Drama and reading for meaning ages 4-11 : a practical book of ideas for primary teachers

Drama and Reading for Meaning Ages 4-11 contains over 40 creative drama ideas to help develop reading for meaning in the primary school.

The wide range of clearly explained, structured and engaging drama activities will appeal to all primary practitioners who wish to develop more creative approaches to the teaching of reading.

The activities show how drama can develop some of the skills associated with reading for meaning such as empathising with characters’ feelings, exploring settings and themes and making inferences based on evidence. The step-by-step activities range from familiar classroom drama strategies such as freeze-frames and hot-seating to less well-known approaches involving whole class drama experiences.

The book also serves as an introduction to using drama as a learning medium, with advice on how to set the ground rules and clear explanations of the drama strategies.

Each chapter has a detailed explanation of what to do, followed by a number of examples linked to quality texts, including poetry and non-fiction. From bringing books to life in reception and Years 1 and 2, to peeling back the layers of meanings in Years 3 to 6, all the drama activities in this book are designed to improve reading for meaning and help motivate children to read for pleasure, making this an essential resource for all primary settings.