This video collection shows five days of Dramatic Learning sessions culminating in a play performance by a fourth-grade class in Boston. Click on a video below to watch and learn more about the benefits of Dramatic Learning.
Douglas Love, Dramatic Learning creator, and Dr. David Almeida, Dramatic Learning contributing author, explain the Dramatic Learning process and the proven cross-curricular benefits of using theater to teach content in the classroom.
How does Dramatic Learning promote task engagement?
Fourth-grade teacher Heather Gorman discusses how Dramatic Learning promotes task engagement and classroom participation, and marvels at her students’ enthusiastic response to the program.
How does Dramatic Learning promote sight-word skills?
Dr. David Almeida, Dramatic Learning contributing author, and fourth-grade teacher Heather Gorman discuss how Dramatic Learning builds sight-word recognition and vocabulary skills through contextual and repeated readings as well as visual imagery.
How does Dramatic Learning reintroduce movement into the classroom?
Dr. David Almeida, Dramatic Learning contributing author, and fourth-grade teacher Heather Gorman discuss how Dramatic Learning reintroduces constructive movement into the classroom. In addition, fourth-grade students explain how acting out scenes helps them retain and comprehend information.
How does Dramatic Learning improve classroom behavior?
Dr. David Almeida, Dramatic Learning contributing author, and fourth-grade teacher Heather Gorman discuss how Dramatic Learning helps manage classroom behavior. Two fourth-graders also explain why they didn’t feel the urge to misbehave during the weeklong production of Hamlet.
How is Dramatic Learning different from readers' theater?
Dr. David Almeida, Dramatic Learning contributing author and a pioneer in teaching readers’ theater, explains how Dramatic Learning expands and improves upon readers’ theater.
On Day 5, immediately before the final production, we asked students with small parts in the play to explain the plot of Hamlet. We found that students were so engaged in the process that even students with minor roles knew the entire plot, as well as the characters’ names and motivations.
