The traditions of Russian theatre, music and dance are very much alive and kicking in the nursery at the Azbuka Russian-English Bilingual School in West London. Children enjoy regular visits from Russia’s traditional Petrushka Puppet Theatre, and the nursery has made large wooden puppets of its own, including Dunja. Now 14 years old, Dunja is a favourite with the children and a character that features in role-play activities based on national folk stories.
Nursery teacher Oksana Pavlykivska says, ‘Our children love using role-play and adapting their voices and personality to a different character they are portraying. Drama supports bilingualism, as children develop their oral language skills, their ability to listen and wait for their turn, and use their knowledge of both English and Russian stories to create narratives of their own.’
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here