Theatre in education

Updated on Nov 14, 2023

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Theatre in Education (TIE) is a process in which it includes all the interactive theatre/drama practices that help aid the educational process. As TIE is used, new strategies and objectives for using theatre as an educational tool emerge. It includes the interactive theatre practices that helps student in their educational process (learning).

History

People were becoming aware that theatre techniques might be useful as a way of fostering effective learning in schools after the end of Second World War. This was called as Theatre in Education or ‘TIE’ for short. Brian Way, who founded the Theatre Centre in 1953, was an early practitioner and influenced the team, including Gordon Vallins, and established TIE as the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry in 1965. This influenced those nationwide.

Theatre in education (TIE) originated in Britain in 1965. Monica Prendergast and Juliana Saxton cite TIE as "one of the two historic roots of applied theatre practice. TIE typically includes a theatre company performing in an educational setting (i.e. a school) for youth, including interactive and performative moments.

The idea of a high impact child-centred performance for a specifically targeted school audience became hugely popular. Due to the small audiences strength students can be encouraged to participate through work in role and through debate. Students experiment can be supported with resource materials and training or support for the students by teachers.

Need

From past years the education is becoming a rote learning. The education the students are getting are not being applied creatively in any area. Contrary to this 'rote' education, TIE presents a different approach for discussions, contributions, creativity, through performance. It fulfils all types of learning and enhances the development process.

Difference between Drama in Education and Theatre in Education

In the last twenty years many titles have appeared describing drama and theatre activities with children. These various labels are indicative of the multiplicity of the work and of the possible confusions that can arise. Some of the main areas of work are:

Drama in Education In the school curriculum, this is both a method and a subject. As a curriculum subject it uses various dramatic elements such as movement, voice, concentration, improvisation and role play to aid the personal development of the student. As a method it utilises role play and acting out to teach the student through experience, for example, to learn the facts of an historical event by acting it out. In many Secondary schools drama is now a separate department. In some Primary schools it is used as a method to teach a number of subjects.

Theatre in Education A professional team of trained and experienced actor/teachers, who prepare relevant material/project/experiment to be presented in schools often involving more than one visit. These programmes are usually devised and researched by the team/teachers and are for small groups of one or two classes of a specific age. The aim of the programmes is essentially educational, and uses theatre, drama in education and teaching techniques to gain these ends. This work provides an educational aid, resource and stimulus for both teaches and pupils, but to do so it may vary from place to place, total participation sessions to performance and discussion. Theatre in Education can be considered as a method of work used by some companies all the time, and by others only occasionally. Many companies who use this method of work have, as their starting point, a strong left-wing approach to their subject matter, and they cannot be considered as mere tools of the education system. Rather, they act as outside questioners, looking at ideas and values in society.

The main element of TIE

This are the following characteristics of TIE

There is a clear aim and educational objective running throughout this process.

The cast should be small so actors must be versatile and often have multi-role.

A low budget project has to be taken such that actors often play instrument too.

The production must be portable so that the design of the production will be simple and representational.

The Explore of issues has to be from various viewpoint, so that we can see the effect of action upon a range of people.

There should be a level of involvement of the audience.

They are rarely wholly naturalistic because for engaging the audience narration has to be used.

Due to actors have a multiple-roles, the costume are representational and simple.

For educating the audience they can include facts and figures.

They may have a strong message or moral running throughout the production.

How TIE can be used

TIE can create different kind of productions:

Supported by the resource materials, Production can to be designed to stimulate reaction and participation from its small audience, through role play and debate.

By specifically targeting an area for a particular age group in a school’s personal, social and health education curriculum.

For the young audience the play designed can be based on the traditional story and allowing range of follow-up activities if desired.

Linking the story in the given activities for very young children can help in the opportunities for involvement.

For the adult age group some dramatizing activities as to be add with specific needs, e.g.- learning parenting skills or preparing for employment.

It should be organised meaningfully.

In Schools

The Role of Teacher

As changing demands of society the teachers should adapt to it. As a change it may seem that the path going from knowledge dissemination, memory-based teaching, towards Drama games and fun during lessons leads even further. Instead of simply lecturing method, teacher becomes a conceptual artist who moulds knowledge, feelings, thoughts, sensations and experience into an active and activating process. This is not about an artist in a traditional way. It’s more the way of thinking, perception of the world and its needs in right - brained way as non-linear, practical, intuitive, and holistic.

Teacher´s typology

The personality of a teacher influences the use of drama in lessons. According to Barucha, teachers types fall into four quadrants (see Figure 1). Barucha differentiates two dimensions depending on the teacher’s behaviour, perception, values and attitudes: the interactivity level and the level of logical/emphatic thinking. Both dimensions operate on a whole scale in between the extreme values.

The Role of Student

In this methodology the student need to understand that not only the post of teacher is changes, here the student himself as to take initiative and responsibility.it demands much greater independence in thinking. In this process of structured and led, drama rehearsals require full scope dedication. Due to this and closer interpersonal interaction leads to more clashes compared to traditional class. There are several issue apart from memory training, courage to act and emerge from the shell each of us adopts at work or school place, those are language difficulty, stage fright, newness in being expected to adopt a role, confidence etc. Summarizing the main requirements and preconditions as follows: -

Intellectual maturity, ability to understand the play and roles

Ability to comprehend the cost and investment, but also the benefits. Openness to accept new method of teaching/ learning.

Time management or Commitment

Acceptance of guiding role of the teacher without formal authority

Language competence

Performance skills/competence (active attitude to potential stage fright issues, memory issues etc.)

Collective work competence

Controlling the emotional intelligence and Ability to cooperate even in stressful moments (like a performance).

Some theatre improvisation games

This are some theatre games.

1) Alphabet conversation

Having a group of student, start a conversation one by one where each sentence begins with the next letter of the alphabet. Giving a situation before you begin will help the student. Students can also use sounds to start a sentence, for example “Mmmm” or “tut-tut”. This game can be played in pairs or small groups. Here is an example:

A: Anyone seen my cat?

B: Black one, with funny eyes?

A: Can’t say I remember.

B: Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten what it looks like?

A: Every cat looks the same to me.

B: Fortunately, I found one yesterday

A: Gee, that’s great…

Try starting somewhere in the middle of the alphabet. Then when you reach “Z”, return to “A” until you arrive back where you started. This technique can be combine with one word stories.

2) People poems

Divide the class into small group of four or five. To each group give a topic/word –e.g. “Time”. Now each person in an each group as to write down or remembers some words associated with the theme, e.g.- slow, fast, boredom, quickly and centuries. Now every group has to make an object out of the members, linked to the theme (such as a clock). Ideally the group object should move. Next every group has to bring the object to life and works out a way of bringing in some or all of their words-linked to their movements. And at the end they show the resulting people poem to the rest of the class, who can try and guess the theme. Themes can include:

Elements - earth, air, fire, water

Opposites – cold/hot, fast/slow, high/low

Colours

Emotions

Benefits

This are some benefits of TIE

Self-Confidence: By performing in front audience the student get the confidence to trust on his own ideas and abilities. This will be applied to his life, career and school.

Imagination: Thinking out of the box, and interpreting familiar material in new ways. Einstein said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.”

Empathy: Acting in a roles for different situations, time periods, and different cultures promotes compassion and it develops tolerance for others’ feelings and viewpoints.

Collaboration: It combines the new ideas and abilities of its participants. This cooperative learning includes discussing, sharing, negotiating, rehearsing, and performing.

Concentration: Performing in a play develops a constant focus of mind, body, and voice, which also helps in life and in school subjects.

Communication Skills: In a play a student enhances verbal and nonverbal expression of ideas. It also improves voice projection, articulation of words, and fluency with language.

Emotional Outlet: In the play the student is allowed to express a range of emotions. Sadness, aggression and tension are released in a safe, controlled environment, reducing antisocial behaviours.

Relaxation: Theatre activities reduce stress by releasing mental, physical, and emotional tension.

Physical Fitness: Movement in drama improves body balance, coordination, flexibility, and control.