Classroom drama in Malta : the key to creativity

Abstract

In its endeavour to help student teachers acquire as many tools as possible to help facilitate the teaching/learning process in schools, the Department of Primary Education within the Faculty of Education of the University of Malta offered B.Ed. (Hons.) students the possibility to specialise in Expressive Arts as from academic year 1999 - 2000. This thesis gives a brief overview of the history of education in Malta, a review of the history of drama in the Maltese education system and the setting up of the Drama Unit. It then describes the Drama Conventions that can be used by teachers to help them carry out drama work in class. It includes drama lessons describing these conventions which were worked out with the B.Ed. (Hons.) students to make them understand the conventions better. Excerpts from personal comments made by the students in the journals kept during the workshops conclude each lesson plan. The thesis covers another aspect of drama which can be used in curricular work. This is Theatre in Education (TIE). To fully appreciate TIE, the student teachers participated in a TIE production directed by the author through acting, playing musical instruments, making props and scenery and preparing follow up material. Comments made by the student teachers following the performance are also included.