ABSTRACT
Sometimes when I’m in role I think, ‘This is how I’ll talk when I’m grown up.’ (Ella, age 9)
Introduction Drama talk can be the most dynamic talk in the classroom. Through drama we can create a myriad of contexts in which children are able to experience diversity in spoken language. Such experiences can help develop skills in speaking and active listening, through paired, group and whole-class work, helping build children’s confi dence in their own oracy. The range is comprehensive and may encompass speaking as a character or planning for a scene, dialogue in performance or responding to performance, whole class discussions both in role and out of role. Such experiences, aided by effective teacher questioning, can stimulate children’s critical refl ection upon the ways in which talk enhances their learning. With its potential for affording sustained and purposeful talk, which is rich with possibilities for learning, drama is a must in the classroom.
