Drama strategy: Teaching history through drama

Hilary Mantel said, ‘good drama does not have to mean bad history’ and certainly, teachers must ensure that a ‘respect for evidence’ is maintained. During historically focussed dramas, children can gain, use and apply knowledge and also develop their conceptual understanding of history, such as change, causation, interpretation. During historical drama lessons, questions often arise, for example: ‘Did the Vikings have glass?’ Teachers may answer such questions or can jot them down, for the children to find the answers afterwards.

History has many films and photographs. Artists too have represented history, in paintings, etchings, tapestries, murals, and so on. Images are a powerful stimulus for drama. Children can be asked to recreate historical images and maybe devise their own. An image can be replicated as a tableau, adding one character or feature at a time and then maybe brought alive through improvisation. Historical images can be studied, then recounted in role, as if by an eye-witness who was present at that moment.