Policy Paper - Drama Improves Lisbon Key Competences in Education

R e s u l t s
Characteristics of children participating in educational theatre and drama work
Children participating in educational theatre and drama work show more initiative and
are more creative in task-fulfilment at school than their non-participating peers. Through
educational theatre and drama techniques the student reveals to her/himself and shares
with others her/his whole range of skills, knowledge and areas of special interest. The
methodology involves collaborative working, which allows comparison of offered solutions
to the same problems and working towards a common presentation. The children
appreciate structuring of their work, discipline and co-operation.
Some drama teachers/programme leaders report that after public performances, the
children are full of energy and enthusiasm and willing to continue the theatre experience.
The teachers/leaders notice many positive changes in children’s personalities: they
become more self-confident, are more open to others, more tolerant and cooperative.
As they feel what it is like to be part of a group, their social sensitivity and ability to
co-operate develop. They learn how to express themselves, and they experience
appreciation for their work. They learn that their decisions have consequences and
experience what it is like to be responsible for themselves and for the group.
Results and consequences of educational theatre and drama work
skills. We get to express ourselves creatively by playing together. Teams resolve conflicts
and work more productively. The teachers state that workshop participants retain more of
the information they disseminate, and head teachers report increased levels of comfort
and effectiveness. In addition, the vocabulary and activities that we have developed for
creating collaboratively are especially useful in schools.”
Dissemination of results: national and international tours
Educational theatre and drama activities are usually held in primary, lower and upper
secondary schools, and students can work in one-occasion groups or in groups providing
continuous work. Some of the continuous groups are organised in order to create a short
performance for school events, or for regional theatre meetings or festivals; with some
groups regularly participating in national children’s theatre festivals or youth theatre
festivals.
Some educational theatre and drama groups try to support youth exchanges within both
European and non-European countries. While the objectives of these youth exchanges may
differ, the main aim is to enable young people to socialise with each other through theatre
activities. The same reasons are also mentioned by those teachers and group leaders who
try to motivate and support the participation of their students in international theatre festivals.
R e s u l t s
Children experience the power of collaboration and joint creation, which generates selfesteem,
collective responsibility, pride and self-efficacy. Participating children are able
to understand other people’s life situation through identification and engagement in such
situations. Educational theatre and drama work also gives youngsters an opportunity to
experiment with gender roles and norms. They have an opportunity in educational theatre
and drama to experience how it would be if they were someone else. Moreover, they gain
artistic experience and become creative persons themselves.
Through educational theatre and drama experience children
with special educational needs are also able to develop
their ways of self-expression and communication.
With application of non-verbal communication
techniques such as gesture, movement, dance
and puppets they can achieve visible results. The
positive experiences they have on stage when
they take part in a performance help to boost their
self-esteem.
A Romanian project leader summarised her
experiences as such: “The children learnt to interact
with an audience and inject humour into the topic; then
they continued to develop their communication and creativity
Country
Czech
Republic
Hungary
Netherlands
Specific examples
of aims of
educational theatre
and drama work
Develop senses, cooperation,
and
skills of entering a
role;
accept the rules of
games; develop
evaluation skills
Develop social and
civic competences
(e.g. tolerance,
empathy), and
communication skills;
strengthen group
cohesion
Stimulate children
to stand up firmly for
themselves, and to
be connected with
each other; increase
self-confidence;
develop ability to
take the initiative
Specific examples of
focus of educational
theatre and drama
work
Experiencing various
types of interpersonal
communication;
learning how to
cooperate and to work
on collective projects
Thinking about moral
and social concepts
(e.g. responsibility,
freedom) and issues
(e.g. communication
inside the family);
handling conflicts;
increasing self-reliance
Learning to be able
to show one’s own
individuality; teachers
helping children to
trust that whatever
they play, it is correct
Specific examples of methods used
Expression by gesture, movement,
proximity, posture, pantomime, still image,
work with stories, performance by visiting
theatre company, story fabulation, role play,
dramatisation of short text, evaluation of the
work, self-evaluation
Role games, theatre in education
programmes, drama in education
programmes, discussion reflecting on the
programme with the participants, discussion
reflecting on the programme with the
teachers, improvisation, skills development,
rehearsals, creating performances, festivals,
touring
The play is created in an improvisational
process that starts with theatrical
improvisations based on the players’ own
experiences of group pressure and wanting
to be part of a group (sense of belonging)
and what effect this has/had on them.
Improvisational experiential research was
done based on frustration, the feeling of
safety and the feeling of being part of a
group as a part of your identity
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