In this paper, drawing on Bakhtin's carnival theory, I argue that teachers can play a transgressive role--similar to that of the carnival fool--by taking on a story role and by interacting with the children in the drama convention of Teacher-in-Role. The carnival notion of 'decrowning-crowning' allows me to understand how the teachers disguise and…

A speech-language pathologist and former primary teacher who is now a researcher conducting action research with kindergarten teachers in northern rural Canadian classrooms collaborate in an analysis of one teacher's interactions with her students in a dramatic play center. We use three principles to show how the teacher supports children's…

This article describes teachers' collaborative inquiry into the pretend "bad guy" play of 12 children in a university laboratory preschool classroom in the northeastern United States. The article describes the inquiry process and includes details and documentation of children's decisions, actions, and interactions related to the bad guy…

A kindergarten teacher narrates her classroom experiences with terror-stricken Spanish-American children after a devastating tornado. (AJ)

Offers suggestions for promoting dramatic play as a medium for literacy development by concentrating on three factors: (1) the settings in which play occurs; (2) the amount of time allocated for play activities; and (3) the type of teacher involvement in play episodes. (MG)

Explains how high-level play is an instructional strategy that builds language, vocabulary, and underlying cognitive skills necessary for children to become successful readers and writers. Notes that high-level play in the classroom occurs in two major areas, manipulative materials play and dramatic play. Explains that in dramatic play the teacher…

Presents basic information for teachers about how to use role-play, dramatic play, and simulations in the elementary social studies classroom. Explains how to proceed through the introduction or warm-up, the activity itself, and the follow-up evaluation. (AV)

This paper examines aspects of role playing in young children focusing specifically on the importance of role playing, the components of role playing and how to use role playing. The importance of role playing is discussed and several reasons for believing that role playing is related to intellectual and social development and to learning language…

Defining creative drama as a teaching process that uses the inherent ability of each person to explore ideas, behavior patterns, and human relationships, this monograph is designed to help teachers create a working environment within which this process can be most productive. Various sections of the monograph provide information about how creative…

Provides a framework for planning an approach to text through drama and describes a lesson plan using this approach with "Red Shift" by Dorothy Heathcote. (HOD)

Reports on an educational project that focused on the nature of the support one teacher gave to the children in her kindergarten class while engaging with them in literacy play. Contends that the project revealed that young children have their own assumptions about and knowledge of the written language, which they actively use in their play. (PM)

Offering a step-by-step guide to the planning and implementation of dramatic play in the elementary classroom, this book shows how the art of dramatic playing can be used as a process for integrating learning across the curriculum. The first section of the book, Playing Dramatically, discusses integrating learning and drama, areas of learning…

This paper provides a basic framework for using creative drama to achieve a wide range of objectives in educating students with mental disabilities; these objectives include enhanced communication skills, discipline and teamwork, self-concept, and creativity. Drama techniques such as movement exercises, games, structured play, role playing, and…

This paper reveals ways in which teachers can use roles and role playing to facilitate children's understanding and expression, by giving an example of a drama in which the teacher assumed a role. In this dramatic situation, a group of eight-year-olds and nine-year-olds was asked to assume the roles of American Indians whose valley was threatened…

Examines the current practices and possibilities of using the teaching-in-role strategy (where the teacher takes on a fictional role for educational purposes) through a survey of professional youth theaters. Finds that, of 38 programs that responded, all indicated having an educational program with several characteristics compatible with…