Creative Drama in Language Arts
Why use it?
Background information
What is it?
Who should use it?
Why use it?
Improvisation tips
Educator tip sheet
Webliography
Bibliography
Classroom application
TEKS
IRA & TExES Standards

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Almost all students can perform and benefit from creative drama regardless of artistic acting skills (Tater, 2002).

Creative drama provides an incentive for children to learn and discover. Drama and theater educate children as a whole, "and they offer children a more free and flexible space in which to grow and to learn" (Sun, 2003).

Creative drama offers benefits to students in several areas:
  • Reading
    • Mental requirements for understanding drama are similar to those for reading (Sun, 2003).
    • Gives students an authentic reason to read (O'Day, 2001).
    • Boosts comprehension skills (Rodia, 2003).
    • Crucial to early literacy development (Sun, 2003).
    • Provides a context for children to relate reading to life (Sun, 2003).
  • Oral Communication
    • Develops skills to use language effectively and creatively through:
      • discussion of ideas
      • problem solving
      • expression of emotions
      • making decisions
      • socializing
      • use of empathy
      • use of different styles and registers
      • use of different points of view (Tater, 2002).
  • Writing
    • Provides an authentic reason for students to write (O'Day, 2001).
    • Students develop better expression (Sun, 2003).
    • Students use alternate points of view (Sun, 2003)
  • ESOL students benefit
    • Gives a need to use and purpose for literacy
    • Music, art, and dance provide nonlinguistic ways for students to participate comfortably
    • Aids in understanding the multidimensionality of our world in terms of culture and language (O'Day, 2001).