Drama Strategy: Drama for writing

Drama provides language-rich contexts, content and opportunities for writing in and/or out of role, within or after the drama. It generates reasons for writing in a range of styles, purposefully, for responsive ‘audiences’.

Compelling reasons for writing often arise or can be planted by the drama teacher. The teacher might be in role too, contributing to and guiding the writing process as a co-participant. The teacher in role may require the students to write for her/him, for example as a newspaper editor requiring ‘copy’ from reporters or as an injured soldier needing a letter home to be scribed.

Drama strategies can be used for generating and sharing relevant vocabulary, phrases, sentences, dialogue, questions, descriptions, and so on, before the students start writing, within or outside the drama, individually or together, in or out of role.