Resource 1

National Drama Drama

Community cohesion and the prevention of violent extremism
A resource for teachers to use in the classroom


Resource title
Drama for Learning and Creativity (D4LC)
Source: www.d4lc.org – click on '...lessons...' to access 100+ downloadable drama lessons written by teachers for teachers, or access this website through www.nationaldrama.org.uk
Outline
Drama for Learning and Creativity (D4LC) is a national school improvement initiative organised by local authorities and/or networks of schools, in partnership with the National Drama subject association. The pilot was developed in Norfolk in 2005/6 and participating teachers receive sustained, specialist local and national drama support to improve their drama teaching and use drama as pedagogy across the curriculum. Participating teachers can contribute a "best practice" lesson to the website after two terms of involvement. Some of these lessons have strong links with the support and development of community cohesion. New lessons across Key Stages 1 to 5 are regularly added to the site and any teacher worldwide is welcome to download a blank lesson proforma, as well as send a lesson in for inclusion. A selection of the D4LC lessons on the website that support and promote community cohesion are below.

Handy hint – when searching for these lessons, each title will appear exactly how it is displayed below but in the colour blue, and each will have .doc at the end:
  • KS 1
    • Year 1 – Aliens Visit 'Our Local Area'
    Yr 1 – Noah's Ark
    Y2 – Slum Life - Kenya
  • KS 2
    • KS2 – Playground Disputes
    Y3 – The Island
    Y3 and 4 – The Storm
    Y4 – Indian Village
    Y4 and 5 – Masai and I
    Y5 – Falling Out and Making Up
    Year 5 – Cholera
    Year 6 – Save our Local Environment
    Yr 5 – Human Impact on Environment
The website also has a discussion forum that is available to teachers and drama educators worldwide (free registration). D4LC is supported by the QCDA as part of English 21 and as a curriculum co-development initiative.
Links across other subjects within resource
Links with Geography, PSHE education, History, Science, Religious education
Additional support
  • With Drama in Mind, by Patrice Baldwin (2004), Spi edition, published by Network Continuum; ISBN 10: 1 85539 094 9. Includes a Drama unit (Unit 4) that supports teachers in "Creating an Imaginary Culture and Community" with whole classes as well as detailed descriptions of many basic drama strategies now listed in the new primary curriculum.
  • Planning Process Drama, by Pamela Bowell and Brian Heap (2001), published by David Fulton; ISBN-13: 9781853467196. Supports teachers to plan drama lessons.