Week 2

     Movement and Body Awareness Rhyme

   In this video, I performed a movement rhyme with actions that promote coordination, listening skills and active participation.   


Drama is an important tool for stimulating intelligence because it allows learners to actively engage their minds, bodies and emotions. According to Richard Courtney, learning through drama encourages imagination, creativity and problem-solving skills. It also helps learners to express themselves confidently and understand different perspectives through role-play. Drama supports social interaction and communication, which are essential for cognitive development. Overall, drama makes learning meaningful, enjoyable, and more effective because learners learn by doing and experiencing.  

Gagne's Learning Outcomes ( Week 2 - my class activities )

1. Verbal information
 
During week 1, in our Drama class, we demonstrated verbal information by recalling and sharing games we used to play in our childhood. So we were divided into groups, and in my group, we came up with the play in different languages, but it was the same. The game was you had to hop on one foot, just by saying that out loud made me realise how much I still remember things from years ago. We also followed and repeated instructions during warm-up and cool-down. This helped me understand that verbal information is not just about remembering, but also about being able to express what you clearly know to others.

2. Intellectual skills 

This part was more interesting because we had to work in groups to create a childhood game from what we knew. In this way, you can't just memorise the pay, but you have to think more carefully to also remember the instructions. Most of us in our group knew the game, but we forgot some rules, so we had to decide together and came up with rules that are suitable for the game and everyone who is playing. Those small decisions made us use what Gagne calls intellectual skills: taking what you know and applying it, breaking things down and making choices. This made me realise that intellectual skills involve thinking, making decisions and problem-solving, not just memorising information.


3. Motor Skills 

 We did a warm-up first; this was the basic motor stuff. Then, after our groups, we were given time to practice the games we used to play. Those activities helped me develop my motor skills, and this will also improve my emotional well-being. I had to control my body movements, coordinate actions and respond quickly during the game, which helped me learn that learning can also happen through physical movement. 

Overall, this week's drama activities demonstrated that learning is most effective when it integrates thinking, movement and emotions. I observed that I was more engaged, confident and motivated to participate because the learning experience was active and meaningful rather than just passive. From a foundation phase teaching perspective, this reinforces the importance of using drama and play-based strategies to support holistic development. These methods not only enhance academic skills but also promote social interaction, emotional expression and learner confidence, which are essential for early childhood development.

From a teachers persective, these activities show how drama supports holistic learning by engaging learners cognitively, physically, and emotionally. The teacher guides and scaffolds learning while creating a safe, interactive space for participation. This approach links theory to practice and helps develop confidence, creativity and social skills, making learning meaningful in the foundation phase.


                                                       


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Block 2 : week 5

Image
 The use of metaphor in this block demonstrated how drama can support children's meaning-making, emotional expression and cognitive development. Metaphors allow abstract or complex ideas to be understood through familiar images, making learning both accessible and memorable. In the context of drama, metaphor becomes embodied, enabling learners to experience meaning physically, socially and emotionally. This aligns with the sociocultural theory of Vygotsky, who argues that learning is mediated through language, interaction and cultural tools. metaphor, in this sense, functions as a powerful mediational tool that supports deeper understanding. In our group, we used the metaphor of a "seed growing into a tree" to represent a child's development. This symbolised growth, resilience, and the importance of care and support. By using a familiar and natural image, the metaphor allowed learners to connect emotionally while also constructing meaning. This reflects Bruner's i...
Read more

Week 3

1.  Yes, I agree with Professor Grey because many young people in South Africa spend more time on technology and structured activities than free play. This reduces opportunities for creativity, social interaction and natural development.  2. Directed and non-directed pay/free pay Directed play is controlled and guided by an adult with specific goals similar to what we did in class during week 3  were told to do a specific play that can make each of us participate and be able to play in it so by doing that we were directed to do a specific thing that has the same outcome at the end, while free play is child-led, spontaneous and based on the child's own interest and imagination. This kind of play will be mostly useful in the foundation phase class, where it can develop focus, following instructions and achieving curriculum goals. Non-directed or free play is child-led, spontaneous and based on the learner's imagination and interests. As a future teacher, I will allow learne...
Read more

Week 5

Image
 In week 5, we focused on the benefits of play and how learning takes place through drama. The activities were practical and suitable for a classroom environment, especially group-based tasks such as role-play and short scene creation. These activities showed me that play is not only for enjoyment, but also an important tool for developing communication, teamwork and confidence. According to the reading, drama supports children's imagination, confidence and social skills. It allows them to take on different roles and perspectives (Farmer,2011). This aligns with what we experienced in class during the past weeks, as in week 5, there was no face-to-face class, where engaging in dramatic play helped us understand concepts more deeply.  Furthermore, the week emphasised the importance of experiential learning. Instead of passively receiving information, we learned by doing, which made the experience more memorable and impactful. Drama-based learning creates a safe space for learner...
Read more