The importance of drama in primary school has been elevated in recent years, with many teachers continuing to make it high priority in their teaching. They recognise that it can enrich children's understanding of the world and motivate and encourage them in other curriculum work. This lively and readable book offers a blend of theory and practice based on the author's own considerable experience as a drama teacher. He provides numerous examples taken from work with children in schools, which will help teachers to prepare for drama sessions in the classroom. The book examines the role of drama as a subject in its own right as well as its role in delivering other aspects of the curriculum within primary education. It assumes no prior knowledge of teaching drama and will therefore be useful to trainee teachers and in-service teachers wanting to make use of drama in their daily teaching.

Packed full of drama games, ideas and suggestions, Drama Menu is a unique new resource for drama teachers.

The beautiful Martina Josefina Catalina Cucaracha doesn't know coffee beans about love and marriage, so when suitors come calling, what is she to do? Luckily, she has her Cuban family to help! While some of the Cucarachas offer Martina gifts to make her more attractive, only Abuela, her grandmother, gives her some useful advice: spill coffee on his shoes to see how he handles anger. At first, Martina is skeptical of her Abuela's suggestion, but when suitor after suitor fails the Coffee Test, she wonders if a little green cockroach can ever find true love. After reading this award-winning retelling of the Cuban folktale, readers will never look at a cockroach the same way again. Carmen Agra Deedy delivers a delightfully inventive Cuban twist on the beloved Martina folktale, complete with a dash of café Cubano.

Gives coping and managing techniques to deal with ones emotions.

Drama and Reading for Meaning Ages 4-11 contains over 40 creative drama ideas to help develop reading for meaning in the primary school. The wide range of clearly explained, structured and engaging drama activities will appeal to all primary practitioners who wish to develop more creative approaches to the teaching of reading. The activities show how drama can develop some of the skills associated with reading for meaning such as empathising with characters’ feelings, exploring settings and themes and making inferences based on evidence. The step-by-step activities range from familiar classroom drama strategies such as freeze-frames and hot-seating to less well-known approaches involving whole class drama experiences. The book also serves as an introduction to using drama as a learning medium, with advice on how to set the ground rules and clear explanations of the drama strategies. Each chapter has a detailed explanation of what to do, followed by a number of examples linked to quality texts, including poetry and non-fiction. From bringing books to life in reception and Years 1 and 2, to peeling back the layers of meanings in Years 3 to 6, all the drama activities in this book are designed to improve reading for meaning and help motivate children to read for pleasure, making this an essential resource for all primary settings.

Even teachers who enjoy their job often complain that they become stale after teaching the same things every year. They look for new ideas that will reignite their enthusiasm. This book does just that. It offers numerous ideas for drama lessons for primary school children.

′This Primary Drama Handbook offers much more than just a few useful tips on how to use drama in the primary school. It moves way beyond the more well-known basic drama strategies to present comprehensive, up-to-date picture of the role drama can play within the primary curriculum′ - English Drama Media This book helps professionals to understand the importance and potential of drama for learning and offers step by step practical examples of how drama can work in schools across a range of curriculum subjects. Drama motivates children and is a powerful way of building skills such as speaking and listening, enhancing children′s self-esteem, and connecting learning creatively across the curriculum. The book presents information, advice and a range of practical material that helps to explain drama skills and strategies at an introductory level. It also contains a sample drama unit for each year group. This book covers a wealth of topics, including: - What do we mean by drama? - Playing, players and plays - Where is drama in the curriculum? - Why is drama important ? - Where and when can drama happen in schools? - What is the role of the adult? - How can we start drama? - Agreeing a Drama Contract - Introducing some basic drama strategies - How to plan a drama lesson - What happens if.... A section that gives short answers to common questions asked by those who are new to working with classes of children doing drama. The book is ideal for primary NQTs and teaching assistants, as well as those more experienced teachers who are not yet confident using drama techniques and whole class drama. Patrice Baldwin is Adviser for Arts Development and Improvement, with Norfolk County Council Children′s Services and Chair of National Drama.