ABSTRACT
Children need to learn how and when to take turns with others. Children in the early years see themselves as the centre of the world and have no concept of others having equal rights or of the need to learn to share and take turns with them. It is very interesting to note which children always choose sensible, logical answers, and something imaginative. But they are capable of learning, provided they have lots of opportunities to practise the required skills and lots of positive encouragement, reminders and reinforcements from adults and older children. Children may gradually begin to understand more subtle differences in whether or not it is appropriate to speak out or interrupt occasionally and when a whole group discussion would be more valuable than everybody listening to one person at length. Drama provides many varied opportunities for taking turns and a good practitioner makes the most of all of them as they arise.
