Drama at Key Stages 1 and 2

Looking at Learning in Drama

Key areas of learning

One activity which can help student teachers identify key aspects of learning in drama involves small groups reading a series of statements printed onto diamond shaped pieces of card and prioritising these reasons for engaging in drama:-

• Drama enables children to challenge assumptions and explore social and moral dilemmas
• Drama offers opportunities for using divers spoken language registers for a range of purposes
• Drama enables children to explore a range of human emotions in a safe environment
• Drama enables children to deal with questions of language, interpretation and meaning
• Drama enables the NC requirements and NS recommendations to be covered
• Drama offers the chance to develop children's imaginations in action
• Drama offers a wealth of opportunities for reflection both in and on action
• Drama facilitates making connections and cross curricular learning
• Drama prompts a wide range of purposeful writing and reading
• Drama offers the opportunity to make decisions and to take responsibility for the consequences
• Drama allows children to experience situations otherwise outside their daily lives

The groups can arrange these as per the diamond nine diagram above on large sheets of plain paper with the most important reason at the top of the diamond. They may find that some of the statements will not fit in this diamond nine. Together, they need to agree which are the least important reasons for undertaking drama and place these outside the diamond. The relative value of the remaining nine statements needs to be debated within the group and their final position agreed. Each group could be given a couple of blanks so they can add their own statements.

Then the groups can either step back from their diamond nines placed on the floor and move around the room to observe each others' diamonds or perhaps more usefully a whole group discussion can be initiated. It is interesting to discover the extent of commonality and for student teachers to justify their decisions.