Why Drama Matters: 20 Ways Plays Benefit Elementary Students

Getting students to work with other students can be a challenge!

They usually have a couple of friends they are comfortable with, but it's awkward when they need to work with someone else. 

Things become less awkward when they work together for a common goal. How can we get them working together while continuing to teach the curriculum?

Starting the day with Morning Meeting, along with Team Building games is a great way to start! However, one of my favorite ways to get children working together is by putting on plays!

Research shows that including dramatics and theater in the learning environment enhances many important life skills. Here are 20 of them!

Students learn new words in context, improving their vocabulary. 

Performing in front of their peers helps students gain confidence and reduce stage fright.

Working together in a play fosters teamwork and collaboration skills.

Students explore their imagination through character development and storytelling.

Students must listen to cues and instruction, honing their listening abilities.

Script reading allows students to practice reading fluently with expression.

Taking on different roles encourages empathy as students see the world through other perspectives.

Understanding the story and characters reinforces comprehension skills.

Acting and reacting on stage improves social interaction and communication.

Memorizing lines and cues enhance memory and recall abilities.

Plays often require creative solutions and quick thinking.

Staying in character and following the story requires focus.

Movement and gestures during dramatics improve coordination.

Many plays introduce students to different cultures and histories.

Speaking in front of others develops clarity and expressive language.

Acting can help students identify, express, and manage emotions.

Plays allow for various roles so all students can participate.

Drama gives students a constructive way to express themselves.

Regular practice helps students speak confidently in front of others.

Plays and dramatics bring excitement and joy to learning, making concepts more engaging.

What to use for resources? Well, I have several Reader’s Theater resources here: Reader's Theater Resources

And I’m working on more! And I’ll be glad to honor your requests! (Just email me at elementarymatters@gmail.com with your ideas!)

Check out these blog posts for more information about dramatics in the classroom and team-building activities:

Dramatics in the Classroom

Using Reader's Theater to Help Children Learn Kindness

Team Builders, Ice Breakers, and Get-to-Know-You Activities

Six Ways to Integrate Team Building Into Your Curriculum!

Build Social Skills and Academics with Morning Meeting

How do you get your students to work together?

No Bathroom Comments!

Bathroom comments can mean "potty talk." 
Yes, I definitely discourage that sort of talk in the classroom, but this post is about something completely different!

 

 The "bathroom comments" I'm discussing today have nothing to do with potty talk! 

But you know how the mere mention of the bathroom grabs the hearts of the little ones? This gives us a whole new meaning to the words "bathroom comments" that helps children become better listeners and better report givers!

This post is about encouraging students to ask appropriate questions or give appropriate comments when another student is sharing or reporting!

I encourage my students to ask questions or give comments when a child shares a story. 

My only rule is: No "Bathroom Comments."

The question or comment needs to prove they were actually in the classroom listening to the story, not in the bathroom while the story was read.

Here's how it works: 

 

Seth proudly gets up and reads his tree story. 

Afterward, he asks for questions or comments.

Questions like these are encouraged:

Comments like these are encouraged:

 

These questions and comments could have been given, even if the student had been in the bathroom when the story was read.

 

These have been my expectations for years, and the children can recognize a "bathroom comment" instantly! You don't have to use that terminology, but it does get their attention... and makes them giggle! 

Why is it important to get the kiddos asking questions and giving comments? 

Well, first of all, we always want the children thinking!

It's also important that the children learn to listen to each other.

A third reason is that it helps the reader (speaker/ presenter) think about what kind of information their audience wants to hear. As the year goes on, their stories become more complete and more interesting for their audience. They anticipate what the questions will be, and put that information into the stories and reports.

As a teacher, it's important to model the proper ways to ask questions and give comments.

In Seth's story above, I might ask how tall the tree was (with prompting... as big as a ____?) or what kind of tree it was. I might comment that I could picture him playing in the leaves. I might also comment how he engaged his reader by asking a question at the end. I avoid giving opinions, since the positive feedback comes from the quality of the questions and comments, plus these make better writers as well!