ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on using open-ended drama as a context for writing. The intention is to stimulate the start of a story, which develops according to the children's ideas to form a written story, poem or play. The drama can be used purely as a stimulus to create a story based on the children's initial ideas. In this case, the drama would be more of a helping hand for writing rather than a compelling context. However, developing the story through further drama work will provide a more compelling context for writing with further opportunities to write for other reasons before the final story. Developing children's ideas through further drama is likely to be the best choice in terms of children's engagement and opportunities for writing. Children are likely to find the drama a more compelling context for writing if it is developed via an exploration of their own ideas. Many experienced drama teachers find thinking on their feet in response to children's ideas to be the most challenging and yet the most rewarding and productive way of working.
Opportunities for writing will vary according to the children's ideas but the examples in this chapter include stimuli such as a letter, a door and a box for younger children and a key, and an opportunity to direct the drama for Key Stage Two.
