A critical investigation into whether Year 8 students’ learning about poetry can be made memorable through a drama-based approach

Abstract

The change to linear GCSEs means large demands are placed upon students’ memories, making it vital that teaching and learning is memorable. The action research reported here explores whether teaching through a drama-based approach can make basic aspects of poetry (i.e. the content) memorable. The investigation was undertaken with Year 8 students from a mixed 11-18 comprehensive school in East Anglia. Findings suggest that whilst students initially could not remember poetry they had previously read or studied, it seems drama could make learning about poetry memorable as students were subsequently able to recall both basic and more advanced ideas about the studied poems.