8 PLAY ACTING PLAY ACTING is now generally recognised as having many-sided value in the training of children in school: in speech training, as a part of method, as a stimulus, as a test and as a reward itis of inestimable importance. Its by far the most attractive part of this phase of the work in English and brings enthusiasm into what might bbe drudgery. It should, therefore be regularly employed. “In the early years, dramatic play is solitary and the small spontaneous groups that may develop among children four or five years old are short-lived. Even when children have reached the stage of acting stories they often prefer individual play in which each is a hero or plays each character in turn, to the discipline of a group. There is a paratle! development in the contribution made by speech, At first the play is expressed predominantly through movement; monologue and snatches of conversation and comment result ftom the ‘movement rather than stimulate it. The older the children the more coherent the group, the bigger becomes the part played by dialogue, though even children of eight and nine are often more concerned with what they are than with what they are saying, and represent characters by posture, gesture, facial expression and incident and only subordinately by speech. When language is used by children who have thrown themselves into a part, itis often, if terse, very much to the point and when children are playing stories which have moved them, vivid language from the story may overflow into the play. Before they leave the primary school the abler children may be anxious to script their parts on special occasions, and some children will be wri ‘complete short plays."* The stages of play acting may be indicated as under: (@) Inthe nursery class it is imitating elders: dressing like father and mother, preparing and having a meal, so that provision of some clothes for dressing, chairs, tables, toys, engines, motor-cars is sufficient material for play acting, It may be emphasized that pupils leam about life from their own homes and, therefore, play-acting will be in terms of what is done in their homes. 2. Children in the age group of $ to 6 like dressing up and like to use dramatic properties. Something, just some symbolic dress is enough, like a train for a queen, an apron for a nurse, turban and stick for an old man. Here again the play of children will be undirected, but where possible, group play should be stimulated, The teacher can help by tactfully making suggestions. The next stage may follow easily. 3. Pupils will enjoy miming a story (with a little speech here and there) which the teacher narrates. Sometimes speech may come spontaneously and this should be encouraged. Miming can form the basis of ‘working in groups and for discussions of what each child is expected to do. Charades may be introduced ‘as a means of group work. 4, This next stage is one of improvisation. An idea or a story may be suggested by the teacher and the children are helped to work out movement and speech themselves. Obviously, this sort of work will be undertaken towards the end of the primary school stage. At this stage children may like an audience but it is advisable to remember that the audience should be drawn from among junior classes. Adults wito do not understand the difference between play acting of the children and what is known, as the drama, should not be invited. In the final stages, where a small play is taken and performed, the children must be taught to speak well and move well. They can be helped to understand and appreciate "the part they are playing” and must ‘above ali be guided to subordinate the individual parts they are playing to the play as a whole, Finally, the role of the teacher in play-acting is vital. The teacher's taste will be reflected and imitated by the pupils. Many children who may not otherwise be too bright in class express themselves freely when they are play-acting, + From Primary Education (HMSO) 28