Drama, dance, music and literacy 

Research and initiatives

• Telford and Wrekin Libraries Summer Reading Challenge dance project (October 2007)
• MakeBelieve Arts - theatre, literacy and the 'helicopter technique'
• Dadzone, Cumbria - sharing songs
• Drama may improve reading test scores (05.11.04)
• Using drama in an adult basic skills class (BBC Skillswise, November 2004)
• Literacy Today articles - on initiatives and classroom approaches, and how the power of drama to help activate learing has developed in practice.

Telford and Wrekin Libraries Summer Reading Challenge dance project

Library and Information Update reported on a project in which Telford and Wrekin Libraries joined up with dance company DanceXchange. They devised a project based on the 2006 'spy' theme of the Summer Reading Challenge. A librarian teamed up with a dancer to lead workshops in schools for key stages 1 and 2. The workshops combined reading aloud from spy-themed books, dance and dressing up. Offshoots included an after-school performance group, mini-libraries in classrooms, writing projects and a celebration day at a local theatre. All the children read more during the project and wanted to continue. Lower ability pupils improved their reading skills most and boys showed more interest in dance. A full resource pack is available from the DanceXchange website.

For more information, visit www.idea.gov.uk/idk/aio/6692830 (pdf)

(Libary and Information Update, October 2007)

Drama may improve test scores

The TES has reported on research from Durham University which found that primary pupils' academic performance may improve if their schools devote time to drama. Children from inner-London primaries achieved better than expected results in maths and reading tests after their schools took part in an outreach project run by the National Theatre. The Transformation project, invovled professional actors and undergraduate theatre and drama students working with Year 3, 4 and 5 pupils over two terms. In reading, the results were better in those schools which took part, although not significantly higher.

(TES, 5 November 2004)