Doing Literacy

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Chloe Nordick
DOING LITERACY
Art is the literacy of the heart -Elliot Eisner
Does Creative Drama Improve Literacy? Yes It Does! | English Language Curriculum - Where does
Creative Drama fit in? | How does Creative Drama Build Proficiency in Reading? | How Does
Creative Drama Build Proficiency in Speaking? | How Does Creative Drama Build Proficiency in
Writing? | How Does Creative Drama Build Proficiency in Media Literacy? | Lesson Plans |
Assessing the Students with Creative Drama | References
Does Creative Drama Improve Literacy? Yes It Does!
Literacy involves much more than just reading and writing.
The curriculum document for Elementary Arts states that:

Literacy is defined as the ability to use language and
images in rich and varied forms to read, write, listen,
view, represent, and think critically about ideas. It
involves the capacity to access, manage, and
evaluate information; to think imaginatively and
analytically; and to communicate thoughts and ideas
effectively. Literacy includes critical thinking and
reasoning to solve problems and make decisions related to issues of fairness,
equity, and social justice. P.51
Creative drama goes hand in hand with improving literacy skills. So why are so
many teachers hesitant to incorporate drama in their English classrooms? Not all
teachers have experience or an abundance of knowledge regarding theatre arts.
However, the reality is that using drama in the classroom does not require a
background in theatre. Creative drama can and should be applied to any area of
curriculum, regardless of the teaching subject. Podlozny stated that classroom
drama is used as a way of supporting the curriculum and is an integral part of the
curriculum. Creative drama improves literacy in all aspects.
The first step in helping a child improve their
literacy skills is to motivate them to learn.
This can easily be accomplished by using
drama as a tool for teaching. The use of
drama as a teaching tool is based on the
simple premise that an involved child is an interested child, and interested child will
learn, and drama directly involves the child (Smith, 1972). Drama provides an
outlet in which students can take risks through performance, explore symbolism in
texts, and express relations to characters and situations. In short, it allows them to
use their feelings, their thoughts, and their imaginations in order to express
themselves, all while improving their language skills. Wagner states that drama has
a positive effect on personal attitudes often associated with language growth: self-
confidence, self-concept, self-actualization, empathy, helping behavior and
cooperation. In an article entitled “Doing Literature: Using Drama to Build Literacy”,
Jennifer Catney McMaster states that:
Drama is an invaluable tool for educators because it is one of the fewvehicles of
instruction that can support every aspect of literacy development. Drama
encompasses all four of the language arts modalities and is an effective medium

for building, decoding, vocabulary, syntactic, discourse, and metacognitive
knowledge. P574
English Language Curriculum - Where does Creative Drama fit
in?
Teachers can no longer use the excuse that
they do not have time to incorporate fun
drama activities into their classroom, it is a
requirement! The Ontario Curriculum
documents for English Language include a
variety of dramatic activities that are labeled
as specific expectations which must be met.
These expectations can be found throughout the curriculum documents for
elementary and secondary grades. This should come as no surprise. The arts
are an integral part of the learning process for students. In fact, English
Language teaching should be labeled as "Arts Infused English Language
Teaching" ! Incorporating drama in the classroom is not only a useful way to get
students excited and interested in learning, it enhances their learning. There are
countless creative drama activities that teachers could use to assist literacy
learning. Below are some specific expectations taken from the grade 7 English
Curriculum document followed by suggestions of fun activities that could be
used in order to meet those expectations. These examples could be used to

meet the curriculum expectations of any grade in order to help students
improve their literacy skills!
How does Creative Drama Build Proficiency in Reading?
CURRICULUM
Language - Grade 7 – Reading – Reading Fluency
Overall
Expectations
3. use knowledge of words and cueing systems to read
fluently
Specific
Expectations
3.3 read appropriate texts with expression and
confidence, adjusting reading
strategies and reading rate to match the
form and purpose (e.g., read in role with
suitable emphasis and phrasing to dramatize
a text for an audience)
Research shows that memorization and repetition of a text build vocabulary and
fluency. Not many students enjoy
reading an informational text over and
over nor do they enjoy memorizing
words from a dictionary. However, if
students are offered the opportunity to
present a text in front of their
classmates, they would be eager to
memorize their lines. As well, they would
most likely analyze the text and verify
the meaning of words they are not
familiar with in order to portray the character or idea as accurately as possible.
The students would be building their reading proficiency using creative drama!
The curriculum expectations can be met by using this method for studying
Shakespeare, poems, novels, scripts or any other kind of text used in class.
Allow the students to portray different characters for different audiences.
Personal note: My love for Shakespeare flourished when I was allowed to create

a full musical representation of Romeo & Juliet in grade 10 and then another
musical for Macbeth in grade 11. We created an original screenplay, original
musical score (including original lyrics!), and an intermission with a dance
number. Give the students the freedom to explore the texts in their own
creative way!
The video below illustrates how students can use a Tableau in order to
demonstrate their comprehension of a text.
How Does Creative Drama Build Proficiency in Speaking?
CURRICULUM
Language - Grade 7 – Oral Communication – Purpose
Overall
Expectations
2. use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to
communicate with different audiences
for a variety of purposes;
0:00 / 8:43
A Dramatic Approach to Reading Comprehension: T...

Specific
Expectations
2.1 identify a range of purposes for speaking
and explain how the purpose and
intended audience might influence the
choice of speaking strategies (e.g., to
present conclusions about a research project
through dramatization, a role play, or
a monologue; to interest classmates in a
social issue through a debate; to solve
problems or investigate issues and ideas
through a group brainstorming session)
Oral Communication is a key
component in our ability to make
ourselves understood. Using creative
drama is essential in order to help
students understand the importance
of oral communication and the
various purposes of speech which
determine the choice of words,
intonation, rhythm, and volume one
might use.
In class, students could practice using different styles of speech
which would be appropriate to a given situation. For example,
students could participate in a role playing exercise in situations
where speech would be significant: news broadcast, interview,
presidential campaign, graduation, or wedding ceremony for
example. Or the students could also use the role playing exercise
to portray a character from a novel or short story.
How Does Creative Drama Build Proficiency in Writing?
CURRICULUM
Language - Grade 7 – Writing – Form
Overall 2. draft and revise their writing, using a variety of

Expectations informational, literary, and graphic forms and stylistic
elements
appropriate for the purpose and audience
Specific
Expectations
2.1 write complex texts of different lengths
using a wide range of forms (e.g., a fictional narrative
about a historical event to dramatize
material studied; a mystery story modelled
on the structures and conventions of the genre)
Some students find it intimidating to write their own texts.
It is often challenging for students to write informational texts or essays. If
students are encouraged to write creative texts,
they can improve their writing skills in a creative
yet effective way. Students can dramatize a
historical event learned in class by writing a
fictional narrative instead of listing facts. Or
students can write stories which reflect
concepts that they have learned in class.
Students can also write scripts, screenplays, or
even create short stories through graphic
novels.
Students
can also
work in groups to develop a story, play, or
any other kind of text. By working in
groups, they develop their organization,
brainstorming, and collaborating skills while
having fun creating a dramatic text.
How Does Creative Drama Build Proficiency in Media Literacy?
CURRICULUM
Language - Grade 7 – Media Literacy – Producing Media Texts
Overall 3. create a variety of media texts for different purposes and

Expectations
audiences, using appropriate forms, conventions, and
techniques
Specific
Expectations
2.1 identify a range of purposes for speaking and explain
how the purpose and intended audience might influence the
choice of speaking strategies (e.g., to present conclusions
about a research project through dramatization, a role
play, or a monologue; to interest classmates in a social
issue through a debate; to solve problems or investigate
issues and ideas through a group
brainstorming session)
Using Creative Drama is a great approach
for students to better understand Media
Literacy. Students can learn how to
understand and decode various types of
media through drama activities like role
play, class debate, presentations, or even
creating their own advertisement or show
to demonstrate purposes of speaking,
points of view, and target audiences. There
are many class activities which could incorporate creative drama in regards to
media. Students could make a film or commercial, a news broadcast (live or on
video), or demonstrate a live political debate.
Lesson Plans
Here is a sample of Lesson Plans taken from LessonPlansPage.com that use drama in
order to improve literacy :
Title - Using Drama to Improve Language & Literacy
By - Pat Lavigne
Primary Subject - Language Arts
Grade Level - K - 6
Suggested Time - 60 minutes each
Using Drama to enhance Language and Literacy
Lesson Plan to Act Out a Story Read as a Group
recall portions of a story,
act out portions of a story,
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illustrate portions of a story,
improve reading comprehension, and
improve reading fluency.
Lesson Plan to Create a New Story
recall portions of a story,
act out portions of a story,
illustrate portions of a story,
improve reading comprehension, and
improve reading fluency.
1. What is the basic theme of the story -- create a title that depicts this.
2. What is the problem? To help determine the problem with kindergarten and first grade
students, you may have to cue. Asking "What happened? UH OH!!! What
happened?" will usually generate great problems. Add this to the 3rd block in the k/1
story plan.
3. What is the solution,
4. What events introduce the characters,
5. What events help solve the problem,
6. How does the story end?
7. Write all of this on the chalk board, white board or overhead -- to enhance student
participation, have students write this out. Using overhead transparencies assist
small groups in developing their play because they can take the overhead for their
group play into their small groups for the small group work. For older children, walk
through as a group a story then have students write a play in small groups with a
graphic organizer.
Assessing the Students with Creative Drama
Here are some suggestions on how you can incorporate the use of creative
drama to effectively assess your students.
Assessments during activities in class:
Role Play: assess their understanding of characters or themes in novels or
poems
Improvisation: assess their ability to vary the form of language used
depending on various situations and audiences
Monologue or Dialogue presentation: asess their understanding of
Shakespeare
Dramatization of a Poem: assess ability to interpret poems

Assessments for Units:
Newsbroadcast: assess their understand of point of view used in the
media
Writing a screenplay: assess their knowledge of an event or era studied in
class
Dramatization of a Research Project: assess their understanding of a
particular topic
Creative Project for Poems/Shakespeare: assess their ability to interpret
texts
References
Dale S. Rose, M. P. (2000). Imagery-Based Learning: Improving Reading Comprehension with Drama
Techniques. The Journal of Educational Research, Vol. 94, No. 1 , 55-63.
Mcmaster, J. C. (1998). 'Doing' Literature:Using drama to build literacy. The Reading Teacher, Vol. 51,
No.7 , 574-584.
Morton, B. K. (1973). Creative Drama - A Visit to Class. The English Journal, Vol. 62, No. 4 , 622-627.
Roe, E. P. (1977). Creative Drama Builds Proficiency in Reading. The Reading Teacher, Vol. 30, No. 4 , 383-
387.
Stewig, J. W. (1972). Creative Drama and Language Growth. The Elementary School Journal, Vol. 72, No. 4 ,
176-188.
Vail, J. W. (1985). The Relation between Creative Drama and Oral Language Growth. The Clearing House,
Vol. 58, No. 6 , 261-264.
Williams, P. A. (1947). Creative Reading. The English Journal, Vol. 36, No.9 , 454-459.

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Creativedrama.pdf
strengtheningverbalskillsthroughcreativedrama.pdf
Ontario English Language Curriculum
Lesson Plans Page
Does Creative Drama Improve Literacy? Yes It Does! | English Language Curriculum - Where does
Creative Drama fit in? | How does Creative Drama Build Proficiency in Reading? | How Does
Creative Drama Build Proficiency in Speaking? | How Does Creative Drama Build Proficiency in
Writing? | How Does Creative Drama Build Proficiency in Media Literacy? | Lesson Plans |
Assessing the Students with Creative Drama | References

Doing Literacy

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