Drama is possible even with the children at very early stages of learning. The approach proposed here is based on them 'learning how to do it while doing it!' After all, we do not give children books only after they've learned to read, or a pencil after they've learned to draw.
Babies begin to discover make-believe in the following kind of situation: baby throws rattle out of cot - carer feigns anger and hands it back - baby does it again, and again. Similarly, in drama with young children, practitioners can generate this 'game of theatre' (Bolton, 1992), even if the children's ability to make-believe is not fully formed. The children will discover it by being immersed in the situation and sensing an atmosphere with peaks of excitement followed by calm, imitating others and learning how to adapt their behaviour in the light of the pretence and 'playing the game'.
The practitioner (and supporting staff) working in-role can immediately bring the children into the make-believe and challenge them to respond accordingly - a particularly useful strategy with young children. A character in need of help can be appealing and set the children up as experts - which is a nice reversal to the usual relationship.
Complex language constructions are avoided as the practitioner-in-role can talk directly to the children and present a different point of view. While the drama session does not involve acting skills as such, the practitioner-in-role nevertheless needs to give clear signals and communicate succinctly. Avoid 'hamming it up', however, as this can be overwhelming, leading the children into thinking they are watching pantomime. A simple prop or item of costume is a useful device (a hat, walking stick, cloak and so on), which can be used or set aside to indicate when the adult is talking in and out of their role.
Practitioner role
At first sight, planning drama seems like a contradiction in terms. However, educational drama is about forging children's make-believe into learning, by providing a 'focusing lens' (Neelands, 1984) through which to view an aspect of experience. This is achieved through employing a range of drama structures, and introducing elements of tension to 'suspend the plot'. Without a clear idea of a learning objective the drama risks becoming directionless and the children bewildered and anxious. That is not to say that the children's creativity is restricted - their contributions are essential to the drama's success. But the adult's job is to provide the basic structure for the drama, which the children will flesh out with their ideas. A key to the success of the drama is the practitioner's skill in asking questions. Develop a repertoire of possible kinds of questions, and be ready to adapt them as necessary.
'Open' questions (why, how, etc) are useful in situations where there may not be a 'right' answer, and where the practitioner wishes to maximise the children's decision making. 'Closed' questions, which demand a 'yes' or 'no' answer, tend to be more limiting. Used judiciously with young children, however, they can actually be empowering, especially with children who are reticent or have limited verbal skills. For example, the practitioner asks, 'Shall we take the burglar to the police station, yes or no?' Child shakes head. 'No', interprets the practitioner. 'OK, so we need to do something else.' This can all seem daunting, as drama with very young children may put considerable pressure on the practitioner to hold together the experience and think quickly on the spot. Sometimes children may be unforthcoming, or else they volunteer suggestions that at first do not appear to be relevant.But gentle probing often reveals a logical intention, and the practitioner then has to convert this rapidly to fit the evolving drama. This is easier if the adult has a clear idea of where the drama is heading in terms of the planned learning area and embraces a flexible route to reaching that point.
Experienced practitioners may be able to trust working 'at risk' and to be on the lookout for a viable learning area to emerge once the children's make-believe is well under way. If the drama seems to be going off at a tangent, it is usually better to go with the children's suggestions, trust their initiative and aim to find a way for them to discover the implications (remember, it is always possible to stop if totally 'losing it'!).
Stimuli
There is a range of possible sources to stimulate drama:
* children's role play
* children's themed fantasy play, especially involving superheroes or favourite cult characters
* a stereotyped character being 'turned on their head' (a scared ghost, an unhappy clown)
* a particular nursery topic or TV programme
* a book with interesting themes
* an interesting picture that may provide a dramatic setting to be brought to life
* an interesting object being expanded upon ('this box belongs to a special person who...')
* a learning area (for example, a 'stranger danger' theme to be explored through traditional folk tales).
Whether drama is pre-planned or given shape in process, the structure for the lesson should be the same (see box). It is not necessary to have access to a large hall - in fact, it is preferable to use a familiar space and allow children to experience its transformation into something representational. Involving the children in adapting the drama space before and afterwards is all part of learning about symbolism. And all quality drama takes time. It is better to carry drama over to another session rather than rush it. Plenty of 'time for talk' should be allowed both for getting into the drama and for afterwards.The actual amount of time spent in-role may be relatively short.
It is crucial to spend time building the children's belief in the drama initially through discussion, rather than them dispersing and losing focus. Allow sufficient time for young children to respond to a question, rather than rush to rephrase, which can be confusing - holding silence and working slowly can increase suspense and create a 'thinking' ethos.
Take time also to brief the supporting staff ahead of the lesson. Ensure they have a clear idea of what is expected, to prevent them from hi-jacking the drama in their enthusiasm, while making the most of them as a resource to support children sensitively and strategically.
Importantly, ensure that the drama meets the children's learning needs, and takes account of 'what's in it for them?' In other words, what is the intrinsic appeal of the particular topic for the drama? Could they be offered another perspective on it? The practitioner then manipulates and structures the drama to bring this into focus.
Whatever the extent of the planning, there will always be elements of the lesson that have to be negotiated with the children and, therefore, cannot be totally predicted. Drama is undoubtedly a challenging way to teach, but it is great fun and the rewards can be bountiful, as the example overleaf illustrates.