Dramatization as Sense-Making

A while back, we started looking at sense-making activities for the presentation phase of a lesson. Our first post introduced the idea; our second listed types of sense-making activities with brief examples. Then, we’ve slowly made our way through each type with more details.

So far, we’ve looked at games for sense-making, objective exercises, information gap activities, audio/visual prompts, and guided discussions. Now, we’ve reached our final type: dramatizations. As you read through the sections below, keep in mind:

Our Definition of Sense-Making Activities: Here on Master Teaching, we’re defining sense-making activities NOT as practice exercises or tasks that follow up on the presentation of new material. Rather, they are presentation phase activities that guide students to make sense of new information before or in place of a lecture or explanation given by the teacher or textbook.

Your Participation: We’d love to hear from you about your sense-making activities. If you’d like to submit an activity or report on one you’ve used, you can post a comment below or communicate with us privately through our contact us page.

Now, let’s talk about using drama as a sense-making activitiy during the presentation phase of a lesson.

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Definition

Sense-making dramatizations are pair, group, or whole class role play activities. They are guided with prompts and possibly performed for the whole class so that particular skills, strategies, speech acts, or understandings of content are learned.

The sections below offer three potential set ups for sense-making with drama. Although the first uses the word, notice how analysis occurs in all three. The “Further exploration” section includes links to support some of the examples listed under each set up.

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Scenario Analysis

Learning Process: Participants learn a skill, strategy, or speech act by preparing and acting out scenarios following specific guidelines. An important part of the learning process occurs when students analyze their own and/or other groups’ role plays.

Preparation: Prompts guide pairs/groups with details about how to perform a skill, strategy, or speech act through a role play. The teacher monitors to ensure each group’s role play follows directions and adequately illustrates new information.

Performance: Depending on the set up, each group performs for the whole class (groups have different scenarios). Alternatively (groups role play all scenarios), the teacher calls on one group to role play the scenario before moving on to the next.

Analysis: Groups analyze scenarios and how communication works. For example, between roles plays, they keep track of scenarios on a prepared chart (an audio-visual prompt). Then, at the end, they answer a set of questions in a guided discussion that leads them to conclusions about how the skill, strategy, or speech act works.

Examples:

1. speech act: Audio/Visual Sense-Making included an example for teaching apologies. Here, instead of watching video clips of different apologies, pairs role play different styles following teacher-prepared prompts. Between role plays, they analyze using the chart included in the audio/visual post.
2. communication strategies: Pairs are given different prompts that guide them to repair a communication breakdown in a particular way or with a combination of communication strategies. Pairs perform for the class. Learners analyze each scenario, and communication strategies are discussed.

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Simulated Experience

Learning Process: As they participate in a life-like scenario, often a whole class simulation, students learn a communication skill or an aspect of culture (or another subject) through the experience. Some analysis occurs at the end through a guided discussion.

Preparation: Students are assigned different roles and are given time to prepare using prompts. They may work in a group with other students assigned the same role.

Performance: The teacher guides learners through the simulation. Depending on their level, the teacher’s guidance may be more or less directive.

Analysis: At the end of the simulation, learners, as a whole class or in groups, discuss and analyze the experience, discovering rules of engagement, etc.

Examples:

1. culture: Learners engage in a mock trial, national election, or another government process.
2. communication skills: Learners engage in a simulated debate or business meeting.

Simulation with Consequences

Learning Process: As they participate in a life-like scenario that includes consequences for different decisions, words, or behaviors, students learn through the experience. Analysis focuses on the consequences.

Preparation: Learners are assigned different roles in a scenario. If necessary, they are given time to prepare, perhaps in a group with others assigned the same role.

Performance: As learners role play in pairs/groups and make decisions inherent to the scenario, the teacher passes out new prompts that offer consequences and change the direction of the communication. Different pairs/groups could be asked to perform the whole scenario (with consequences) in front of the class.

Analysis: Between role plays (if more than one) or at the end, learners engage in a whole class or group discussion analyzing the consequences they faced in different scenarios and figuring out how to speak and act appropriately.

Examples:

1. social-emotional skills: Pairs/groups act out scenarios related to bullying. As decisions are made about how to respond, the teacher passes out new prompts that take learners down a path of consequences (good or bad). In a follow up discussion, the consequences of different choices are analyzed. Alternatively, a more guided approach is used like the second example below
2. speech act: Students are given a prompt that leads them to perform a speech act impolitely. Repairs are made as they follow a second prompt with a more polite approach. They, then analyze why the second role play worked better than the first. Alternatively, a more open-ended approach is used like the first example above.

Further exploration

Some resources including ones below give ideas about how to pre-teach vocabulary or a processes being learned. Remember, however, that for the sake of this post, learning occurs through performing the role play or experiencing the simulation in addition to the follow up analysis rather than through pre-teaching. 

1. A list of speech acts (or language functions)
2. Communication strategies: I didn’t find a list of strategies or scenarios all in one place, but the Google AI Overview and Claude both did a passable job of getting me started on creating my own.
3. Social-Emotional Scenarios: bullying and sticky social situations
4. US government resources including a mock election and mock trial (You’ll need to set up a free account.)
5. Model UN resources

Try it out

How do you use drama to help learners figure out new information? In addition to the ones described here, what other set ups have you used and how? You can respond in the comments below or in a private message through our contact us page.

Post Author

Melissa K. Smith