time for drama

8/13/2019 Time for Drama

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TIME FOR TIME FOR

DRAMADRAMAOpen University Press

English, Language, and Education series

General Editor: Anthony Adas

Lecturer in Education, University o! "a#ridge

This series is concerned $ith all aspects o! language in education !ro the priary

school to the tertiary sector% Its authors are e&perienced educators $ho e&aine

#oth principles and practice o! English su#'ect teaching and language across the

curriculu in the conte&t o! current educational and societal developents%

TITLE( I) T*E (ERIE(

Tie !or Draa

Roa +urgess and Paela audry

"oputers and Literacy

Daniel "handler and (tephen Marcus -eds%.

"hildren Tal/ A#out +oo/s0 (eeing Theselves as Readers

Donald Fry

The English Departent in a "hanging 1orld

Richard 2nott

Teaching Literature !or E&ainations

Ro#ert Protherough

Developing Response to Fiction

Ro#ert Protherough

Microcoputers and the Language Arts

+rent Ro#inson

The 3uality o! 1riting

Andre$ 1il/inson

The 1riting o! 1riting

Andre$ 1il/inson -ed%.

In preparation

English Teaching0 Prograes and Policies

Anthony Adas and Esor 4ones


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Literary Theory and English Teaching

Peter ri!!ith

Open University Press

Open University Educational Enterprises Liited 56"o!!eridge "lose (tony

(trat!ord

Milton 2eynes M255 5+7, England and

686 "herry (treet Philadelphia, PA 595:;, U(A

First Published 1985 by Longman Cheshire Pty Limited this edition

published 1986

"opyright < Longan "heshire Pty Liited

All rights reserved% )o part o! this $or/ ay #e reproduced in any !or #y

ieograph or #y any other eans, $ithout perission in $riting !ro the

pu#lisher%

+ritish Li#rary "ataloguing in Pu#lication Data

+urgess, Roa

Tie !or draa 0 a hand#oo/ !or secondary teachers% = -English language and

education series.

5% Draa = (tudy and teaching -(econdary. I% Title II% audry, Paela III%

(eries >:>%6 P)5?:5

I(+) :@B@5B689@CLi#rary o! "ongress "ataloging in Pu#lication Data

Tie !or draa%

-English, language, and education series. +i#liography P% Includes inde&

I%Drama in education. I. Gaudry, Pamela.

II% Title. III. Series.

PN3171.B87 1986 79!."7!1 86#1677 ISBN "#33$#1$%9#&

Printed in Great Britain 'y St. (dmunds'ury Press, Bury St (dmunds, Su))ol*

CONTENTS

eneral Editors Introduction ix Pre!ace xi Ac/no$ledgeents xii

PART O)E0 The Draa Event

5 Draa in Education0 an Overvie$ 3 Approaches to Draa 3 "oonality inDraa

6 The Draa Model 13 "reating the Role 14

Individual Developent and Draatic Action?GHH 18 "ontrolling Draatic Action 19 Eleents o!the Art For and Meaning in Draatic Action 22 *uan Developent in Draa 24

Fundaentals o! the Draa 26 The "oponents o! Draa 27 Draatic "ontent 27 Draatic(ituations 29 Draatic Action 31 "onventions o! the Draa 33


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8 "lassi!ying Draa Activities "opleentary Draa 37 Preparatory Draa 40 FringeDraa 41

Esta#lishing Planning Principles 46

B O#'ectives and Assessent in Draa 48 Learning O#'ectives 48

Ela#oration o! the O#'ectives 50

: 9 l i 9 8 i

encc o! eneral O#'ectives 50 + (am-les o) i/0 and o2 c0ie4ement 2it0in t0e ,Drama5 'ecti4es 52 c0ie4in/ rt orm and uman De4elo-ment learnin/ 57

ssessment in Drama 60

PART T: ;ontrollin/ t0e Drama 67

;T0e Teac0er a< eader 69 Introduction: T0e =ole o) t0e Teac0er 6> ?a*in/ t0e =ules71

Grou- ;o#o-eration 7 T0e Serious Business o) un in Drama 77 Ntaiin/ Drama

a--en 77

?T0e Teac0er as Play2ri/0t 79 ;ontent 79

(tyle 8 @nity 86 Im-act 88

>T0e Teac0er as Director 9! ims o) t0e Director 9! ttitude To2ards Direction 95;reatin/ t0e =ole 106 (motion arid =ole Ta*in/ "10

Tas/, Action and Eotion in Role Developent

9T0e Teac0er as ctor 115

The )ature o! the Acting Role 117

Propping the Role 118

Playing the Part 119

Ta/ing the Pint (tep 121

The Direction o! the Draa 12

5:Ano2in/ 0at to Say 125 ;0aracterisation and an/ua/e 125 # Drama oca'ulary127

The Language o! Re!lection $%&

PART T*REE0 The Draa Lesson 17

U Draa LessonG !or 7ear ? 140 Joyage to a Distant Planet 140 T0iC ri/in o) t0eustralian ;on4icts E

T0e ri/in o) t0e ustralian ;on4icts EF esson 151 T0e S0o--in/ ;entre 156

Nostradamus 160

4 1 Drama essons )or ear 8 170

The "ity 170

Jictis 171 H T0e Pran* 17 K>5,#: T0e ;on)erence 175

H0l Draa Lessons !or 7ear 9 181 \r , A Feature Prograe )ori Per)ormance: !Gro2in/

upGm

K The Ideal Parent and "hild 186 '


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J The +lind Date 197 5 0 Trial 202 T0e Gan/ 205

N58 praa Lessons !or ear 1" 21 tl0ole ear ;ourse utline 21( T0e orld o)t0e ;0ild 21!

The Legend o! )ed 2elly 217 l45 T0e illa/e o) Ganyt0ia 221

4B (enior Draa 22! Q 7ear Eleven 1liole "ourse Outline 22! F m Joly=elations0i-s 228 K1Lrte!l


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are concerned 2it0 content and 2it0 a uniQue 2ay .o) e-lorin/, e-eriencin/ and

understandin/ t0e 0uman condition.

A i l t is appropriate that the #oo/ #egins $ith an overvie$ o! odelG !or draa and

an attept to de!ine the draa event% Many classroo teachers $ill turn !irst to

Part I4I and the very practical illustrations !or actual draa lessons across the $hole

age range o! the secondary school% Many o! these lessons could stand #ytheselves or #e integrated into the $ider English curriculu, especially $here this

is organised on theatic lines% +ut the #est use o! these odel lessons $ill #e

!ound $hen there is a clear understanding o! the theory on $hich they are #aaed% It

is to #e hoped, there!ore, that all users o! the #oo/ -and it is essentially one to #e

used. $ill ta/e as uch note o! Parts I% and V as they do o! Part III%

@Under the coing ipact o! the "(E e&aination in the United 2ingdo, there

is li/ely to #e even ore interest in the role o! draa in the senior secondary school

in connection $ith sylla'us


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to $or/ $ith on pro!essional pro'ects and $hose capacity !or pleasure trans!ored

the ost undane pro!essional tas/s into draatic events to +rian 2ogan, $hose

outstanding a#ilities as an edu@cato! and leader continually challenge and otivate

those $its. $ho he has contact to Russel Davies, $hose Wuiet strength and

practical $isdo *ave in!luenced our thin/ing in this #oo/ to 4ohn Deverall,

$hose a#ility to o#'ecti!y and articulate aspects o! educational draa hassigni!icantly contri#uted to this $or/ to $yneth Mc"u##in and )oran Price,

$hose passionate coitent *o artistic and educational e&cellence isinspirational to Lindy 2ep, Myrna Mcrae and Peggy (tetiin, !or their ideas,

!riendshipAnd constant pro!essional integrity to a#y 1er!!elt and 'txh *all$hose year@long visits $ere doinated #y the endless process o! this #oo/ to

David Mus/er, !or his a#ihty to shoulder added #urdens and reain caring and

considerate, and to 4udy "arlson, !or her coents on The (chool Play5.

T0an*L also to our many students 20ose 2or* and res-onses -rimarily in)orm t0e ideas o)

t0is 'oo*5 to t0e collo/ues 2it0 20om 2e 0a4e interacted5 and to t0e drama educators 20ose

2ritten ideas 2ill 'e O'und t0rou/0out t0e 'oo* and 20ose 2or*s 2e trust you 2ill ma*e time

to read.

nd, )inally, untold lo4e and t0an*s to ?a Bur/ess, Peter u@erton and anetilliams, 20o

in t0eir uniQue 2ays 0a4e tt2)e t0is teo* V-attStte.

P=TN (

The Draa Event

This polarisation o! opinion posed soe di!!iculty !or thedraa teacher% *istorically, draa eant acting on a stageY%

)iK:5 TeacherG ris/ed Incurring the $rath o! other sta!! e#ers

GYF20en t0ey re)used to 'e in4ol4ed in t0e -roduction o)%hoboat

+,-./,tt our dm- @n)ortunately, it 2as di))icult to e#!


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draa is are o!ten ans$ered in general ters $hich state that ,K%@Z[ draa iscounication, personal developent, theatre

s/ills, or siply, GIts Li!eG\ (uch responses ay reveal the teachers goals,

certainty they re!lect diverse ethodological in!luences, yet they give no clues as to

the #asic nature o! draa% The nature o) t0eatre and its relations0i- 2it0 !drama as-ersonal de4elo-ment! 2as ne4er )ully e-lored, and )or many teac0ers t0is con)lict 0as yet to

'e resol4ed.

T0e ran/e and di4ersity o) t0e role o) drama )or -ersonal de4elo-ment and t0e etent to 20ic0

t0eatre im'ues t0e curriculum can 'e illustrated 'y eaminin/ statements )rom -articular

drama -ro/rammes in se4eral di))erent sc0ools.

Tc2W E# a lar/e middle#class /irls 0i/0 sc0ool

!ramaamu to e))ect a marria/e 'et2een s*ills and content. T0e -ro/ramme e-oses t0e

c0ildren to a 2ide 4ariety o) s*ills in4ol4ed la t0e dramatic medium 2it0in t0e -arameters o) a

-rescri'ed content.

!It is en4isa/ed t0at t0e c0ildren 2ill 'ecome )amiliar and reasona'ly -ro)icient 2it0 t0ese

s*ills as a necessary -art o) -ursuin/ t0e content in4ol4ed.% It is unnecessary to teach the s/ills separately #e!ore #eginG Z ning to teach the

content, there!ore eliinating s/ills lessons

%%%%% 20ic0 may 'e su-er)icial and time#consumin/.

X


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*o provide learnin/ situations 20ic0 maimise t0e e-ressi4e, creati4e and ima/inati4e-otential o) eac0 student.

6 To encourage students to analyse the $orld in $hich they 4ive, order that they

ay ore clearly identi!y0

-a. !t0emsel4es! E t0eir sel)#conce-t:O0 t0eir res-onsi'ilities, 'ot0 -ersonal and social5 OY t0eir 4alues systems. !3 To encoura/e

students to ta*e an acti4e role in t0e society 2 3' in 20ic0 t0ey li4e, 'y de4elo-in/ social and

aest0etic Y^G a$areness%...Z FF[J


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Draa is run as a child@centred activity% The ain ai o! the draa prograe is to increase the students social s/ills% (oe

o! the areas are helping the students learn ho$ to solve pro#les in a non@aggressive anner, learning to $or/ $ithin agroup, clear ver#al e&pression, e&tended physical e&pression and con!idence in their % % % language% O#viously, this approach

is purely a personal developent one $ith an ephasis on pro#le@solving activities%

#chool 3 = a large su#ur#an technical school

GENERAL A!S O" T#E EPART!ENT

;To provide learning situations $hich a&iise the e&pressive, creative and iaginative potential o! each student%

6 To encourage students to analyse the $orld in $hich they live, in order that they ay ore clearly identi!y0

-a. theselves = their sel!@concept0

-#. their responsi#ilities, #oth personal and social

-c. their values systes%

To encourage students to ta/e an active role in the society [-, in $hich they

live, #y developing social and aesthetic rZ a$areness%

8 To eWuip students $ith a $ide range o! practical, transera&le s/ills% To develop con!idence and copetence in0

-a. intuitive thin/ing processes

-#. perception and re!lection

-c. critical analysis and appraisal

-d. decision a/ing%

B To !oster an appreciation !or the arts and an a$areness o! its potential in

recreational and vocational reals% Draatic s/ills, $hile !oring an iportant

part o! the

Ti)e or ra)a: and&ook or #econdar Teachers

This polarisation o! opinion posed soe di!!iculty !or the draa teacher%*istorically, draa eant acting on a stage% Teachers ris/ed incurring the $rath o!

other sta!! e#ers $hen they re!used to #e involved in the production o!

#ho&oat ornnie Get o$r G$n Un!ortunately, it $as di!!icult to e&press any clear e&planation !or thisstance, #eyond claiing that it $as detriental to the educational developent o! the child% In their constant search !or $hat

to do $ith ?E, >+ or the other eighteen draa classes !or the $ee/, teachers tended to thin/ o! draa ore in ters o! ho$ it$as applied rather than ho$ it $or/ed% Even no$ Wuestions as/ed a#out $hat draa is are o!ten ans$ered in general ters

$hich state that draa is counication, personal developent, theatre s/ills, or siply, Its Li!e\ (uch responses ay

reveal the teachers goals, certainly they re!lect diverse ethodological in!luences, yet they give no clues as to the #asic

nature o! draa% The nature o! theatre and its relationship $ith draa as personal developent $as never !ully e&plored, and!or any teachers this con!lict has yet to #e resolved%

The range and diversity o! the role o! draa !or personal developent and the e&tent to $hich theatre i#ues the curriculu

can #e illustrated #y e&aining stateents !ro particular draa prograes in several di!!erent schools%

#chool 1 = a large iddle@class girls high schoolDraa ais to e!!ect a arriage #et$een s/ills and content% The prograe e&poses the children to a $ide variety o! s/ills

involved in the draatic ediu $ithin the paraeters o! a prescri#ed content%

It is envisaged that the children $ill #ecoe !ailiar and reasona#ly pro!icient $ith these s/ills as a necessary part o!

pursuing the content involved%

It is unnecessary to teach the s/ills separately #e!ore #eginning to teach the content, there!ore eliinating s/ills lessons

$hich ay #e super!icial and tie@consuing% The prograe is group@centred and caters !or a per!orance #asis i!

desired%

The draa prograe ais to engender sel!@a$areness through the developent o! student initiative and responsi#ility to

develop personal e&pressivecreative a#ilities, and to encourage responsi#ility in the initiation and e&ecution o! tas/s%

Evaluation o! the students progress is a su#'ective appreciation #y the teacher%

O#viously one can record the acWuisition o! s/ills, #ut it is decidedly ore di!!icult to deterine to $hat e&tent a student has

used her iagination and creative a#ilities to coplete a tas/%

ra)a in Ed$cation: an erie 5:


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Draas a'or ai is to encourage a positive and cooperative spirit in group activities% In ost other su#'ects the children do

not norally get the opportunity to plan and e&ecute tas/s in group situations, #ut are restricted to per!oring individual andta/ing responsi#ility only !or theselves%

There is a distinct di!!erence #et$een the overt curriculu, that o! s/ills acWuisition, etc%, and the hidden curriculu = thato! developing a positive and con!ident sel! concept, $ith the !orer !acilitating the acWuisition o! the latter%

In this e&aple, the acWuisition o! speci!ic theatre s/ills occurs $ithin the conte&t o! activities designed !or personaldevelopent%

#chool 2 = a large inner@city high schoolG$ith a su#stantial igrant population

Draa is run as a child@centred activity% The ain ai o! the draa prograe is to increase the students social s/ills% (oeo! the areas are helping the students learn ho$ to solve pro#les in a non@aggressive anner, learning to $or/ $ithin a

group, clear ver#al e&pression, e&tended physical e&pression and con!idence in their % % % language, O#viously, this approach

is purely a personal developent one $ith an ephasis on pro#le@solving activities%

#chool 3 = a large su#ur#an technical school

GENERAL A!S O" T#E EPART!ENT

_ To provide learning situations $hich a&iise the e&pressive, creative and iaginative potential o! each student%

6 To encourage students to analyse the $orld in $hich they live, in order that they ay ore clearly identi!y0

-a. theselves = their sel!@concept0

-#. their responsi#ilities, #oth personal and social

-c. their values systes%

To encourage students to ta/e an active role in the society in $hich they live,

#y developing social and aesthetic X rG a$areness% Y`Y

8 To eWuip students $ith a $ide range o! practical, transera&le s/ills% To develop con!idence and copetence in0

-a. intuitive thin/ing processes

-#. perception and re!lection

-c. critical analysis and appraisal

-d. decision a/ing%

B To !oster an appreciation !or the arts and an a$areness o! its potential in

recreational and vocational reals% Draatic s/ills, $hile !oring an iportant

part o! the

55 Ti)e or ra)a: and&ook or #econdar Teachers

$or/ing process, arc not taught as ends in theselves, rather, they are seen as tools

designed to assist the student to pose and see/ solutions to Wuestions o! personal,

interpersonal and universal signi!icance% The draa prograe has a pronounced

social #ias or orientation the priary concern is !or value clari!ication and student

sel!@actualisation%

*ere $e see a liited theatre contri#ution $ith the !ocus clearly on personal

developent%

#chool 4 = a sall independent senior school

The draa course ais to provide opportunities !or the student to understand the art !or o! draa% The students $ill

develop individual e&pressive talents% The course coprises a pt

study o! theatre history and the evolution o! various acting styles, stage design and construction, theatre technology, light ing,

and voice production% All students $ill #e involved in at least t$o a'or theatrical per!orances each year%

This course is clearly designed !or the training o! actors $ith


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a strong ephasis on technical /no$ledge and design s/ills%

Personal developent ais are not ade e&plicit in the

course although they ay #e a #y@product, they are not speci!ically the o#'ectives o! this $or/%

These stateents re!lect the ost coon ethodological approaches to the planning o! draa% +ut, as 4ohn Deverall

highlighted in his teaching at Mel#ourne "ollege o! Advanced Education, other approaches also !ocussed on thN use o! draa

as a ethod o! teaching in other su#'ect areas and as a !or o! therapy in #oth educational and #roader social set tings% 4ohnidenti!ied !our general classroo approaches to student developent through Draa% *e la#elled these approaches PersonalDevelopent, Therapy, Learning Mediu and Art For% The !ollo$ing analysis uses these la#els as categories !or a

discussion o! teaching ethods and strategies in draa%

Personal De4elo-ment

This approach to draa con!idently asserted the need !or draa activities to !ocus

on the !eelings and attitudes o! individuals and the s/ills o! social interaction and

counication% Personal developent and the creative sel!@e&pression o! the

student $ere the a'or teaching o#'ectives% Draa $as seen as the ost e!!ective

eans to this end and the goals $ere claied to #e su!!iciently iportant to deserve

consideration #y curriculu coittees% Draa on the tieta#le $ould develop

the individuals sel!@con!idence and interpersonal counication s/ills%(pontaneous sel!@e&pression and

Ti)e 1

plication o! draa% The need !or the acWuisition o! special s/ills in therapy is

essential% (pecial education courses no$ #eing run #y tertiary institutions are evidence that thisneed is #eing catered !or% (uch training should eWuip teachers $ith /no$ledge related to speci!ic areas so that appropriateand e!!ective draa strategies can #e adopted%

earnin/ ?edium

As veheently as soe clai the raison d?etre o! draa to #e personaldevelopent, others assert that draa %should e&ist 3 service the learning in%

pth'eta&eo! the ur'ruiuinTTnis stance is a strong a!!iration that draa is a

ethod o! teaching capa#le o! stiulating and achieving po$er!ul learning% The

coercial availa#ility o! pac/aged siulation gaes aied to teach a #road

spectru olY su#'ects highlights this !aith in draa to get the point across%

1hen this utilitarian application o! draa is adopted the draa teacher o!ten

#ecoes a resource !or other teachers in the school, particularly irt

theYhuhlanitiesdepa!tents% The content is dra$n !ro the topics #eing studied and

the draa !ocusses Wuite clearly on the pursuit o! speci!ic learning% Perhaps itshould #e stated that $e are not discussing draa activities adopted in other

classroos, ost !reWuently in English, in order to develop the social health o! the

group or their personal counication s/ills% The prie o#'ective o! the draa

$hen it is applied as a learning ediu $ill #e to have the students leave the

draa /no$ing ore a#out a particular issue or event than $hen the lesson #egan%

The teacher anipulates the draa structures so that this learning can #e

highlighted% Re!lection and discussion play a a'or part in the draa the learning

ust #e ade e&plicit%

A isunderstanding o! ho$ to apply draa as a learning ediu soeties

occurs% In an English classroo recently, the teacher $anted to set up draa $hich$ould allo$ the students to act out a !actory situation% 1or/ers $ould carry out


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#oring and repetitive tas/s under the constant supervision o! #osses $hose

responsi#ility lay in increasing the productivity o! the $or/ers% 1hat clouded the

issue and changed the entire learning !ocus $as the iposition o! a gae structure

over the #asically sound draa already set up% A theatre status gae $as used to

in'ect interest and !un into the draa% 1hilst the situation $as #eing played out, the

$or/ers $ere to !ind oents $here they could snatch the #osses hats !ro their headsand there#y alter their status% The preoccupation $ith such a strategy o#viously does not allo$ a !ocus on the learningo#'ectives% There is a con!usion as to

target o! a great deal o! antagonis #ecause they $ere grappling $ith the Wuestion o! $hat the speci!ics o! draa $ere% Ano!t@heard stateent #y draa teachers $as,

As the authors are not $or/ing in the !ield, they cant possi#ly understand the di!!iculties e&perienced in the classroo% This

$as untrue, as any authors $ere, and indeed still are, practitioners in their o$n right% Regardless o! this, their $or/ is

constantly disissed as #eing distant and theoretical and there!ore irrelevant to the classroo teacher%

For this reason, the draa $riters $or/ did not reach a large target audience oreover in soe instances it $as regarded as

a direct threat to the integrity and accounta#ility o! the ethods eployed #y the classroo teacher%

To conclude, social issues and the e&ploration o! personal !eelings and attitudes $ere central to the draa curriculu,

although in any schools no draa curriculu or speci!ic sylla#us $as ever as/ed !or% Indeed, $riting out such details $as a

denial o! the essential need !or spontaneity in draa%

Therapy

"losely associated $ith the personal developent approach to draa is the

recognition o! the therapeutic #ene!its o! the su#'ect% In this approach it is

iplicitly assued that the participants in draa are in need o! curative treatent

and the draa teacher holds the s/ills o! the therapist% In its ildest !or this

ani!ests itsel! in a spontaneous openness and !reedo o! response $hich is

re'uvenating and cathartic% Many o! the gaes and e&ercises used in draa achieve

this end they evo/e 'oyous involveent and o!ten a good healthy laugh the social

health o! the group can #e iproved% Theatre gaes and iprovised draa also

o!!er the possi#ility !or a cathartic release o! energy and eotion% Other activities

are geared to the stiulation o! dull and ailing senses% Perhaps a less desira#leorientation is that $hich ani!ests itsel! in Wuasi@psychodraa% *ere personal

dileas are played out in the draa or individuals use the group structure to con@

structively e&plore the annoying or negative #ehaviour o! one o! its e#ers%

(o !ar $e have #een discussing the usual school situation% I! $e turn no$ to the

area o! special education, the use o! draa as therapy assues its right!ul place% In

dealingY $ith physically or entally handicapped students, !or e&aple, the

application o! draa has a speci!ic and identi!ia#le role to play in the therapeutic

developent o! individuals% In these cases, draa ta/es on a specialist !unction and

the teacher also needs to #e a$are o! the para@edical nature o! the ap


$hat learning is inherent in the activities theselves% The role ta/ing and

e&perience o! the draatic situation in this instance $ere su#sued #y the s/ill

needed to play the gae% Re!lection revolved around the success!ul strategies

adopted #y individuals to get the hats\

Related to this !unction o! draa is the ephasis, once again, on draa as a process

used to service a teaching goal $hich is not in itsel! draatic% This ephasis has, in

the past, added ore strength to the processproduct de#ate entioned earlier%

There can #e no dou#t that soe ost e!!ective teaching occurs in draa $hen thisclear learning goal is pursued% This should not, ho$ever, deny the draa its o$n


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integrity% *eathcotes $or/ !irly reinds us that the Wuality o! e&pression is an

indication o! the Wuality o! learning li/ely to occur% I! the class does not see a

sincerity, !or e&aple, in the $or/ o! the students, *eathcote ay choose to stop

the draa andor change its direction% This occurred $hen she $as $or/ing $ith a

group o! Aerican children on The +uilding o! a )ation% The groups insincere

e&pression o! grie! over a death indicated the need !or teacher intervention in thedraa i! the learning goal $as to #e achieved% Unless the draa Wuality is seen as

signi!icant, neither the learning nor *tht ediu $ill #e o! uch value%

Art For

*istorically, uch o! $hat occurred in draa $as play reading% The value o! acting

out scenes $as clear, students enhanced their understanding o! the te&t and at the

sae tie developed sel!@con!idence and s/ills in e&pressive counication%

Rehearsal and per!orance o! the play intensi!ied and #roadened the learning still

!urther-Personal and so*ial deelopment ere seen as an importantlearning bonus but in this approa*h to drama the play and its

per(orman*e ere the methods used to a*hiee these goals% One can still!ind soe very strong draa prograes in schools $hich are the heritage o!

innovative English teachers $ho sa$ the need to capitalise on this learning and

introduce draa into the curriculu as a separate su#'ect% Although in soe

prograes the learning !ocus oved Wuic/ly to an ephasis on gaes and

e&ercises !or personal developent, there $ere others $hich speci!ically taught

theatre s/ills and epended their energies in the preparation and

per(orman*e o( plays-

Many teachers still see the theatre product as the prie !unction o! draa% (oeschools are even changing the nae o! the su#'ect Draa to Theatre or

Per!oring Arts so that

ra)a in Ed$cation: an erie 58

the orientation is Wuite e&plicit% In these prograes, even $hen a less !oral iprovised draa occurs to develop s/ills,

per!orance is the real stiulus !or activity underta/en in the classroo% Tie is spent developing characterisation s/illsthrough oveent, iprovisation and voice e&ercises% (tudents ay create their o$n scripts, #ut 'ust as o!ten, the te&t is the

!ocus o! the lesson% Practice in creating theatrical scenes and iages is constant% Units o! $or/ ay also develop s/ills in

related technical and design areas such as a/e@up, as/, costuing, set design and lighting% In this approach to draa,

!inding appropriate aterial is o!ten a pro#le% Draa consultants are constantly #eing as/ed !or good plays !or years ?, >, 9,5: and so on%

Per!orance in draa !estivals and copetitions o!!ers a $ider perspective !or learning a#out !he art !or and can #e aotivation !or groups to devise their o$n aterial !or per!orance% The $inners and losers syndroe or the good and #ad

aspects o! copetitions can change the !ocus o! the learning%

In contrast $ith draa as a learning ediu, the art !or approach to draa is not priarily concerned $ith the learning

inherent in speci!ic content, an approach not usually associated $ith the production o! #ho&oat Instead, its !ocus is thee&ecution o! the draa, the Wuality o! its e&pression and its e!!ect on an audience,

"oonality in Draa

I! $e re!lect !or a oent no$ on the coonalities that e&ist #et$een the

learning areas and their associated activities, it is possi#le to understand $hy there

is con!usion $hen it coes to planning draa curricula% 1hen personal devel@opent, sel! e&pression and interpersonal counication $ere the desired


15/90

o#'ectives, the activities adopted $ere ost o!ten gaes and e&ercises $hich #ore

no relation to role ta/ing and iaginative, draatic situations% Instead, participation

in draa involved the students in activities $hich $ere stiulating, invigorating

and !un% The individuals e&periences $ere essentially egocentric and introspective%

Much o! $hat has #een said a#out draa !or personal developent also holds true

!or the therapeutic application o! draa in the classroo% Many o! these activities

prooted a release o! personal energy aeotion e&teaTTo'[artici@ pation in

draatic situations%


1hen draa $as used as a learning ediu the !ocussing occurred soe$hat

di!!erently% The students participation in the draatic situation provided the

content and learning !ocus !or the draa% The eaning o! the draa lay in the

signi!icance o! the students interaction $ithin draatic situations%

(iilarly, $hen draa $as priarily concerned $ith the art !or, interactions

$ithin draatic situations provided the !ocus and eaning o! the draa%

1hat eerges !ro this search !or coonalities in the teaching o! draa is, once

again, the disparate nature o! activities and learning goals% Trying to esta#lish a

!oundation !ro $hich to plan curricula is a daunting tas/% It is little $onder that

o#'ective onloo/ers and ne$coers to draa teaching encounter any di!!iculties%

% T&e rama !odel

I! $e are to arrive at a coon understanding that $ill responsi#ly in!or our

planning andteaching in draa it is going to reWuire a oents patience and

o#'ectivity% In the !irst instance, it $ill #e help!ul to distance ourselves !ro draa@in@education philosophies, teaching goals and classroo activities these hold ore

potential !or con!usion than !or the clarity and coonality o! understanding that

$e see/% (econdly, $e need to put aside our classroo #lin/ers, especia!ly those

$ith tinted anti@theatre lenses, #ecause it is the draatic and artistic e&perience o! theatre that prWvides us$ith insights rich in eaning anct iplications% )o$, #e@Y!ore you ipatiently close the #oo/, ree#er the #lin/ers and

then consider the !ollo$ing !undaental aspects o! draa%

Draa@in@Theatre b%

Draa is a series o! iaginary events #ased on li!e and acted out #y people $ho

tacitly agree to adopt thecreated situation% Play$rights, director actors and technicians $or/ iaginatively andartistically !ro their e&periences o! !i!e to create the arti!icial and sy#olic li!e o! the'play% 1hilst it is the ieractiOnd!

characterG ahii evn*J$nich holds the audiences interest in the play, it is the individuals e&periences o! the real$orld, co#ined $ith a capacity !or thought!ul re!lection, that results in the creation o! personal sy#olic eaning%

*o$ Meaning is "reated

There can #e no dou#t that the interaction o! characters creates the li!e o! the play

the essence o! that li!e, ho$ever, is the deve'#pnt and e&pression o! role% In developing acharacter, the actor creates personal eaning through a role relationship #et$een the e and not e -1innicott 59?5.,

5B Ti)e"&rama : ;andboo. (or %e*ondary ea*hers

i


16/90

and e&presses this in concrete artistic iages $hich see/ to counicate% Although

the actors personal /no$ledge and e&perience o! li!e in!ors this developent o!

character, his understanding and coand o! the eaning inherent in the art !or

allo$s hi to copetently e&press and counicate the !ullness o! that character%

I! the event o! the play is to #e signi!icant, then #oth actors and audience depend on

this ^bG Wuality o! draatic e&pression% 1hile $atching the actors at $or/ in thedraa, the audience identi!ies and epathises $ith the characters as they are

e&pressed% Individual e@@ #ers o! the audience esta#lish passive rolerelationships #e@Q t$een the sel! and the characters% Any personal eaning Q evolving !ro this relationship $ill #ee&pressed in passive, Q a#stract thought rather than the concrete actions o! the characters%

At this point it $ill #e use!ul to loo/ in detail at this cre@Y ation o! eaning through role relationships% To do this $e ', $ill

#orro$ !ro an e&aple developed in a recent research "k'' paper -59>6. #y the $riters $ith teaching colleagues, *elen"ollins and Tony Tartaro,

"reating the Role

1hen an actor is playing the role o! a character, he is siultaneously a$are that he

is hisel! -the e5. and that he is playing at #eing soeone else -the not e.% *e does not give up his sel! to#ecoe the other, #ut rather pro'ects onto the role, e&tending his notion o! sel! to incorporate that o! the role = the character%This is illustrated in Figure 5%

Lets iagine an actor is to play the role o! Mac#eth% 1hat this actor has e&perienced and !eels su#'ectively a#out leader ship,

duty, courage, po$er, love, a#ition and honour $ill #e tested against $hat he /no$s o! these concepts !ro his

AiB$re 1: The notion o sel and role

)

The ra)a Codel 5B

o#'ective o#servations o! the $orld% (ha/espeares script $ill also #e part o! the actors range o! o#'ective /no$ledge% An

oscillation occurs in the relationship #et$een the su#'ective and o#'ective realities -the e and not e. until a reconciliation

o! the t$o allo$s !or the creation o! personal sy#olic eaning% This a#stract internal eaning is then e&pressed in the

concrete $ords and actions o! the actor in role as Mac#eth% This is illustrated in Figure 6%

Figure -page 5;. o!!ers an appro&iation o! one particular oent in the actors per!orance% 1hen Mac#eth $oodenly

AiB$re 2: Dreation o role

is anti@royalist aterial $ealth not iportant

has never $ants to

#een in[% succeed in

love f A"TORQ theatre

no religious J" i s challenged

#elie!s =# * responsi#ilityy

acting s/ills highly developed

lac/s respect !or authority


17/90

(U+4E"TIJE REALIT7 OF A"TOR

a #loody #utcher #ehind every great an%%%

po$er corrupts%

2err #etrayed 1hitla

"*ARA"TER vaulting )OT ME a#ition Mac#eth

#lac/ and deep desires #rave Mac#eth

O+4E"TIJE REALIT7 OF "*ARA"TER

ECPRE((ED 2)O1LEDE

Con*rete

:*tion

:bstra*t

$nner


18/90

The sy#olic creation o! eaning is ine&trica#ly !in/ed $ith the product o! its e&pression% The eleents o! the art !or,

naely rhyth, !ocus, clia&, sound, dynaic, con!lict, sy#ol, space and contrast, are utilised in the e&pression o! role andplaying through o! the draatic situation% Per!orance e&plicitly uses these eleents !or their sy#olic e!!ect on an

audience% I! the individuals e&pressive act is going to counicate eaning e!!ectively then the actor ust #e a$are that

!eeling and e&pressing eaning does not autoatically guarantee its counication to others% "oand o! technical s/ills

and /no$ledge o! ho$ to apply the allo$s the actor to #e ore responsive and e&pressive$ithin the creative process%Me#ers o! an audience then have a greater opportunity to #ecoe involved in the role relationships and creation o! personal

eaning% To use the e&aple o! Mac#eth again, a soe$hat cynical individual in the audience ay e&press this personal

eaning in thought as, sel!@gain !ors the #asis o! all huan interactions% Alternatively, soeone else ay #e a$are o! thesu#tlety and contrast o! oveent $hich carries the inner private thoughts o! huans%

1hatever the eaning, those $ho participate in the process are !ully a$are o! the conventions and arti!ice that constitute the

theatrical event% Their e&pectations and #ehaviour are a direct response to the nature o! that event they are in volved in adraatic process $hich is e&pressive, e&periential and counicative% To isunderstand Ihe process is to have the

e&perience and iss the eaning\

Draa in Education

In the classroo students act out iaginary situations #ased on li!e% They $or/

iaginatively and artistically !ro their e&periences o! li!e to create the arti!icial

and sy#olic li!e o! the draa% The interaction o! characters and events holds the

students interest in the draa, #i* their real@li!e e&''eienes are essential to the

creation o! personal sy#olic eaning% Participation S this draatic process Involves thestudents in e&periential, e&pressive and counicative odes o! action%

Draa in education then, is erely the educational, rather than theatrical, application o! the draatic process% Participation inthe process ho$ever, $ill vary depending upon the ode o! draatic action adopted and ephasised% The a'or in!luence on

the selection o! a particular ode o! action $ill

5> Ti)e


19/90

i#le in the ore a#sor#ed and naturalistic e&pression o! roles% (tudents use the

draa to test out their ideas and opinions through the counication o! their roles

to others in the group% As (eely states -page 65.0

They -the students. iitate other peoples #ehaviour in order to #ac/ up soe analytical point the $ish Sate this type o! person #ehaves in this $ay, they say, and heres an e&aple to prove it -p% 65. In iddle and lateradolescence, the concern $ith counication is intensi!ied and the sa!ety o! coedy and e&aggeration assues lessiportance% (tudents are a#le to ta/e on a range o! roles $ith uch greater ease and the individual pushes !or a ore

sophisticated e&pression o! role% Individuals no$ have a stronger sense o! sel! -the e. and can readily e&tend theselvesinto the $orld o! the other -the not eG. $ithout too uch personal threat% They are involved in the

The ra)a Codel 59

sae t$o!old process as the actor in theatre0 creating personal eaning and !inding a $ay to clearly and draatically co@unicate this% (eely relates this type o! counication to the theatre o! +ertholt +recht%

Rather than analysing aspects o! #ehaviour in interpersonal relationships, the spea/er is concerned to counicate #oth!actual in!oration a#out an event and coent on its general social signi!icance% This is close to the e&pressive !or o!

adult theatre #ut -as +recht a/es clear. it is a !or o! theatre in $hich hat is counicated is iportant to #oth actors and

audicnce-p%YY6Y6r At this stage a ore intense interest in the eleents o! the art !or is present as students see/ to#ecoe e!!ective counicators to $ider audiences% They are very a$are o! their need to consciously anipulate e&pressive

sy#ols !or the purpose o! e!!ectively counicating eaning%

"ontrolling Draatic Action

Involveent in draa engages the individual in a developent o! understanding

a#out the huan condition and the eleents o! the an !or% Draa e&plores aspects

o! huan endeavour and it does so #y consciously anipulating the eleents o! the

art !or% It is our capacity to identi!y $ith these situations !ro our o$n

e&periences o! li!e that results in us #eing entertained and challenged in our

perceptions o! li!e%

+ecause the draatic situation and the interaction o! characters $ithin it are

arti!icial, the artistry $ith $hich the draa is created is essential to its eaning% To

put it siply, the $ay in $hich the draa is presented is $hat the draaI eans% Participation in the draatic process ust then involve us in an e&perience that a!!ords /no$ledge a#out li!e

and a#out art%

Richard "ourtney -59>:., dra$s a distinction #et$een the intuitive /no$ledge o#tained $hilst participating in draaticaction and /no$ledge gained through tal/ing, re!lecting and $riting a&o$t the draa% This distinction is use!ul in reindingus that draatic activity itsel! ust #e signi!icant and eaning!ul i! it is to contain /no$ledge that can #e e&perienced% Any

re!lection on the e&perience should crystallise, and a/e e&plicit, eaning that has #een encountered in the draatic action%

This e&plicit /no$ledge $ill then #e tested and utilised in !urther draatic action% As "ourtney points out -page ?6.,

59 Ti)e or ra)a: and&ook or #econdar Teachers

Although #oth /inds o! /no$ledge are iportant in the classroo, /no$ledge I) is

paraount% It leads to /no$ledge A+OUT% Thus, throughout all school li!e,

curriculu design should #e #ased on e&periential /no$ledge% Discursive /no$l@edge should arise !ro direct draadc action% I! e&perience and intuitive

/no$ledge are overephasised, ho$ever, there is a danger that the learning process

$ill #e devalued and retarded% Re!lection on the event outside the e&perience o! it is

o! paraount iportance% It cannot #e assued that the individuals e&pressive act

is the #e@all and end@all% Liv U*ann -59?9. highlights soething o! this process

$hen she discusses her rehearsal o! the part o! rusha !or a production o! TheDa$casian Dhalk Dircle% in Oslo in 59;6 -pages B;@?.%

1hen I $as t$enty@t$o, Peter Palitseh, a eran director, cae to our theatre in

Oslo% *e taught e that everything $e portray on the stage ought to #e sho$n !ro

t$o sides% +e illustrated in #oth #lac/ and $hite% 1hen I sile, I ust sho$ thegriace #ehind it% Try to depict the counter@oveent = its counter@otion% I


20/90

learned to $or/ ore consciously% -These concepts are ore !ully discussed in

chapter >%. I ree#er the opening scene o! the Dhalk Dircle At the !irst reading Ithought I $as to play a $oan in a heroic situation% *er nae $as rusha%

Revolution had coe to the village $here she lived in poverty% Everyone had !led the urder and !ire that !ollo$ed in the

$a/e o! $ar% 1hile she hersel! $as running a$ay she !ound an in!ant a#andoned #y its other% (he stopped $ithout /no$ing

$hat she $ould do $ith the little #undle $rapped in sil/ and velvet, precious aterials that she had never touched #e!ore%

My interpretation $as to sit do$n and loo/ tenderly and so!tly at the #a#y% (ing to it, pic/ it up, and ta/e it $ith e% YThin/ a

#it deeperY, the director said% Y(ho$ her dou#ts0 surely she ust have had soeH *er co$ardice dont you !eel itH And $hata#out her a#ivalence in the !ace o! this ne$ responsi#ilityH The audience $ill sypathise $ith you any$ay% Even i! they

dont grasp everything you are trying to illustrate, they $ill recognise you as acting in a $ay they theselves ight have

acted% )o spontaneous no#ility% )ot necessarily sy#olising goodness all the tieY% My interpretation #ecae this0

The $oan is sitting $ith the #a#y, #ut puts it do$n as she realises $hat a hindrance it $ill #e on her !light% (he stands up

and $al/s a$ay% (tops% Dou#t% Turns #ac/% Reluctantly sits do$n again% Loo/s at its little #undle% Loo/s a$ay% Then, !inally,

she pic/s it up $ith a gesture o! resignation and runs on % , %

The ra)a Codel 65

_, $ho !or years had /ept (tanislavs/ys #oo/ on the art o! acting on y #edside ta#le, no$ #egan to loo/ !or other $ays%Partly, I !ound a ne$ techniWue $hich seeed right !or e % % % Less !eelings, ore concentration on giving e&pression to the

!eelings% -pp% B;@?. +y !ocussing attention on this artist at $or/ in the draatic process $e can see the copleentary

relationship #et$een involveent o! !eelings in the e&perience, the re!lection upon the e&perience, and the gro$th inunderstanding that is achieved% The actress is e&tended in her understanding o! the huan condition as e&perienced #y hercharacter she also learns ho$ to control the artistic ediu $hich e&presses this understanding% Ullann see/s to #ecoe

involved in the e&perience o! the situation, #ut at the sae tie is conscious o! the arti!ice o! it% (he recognises the need !or a

#alance #et$een the su#'ective and o#'ective realities o! the role and the draatic situation% (he ust at the sae tie #e

participant and spectator in the draatic event% Less !eelings = ore concentration on giving e&pression to the !eelings%

Feeling and Meaning in Draatic Action

Role relationships in draa use a Wuality o! !eeling that is di!!erent !ro that $hich

$e e&perience in our everyday interactions% The spontaneous actual eotions o!

real@li!e situations are replaced in draatic action #y eotions $hich ay recall

real li!e !eelings, #ut $hich change to #ecoe iaginative and artistic !iction%

-(tanislavs/y 59;, page 565.% These iagined !eelings are controlled and

e&pressed in such a $ay that a sense o! truth is created out o! the% Participantactors and audience recognise this artistic truth $ith its Wuality o! sincerity and so

#elieve in the draa that is happening%

2no$ing a#out this !eeling Wuality and #eing a#le to use it to create draatic truths

is one aspect o! understanding that ust evolve !ro participation in the draatic

process% (tanislavs/y points out that any actors, $hen they #ecoe involved in

the draa, lose this capacity to discriinate #et$een $hat is artistically true and

!alse% 1ithin the draa, it $ould see, they #ecoe so involved in the a/ing o! it

that they are una#le to pay due attention to ho it is #eing ade% 7et these t$o processes ustconsciously co@e&ist !or e&pressive eaning to occur%

The essential !actor in this e&pression o! eotion is the sense o! truth that is recognised in the concrete, physical actions o!the draa% The hollo$, !alsi!ied eotion o! poorly iagined andor iitated activity devalues the draatic e&perience anddeprives it o! eaning%

6: Ti)e or ra)a: and&ook or #econdar Teachers

Eleents o! the Art For and Meaning in Draatic Action

In attepting to create artistic truths and #uild draatic tension, play$rights,

actors, directors and technicians e&ploit the eleents o! the art !or% +y

anipulating these eleents they are a#le to add truth and signi!icance to the

draa% This heightened artistic eaning elevates the Wuality o! the draatic

e&perience as $ell as the Wuality o! its e&pression% The prie purpose o! using these

eleents relates to the draa% This heightened artistic eaning elevates the Wuality

o! the draatic e&perience as $ell as the Wuality o! its e&pression% The prie

purpose o! using these eleents relates to the desire lo consciously create sy#olic


21/90

eaning% As $as o#vious in the e&aple used #y Liv Ullann, the e&tent to $hich

the actor is a$are o! this anipulation o! artistic eleents $ill vary% In draa in

education the developental stage o! the students and the speci!ic teaching !ocus o!

the lesson $ill #e a'or !actors in!luencing the degree to $hich this anipulation is

ade e&plicit% 1hat is !elt $ithin the draatic e&perience $ill !irst reWuire

attention #y the director ho$ this is e&pressed $ill !ollo$ !ro there%

+e!ore $e #rie!ly consider these eleents and ho$ they ani!est theselves in the

draa, it is iportant to realise that there is an inter@dependent relationship

#et$een -he% The use o! one ay call into action the e!!ect o! others%

hth) is essentially related to the notion o! tie, intensity and repetition% It can #t heard in the e&hausted travellersslo$ dull /noc/ing on the door the landlords rapid resounding #anging as he tries to $a/e his tenants the 'udges deli#erate,

evenly spaced repetition o!, 7ou are charged $ith disloyalty, you are charged $ith dishonesty, you are charged $ithirresponsi#ility % %

Aoc$s is the converging or concentration o! energy% "aesars #lood@stained toga $hich Antony holds #e!ore the Roancro$d illustrates this anipulation o! the eleent o! !ocus% The use o! teachcr@in@roie in classroo draa is also a clear

e&aple o! an e!!ective strategy !or achieving !ocus% For e&aple, the teacher as Pro!essor +rainstor inspects the ap@

prentices invention, their tie achine% The use o! o#'ects such as the ysterious sealed cas/et in The Cerchant o Jenice%or the curious loo/ing #o& placed #e!ore the class #y the visiting archeologist, also act as !ocussing agents% A speci!ic set ting

!or the draa ay also provide this !ocussing o! energy%

The ra)a Codel 6

!or e&aple, the convicts cro$ded in a hul/ a$aiting transportation to Australia%

#pace is the e&panse o! the $or/ing area and the oveent and grouping patterns adopted $ithin it% For e&aple, con @victs in a $or/@gang $idely distanced !ro each other as they #uild the road, or a large group o! !actory $or/ers !orced to

argue their grievances !ro the !actory !loor $hilst the Tour e&ecutives stand in the o!!ice overhead -the raised rostra at the

end o! the roostage.%

na)ic is o!ten the result o! other eleents co#ining to create the energy o! the draa% This can #e achieved throughsurprise or sudden changes in the action o! the draa, the 'u&taposition o! coictragic events, or the accuulation o!particular draatic !orce does uch togather involveent and !ocus the energy o! the participants%

#)&ol 's any o#'ect, and soeties sound, light, or oveent $hich is used e&plicitly to add a rever#eration o! ean@ing to the draa% The suns coing up, $hen spo/en #y the rand Master at the $itches coven, needs no !urther e&pla@

nation% The gun or cross are o#'ects readily understood !or their depth o! eaning%

Dli)ax occurs $here a dra$ing together o! actions and eaning !orces resolution or a change in the direction o! thedraa% -This is o!ten the place $here *eathcote $ill stop the draa !or re!lection, in order to crystallise its eaning%.

Dontrast is actually the anner in $hich certain eleents such as sound, oveent or rhyth are anipulated%Di!!erences are 'u&taposed so that the variation is ephasised and there!ore signi!icant, Ro#ert +olts "oon Man, in Can or ll #easons -I9;:., o!!ers contrast o! a di!!erent nature% +y stepping aside to coent colloWuially upon the actionsand theatricality o! the plays events there is a dynaic contrast in the draatic style itsel!%

#o$nd +et$een the e&trees o! silence and the loudest o! sounds there e&ist endless possi#ilities !or portraying eaning%O#viously the very range and su#tlety o! the language used #y the actor to e&press character is one e&aple o! theanipulation o! this artistic cleent% Tic/ing cloc/s, door #ells, !ootsteps and usic are sounds $hich ay #e technically

added to #uild draatic tension%

Donlict is a state o! tension that arises #ecause o! contrasts or inconsistencies in the #ehaviour or values o! di!!erent


The ra)a Codel 65

o! a tea playing a gae approach, un!ortunately distorts the issue, and diverts attention !ro the artistic and sy#olicnature o! the draa% Personal and social s/ills $ill #e developed as a result o! participation in draa% This is a positive #y@

product o! the draatic process, although a great deal o! the developent in this respect $ill occur outside any involveent

in draatic action% avin +olton -59?9. states his reservations a#out the ephasis on this /ind o! learning in draa -pages

56@8.%

_a not sure that I can accept soe current practice that appears to connive at a lo$@level standard o! draa on the groundsthat the all@iportant social needs are #eing et and it sees to e that it should #e a rare occurrence !or social

iproveent to #e the only goal $hen clearly sensi#le structuring could concurrently eet a nuni#er o! additional re@Wuireents related to eaning % % , and aesthetic !or -pp% 56@8.


22/90

characters% It is the su#tle antagonis and irreconcila#ility o! the con!lict $hich

provides greater potential !or creating draatic tension than the direct clash or

Wuarrel #et$een opposing vie$s% Mac#eths plotting to /ill Duncan and then his in@

a#ility to carry out the deed are e&aples o! personal con!lict e!!ectively used to

#uild draatic tension% Ine&perienced actors and students too readily resort to direct

ver#al and physical clashes as a eans o! dealing $ith di!!erences and as a $ay o!e&pressing con!lict%

It is signi!icant that these artistic eleents are not seen as ends in theselves%

Rather they arc a eans to an end, $hich has to do $ith o!!ering ne$ perspectives

on the huan condition and the individuals struggle to !ind order and eaning

$ithin it -see chapter ?.%

*uan Developent in Draa

The priary !unction o! draa in theatre and draa in education is to provide a

conte&t $here#y individuals ay participate in the e&perience and conteplation o!

issues o! huan concern% +oth ani!estations o! the draatic process serve to

increase personal understanding and e&tend a$areness o! ones relationship $ith the

$ider $orld% The nature o! role@ta/ing and draatic action hold the potential !or

personal eaning to #e created% Draa is al$ays a#out soething and as characters

live through the draatic oents o! the play, actors and audience participate in a

sy#olic and eaning!ul event%

+ecause the event depends upon the conventions o! interpersonal interaction and

group support, there is a secondary type o! learning $hich occurs at the personal,

social level% +eing sensitive, a$are and tolerant o! others, developing personal

con!idence in e&pressing thoughts and initiating ideas in the planning and a/ing

o! the draa are interpersonal Wualities that are vital to the draatic process% 1e

are a$are that one actors poor per!orance can signi!icantly reduce the ipact o! apiece o! theatre this holds true !or the classroo as $ell% Draatic action relies on

the active and positive support o! each participant i! the play is to evolve% It is as

!undaental as transgressing a rule in !oot#all, tennis or any other gae%

In !act, soe draa theorists -ost recently 1at/ins, 59>6. $ould clai that

draas raison d?etre is at #ase lin/ed to this personal, social aspect o! draatic action% *o$ever, to !ocus on the learningthat occurs #ecause o! $ere all part

( ")ndamentals of t&e rama

To this point $e have descri#ed the !undaentals o! the draatic process,

analysing role relationships and the creation o! eaning% Role relationships are

seen as central to the draatic process and draatic action as e&periential,

e&pressive and counicative in nature% Draatic eaning $as intrinsically

related to huan developent and the art !or% Draa in education applied this

process $ithin the classroo%

Figure 8@ illustrates the !undaentals o! the draa in education process%

AiB$re ! Fundamentals o( the drama


23/90

"O)TE)T (ELE"TIO) LI)E

5=

QQ % -TEA"*ER%

Q Q (TUDE)T(. K"

j AREA( OF Q ARTI*"IATTREALIT7

-a. *uan Developent%

LEAR)I) k

Q -a. Q-# Art For

B ALL 2)O1LEDE A)D ECPERIE)"E

A$nda)entals o the ra)a 6?

At the centre o! the diagra lie the personal e&periences and /no$ledge #rought to draa #y the participants, priarily thestudents, and teacher% This sall circle o! e&perience -the su#'ective reality. is contained $ithin the large outer circle o! all

/no$ledge and e&perience -the o#'ective reality.% The iddle circle sho$s the draatic ediu #y $hich these t$o areas o!

e&perience are #rought into a creative relationship $ith one another% Role relationships and the arti!icial reality o! this

draatic ediu act as an e&pressive !ilter !or #oth su#'ective and o#'ective e&periences and /no$ledge% A line dra$n as the

radius o! the circle constitutes content selection% Draa lessons can #e planned !ro content chosen !ro any point along thisline = !ro the students o$n e&periences, !ro the draatic ediu itsel! -characterisation, iprovisation, theatre history,

or oveent s/ills, !or e&aple., or !ro the vast, /no$n e&periences o! all /no$ledge% Inherent in the draatic ediu is

a creative tension $hich gives rise to speci!ic learning% This tension evolves !ro the 'u&taposition o! real li!e e&periences$ith the arti!icial e&perience o! the draa% (peci!ic learning relates to -a. the art !or, and -#. huan developent% Fro

here $e can no$ e&tract the !our #asic coponents o! draa%

The "oponents o! Draa

5 Li!e e&periences and /no$ledge $hich provide the draatic content%

6 An arti!icial reality #ased on li!e $hich !ors the draatic situation,

Individuals using role relationships $hich constitute the draatic action%

8 To ensure that the draatic event can indeed happen and #e eaning!ul $e alsoneed individuals $ho agree to participate in the draatic event as i! it $ere real =

to a#ide #y the conventions o! draa%

(o, $hat iplications do these coponents have !or the planning and teaching o!

draaH

Draatic "ontent

In draa in theatre the play$rights /no$ledge and e&periences o! li!es events

provide the ra$ aterial or content !ro $hich the play $ill #e created% The personal sensitivity and richnesso! insight associated $ith that content selection



24/90

deterines uch a#out the plays Wuality and inherent eaning% )ot all

play$rights, !or e&aple, are capa#le o! giving us the richness o! eaning

contained in edip$s ex ora)let 1e cannot deny ho$ever, that any plays o!!er !ar too little in terso! interest or signi!icance% )either the content nor the $ay in $hich it has #een anipulated provide su!!icient interest or

challenge !or others to participate in it% In such instances the play$right $ill siply need to learn !ro his e!!orts andconsider ore !ully the ra$ aterial and the !or $ith $hich he $or/s%

In draa in education the teacher ust loo/ to the play$right to gain insight into setting up draa, !or #oth share the !unction

o! providing the iportant !rae$or/ !or the draatic process% 1hat the teacher o!!ers the students as stiulus !or their

$or/ is a/in to draatic content selected #y the play$right !or the draa it ust #e su#stantial enough to create interest and

personal eaning% Unli/e the artistplay$right, the teacher is !irstly a pro!essional educator, and secondarily a draGteacher% Teachers assue the added responsi#ility o! ensuring that the content provides opportunities !or the students to

a&iise learning% Thus the content ust not only #e capa#le o! involving and e&tending the students, #ut it should also

suggest draatic situations $ith $hich the developing students $ill #e a#le to cope% The previously cited e&aple o!

*eathcotes students attepting unsuccess!ully to deal $ith grie! in the draa is one instance in $hich the content gave riseto a draatic situation $ith deands clearly #eyond the capa#ilities o! the students%

"hoice o! content there!ore, $ill have a direct #earing on the Wuality o! draa in the lesson and its potential to e&tend thestudents e&periences% "are!ully selected content and a teacher $ho has con!idence in anipulating it $ill #uild a !ir #asis

!or the e&pressive act and the learning associated $ith it%

I! the draatic content is selected !ro events close to the students su#'ective e&periences, it ay prove di!!icult !or in@

dividuals to ove into draatic action in $hich !eeling responses are appropriate% (oe content used to e&plore social issues

places students in situations $hich are too close to hoe eotionally !or the to enter !ully the arti!icial reality o! thedraa% On the other hand, draatic content selected !ro events too reote !ro the students personal e&periences ay also

result in draatic action that has no ring o! truth or draatic integrity% "ontent $hich evo/es intense and cople& eotional

responses too !reWuently destroys draatic action in the classroo% lDisaster draa that e&plores topics

A$nda)entals o the ra)a 69

such as nuclear holocausts, ship$rec/s, deaths and a ultitude o! other sensational events reWuires a great deal o! s/ill and

sensitivity #y the teacherplay$right i! the student actors are to engage in eaning!ul draatic activity%

It ust #e the teachers responsi#ility to understand the draatic process and anipulate content in such a $ay that it

provides the appropriate #ase !or draatic engageent% Understanding soething o! the students su#'ective reality and the

/ind o! issues that interest the $ill ean the teacher has a greater chance o! providing appropriate draatic content% Thereis a great deal o! con!usion in teachers and students inds a#out the Wuality o! eotional input needed !or the draa% There

is 'ust as uch dou#t, too, a#out the type o! content li/ely to achieve this% One thing is certain0 the teacher ust #e constantly

in search o! content aterial that is #road in its range o! e&perence and varied in its !or o! presentation% To rely on the

e&periences that students and teacher carry $ith the as the sole eans o! structuring draa is a very rando and super!icial

$ay o! approaching the draatic process% "ople&ity and richness o! content that a/es !ir lin/s $ith the e&periences o!the participants is essential to the a/ing o! good draa%

"ontrary to popular #elie!, draa is not contentless, it is content dependent#ut #ecause the individuals e&perience ustlie at the centre o! draa, curriculu content $ill not #e prescriptive% This does not ean, ho$ever, that choice o! content

can #e ignored as iaterial% Teachers, li/e play$rights, pay hoage to the iportance o! content $hen they associate

theselves $ith the arti!icial $orld o! the play% Draa ust #e a#out soething\ Draatic content ust #e capa#le o!tapping into the e&periential reality o! students in order to ove #eyond it%

Draatic (ituations

I! $e consider !or a oent the arti!icial $orld o! the play, it is ipossi#le to avoid

$ondering at the iagination and artistry o! a $or/ such as edip$s ex It is also soe$hatdaunting $hen $e tal/ in the sae #reath a#out draa teachers% O#viously, i! $ere seeing ourselves as needing to #e

soething o! a (ophocles, (ha/espeare or +ec/ett, $ere all !ailures #e!ore $e #egin% 1hat does see to #e $ithin our grasp

ho$ever, is an understanding o! the #asic principles that in!or the structuring o! the draa%


A$nda)entals o the ra)a 68

Draatic Action

Draatic actions are the concrete, physical e&pression o! role they give draatic

!or to a#stract thoughts and !eelings and are there!ore sy#olic and eaning!ul%

Draatic actions arise out o! draatic situations and #ring li!e and interest to the

draatic event% Draatic action ay #e totally spontaneous and iprovised or tie

ay #e spent planning and rehearsing the draa% Usually, classroo draa is

inially rehearsed or totally spontaneous% Per!orance o! scripts is ore o!tenintensely rehearsed, especially !or !oral theatre%


25/90

Draatic action is #uilt around the $illingness o! actors to e&press personal

!eelings honestly and to accept and develop ne$ responses in relation to the actions

o! others% 1ithout this supportive #uilding the draa $ill lac/ unity and su#stance%

Artistic sincerity and truth!ulness o! draatic action is also o! prie iportance to

the integrity o! the draa% It is !or this reason that a director $or/s closely $ith

actors in preparing the !or per!orance% Draa teachers should nonetheless #e

interested in the sincerity and truth!ulness o! draatic action% +ut $hereas the

director has one clear goal o! per!orance is ind, the goals o! the teacher vary,

odi!ying the orientation o! the action and the criteria #y $hich the Wuality o! the

draa is 'udged% Draatic action is e&periential, counicative and e&pressive in

nature% In pursuing speci!ic learning goals, draa teachers are a#le to ephasise

one particular orientation o! the draatic act, thus changing the /ind o! thought and

!eeling processes reWuired in the particular draa e&perience,

E&periential Draatic Action

An e&periential ephasis in the draa stresses the iportance o! the individuals

e&perience $ithin the role% 1hat is understood a#out the !eelings, actions and ideas

con!ronted during the draatic action is #oth the eaning and the purpose o! the

draa% The a/ing o! personal eaning, or learning a#out the sel! and the $orld, is

ore iportant than !inding an artistic !or $hich $ill counicate iages and

eaning to an audience% Draatists o!ten clai that this type o! action is closely

related to the childs draatic playing% 1hat the teacher loo/s !or in the $or/ o! the

students is a#sorption and coitent%

E&periential draatic action is usually o! an iprovised !or, although it is true

that the sae !ocus can also #e

In the !irst instance the draatic situation is an iaginative conte&t arising out o!perceptions o! the events o! real li!e% "ontrivance o! this iagined and arti!icial li!e

uses the eleents o! the art !or, as distinct !ro the actual !eelings and desires

that govern real@li!e situations% (econdly, a draatic event -the play or classroo

draa. is coprised o! a nu#er o! draatic situations $hich give !ocus to the

draatic content and o!!er ne$ insights into its eaning% To this end, the draatic

situations ust aintain a sense o! unity and direction% Participation in one

draatic situation should stiulate a$areness and #uild resources !or involveent

in the ne&t% This interlin/ing and interdependent relationship #et$een situations is

vitally iportant in esta#lishing artistic unity and eaning% Thirdly, the creative

tension that evolves !ro the erging o! t$o opposing realities -real li!e and dra@

atic li!e. is !urther heightened #y conscious anipulation o! the eleents o! theart !or so that particular draatic situations are elevated in their signi!icance,

And !inally, in heightening the draatic signi!icance o! given situations, the nature

o! the characters $ho people the draa is o! prie iportance% The selection o! the

particular conte&t = the setting o! the draa = is one thing the personal situation

o! the character is another% (o it is that a $ould@#e assassin plays host to his

proposed victi in lavish and $ar surroundings% The resulting draatic tension is

su#tle and iediate% A ne$ perspective on the draatic content is evident%

Draatic situations ust there!ore #e contrived to this artistic and eaning!ul end\

A play$right can not assue that a potpo$rn o! draatic situations can #e placed #e!ore an audience and

trust that the rest $ill ta/e care o! itsel!% On the contrary, the play$right ust shoulder the responsi#ility o! providing a $or/$hich $ill invite, challenge and involve others in its e&perience% Teachers ust shoulder this sae responsi#ility% They

cannot assue that their students $ill a/e eaning!ul connections #et$een draatic situations consisting o! super!icial and


26/90

disparate e&periences% )or can students #e e&pected to intuitively understand ho$ to contrive draatic situations in order to

e&plore content $ith satis!action% These are !unctions $hich the teacher ust #e prepared to !ul!il% At ties this $ill eanthat a relatively detailed scenario, $hich hones in on speci!ic e&periential learning, $ill #e contrived at others, #are #ut

signi!icant draatic situations $ill #e needed% The play$right o!!ers a odel !or this particular teaching !unction%

6; Ti)e or ra)a: and&ook or #econdar Teachers

A$nda)entals o the ra)a

E&pressive Draatic Action

Ephasis on e&pressive action deonstrates a consciousness o! the eleents o! the

art !or as the rules o! the ediu through $hich the individuals inner thoughts

and !eelings $ill #e pro'ected and e&pressed% Feeling and !or are !ashioned

together so that the relationship #et$een the individuals su#'ective and o#'ective

realities, #et$een real li!e and arti!icial li!e, is consciously realised% In e&pressive

draatic action, there is little li/elihood that the presence o! an audience $ill carry

su!!icient in!luence to distort eanings carried #y the draa% In !act, ne$ and

varied e&periences are sought $hich test and challenge the individuals developing

capacity !or e&pressive action% Per!orance o! e&isting draatic $or/s, o!tenscripts o! cople& sy#olic eaning, ove the students into reals o! thin/ing

and !eeling not previously encountered in their draa%

Analysis and criticis o! draatic literature and theatre is an iportant ad'unct to

the learning processes o! e&pressive action% The social, cultural and artistic levels o!

eaning in this realised !or are an iportant e&tension o! the students draatic

developent% The critical and appreciative perspective on draa !urnishes the

students $ith an a#stract /no$ledge a#out the draa% 2no$ledge $ithin the draa

is #alanced and enriched #y this critical appreciation% O! course the reverse is also

true /no$ledge !ro $ithin the draa gives richness and #alance to /no$ledge

a#out draa% +oth processes are essential to !ull artistic /no$ledge%

In ephasising a particular orientation o! action, the draa teacher is guided #y the

needs o! di!!erent student groups% Their changing capacity !or role ta/ing

in!luences the e&tent to $hich any aspect o! draatic action can #e e!!ectively

used% 1hatever orientation is ephasised ho$ever, the teacher $ill need to help the

student !ind appropriate involveent in the action% The role o! director o!!ers a

odel !or this teaching !unction%

"onventions o! the Draa

Ultiately draa as/s participants to straddle the !orces o! reality and unreality%

This is the constraint that !ocusses and gives artistic li!e and signi!icance to the

draa% This is a $orld $here, in (tanislavs/ian ters, $e #ehave as i! things $erereally happening% It is the real o! childrens a/e@#elieve, o! Dorothy *eathcotes

#ig lie, and o! $hat is !reWuently re!erred to as the $illing suspension o! dis#elie!%

achieved in draa that is rehearsed% Living through the draa e&perientially and

spontaneously o!!ers a&iu potential !or individuals to test the e!!ect o! their

responses upon the direction and outcoe o! the draa%

"ounicative Draatic Action

1hen counication to others is ephasised in the draa a ore distant spectator

stance is needed in the a/ing o! the draa% This o#'ectivity !orces a ne$

perspective on draatic action%


27/90

1hether the action is spontaneous or planned is o! little conseWuence, since the

processes o! thought and !eeling are no$ odi!ied #y the e&ternal reality o! an

audience% Ideas and !eelings ust #e shaped in such a $ay in the draa that they

represent eanings to onloo/ers rather than directly e&pressing e&perience%

Despite the desire to counicate personal eanings that are held to #e iportant,

the pu#lic and social nature o! the e&perience iposes a !urther e&ternal

consideration on the students% )ot only ust the draa clearly represent ideas, #ut

it ust #e such that it $ill #e !avoura#ly received #y the audience% Personal and

social realities that operate $ithin the group $ill #e a a'or in!luence on the $ay

ideas are given draatic !or% +eing 2ing or "lo$n $ithin the draa ay have

ore to do $ith the nature o! peer@group relations than the draatic representation

o! personal e&periences and ideas%

"ounicative draatic action leads to a consciousness o! ho$ the draa loo/s,

rather than ho$ it !eels% 1hen the appearance o! the draa is ephasised, an

understanding o! the art !or eleents and the draatic s/ills o! individuals are

called into !ocus% Maintaining a relationship #et$een the eaning o! the draa andits counication is iportant i! integrity o! draatic action is to #e preserved% I!

a$areness o! audience is $hat gives rise to the shape o! the draa, then the

learning is clearly o! Wuite a di!!erent nature% *o$ to e&ploit draa !or ones o$n

gains ay #e the a'or lesson learned%

The Wuality o! sincerity and truth in counicative draatic action is related to the

$ay the eaning is represented% "oncrete iages ust #e truth!ul enough to

evo/e artistic #elie! in the, Draa that is priarily a response to the social reality

o! its audience ore o!ten carries a Wuality o! pre@cocioustiess and play acting =

control o! the artistic ediu disappears%


Participation in a draatic event, then, reWuires individuals to a/e a conscious

coitent to #ehaving in a anner $hich allo$s the creative act to happen% For

soe, young children !or e&aple, this setting aside o! the noral rules o! reality in

order to live through an iagined reality is not an issue perceptions o! $hat is real

and $hat is not are readily incorporated into the $ider schee o! things% Many

individuals, ho$ever, are shy o! actively coitting theselves to an unreality

such as draa% It is easy enough to con soeone #y #ehaving in a !ictitious $ay

-the $hite lie., #ut it is uch ore di!!icult, indeed pointless, i! you /no$ that

soeone recognises your act as !ictitious% To change the tone o! the interaction,

#oth parties ust agree to #ehave in a li/e anner #oth ust agree to participate inthe con -the #ig lie.% The instant this agreeent is ade, di!!erent eanings

accrue to the situation the !ictitious #ecoe part o! a ne$ reality, an arti!icial

reality lived through in the present% In this sense, 1arren Lett -59>6., denies the

validity o! notions o! a/e@#elieve in draa%

This is not a a/e@#elieve reality, it is an actual phenoe@nological e&perience o!

sel! in a/ing % % % although the e&ternal is iaginary, the e&perience is actual, -p%

5B. Many students in the classroo !ind the present reality o! the e&perience very

threatening% In !act, sel!@consciousness doinates the e&perience, a/ing

participation and coitent e&treely di!!icult%

To help overcoe this di!!iculty teachers need to /no$ ho$ to provide personalsecurity !or their students in a potentially threatening situation% *elping the students


28/90

understand $hat is reWuired o! the in the a/ing o! draa is !undaental%

2no$ing the rules o! the gae -"ourtney, 59>:5 o!!ers security and control !or

#oth students and teachers% The a/ing o! draa cannot #e seen as a ysterious

process that de!ies the e&istence o! any guidelines and accepts any interaction as

valid% (uch guidelines ust #e intrinsic to the nature o! draa and not siply

e&trinsic rules set to aid general classroo control% A consideration o! role ta/ing,iprovising and the creation o! eaning $ill give rise to these rules o! the gae%

An audience in draa ust also participate appropriately in the draatic event% In

theatre, !or e&aple, e#ers o! an audience understand that they ust tacitly

agree to #e passive participants in the role relationships% Their responses are

constrained and !ocussed #y the nature o! the draatic event% I! a e#er o! the

audience $ere to invade the acting space, draatic counication and sy#olic

eaning $ould

A$nda)entals o the ra)a B

#e destroyed% "onversely, i! the theatrical event is designed to use audience responses and the audience do not respond, sel!@

consciousness $ill predoinate aongst the participants, again destroying the draa% In #oth situations, inappropriateresponses result !ro a con!usion a#out ho$ to #ehave $ithin the event%

"lassroo audiences also need to have access to these conventions o! draa% +ecause the teacher understands $hat isreWuired i! speci!ic learning o#'ectives are to #e et, it $ill #e up to hiher to e&plicitly teach students a#out this aspect o!

draa% It is a part o! classroo draa that reWuires clear, !ir and sensitive leadership%

* Class+f,+ng rama Act+-+t+es

1hen $e spea/ o! doing draa, certain eleents have co#ined to #ring a#out a

creative tension $hich carries the potential !or sy#olic learning% The draatic

event itsel! is the $ay o! /no$ing re!lection on the draa occurs to a/e the

learning e&plicit%

In the draa classroo, ho$ever, teachers use a range o! activities $hich !all

outside this description o! draa% Many o! the gaes and e&ercises re!erred to in

chapter 5 are e&aples o! non@draa events used to develop personal s/ills as

varied and cople& as counication, co@ordination, spontaneity, iagination and

sel!@/no$ledge% (oe activities are also used speci!ically to develop the e&pressive

s/ills o! voice, oveent and iprovisation% 1hen these gaes and e&ercises are

analysed in ters o! inherent sy#olic eaning and as i! Wualities o! eotional

involveent, they cannot #e classi!ied as draa per se

On the other hand, soe activities ove participants into areas $here the pursuit o!

Wuite speci!ic technical and art !or s/ills is called !or% Puppetry, dance and ie,

!or e&aple, deand that individual s/ills #e used in e&pressive !ors Wuite

di!!erent !ro that o! acting% I! such !ors, there!ore, are to #e used $ith asatis!actory level o! personal control and e&pressive con!idence, ne$ a$arenesses

and /no$ledge have to #e acWuired%

In using any o! the a#ove activities, decisions a#out draa o#'ectives, their

priorities and ho$ uch tie to devote to the, have to #e ade, It a/es sense

that a draa@in@education curriculu ought to use the a'ority o! its tie to

achieve learning through involveent in draa, rather than other vaguely

associated tas/s% It !ollo$s then, that $hatever the activity o! the classroo, its

relationship $ith draa needs to #e understood% It is one clear $ay that $e have o!

/no$ing $here $e are in ters o! curriculu planning and the developent thro$Bhdra)a o! our students%

DlassiinB ra)a ctiities ?


29/90

The nature o! activities and the purposes !or $hich they are used can #e classi!ied as either copleentary, preparatory or

!ringe in their relationship $ith draa%

"opleentary Draa

Activities $hich are copleentary in their relationship $ith draa have the

potential to directly enhance the e&pressive Wuality and eaning o! the draa, yet

in theselves ay not constitute participation in the draatic event% These activi@ties, ho$ever, are an essential part o! any draa class and ay o!ten #e very tie@

consuing% Jer#al and $ritten language tas/s and activities to develop s/ills in

theatre cra!ts are the ost o#vious e&aples o! copleentary draa%

Oral Language_

1ords are the ost accessi#le currency !or counicating ideas, clari!ying

thoughts and sharing e&periences in relation to the draa, (tudents need to tal/

a#out the a/ing o! the draa, a#out the signi!icance o! interactions $ithin it and

certainly a#out ne$ eanings that ay have evolved as a result o! the e&perience%

In addition, #oth teacher and students rely on stateents and Wuestions as essential

aids in #uilding #elie! in characters and situations% Regardless o! the particularo#'ectives o! the draa, discussion, Wuestions, stateents and instructions are

reWuired as an ad'unct to it% This is not to say, ho$ever, that any tal/ $hich happens

is autoatically capa#le o! servicing the draa and its learning% All tal/ is

constrained #y the !ocus o! the draa and the clear intention o! using $ords as a

$ay o! iproving the e&pressive e&perience o! the draa and its eaning% The

responsive leadership o! the teacher is e&treely iportant in this sense% (topping

discussions $hich have strayed too !ar !ro the !ocus o! the draa is not in itsel!

soe /ind o! a$!ul authoritarianis% (tateents $hich are clearly red herrings or

tenuous in their relationship $ith the draa $ill not iprove the Wuality o! $or/ or

the individuals learning% Instead o! copleenting the draa, the discussion

siply ta/es on a li!e and eaning Wuite separate !ro the draatic event% Tal/ in

draa is clearly lin/ed $ith /no$ing through the e&perience o! the draa%

1ritten Language0 Reading, 2iting, Research

These rs o! classroo activity are other valua#le aids to the a/ing o! good

draa% (oeties the teacher ay siply read a story or poe at the #eginning o!

a lesson to

> Ti)e or ra)a: and&ook or #econdar Teachers

otivate interest andor #roaden the o#'ective e&periences o! the group%

Alternatively, the draa itsel! ay stiulate students to do their o$n reading and

research% The use o! $ell@chosen resources provides a rich input $hich

copleents the learning #y ensuring that things not already /no$n have a chance

to deepen and e&tend the draa e&perience% In this $ay, i! #oth teacher and

students engage in research, a range o! personal, social, historical, political, cultural

and theatrical perspectives can #e gained% Tas/s ay range !ro siply cutting out

a ne$spaper ite on a particular issue to the detailed study o! an aspect o! political

po$er% 1hat reains iportant is the need !or its draatic e&perience to #e central

to the tas/s and the learning% 1riting activities ay #e adopted to help plan the

draa, deepen coitent or perhaps advance the action% +rainstoring, !or

e&aple, provides a use!ul $ay o! allo$ing students to share ideas and e&plore

avenues !or the !ocus o! the draa% This #eginning provides a ore representativeand realistic #asis !or negotiating $hat the draa $ill #e a#out% 1hen the draa is


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a#out to #egin, students ay #e as/ed to $rite do$n iportant details o! their

character as a !oundation !or esta#lishing and sustaining role% During the draa, a

deeper coitent to role and situation is gained $hen students, as speci!ic

characters, are as/ed to $rite letters, reports or diary entries, !or e&aple%

Individual characters or groups $ithin the draa ay !ind theselves $riting

legends, or perhaps rules and la$s $hich advance the plot o! the draa and governthe actions o! the participants%

O! course it is !easi#le that other $riting ay occur in re@r lation to reading and

research activities% Teachers at ties prescri#e tas/s !or students to do #e!ore

speci!ic draa e&periences% One group o! year 5: students, $ho $ere doing draa

a#out copetition and sport, $ere reWuired #y their teacher to attend a 'unior

sporting event and $rite a#out an incident $hich they !elt thre$ soe light on the

su#'ect% These detailed o#servations added real insight into the content they $ere

e&ploring, and at the sae tie provided a concrete #asis !or soe satirical draa%

Recently, log #oo/s and draa diaries have gained popularity $ith teachers as

$riting activities% These are designed to copleent the learning in draa via theprocess o! re!lection% (tudents are usually reWuired to record the activities o! the

lesson, coent on their participation in the and evaluate the e!!ectiveness o! the

draa in stiulating learning% +ecause o! the di!!iculty o! these deands, students

at 'unior secondary levels arc o!ten only reWuired to record $hat

DlassiinB ra)a ctiities :

happened, ta/ing turns at $riting up and reading out the description o! the lesson% 1hilst there is no dou#t that at ties suchactivities can #e a real help in copleenting the action and learning in draa, it is eWually true that a closer e&aination o!

the tas/ ay reveal little or no such relationship% I! the $riting is to #e a eaning!ul e&ercise, a great deal o! care!ul guidance

is needed !ro the teacher%

Theatre "ra!ts

Activities $hich develop /no$ledge and s/ills in theatre cra!ts do not depend on

role relationships as the ediu o! learning, yet the application o! these s/ills ay

have a direct #earing on the Wuality o! the draa% 1or/ related to a/eup, as/,

costuing, set design and lighting !all into this category%

At ties, aspects o! these cra!ts are used to otivate students, !ocus energy and

gain coitent to the draa% Di!!erent coloured green lights can certainly help

#uild #elie! in the agic !orest or tropical 'ungle% The cloa/ o! the /ing or the $hite

coat o! the pro!essor ay provide an iportant step in the process o! esta#lishing

roles and characters% 1hen used in this $ay, ho$ever, interest and involveent in

the draa can 'ust as easily #e $ea/ened or destroyed% A preoccupation $ith these

draa cra!ts ay overshado$ all other considerations% A group o! year ? students,

!or e&aple, $ho $ere allo$ed to used the costue #o& to help #uild a draa

a#out 2eystone cops, copletely lost the !ocus o! their $or/ #ecause the !un o!

dressing up and seeing $hat their !riends loo/ed li/e provided a stronger

otivation !or action than #eing 2eystone cops% Despite such occurrences, though,

these theatre aids can $or/ e!!ectively to copleent the draa i! they are used

$ith care!ul restriction% Jery sel!@conscious and disparate social groups o! students

o!ten !eci less personally threatened #y the draa $hen their involveent is

supported #y the use o! these aids%

I! the developent o! s/ills in theatre cra!ts #ecoes an end in itsel!, ho$ever, and

participation in draa happens only at this technical cra!t level, then clearly theindividuals learning $ill not #e directly related to /no$ing through role re@


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lationships $ithin the draatic event% Rather than these activities #eing classi!ied

as copleentary draa, they $ill have assued a learning status o! their o$n as

theatre arts, theatre cra!ts% Only $hen these s/ills and /no$ledge are used to

enhance the direct e&

time for drama

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