Enhancing The Performance of Learning-Disabled Children by Dint of Theatre Education

S. Praveen Kumar*, B. William Dharma Raja**
* Ph.D. Scholar, Department of Education, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India.
** Assistant Professor, Department of Education, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India
Periodicity:September - November'2009
DOI : https://doi.org/10.26634/jsch.5.2.1026

Abstract

In schools, teachers come across pupils who have diverse abilities and special needs. Some of the learners achieve high and some may lag behind in their learning. They may face learning problems such as difficulties in listening, speaking, thinking, reading, writing, spelling, reasoning, calculating or social skills. It is a great challenge on the part of teachers and trained educational specialists to deal with those children with learning disorders through the adoption of different educational strategies.

In the current scenario, theatre education has emerged as an innovative strategy to mitigate the gap between educators and the educated. Theater education is beginning to be seen as a unique hybrid of performance and child-centred learning. This educational medium initially aims to acquaint teachers with the concepts of learning and using the experiential method in teaching. This kind of synergy uniting classroom instruction and theatrical tools provides for students educational environment in its most effective way as it is both visual and auditory in a sophisticated fashion.

Theatre education has been designed in many institutions across the globe to broaden the base of knowledge, hone skills, facilitate age-specific learning etc. Many theatrical companies today specialize in performances designed to cater to the needs of children with learning disabilities. It is seen that four components go into the success of this programme — thorough familiarity with the system of education, the use of experiential gains, openness to innovative ideas and presence of experts from the world of theatre.  So theater education seeks to create a wide range of learning opportunities across the whole curriculum in an inclusive setting.

Keywords

Learning Disabilities, Theatre Education, Theatrical Tools.

How to Cite this Article?

S. Praveen Kumar and B. William Dharma Raja (2009). Enhancing The Performance of Learning-Disabled Children by Dint of Theatre Education. i-manager’s Journal on School Educational Technology. 5(2),8-14. https://doi.org/10.26634/jsch.5.2.1026

References

[1]. Alrutz, Megan. “Energy matters: An investigation of drama pedagogy in the science classroom”, 65, No.2 (2004): 350-A.
[2]. Bell, Braden Gregory. “Exploring the drama lives of adolescent boys”, 68, No.12 (2008): 460-A.
[3]. Clopton, Anna Smulowitz & Davis, Harriet. “Drama and the Special Needs Student” (Accessed on 20 Oct 2009)
[4]. Jackson, Valery L. “The possibilities of hope in drama”, 64, No.4 (2003): 1153-A.
[5]. Jacobs, Dariel Allyson. “Variables that promote and/or inhibit theatre program development in public schools in Georgia”, 65, No.2 (2004): 351-A.
[6]. Kaliski, Lotte. “A Theatre Workshop for Children with Learning Disabilities” (Accessed on 20 Oct 2009)
7]. Kumar, S. Praveen & Raja, B.W.D. “High Self-esteem as a Coping Strategy for Students with Learning Disabilities”. i-manager’s Journal on Educational Psychology, Vol.2, No.4, 2009, pp.14-19.
[8]. Kumar, S. Praveen & Raja, B.W.D. “Minimising Dyscalculic Problems Through Visual Learning”. The Primary Teacher, Vol.24, No.3, 4 & 1, 2008, pp.14-19.
[9]. Nakra, Onita. Children and learning difficulties. New Delhi: Allied Publishers, 1996.
[10]. Neilson, Lee Bratland. Brief reference of student disabilities…With Strategies for the Classroom. California: Sage Publications, 2002.
[11]. Raja, Bela. “On Learning Difficulties”, Journal of the Krishnamurthy Schools, No.6, 2002: 56-61.
[12]. Saravanabhavan, Sheila. “What we need to know about Learning Disabilities?” Research and Reflections on Education. 7, No.1 (2009): 5-6.
[13]. Wuertz, Victoria Vachata. “The anatomy of a decision: Theatre students in a visual and performing arts high school”, 64, No.2 (2003): 452-A
[14]. Ysseldyke, James. & Algozinne, Bob. Special Education. New Delhi: Kanishka Publishers, 2007.
[15]. http://dictionary.babylon.com/Theatre%20in%20 education (Accessed on 10 Oct 2009)
[16]. http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index. Cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0007946 (Accessed on 16 Oct 2009)
[17]. http://www.flipcart.com/contemporary-theatreeducation- roger-wooster-/1841501700-3zx3f99zg6 (Accessed on 16 Oct 2009)
[18]. http://wiki.projectbamboo.org/display/BPUB/SN- 0072+Pedagogical+recipes+for+theatre+education (Accessed on 16 Oct 2009)
[19]. http://www3.ashland.edu/ser vices/cardev/ documents /TheatreEducationK-12org.pdf (Accessed on 10 Oct 2009)
[20]. http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/teachingandlearning / library/theatreineducation/ (Accessed on 10 Oct 2009)
[21]. http://www.artslynx.org/heal/theatre.htm (Accessed on 10 Oct 2009)
[22]. http://www.aate.com/content.asp?pl=23&sl=69& contentid=69 (Accessed on 16 Oct 2009)
[23]. http://www.hindu.com/edu/2004/08/16/stories/200 4081600070200.htm (Accessed on 16 Oct 2009)
[24]. http://www.theatre-resource.org.uk /index. Php? Pid = 461 (Accessed on 16 Oct 2009)
If you have access to this article please login to view the article or kindly login to purchase the article

Purchase Instant Access

Single Article

North Americas,UK,
Middle East,Europe
India Rest of world
USD EUR INR USD-ROW
Pdf 35 35 200 20
Online 35 35 200 15
Pdf & Online 35 35 400 25

Options for accessing this content:
  • If you would like institutional access to this content, please recommend the title to your librarian.
    Library Recommendation Form
  • If you already have i-manager's user account: Login above and proceed to purchase the article.
  • New Users: Please register, then proceed to purchase the article.