ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that effective spoken communication is dependent on both the choice of words and the aural and visual manner in which they are delivered. Children's ability to recognise this and develop their skill in communicating effectively can be enhanced by the creation of a dramatic context in which the relationship between form and content is made explicit and is seen to have consequences that matter. The chapter also argues that drama is a particularly effective medium by which a central aim of teaching English may be addressed, that is, that pupils should: 'learn to change the way they speak and write to suit different situations, purposes and audiences'. The content of a drama gives us insights into what people might do in different situations. In effective drama, the thought and selection which lies behind how content is represented helps us to understand it more fully.
