Literacy and Drama Playin’ Around Can Be Beneficial

Clowning Around Our kids; that’s who we’re truly concerned about right? Any parent or school official who is concerned about students having drama should realize that not only will students have left the classroom working on things like reading comprehension, sequencing or word recognition, they will have left having fun!

Multiple Intelligences Gardner and his theory of multiple intelligences is supportive evidence of dramatic activities having the possibility of being a venue for students working on their literacy skills. Sitting behind a desk all day, reading from a book and taking tests is not the only way to boost literacy skills.

WHAT COULD A DRAMA CLASS POSSIBLY DO TO ENHANCE A CHILD’S LITERACY ABILITIES? READ AND PERFORM SHAKESPEARE, THAT’S WHAT! Themes within and the language of Shakespeare can be explored in the classrooms from first grade to high school.

Word Usage and Vocabulary The history of theatre is a great place to explore the past. When you explore the past you begin to use words associated with our now diverse present. Civil rights, culture,race, and ethnicity are a few words that come to mind. Instead of running away from the past where women could not be on stage and the rich ruled the theatres, students can explore all types of cultures, past and present, and word associations through theatre history.

The art of storytelling is an ancient tradition that builds language and communication skills. Around the world for millions of years, civilizations have depended on stories and oral communication to pass on anything from family histories to folklore. It seems with the creation of books and technology we have lost the power of literacy in storytelling. If a student can listen or speak they are part of a storytelling culture. Storytelling is a literacy builder in supporting all aspects of literacy competency. ALL AROUND THE WORLD, LITERACY IS IN OUR LIVES.

?Hablas Espanol? If you don’t speak Spanish, I guarantee some of your students do. Reading plays in drama will help Spanish speaking students strengthen their English. You don’t want them to lose the love of their language and reading and performing material that is of their culture will not only help them on standardized tests and in their other classes, but it will also allow them to stay firm in their identities. The drama classroom has the possibilities of also teaching English speaking students other languages.

Students are Stars With the pressures that schools face about performing well on standardized tests, the way to find that once beloved enjoyment of reading and comprehension, that students have when they are young, can be found in the drama classroom. Dramatic activities have a way of directly making all kids of learning differences feel accomplished within the realm of literacy.