English Teacher's Drama Handbook

Nicholas McGuinn has trained teachers of English and Drama for twenty years and is an Honorary Fellow in the Department of Education, University of York, UK.

"This is a scholarly, coherent and compelling book. McGuinn is assured and eloquent, despite finding himself straddling both subject camps. At times he is frustrated and regretful at the long history of well-intentioned dysfunction that characterises the relationship between drama and English – subjects that appear so paradoxically similar and alien. At other times McGuinn’s imagination, enthusiasm and expertise in both pedagogies convince you that the experience of drama and English for students would be significantly enhanced by recognition by their teachers of both the common ground and the distinct opportunities offered by the two subjects." -Teaching English, Mike Connell, NATE Drama Committee

• Part 1: Influences and Issues 1.Introduction 2. Early Influences: Rousseau and Froebel 3. Emancipation from Situational Constraints: Piaget and Vygotsky on Play and Drama 4. To Feel with Her Senses Awake: The Legacy of Finlay-Johnson, Caldwell-Cook and Hourd 5. A High Art Form in its Own Right: Peter Slade and Child Drama 6. From Noun to Verb: Growth through English or Development through Drama? 7. Entering the Secret Garden: An End to Romantic Child Centredness? 8. Daring to Speak Its Name: National Curricula and the Current State of Drama Part 2: Applying Theory to Practice 9. Introduction: Working with the Practical Activities – To the Teacher 10. Where Do You Stand? Exploring Your Own Ideological Position 11.From Private to Public Space: Exploring the Art Form of Drama 12. From Phoneme to Word Level 13. Working with Text: Poetry as an Example 14. Teacher in Role: The Department Store 15. Working with Play Texts: Shakespeare as an Example