Ummi Rashidah Nurul Hidayati

Are storytelling and drama powerful tools in teaching?

Storytelling and Drama

Let children develop understanding of themselves and the world around them.

Explore significant issues in a way that is safe and enjoyable.

Engage childrens interest, attention and imagination.

Develop language skills in a holistic way.

Appeal to children with different intelligences and learning styles.

Provide framework for fostering social skills and attitudes. (active listening, collaborating, turn takking and respect for others.

Learning Through Stories

Natural, relevant, enjoyable context Exposure to language; sounds, rhythm, intonation Discovery, meaning construction Develop learning strategies, thinking skills Develop concentration skill, emotional intelligence Springboard for a wide range of activities Develop ability to understand, retell, act out, create own stories==motivation, confidence, self-esteem

Approaches to Using Stories

Occasional use of stories to supplement a topic Use storybased course book

Approach 1

Approach 2

Sources

Websites, books, graded readers Relevant, interesting, appealing, memorable Visuals=clear, attractive, support Appropriate to stories students level, fit to syllabus, repetition, Language rhythmic refrain
Fables, fantasy, myth, legend

Suitability

Illustrations

Variety

Make sure everyone can see & hear you. Picture book: hold up & show illustrations slowly. Students can sit on floor.

Maintain frequent eyecontact. Ask them to join in, comment or ask question

Introduce story with rhythm to settle the children

Lastly, ask for personal response.

Practice: Mime, actions, where to pause, how to use voice

Telling Stories

Integrate storytelling with drama

Creating interest, motivation, attention

Students can also produce own versions of the story or dramatizing Combination of retelling the story in a variety of ways

Telling the story, related activities, follow-up

Planning Story-based Lessons

Aristotle said: Tell me and I will forget. Show me and I will remember. Involve me and I will understand.

Learning Through
Provides opportunities for children to use language they know beyond the story script within a clearly defined framework but also encourages them to develop critical and creative thinking skills and to work with others in a collaborative way. Multi-sensory, kinaesthetic responses to stories, engages children in learning by doing

Building up their confidence and self-esteem. Provides a focus and support. Associate actions, words and meanings and memorize key language in a natural and enjoyable way.

At a basic level, through listening and responding to storytelling and doing short, introductory drama activities, children use mime, sounds, gestures and imitation to show their understanding and to make connections between language and corporal expression. Recycling the language it contains through retelling or acting out, either by the children themselves or by the children using puppets.

Managing Drama Activities

How to manage??

Handled carefully & sensitively.

Show willingness to participate.

Model the kinds of responses expected from students. Give encouraging feedback but during the activity, try not to look at the students too directly. Why?

Interest
Did it engage the students curiosity, interest, attention?

Participation

Reflection Time

Actively?

Creative Thinking
Responses>invited creative or imaginative response?

Kinaesthetic Learning
Respond to mime & actions?

Collaboration
Work well with others? Factors

Enjoyment
Did they enjoy story & activities?

Creative
A thing done PROCESS creative drama PRODUCT To gaze More to PRODUCT

Theatre

Drama

Use natural dramatic impulse to facilitate learning in an unlimited no. of fields and areas.
Primary way children learn about world= act out, try out roles, play pretend

Personality growth, self esteem, problemsolving, build language Communication skills, work together, think creatively, promotes emphaty

Creative Drama

References
Onestopenglish.com Childrama.com