Evaluation of the first phase of ‘Drama for Learning and Creativity’ Dr D A Simpson [External Evaluator] University of Brighton, School of Education

 Qualitative and quantitative data - mixed method approach  What is the impact of the project on the classroom? What differences is it making to teaching and learning?  One important achievement - a map of Drama in the primary classroom Introduction

Differences in teaching … 1  95% of teachers now work with Drama in an increasing number of subjects  More than 80% of teachers say they have acquired range of new teaching strategies  “It’s much more rewarding working with the whole class in the hall than I expected. I’m becoming more confident each time.”

Differences in teaching … 2  An increase in the range of drama conventions in use – Teacher in Role, Hot Seating, Conscience Alley and Thought Tracking are far more prominent  Drama conventions that allow for the internal elaboration of ideas and conscious reflection

Differences in teaching … 3  The individual ‘engagements’ in a drama activity - ‘All of the time’ Purposeful thinking48.9% Generating ideas 41.9% Empathy39.5% Decision-making39.5%

Differences in learning … 1  “…when we were doing Skellig and we did a drama on our favourite part of the book and everything came back to me and I learnt a bit more because I was away one day.”

Differences in learning … 2  “Yes, during History we have done drama and it helps stick in my memory because of the fun actions.”  “In History we are learning about the Black Death and I can remember a lot of information because we did it in Drama not in books.”

Differences in learning … 3  “The rainforest…now I know that the rainforest got destroyed…and we learnt that there are animals dying and losing their homes.”  “The drama techniques really involved the children in the topic because they were really there in the rainforest.”

Some questions for Phase 2  Why do teachers not connect Drama with teaching Maths, Science and ICT?  Drama and the rise of a visual culture in which narrative blends the aural, visual and verbal  What is dramatic tension?