The pressure to perform can be overwhelming for many students. They love dramatic play and role-playing, but they find them enjoyable. Use drama circles, storytelling and role-playing in a safe environment to bring drama into the classroom.

Learn why drama is important in the classroom and how to add it to your daily routine.

Why not add drama to the day?

Let's clarify the type of drama that we're discussing. It's not Real Housewives. Drama (we'll leave that to another post). Drama is where students can learn to speak, act, dance, and even perform.

Everyday, you are awash with tasks. It may seem absurd to add drama to your classroom, but we promise it will be worth the effort.

Drama activities will be a favorite of some students. Some NEED drama activities. Why not create a memorable learning experience? Why not make learning fun and memorable?

You may be convinced by science

Drama can be a great tool for students who have difficulty communicating verbally. Drama helps students learn to express themselves and to understand how their emotions can affect our facial appearance.

English language learners can compete with their classmates even if they do not speak. They only need to mime. Students are forced to think about how they express themselves without using words. English Language Learning students can learn vocabulary by watching and copying their classmates.

Drama develops spatial awareness and helps students to understand it. Students can alter their body shape by changing the size, shape, speed, and speed (heavy or light). For more fun, have your students play in a bigger area such as the gymnasium.

Drama is a great way to learn social interactions such as how you should communicate, make eye contact with the speaker and face them. Drama allows students to practice these social skills.

There is more to teaching drama than simply acting. You can work in the dramatic art as a sound technician, lighting crew, set designer, props designer, costume designer, etc. You might not even be aware of the hidden talents that your students possess.

Acting can help develop personalities. Students watch others and learn how they should act, such as when approaching someone or asking a specific question. Students who are most surprised when they see us enjoying drama are often those we expected to dislike it. Our students are revealed in new and exciting ways.

Drama in our daily lives:

• Set a stage. Let students see your acting talent. Use silly voice. Act out the situation.
• Provide opportunities for low risk-or no audience-performance. Build confidence in students by placing them into small groups and partnerships. You'll know when students are ready to perform when they ask others. Never make anyone perform. Do not force anyone to perform. Instead, give students the opportunity for them to fail.
• Create comfort zones. Let students decide, and create an environment where they can work together. Allow students to take a step back if they are feeling panicky. Someone else can cover them. They will return if they are not pushed.
• Drama circles are a great way to get students involved in acting. Try some that we have written for our student. You can play it the same way as if you played a game like I Have…Who Has …? The game is similar to the I Have…Who Has…?