Drama in the library? This page might seem a little redundant because many things we’ve discussed here on this website deal with drama in the library: Reader’s Theater, Read Alouds, Animated Storytelling, and Puppet shows. I’ve basically added this page to give you a little more information about drama in the library and its many benefits. In the article Dramatic School Library Literacy Programs, McPherson shares the importance of drama in the school library literacy program.
. . . . .“drama provides students with very powerful, often nontextual, context in which to build new meanings and avenues for representing and communicating understandings” (Worthman, 2002; Rogers & O'Neill, 1993, cited by McPherson, 2005).
If you are concerned about noise, there are ways around that. McPherson has some suggestions to reduce noise in the library and still include drama:
ü Pantomime dramatic interpretations.
ü Use vignettes or freeze frames to capture interpretations of books or experiences.
ü Move the noisy drama activity to a gym, music, or band room.
ü Have students assist you in alerting the class to increasing sound
Whether it’s puppet shows or readers theater, drama in the school library strengthens students’ literacy development and most definitely makes literature come to life!