited to learn and therefore retained the information.
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Collective (5) Blog Posts Word Count:1245
Resources:
O’Toole, J. (2011). Emma’s Dilemma. In Key Concepts in Theatre/Drama Education. (pp. 13-17). SensePublishers.
