How Drama Enhances Your Child’s Learning

Kids Learning

There is rising concern about the alienation of today’s children from learning holistically and from society educators are again turning towards the arts and cultural activities to rekindle the love of learning. Young children are more open to visual arts than bookish learning. They connect instantly to a visual dramatization of any subject than to words in a book. This is because children absorb literal ideas very clearly.

How children learn through drama?

Drama is a highly engaging medium and is a perfect outlet for emotional excess and helps the child connect to her inner self.

• Children learn through role play and drama is the best way to rehearse role play. This also is instrumental in children learning how to learn problem solving skills. It leads to the personification of their individual feelings and emotions.
• Experiences through dramatic expression help children grow problem solving skills and create an awareness of how the “real” world works. Drama at its simplest is a reflection of the society at large and children learn how to deal with real life situations. Drama frees the student from the stereotyped bookish learning and teaches the child to think as well as feel deeply.
• The drama experience also motivates the child to question, express, explain and respond to real life situations.
• The child learns to use verbal and non-verbal communication skills and enhances expression. The role play activity also helps the child build alternate channels of communication. She learns how to use body language, facial expressions and voice modulation effectively.
• The child is encouraged to be creative and imagination soars to new highs. There is an element of distressing when you emote. The psychological well-being of the child is well looked after.
• Drama builds team spirit and a sense of cooperation in the children, as all roles are inter connected and need cooperation from the rest of the cast. Character building and personality shaping is a tangible plus.
• Enacting drama that is meaningful can help in building social awareness.
• There is a perceptible increase in the concentration and comprehension skills of the student. The overall idea is grasped faster and the child can make a concrete connection with the topic that is in discussion in the drama script.
• New lessons are dependent on prior lessons. Teachers start with what the students have already learnt and build on that. It sometimes becomes difficult for a student to grasp a new concept. Drama plays a significant role in giving the student a preview of the lesson. It is easy for the teacher to assess how much the student is already aware of and how much she has assimilated in the session.

Drama can be a very effective tool in feeding the child’s creativity and creating socially aware and perceptive students. The children learn in the true sense and are not relegated to depend on dry bookish knowledge. There is an entertainment factor built in that enhances the interest levels of the child. The classroom is a happy place when you have drama sessions to keep things lively!

Also Read: Learn how to uncover and nurture talent in your child