Why teach drama? How can a newcomer teach drama successfully? How do we recognize quality in drama? Starting Drama Teaching is a comprehensive guide to the teaching of drama in schools. Exploring the aims and purposes of drama, it provides an insight into the theoretical perspectives that underpin practice alongside activities, example lesson plans and approaches to planning. Written in an accessible style, the book addresses such practical issues as setting up role play, how to inject depth into group drama, working with text, teaching playwriting, as well as common problems that arise in the drama classroom and how to avoid them. This fourth edition has been updated to reflect the latest educational thinking and developments in policy and includes: a new chapter on researching drama; an extra section on digital technology and drama; guidance on different approaches to drama; advice on how teachers can achieve and recognize quality work in drama; a discussion of drama concepts including applied theatre, ensemble and rehearsal approaches. Acting on the growing interest in drama both as a separate subject and as a teaching methodology, this book is full of sensible, practical advice for teachers using drama at all levels and in all kinds of different school contexts. Written by an internationally recognized leading name in drama education, this book is valuable reading for trainee teachers who are new to drama and teachers who wish to update and broaden their range.

"16 ready-to-go lessons plans to build better actors."

This book offers a comprehensive guide to teaching acting exercises that will unleash the inner creativity of students aged 8-18. Theories and techniques of some of the greatest theatre practitioners including Sanford Meisner, Constantin Stanislavski, Lee Strasberg and Uta Hagen provide a basis for Samantha Marsden's original exercises for students between these ages. You won't find Duck, Duck, Goose, Zap, Zap, Boing – or any other traditional drama games in this book: instead, the craft of acting technique takes the limelight. These exercises have been tried and tested in the author's own classroom, and are guaranteed to inspire, ignite imagination and encourage heartfelt performances. Focus points used in leading drama schools such as voice, movement, relaxation, character development and understanding text are recreated for a younger student. They are easy to follow and will be fun, challenging and immensely rewarding for teachers and students alike. The book features a foreword by Paul Roseby, CEO and Artistic Director of the National Youth Theatre.

'Learning Through Drama' contains drama strategies and lesson plans for use with primary school children across the curriculum. The book provides guidance to teachers who have never taught drama before but are considering using it in a subject area such as science or history and offers new approaches to those familiar with common drama techniques (such as hot-seating and teacher in role). The book includes 36 drama strategies and over 250 cross-curricular activities, including practical ideas for inspiring speaking, listening and writing. 'This book is a beautifully laid-out, easy to use resource, full of imaginative and practical ideas to help learning become much more memorable and inspirational.' - Hilary Lewis (Drama Consultant). 'Even the well-practiced and creative drama teacher will find something in this book that serves as a refresher, reminder or quite simply a new idea... a must-have publication for those serious about the teaching of drama in primary school settings.' - Teaching Drama magazine.

Everything you need to get dramatic in the classroom This easy-to-use, comprehensive teacher-resource book has lesson plans and practical activities that integrate theater into language learning. Plus ten original scripts so you can put the activities into action immediately! Drama and play scripts can be used to teach pronunciation, pragmatics, and other communication skills, as well as provide grammar and vocabulary practice! Conveniently organized into two parts, Part 1 includes pragmatics mini-lessons, community builders, drama games, and pronunciation activities. There are also lesson plans for producing a play (either fully-staged or as Reader's Theater), as well as guidelines and activities for writing plays to use with (or without students,) and suggestions for integrating academic content. You’ll even find rubrics and evaluation schemes for giving notes and feedback. Part 2 includes 10 original monologues and scripts of varying lengths that can be photocopied and used in the classroom. Specifically designed to feature everyday language and high frequency social interactions, these scenes and sketches follow engaging plot arcs in which characters face obstacles and strive to achieve objectives. With a foreword by Ken Wilson, this book is a must-have for anyone interested in using the performing arts to help students become more confident and fluent speakers.

If you want to learn how to teach drama to kids, then get "How to Teach Drama To Kids" written by a person with real life experience teaching drama to children. This guide, “How to Teach Drama to Kids” will take someone unsure of the main principles of teaching theatre arts to various ages, through the basic categories and components principally considered to be the heart of the study of Drama. Whether you are a music or English teacher hired to teach a semester of Drama, or an actor commissioned to do a series of children’s workshops, this guide will take you through a stage-by-stage process including exercises for the under 10 age group, the pre-teens, and the high-school ages. The author adds her own tips for making particularly challenging games or exercises “work,” and presents her own hints for keeping your resources and equipment to an inexpensive and manageable budget. With chapters from the basics of “Movement,” “Voice,” “Improvisation,” “Role-Playing” and “Scene Work” to the more intricate additions of “Story-Telling,” “Puppetry” “Stage-Fighting” and “Chorus-Line Dancing Steps,” this guide is broken down so that you may choose to eliminate certain chapters from your planning or to add the author’s hints for extending an exercise to make it last longer and to be more enriching to the students. About the Expert With her first on-stage appearance at age 4, her first leading role at age 11 and her professional stage roles culminating primarily in character parts in comedies, and for troupes catering to parties and murder mystery dinner theatres, Julie Johnson decided in 1997 that she would be well-suited to TEACH Drama to others. After graduating with a four-year specialist degree in teaching the Performing Arts, she moved to England to further work in both schools and theater. While mostly teaching high school Theater Arts since then (in three different countries) she has also been a leader of workshops for pre-teens and adults, a guest-speaker at college level, an adjudicator for theatre festivals and a coach and judge for speech and debate competitions. Here, in this guide, she offers many of her tips, games and exercises for teaching three different age groups under 18 years. HowExpert publishes quick 'how to' guides on all topics from A to Z by everyday experts.

Do you find it difficult to find drama activities for preschool age children? Teaching theatre to very young children is a completely different experience than working with older kids. Their attention spans are shorter and they require games that are simple, short and active...but also provide them with the skills necessary to grow as an actor. Teaching Drama to Little Ones is packed with activities that do just that. It includes 12 lesson plans specifically designed for kids age 3-7 that you can implement today. It also includes guides on how to adapt a script and rehearse a show with this age group. Inside this book you'll find: 12 lessons plans packed with over 70 activities ideal for kids age 3-7 Each lesson contains a Warm-Up, Focus, Voice, Movement and Imagination activity Simple reflection questions after every lesson A guide to creating a script for little ones A guide to auditioning, rehearsing and performance tips for little ones An appendix with lyrics of simple songs for classroom use Below are just a few of the topics covered in the lessons: Getting to Know You. Students will feel comfortable in a new environment, realizing that theatre class is a place where they can make new friends while learning how to sing, dance, and act. Make Believe. Students will use their imaginations to be different characters and go on make believe adventures. Working with a Partner. Students will build trust and gain confidence by learning to work with a partner. Working as a Team. Students will realize that theater involves teamwork and everyone has a role with something important to contribute. Rhythm. Students will understand rhythm, be able to clap and follow a steady beat, and practice speeding up and slowing down their voices and movements. Energy. Students will explore how energy is necessary when performing and learn how to control and focus using that energy. Emotions. Students will explore how we use emotions to show the audience what we are feeling. Actions. Students will use movement to learn the basic concepts of blocking, choreography, and stage directions. Becoming a Character. Students will become familiar with the practice of pretending to be different characters. Using Your Voice. Students will understand why projection and diction are necessary while singing and acting. Acting Is Reacting. Students will understand that listening and reacting are just as important as speaking. Putting it Together. Students will learn how their newly developed acting skills fit together as they prepare for a final presentation or show.