A Vygotskian argument for teaching drama in secondary schools
In this chapter we will argue that drama provides young people with opportunities for exploring possibilities of ways of being in the world. Our suggestion is that these opportunities of ‘being other,’ of reflecting on one’s identity in the social world, are facilitated by experiences of being in ro...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Book section |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Springer
2018
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| Summary: | In this chapter we will argue that drama provides young people with opportunities for exploring possibilities of ways of being in the world. Our suggestion is that these opportunities of ‘being other,’ of reflecting on one’s identity in the social world, are facilitated by experiences of being in role in the safety of settings that are an important part of drama in education. It is in drama lessons the techniques and practices of being in role are acquired. These techniques and practices constitute tools that enable young people to work on their ‘selves.’ They mediate social relations in such a way that enables new forms of exploration and understanding of the self and possibilities for ‘being other.’ The acquisition of these tools requires teaching. This argument becomes all the more important when we consider the fact that drama has been marginalized in the English secondary school thus denying young people access to what can be some of the most formative experiences of their educational careers. |
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