DRAMA SCRIPT

SLIDE 1: Good afternoon everyone. I’ll be presenting some of the strategies in teaching
drama

SLIDE 2: But before that, let’s have a quick view first of what drama is.

ME: Drama is a mode of fictional representation through dialogue and performance.
In simple words, a drama is a composition in verse or prose presenting a story in
pantomime or dialogue. It contains conflict of characters, particularly the ones who
perform in front of audience on the stage.

ME: So as teachers, we can use drama in the classroom as a means of teaching our
students about a certain literary play or some emergent literacy.

SLIDE 3: ME: Here are some of the strategies in teaching drama

a) Facilitating through questioning

b) Coaching
c) Reflecting
d) Evaluating Creative play
e) Movement
f) Pantomime

SLIDE 4: Now we’ll begin with Facilitating trough questioning

• Questioning is an important element in delivering drama.  Drama leaders ask
questions to focus enquiry, spark imagination, challenge thought, reflect on
work, build community, guide story development, and reach higher order thinking
skills.

• Also, questions fire the brain creating new avenues for learning – literally
“growing” the brain

ME: Questioning becomes a huge part in teaching drama. It is a practice that is all
around inquiry, it’s problem-posing. And research would say that those types of
instructions engage students further. It gets us into more critical thinking, deep
thinking, and complex thinking,
SLIDE 5: For Activity: We have QUESTION OF THE DAY

• Starting your drama class with a Question of the Day is a great way to get your
students into the “drama class” mindset. It’s a way to help create a routine for
your students – they know that as soon as they enter the classroom it’s time to
open their minds and challenge themselves to think creatively

• Question of the Day can be anything that has to do with theatre. It’s best if it
ties in with whatever topic you are currently covering in class, as a method of
introducing the topic or as an extension of what was covered in the previous
class.

ME: How you present the Question of the Day can be as simple as writing it on a
whiteboard or posting it on a bulletin board.

SLIDE 6: then we have Sample questions to get started.

1. If you could write a play about any topic, what would you write about and why?

2. If you were to go back to a certain era or to a different country to learn more

about a certain type of theatre, when/where would you go and why? (For example:
ancient Greek theatre, Japanese Noh theatre, the Renaissance, commedia dell’arte in
Italy, etc.)

3. Whose job is easier: onstage performers or backstage crew? Why?

Me: if you want to get really creative, you can present the question in a funny and
interesting way. It depends on how you planned it.

SLIDE 7: Next we have coaching

• Coaching Drama is an action method that comprises coaching and psychodrama

techniques. Throughout coaching drama clients use spontaneous verbalization,
role playing, self-presentation and coaching tools to explore and gain an insight
into their lives.

ME: so coaching is very common to us ‘cause we’ve been doing this, to bring out the
best in students, to develop their talents and strengths.
SLIDE 8: Then we have coaching activity which is side coaching

Side coaching is the process of giving directions to actors while they are playing a
scene. Acting students love side coaching, because it forces them to think on their
toes. They have to instantly take on whatever emotion is given to them and work with it.
This also enables students to explore minute choices they possess as an actor

SLIDE 9: How will you do it?

• Ask (or select) two students to volunteer for the side coaching acting exercise.

• Suggest a setting. Some good ones to start off with are a therapist’s office or a
breakfast table.

• Cast the scene. For instance, if you chose to have the scene take place in a
therapist’s office, cast one student as the patient and one student as the
therapist. If it’s at the breakfast table one may be the husband and the other
the wife

• Tell the students that you will call out an emotion, and both characters need to
immediately take on the emotion, regardless of what they are saying or who’s
talking at that time.

• When you call out an emotion they should not drop their character, look at you
or stop the scene. They need to react and act.

SLIDE 10: Next, we have evaluating creative play

• the foundation of drama is dramatic play. Dramatic play can be described as the
“free play of very young children, in which they explore their universe, imitating
the actions and character traits of those around them” (McCaslin 7).

• In essence, creative drama is dramatic activities which have the experience of

the participants as the goal. This includes dramatic play, story enactment,
imagination journeys, theatre/drama games, music, and dance
SLIDE 11: Next, Creative drama activities offer an opportunity for children to:
• Expand self-awareness
• Develop imagination
• Think independently
• Work cooperatively
• Improve communication skills
• Express a healthy release of emotions
• Build social awareness

SLIDE 12: Example of creative play activity

• READ AN EASY STORY THAT CAN BE DRAMATIZED.

Choose children to participate and have them recreate the story. They can make up
the lines or you can reread or tell it as they act it out.

ME: They can also change the plot or the ending of the story to make it interesting
A variation is to divide the students into small groups. Have each group pick a story
and provide time for them to read it, choose parts and practice acting it out. Then
have each group perform their story for the rest of the class and/or for children in
younger grades.

SLIDE 13: Next we have Reflecting

• In drama, reflection can occur either during a period of collective

discussion. about the dramatic experience or perhaps while children are engaged
in thinking, speaking, writing, reading, or drawing as an integral part of the
drama process. Whatever the activity, the students eventually employ some
form of symbolic.

ME: Using this strategy, students can self-assess and reflect how they felt at
different points of the drama.
SLIDE 14: Then we can have writing a reflective review as our activity.

Writing a play review is an excellent way for students to apply critical thinking skills. A
review is a subjective but educated response to a play. The reviewer gives an opinion
and supports it with thoughtful analysis. What are the parts of a well
written review? What should a student do before, during, and after a performance?

The culminating exercise involves students writing a review of a show. Use this
lesson as a precursor to students seeing a performance (i.e. a school production, a
community play, or a touring show).

SLIDE 15: Next, Movement

Movement refers to how we can use our body to communicate a character, a feeling or
an idea.

 ME: such as Facial expressions, Posture, Gesture, Eye contact,Timing Energy

level and direction.
 Also Use voice, body, movement and language to sustain role and relationships
and create dramatic action with a sense of time and place

SLIDE 16: then we can have CHARACTER WALK as our activity

• Students will demonstrate their ability to use their whole body to create a
character by participating in a “character walk.”
• Students explore how movement can be used to create a character. They will
see what different body parts are used to convey character, how circumstances
change how we move and how characters move differently from one another.

ME: Well, I guess any activity that involves physical movement falls under this
strategy.

SLIDE 17: Last we have Pantomime

• The phrase pantomime derives from the Greek word ‘Pantomimos’, which is
defined as a performer acting all the roles in a story, or an ‘imitator of all.’
• Pantomime, the art of acting without words, conveys a story, event or meaning
with only body movement. To excel as a mime requires body awareness and
control. 

SLIDE 18:
• Loved by all generations and generally seen as a Christmas tradition, the
pantomime is something familiar to many. It stands apart due to its eccentric
take on a traditional fairy tale story. Alongside some gender reversal roles,
slapstick comedy, colourful costumes and audience participation, the ‘panto’
seems to be a quintessentially English tradition. 
 • The name “Pantomime” was first introduced by John Rich in the 18th century.
John Rich, known as the father of pantomime was born in 1692.

SLIDE 19: Some of the examples of popular Pantomimes in drama include:

• Dick Whittington
• Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
• Sleeping Beauty 
• Cinderella
• Jack and the Beanstalk
• Aladdin 
• Peter Pan
• Mother Goose
• Beauty and the Beast 
• Babes in the Wood (with elements of Robin Hood)

SLIDE 20: Pantomime game example is the MIRROR EXERCISE

• There are two players. “A” is the follower (mirror) and “B” starts all the action.
“A” reflects all B’s movements and facial expressions.
• Simple activities for “B” to initiate are washing his/her face, getting dressed,
brushing teeth – etc.
This exercise promotes inventiveness, clowning, and timing – the children should
be encouraged to be as specific as they can with each movement . When “B” is
finished, it is “A’s” turn.

SLIDE 21: OTHER activities that you might like to include:

• Passing the face
• Follow the leader
• Human props
• Pantomime tug of war
• Body talk game

SLIDE: 22: THANKYOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING