Process Drama
Literacy Strategy #30
Who?
- This strategy can be adapted for all elementary grade levels
- Can be whole group or small group
What is process drama?
- Unscripted dramatic context about a story or historical event.
- Students assume roles to experience and reflect on the event.
- These roles help them 'walk in another persons shoes' and see an event from their viewpoint
- Teacher presents dilemmas that the students must work through as their character.
When to use this strategy
- During literature focus units
- Thematic Units
Why use this strategy?
- Allows students to delve more deeply into a book or a social studies topic
- Increases oral language, comprehension, and content areas
- Process drama goes beyond reenacting an event, but they explore the topic from the viewpoint of a book character or historical person
- Allows students to see other people's viewpoints
How-Steps
- Set the purpose-Why they are doing this
- Establish the imaginary dramatic world-Set the scene
- Dramatize the event-Have students act out scene
- Ask questions-Ask students questions about character
- Prompt reflection-Write journal entry from perspective of character. Insight gained
- Discuss the activity-Reflect on how felt, what learned