Drama Policy

‘What the child can do in co-operation today he can do alone tomorrow.’

(Vygotsky 1934).

Drama in Belvoir Primary School

Drama is an essential element of any arts programme in Belvoir Park Primary School. The proximity of the Belvoir Players Group is a natural attraction and an outlet for children to pursue their interests.

In Belvoir we accept that the single most significant factor identified in work on effective literacy teaching to raise boys’ achievements is the role of talking and listening in a range of different forms.  Drama will become a core element of both our literacy policy and our efforts to raise boys’ achievement.

The importance of talking and listening is recognised in our programmes of study and we have a duty to promote the creative arts as a life-choice.

●      Drama will be promoted in school as it is acknowledged as useful in supporting boys’ literacy.

●      Drama will be used to develop understanding of texts.

●      Drama will involve role play activities to establish empathy with characters or improvisation to explore the themes of a narrative.

●      Drama will create the opportunities for pupils to extend their spoken repertoire.

Early Years Drama

• Drama with early years is structured around the activities which are already part of young children’s development: action rhymes and songs; follow-my-leader games; play and role play; whole group mime and movement activities.

• The focus with any drama work, therefore, should arise from these elements and many teachers already use drama methods without realising it.

• The important aspect of drama with young children is that, when approached in a positive and focused manner. It can build confidence, develop speaking and listening skills, encourage positive group interaction and increase the child’s self-awareness as part of their social circle.

• Many advocates of drama with early years feel that using this subject as a development ‘tool’ in this way increases their ability to learn in later years. Many European countries impose no structured learning on their children until they are 6 or 7 years old, preferring instead to develop their learning ability and skills through structured play. The result is that at 7 and 8 years old, they learn and absorb information much more thoroughly and quickly, having been ‘prepared for learning’ and test results have indicated much higher attainments.

• Even simple ‘throwing and catching’ games have their basis in drama and can help to develop the fine motor skills that young children will require in order to be able to hold a pencil. Circle time can, therefore, be used productively with activities which will develop the creative, social, communication and physical skills of young children.

Suggestions for drama activities include:

• Play physical games to establish rules and appropriate responses – any tag games or simple running-around games are excellent.

• Use clapping games to develop speaking and listening skills, these also work well when used as icebreakers and name games.

• Simple movement exercises, such as mirrors, robots, statues, etc., will increase spatial awareness and further develop concentration skills. Musical Statues is an excellent example of a valid movement game.

• Follow-my-leader and copying games and exercises are good for building confidence and introducing work in a non-threatening way.

• Mime work is excellent for introducing the concept of ‘pretending’.

• Use any stimulus you like: nursery rhymes, songs, stories, music, pictures, sounds, etc. Young children respond well to a specified context.

• Don’t be afraid to allow ideas to come from them – ask them what they would like to ‘pretend’ and allow roles and work to develop from their ideas.

• Spend several sessions just on games and simple exercises to establish boundaries and modes of behaviour before moving on to anything more complex.

• Remember that much of the drama work with this age range is a natural extension of their play.

Foundation Stage

• Drama provision has been recognised as a valuable teaching and learning method.

• Drama is an ideal subject for young children to experience and, in the Foundation Stage, it is invaluable as a means for developing communication skills, encourage positive social interaction, increasing physical control and teaching children how to listen and respond appropriately.

• The sharp learning curve experienced by children as they enter the school can sometimes prove bewildering, but simple drama games and exercises can support their learning in an enjoyable way. It is essential, for example, that children at this stage of their development learn to listen and respond to instructions and many drama games contain this element as an implicit part of the activities.

• Children of 5 and 6 also recognise and respond to familiar stories and these can be extremely useful if used as a stimulus for drama work. They will also begin to be more willing to take an individual role in activities, and this can be encouraged through drama and will develop the self-reliance and confidence required for their future learning.

Suggestions for drama activities include:

• Drama games – these are excellent for teaching a number of skills and abilities, including negotiation, concentration, speaking and listening skills, name learning, cognitive ability, team work, spatial awareness, amongst many others.

• Play physical games to establish rules and codes of conduct – any tag games or simple running-around games are excellent.

• Use clapping games to develop speaking and listening skills, these also work well when used as icebreakers and name games.

• Simple movement exercises, such as mirrors, robots, statues, etc., will increase spatial awareness and further develop concentration skills. Musical Statues is an excellent example of a valid movement game.

• Follow-my-leader and copying games and exercises are good for building confidence and introducing work in a non-threatening way.

• Mime work is excellent for introducing the concept of ‘pretending’.

• Use any stimulus you like: familiar stories, music, pictures, sounds, etc. The children will respond particularly well to having their drama work directed through an ‘imposed’ idea or subject.

• Don’t be afraid to allow ideas to come from them – ask them what they would like to ‘pretend’ and allow roles and work to develop from their ideas.

• Introduce more concentration games and exercises, to begin to develop their memory skills and ability to focus on a particular task for a period of time.

Key Stage 1 & 2

• Drama does not have to take up a tremendous amount of curriculum time and can be used in the classroom environment when you have a few moments to spare.

• Circle time and PE lessons can be just as useful in ensuring that your children experience the subject.

• Drama can also be used within the context of other subjects as a method for exploration or to enhance understanding.

• Thirty minutes or an hour each week can make all the difference to the personal, social and educational development.

• Peer pressure and social inclusion are extremely important to children, and drama can help them to be more confident and assertive when faced with situations which cause them distress.

• Further development of language and communication skills are also an essential element of drama work, as are encouraging independent work, positive group interaction, negotiation skills, maintaining appropriate responses, further developing talking and listening skills and facilitating creative expression.

• Children in Key Stage 1 & 2 will role play in a much more sophisticated manner, thus enabling you and them to explore contexts in a more focused way. They should be able to respond to stimuli well and be self-aware enough to form opinions, give reasons and assess their work constructively.

• However, it is essential that you remember that drama is concerned primarily with process and it is not essential that you end up with a finished product, as children from age 7 upwards will want to ‘show’ their work to each other constantly!

Suggestions for drama activities include:

• Include games with more complex instructions and balance physical games with more concentration games.

• Introduce more activities which require negotiation and working with others.

• Issue-based drama works extremely well with older children using dilemmas and problems which they can relate to, or drawing upon experiences they may have had, can lead to some very powerful work.

• This age group can understand the concept of role play and this can be explored in a variety of ways and by using a number of different drama methods.

• Children from Y6 upwards will enjoy the opportunity of directing and developing the drama work themselves and will happily take a single idea or issue as far as it will go for a sustained period.

• Using a stimulus also works well with this age group, especially as a basis for exploring individual problems, dilemmas or issues.

• They will want to ‘perform’ much more and need to be carefully monitored to ensure that they don’t divert into too much product-based drama, or theatre.

• Continue using drama games regularly as they teach a variety of social skills and will implicitly build confidence and develop concentration and cognitive ability.

Drama in Belvoir Park Primary School

Basic Drama Methods

• The methods and approaches used in drama have been established for many years and can be used as a tool to explore a variety of issues, emotions, reactions or subjects. The skill lies in finding the correct method for your purpose as a teacher.

Soundtracking:

• Using realistic or stylised sounds to accompany an action. Can use dialogue, voices or instruments to create a mood or paint a picture. Can also be used as sound effects for realistic or abstract performances.

Freezes/Still Image:

• Groups devise an image using their own bodies to crystallise a moment, idea, theme or picture. Can use individual to act as sculptor for a group. Contrasting images can be made to represent actual/ideal, dream/nightmare versions. Highlights important moments and focuses thoughts and ideas in a simplistic but powerful way.

Hot-Seating:

• Interviewing a character or role-player who remains ‘in role’. Group and teacher can ask questions. This may be done by freezing the improvised action and removing the characters, or by sitting them formally on the ‘hot-seat’ to face questioners. Encourages insights into characters and roles, highlighting motivations and personality, and reflective awareness or human behaviour.

Teacher-in-Role:

• The teacher stimulates and directs the drama from within by adopting a suitable role. This can excite interest, control the action, incite involvement, provoke tension, challenge superficial thinking, create choices and ambiguity, develop the narrative and create possibilities for the group to interact in-role. Should be planned and purposeful. Removes some degree of power and status from the teacher but replaces it with negotiated role relationships.

Forum Theatre:

• A situation or improvised piece is enacted by a small group whilst the rest of the group (including the teacher) observe. Action may be frozen at any time by both the actors and the observers, but particularly when it is felt that direction is lost, that help is needed or that the drama is losing authenticity. Observers may step in and take over roles or add to them. Proceedings may be controlled by the teacher if necessary. Excellent for assessment and appreciation of work and processes.

Small Group Play-Making/Improvisation:

• Small groups plan, prepare and present improvisations as a means of expressing understanding of a situation, idea or experience. Requires excellent negotiating skills on the part of the participants. Good for sequencing ideas, selecting content, exploring characterisation, devising dialogue and events, gaining performance skills and developing confidence in expressive performance.

Mimed Activity:

• Emphasises movement, actions and physical responses rather than dialogue. Encourages participants to select movements to match the action and to use appropriate gestures and body language. Removes the pressure of dialogue and raises spatial awareness and understanding of physical expression.

Using a Stimulus

The best stimulus for any drama work is … questions. However, great drama can arise from using an interesting and stimulating base for the work. Following are various ideas for what to use to stimulate a drama lesson or scheme of work.

Music

The following three work well:

• ‘In the Hall of the Mountain King’ from the Peer Gynt Overture by Grieg. Excellent ‘spooky’ music with gradually increasing volume and tempo.

• ‘March of the Toreadors’ from Carmen – Suite No. 2 by Bizet. Interesting repetitive musical patterns and a lively rhythm.

• ‘Inspector Morse’ theme by Barrington Pheloung. Beautiful ‘rise and fall’ music which lends itself very well to mirror work and many other slow-motion movement pieces.

Also use:

• Country/folk music – full of good, repetitive themes.

• Electronic music – good for work on robots and machines.

• Pop songs, especially those by the ‘Beatles’ – used for exploring social issues and dilemmas.

• Slapstick music – available on many ‘sound effect’ CDs – great for mime and movement work.

Poems

• Search around for anything which has a central character or which highlights an issue strongly, or has good physical or comedy potential.

Pictures/Photographs

• Find pictures in books, bring photographs from home, search car boot stalls for any interesting old photos.

• Pictures from newspapers also work well. Keep your eye out everywhere for anything which is interesting, unusual or which sparks your imagination.

Newspaper Headlines

• Excellent for exploring a range of issues and for prompting a variety of drama methods. Try not to choose anything too current or well-known.

Objects

• Search your attic and cupboards for anything slightly old or very interesting and/or unusual. Everyday objects can also have a ‘story’ built around them if approached in the right manner. A small stick or something equally simple can work well as a base for mime work.

Quotations

• Buy a book or keep your ear out for anything which sparks your imagination. If it gets you thinking, it will do the same for your pupils!

Stories

• Reading extracts and then exploring central characters, or ‘what happens next’, can instigate a variety of drama work. Encouraging them to invent their own stories can also become the basis for drama work.

Fables, Morals, Bible Stories, Myths

• All of these have a tremendous amount of potential when used as a basis for drama work. You can highlight one small aspect or explore in full detail. Central characters can be used to highlight personal dilemmas and themes and issues can be linked to the pupils’ own experiences.

Drama in Belvoir Park Primary School

Planning

When Planning a Drama Lesson or Programme …

Consider your … AIM.

• Do you want to develop speaking and listening skills?
• Improve concentration?
• Build confidence?
• Explore the life of the Victorians?
• Teach young children to count?
• Understand and appreciate a particular story or novel?

Work out your … OBJECTIVES.

• How can your aim be achieved?
• What is the simplest route to take?
• Are games suitable to achieve your outcome?
• What games?
• Do you need a stimulus?
• Is your aim clear and do your objectives meet it?

Think about … CONDITIONS.

• What age group are you working with?
• How much space do you have available?
• What abilities or difficulties do your children have?
• What resources are available to you?
• Do you have a separate time allocated for drama?

Spend time on your … PREPARATION.

• What resources or equipment are required?
• Where can you find the information you need?
• Do you need to research a subject?
• What problems or difficulties might arise?
• Do you have answers to possible questions?
• Are your activities sensibly structured and balanced?

Reflect on the … OUTCOME.

• Did the children achieve what you wanted them to?
• If not, why not?
• What could you have done differently?
• Did the lesson retain its focus?
• Were the children ‘on task’ at all times?
• What skills, knowledge or achievements can you build on?