Drama at Key Stages 1 and 2

Resourcing Drama from Literature

Introduction

In drama, whilst no script is in evidence, literature is frequently used and shared fictitious worlds are created through the imaginations of both the children and their teacher (Taylor and Warner, 2006). Drama can empower children to learn actively as they encounter predicaments and seek to solve them in the fictional world of story. In story-drama, the narrative itself provides a powerful hook to prompt the journey of exploration and investigation. However, during the drama the fictional frame may be left behind as the children and their teacher, often in role, venture into open territory.

In process drama, the children are audience to their own actions and are imaginatively involved in both the creation and consideration of their co-constructed drama. In such improvisational drama the children and their teacher agree that imaginatively they are other people, in another place at another time. They are also people beset by problems – 'real life' problems which need resolving.

Drama enables children to participate more directly in interpreting and reflecting upon literature and the real challenge for student teachers is to create access to this fictional world. Drama based on literature may be brief or more extended; both demonstrate the medium's structured yet responsive nature, but since student teachers are more likely to have observed the briefer use of drama conventions in the literacy classroom, support for planning and resourcing more extended process drama is arguably more important.