ABSTRACT
Too often the views of young people are not given sufficient emphasis, especially in relation to how pedagogical approaches impact their achievement and attitudes to learning. In response to this situation, this chapter draws upon the views of secondary students from one culturally diverse Australian secondary school to support a broader discussion of dramatic pedagogies in the English classroom. These views were collected as part of the Y Connect Project – a 2.5-year study of the application of artist/teacher partnerships, arts-based pedagogies and engagement with arts organisations to support the learning, well-being and pathway perceptions of secondary students. The chapter argues that dramatic approaches which are embodied, agentic and aesthetically charged benefit secondary students in terms of both engagement and achievement.
