Hi guys, I found this great website which has invaluable ideas on teaching theatre in schools. Theatre is something that is largely seen as a part of a co-curricular activity in most schools. However, in reality I think that theatre is something that can be used to teach literary texts of any genre as well. Such experimentation can be done in the lower secondary level where there is more room to introduce “fun” lessons. You will also enjoy the lessons as much as your students do!
This is the website: http://www.dramaresource.com/strategies
Hot Seating
There is a technique being introduced here known as hot-seating. I think this is a fairly good technique to utilise when teaching characterization. A student sits in the “hot seat” at the front of the class and pretends to be a character from the text. The rest of the class questions this character as if in an interview session. The student has to then answer these questions in a way in which he/she thinks that the character would respond. It will be great if the teacher could actually be the one in the hot seat as well. Students will then learn to understand the characters needs and wants in a manner that is not possible if he/she just reads the text.
Conscience Alley
Closely associated with the technique of hot seating, the conscience alley activity brings the depth of the lesson one step further. In this technique, the participants pick a crucial moment in a text or scene where the character makes a decision that affects the plot. Participants then throw out suggestions at the protagonist on what he/she could have done. By doing so, students develop their critical thinking skills and are able to analyse the text from different vantage points. They will also be able to understand the choices made by the characters and its significance to plot.
Forum Theatre
In the forum theatre activity, students are required to actually freeze a moment of oppression and step in to change this moment. They empower the characters and themselves in this manner by introducing an element of change. It once again aids their understanding of the texts or performance and develops critical thinking skills
As is evident from my review of the techniques, it is clear that alot of these activities effectively break the fourth wall. There is a link established between the fictional world and the students' realities. Thus, it paves the way for a sense of involvement with the texts. This would spur their interest in the text and the subject
Rathiy
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