Week 1, Drama Learning

Although i was absent for this lesson my understanding was that the class looked at two lessons run by two different people, looking into the way the students were engaged, how they found solutions and resolutions to problems or obstacles. The classes were skill based, knowledge based and used cognitive learning.

In the reading ‘Learning through Drama’ we look into four different types of play according to Bruce (1991): functional, constructive, games with rules, dramatic and socio-dramatic play.

Functional Play: Children explore their sensory motor activities,  repeating things and learning about their physical capabilities and their effect on the environment.

Constructive Play: Children see themselves as creators, they begin to organise their own materials and objects with the plan they are making but sometimes things are left behind.

Games with rules: Divided into two categories, table games and physical games. Both of these require the child to agree with sets of rules controlling the actions within specific limits.

Dramatic and socio-dramatic play: Demonstrates children’s growing awareness of their social surroundings and can be observed throughout their years of growth. The child acts out social interaction and experiences human relationships.

All of these sorts of play seem so clear to me as I was once a child experiencing these shifts throughout my childhood years. Playing, creating, learning new games, learning new rules. All of these are a part of growing.