How might the use of drama-based pedagogy in the English classroom (11-14 years) support the interpretation of prose and poetry: an exploratory case study.
Submitted by:
Sue Pinnick
Abstract:
Abstract – Sue Pinnick PhD pre-conference submission
SIG Teacher Education
Theme: Teacher education and professional learning
How might the use of drama-based pedagogy in the English classroom (11-14 years) support the interpretation of prose and poetry: an exploratory case study.
For at least 25 years from the late 1980s up until the early part of the 21st century, the use of drama-based pedagogy was recognised as a valuable tool for teaching and learning in secondary English lessons in England (DCSF, 2008; Ofsted, 2012). However, since the removal of the ‘role-play’ speaking and listening element of GCSE English in 2014, along with the lack of talk in classrooms since the Covid pandemic (Oracy APPG, 2021), practice in this area is becoming more and more neglected. While some secondary English teachers occasionally use active approaches to teaching Shakespeare, the potential of drama to explore prose and poetry remains relatively unexplored. This presentation aims to explore how the use of drama might potentially support students' reading skills as well as engaging them in secondary English lessons.
The presenter will provide an overview of the theoretical framework supporting the use of drama in English lessons to enhance reading skills. The presenter will then share some preliminary results of a qualitative case study that has explored the impact of drama-based activities on students' reading skills. The study involved a group of 20 English teachers and lessons using drama-based activities when reading poetry or prose, over a 12 month period from June 2022 to July 2023. Data has being collected through interviews and lesson observations and is being analysed using Reflective Thematic Analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2021).
It is anticipated that the results of the study will contribute to a deeper understanding of the use of drama in English lessons and how it might support students' reading skills, particularly in the areas of inference and interpretation. The presenter will conclude by highlighting the implications of the study's findings for English teachers, Initial Teacher Education (ITE) educators of English and policy, in addition to the need for further research in this important area.
Potential Discussion points:
1. What are the barriers for English teachers in incorporating drama into literature lessons?
2. How can we train English teachers to use drama-based pedagogy effectively?
3. How can we support students in English classes to embrace the benefits of using drama in lessons?
Keywords:
• Reader response
• Dialogic reading
• Embodied reading
• Qualitative Case study
• Reflective Thematic Analysis
References
DCSF (2008) Teaching for progression: Speaking and listening. National Strategies. Available at: https://dera.ioe.ac.uk/id/eprint/2528/7/sec_en_speaklisten0075008_Redacted.pdf
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). Thematic Analysis: A Practical Guide. London: Sage.
Ofsted, (2012). Moving English forward: Action to raise standards in English.
Oracy All‐Party Parliamentary Group, (2021). Speak for Change: Final report and recommendations from the Oracy All‐Party Parliamentary Group Inquiry.