Drama with Children forms part of Oxford University Press’s successful Resource Books for Teachers series and is aimed at younger learners. This particular volume is intended to supplement English language learning through using techniques most often found in drama classrooms.
But of course, as any drama teacher will tell you, these sorts of activities can and should happen in all classrooms. Sadly, they usually don’t. Even though English is one of drama’s closest natural allies, many English teachers don’t use drama exercises, citing fear or lack of time.
British author Phillips makes the point that drama is not only, or always, about the product – the performance – but also about the process of learning.
Dramatising, therefore, is about learners exploring and owning modes of learning without the fear of getting it wrong. It allows shy learners to experience triumph, or to hide within a different character. Through group work, learners experience the direct consequences of cooperative learning and democratic decision-making processes. It provides a safe space for learners to experiment with unfamiliar emotions, to practise social skills and to grapple with difficult decisions. It allows learners of all ages to engage in what was considered – when we were three years old – perfectly acceptable behaviour: play and make-believe.
A book of games and exercises of the calibre of Drama with Children will therefore be incredibly useful to any teacher.
Drama can be a powerful tool in the language classroom for other reasons, too. Quite simply, learners will achieve more when they get up and do, rather then sit down and read.
Phillips has taken care to help teachers integrate drama into the language lesson in easy steps. She provides tips in the introduction on how to plan and control classroom activities. In a separate section, she explains how each activity has been organised to enable teachers to plan and create flexibly. Each activity is organised by level (the learner’s maturity and projected language skills), age and a suggested time limit. Phillips has also provided aims, descriptions, materials needed, preparation, a ‘how to” guide, ideas for follow-ups and variations, as well as hints and advice to make activities run more smoothly.
The contents table will help those teachers who plan in advance, or who team-teach, to isolate activities according to skills. This means that activities that will encourage the development of, for example, listening skills, discussion skills and cooperation, or revising and practising the present continuous
tense, can be easily found.
I also like the way that Phillips provides practical introductory activities for teachers who have never used drama techniques before, as well as more ambitious activities for those who feel more confident about integrating drama into their daily work, and tips for preparing for actual performances.
This book is full of great ideas, from tried- and-tested ‘lets make a monster” games to creating storyboards, songs, rhymes and chants. There’s a whole section on making and working with puppets. I have found that older learners also enjoy these kinds of activities when appropriately adapted. The short play section will encourage the creation of exciting dialogue and characters, and is also full of innovative ways to improve memory and recall skills.
I will most certainly use the exercises provided in the role play and improvisation section. ‘First Lines”, for example, is intended to encourage oral fluency and the use of the learner’s whole language resource. Learners must ad lib a lively conversation starting with the first line the teacher/facilitator provides. The conversation should tell a whole story. This kind of exercise can easily be adapted to suit any age group.
I urge teachers to use this excellent book to reinvigorate their lessons. You’ll all have fun, and your learners will love you for being brave enough to try new, stimulating challenges.
Any drama teacher worth her salt will add this book to her stash of drama games and related activities.