TEACHING

WITH
DRAMATIZED
EXPERIENCES
 “ All dramatization is essentially a process of
communication, in which both participant and spectators are
engaged. A creative interaction takes place, a sharing of
ideas.”

EDGAR DALE
Something dramatic is something that is
stirring or affecting or moving. A
dramatic entrance is something that
catches and holds our attention and has
an emotional impact.
If our teaching is dramatic our students
get attracted, interested and affected. If
they are affected and moved by what we
taught, we will most likely leave an
impact on them.
Some forms of Dramatized
Experiences are plays,
pageants, tableau, role
playing, pantomime and
puppets.
Plays depict life,
character or culture or a
combination of all three.
They offer excellent
opportunities to portray
vividly important ideas
about life.
Pageants are usually
community dramas that are
based on local history,
presented by local actors.
Example: Historical pageants
Tableau (a French word which
means picture) is a picture-like scene
composed of people against a
background.
A tableau is often used to
celebrate Independence day, Christmas,
and United Nations Day.
Role-playing is an unrehearsed, unprepared
and spontaneous dramatization of a “let’s pretend”
situation where assigned participants are absorbed by
their own roles in the situation described by the teachers.

How is role-playing done?

it can be done by describing a situation which
would create different viewpoints on an issue and then
asking the students to play the roles of the individuals
involved. Any kind of conflict situation, real or potential, is
useful for role –playing or any situation in which real
feelings are concealed. Consider situations in school, at
home, on the playground, at work, in government.
The role-playing has to be followed by a
discussion . Among the questions that
may be asked are: how did you, as
actors, feel? Would you act/think that
way in real life?
As observers, would you agree with the
actors said or did?
Any lessons learned?
Pantomime is the “art of
conveying a story through
bodily movements only”
(Webster's new collegiate
dictionary ) . Its effect on the
audience depends on the
movements of the actors.
According to Dale, Puppets ,
unlike the regular stage play, can
present ideas with extremely simplicity-
without elaborate scenery or costume,
yet effectively. As an instructional
device, the puppet show can involve the
entire group of students – as speakers
of parts, manipulators of the figures,
and makers of the puppets.
 TYPES OF PUPPETS
Shadow puppets- flat black silhouette made
from lightweight cardboard and shown behind a
screen.
Rod puppets- flat cut out figures tacked to a
stick , with one or more movable parts, and
operated from below the stage level by wire
rods or slender sticks.
Hand puppets- the puppet’s head is operated
by the forefinger of the puppeteer, the little
finger and thumb being used to animate the
puppet hands.
Glove-and-finger puppets- make use of old
gloves to which small costumed figure are
Marionettes- flexible, jointed puppets
operated by strings or wires attached to a cross
bar and maneuvered from directly above the
stage.

What principles must be observed in choosing a

puppet play for teaching? (Dale, 1996)
. Do not use puppets for plays that can be done
just as well or better by other dramatic means.
. Puppet plays must be based on action rather
than on words.
. Keep the plays short.
. Do not omit the possibilities of music and
dancing as part of the puppet show.
. Adapt the puppet show to the age,
background, and tastes of the students.