These guidance sheets cover a number of versions of a strategy known as Role on the wall. This is a tried and tested strategy, that encourages pupils to think about different aspects of characters in fiction and non-fiction. It uses visual prompts and supports the writing of character sketches. It is also a useful route to discussion of texts and reading for meaning. It can be adapted for all ages and abilities, can be used in any classroom and requires few resources.

This is a practical introductory lesson to The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Anderson. It is structured to encourage the children to form an emotional connection to the quest, so they are motivated to read the book. The activities can be carried out in a classroom with a cleared space or in a hall.

This tried and tested resource describes a short, structured drama activity, designed to provide Y2/3 pupils with an audience and purpose for writing about Florence Nightingale. It is suitable for teachers and pupils with little or no previous experience of using drama for learning, but works best when pupils are part way through the topic.

This lesson is intended to support and reinforce ongoing work on basic punctuation, based on using mimes and visual prompts. Teachers using this approach have said that it helped pupils to visualise where the punctuation fits into a sentence, particulary in relation to dialogue. The work is divided into two lessons with the first being optional. Lesson one takes 10 mins and lesson two takes around 20 - 30 mins. It is suitable for years 2 - 6 , depending on the complexity of the sentences used.

This practical but structured lesson aims to provide Key Stage 2 with an opportunity to write play scripts of their own. This genre can be challenging to teach. Pupils often attempt to write full length plays, leaving little time to focus on quality and no time to test stage directions through performance. This lesson enables the teacher and pupils to focus on quality rather than quantity. It allows pupils to engage in a short but very structured drama activity leading to a performance. All pupils can contribute at some level.

These simple drama strategies are suited to primary age children who have read all or part of the story of James and The Giant Peach. They can be employed in a classroom with a cleared space. They are structured to engage children in the events of the story, so they are more motivated to reflect and discuss the book. The strategies also offer opportunities for writing.

This guidance by Larraine Harrison lists a number of ways in which a teacher can use hot-seating and offers tried and tested advice on how to use it in the classroom.

This is one of a series of Write Back letters on narrative poems published by Larraine S Harrison in 2008, designed to offer a context for writing in role. It consists of an imaginary letter from solicitors acting for the parents of Albert (who was killed by the Lion in the poem Albert and the Lion) to the children in role as eye witnesses. Plus guidance on how to use this as a drama lesson to stimulate writing in role. Imaginary contexts like this can increase engagement for writing and provide a variety of audiences and purposes.

This practical resource is for primary teachers seeking creative ways teach reading for meaning. It describes a simple but effective and fun way to encourages children to read at greater depth and to interrogate texts. It can be adapted to suit all ages and can be applied to a range of literary and cross-curricular texts.

This guidance outlines how freeze-frames and related strategies can be used to teach aspects of English and other cross- curricular subject areas. It provides step by step guidance on how to use these strategies in the classroom.

These tried and tested ideas are for teachers of Years 2-6 who want to create a meaningful context for pupils’ writing. These imaginary contexts appeal to pupils’ innate desire to play, but they also provide opportunities for pupils to write in a range of genres and for different purposes. Making use of some basic drama strategies, these lessons are designed to motivate pupils to write with engagement.

This simple but effective practical strategy has the potential to serve many learning outcomes. It develops children’s speaking and listening skills, offers a practical approach to mathematics and aspects of science curriculum and can be an excellent way of introducing a history topic based on a community such as The Great Fire Of London. It can also be used in Book Weeks as children meet and greet each other as different characters from books.

A fun and practical way for parents or carers to help primary age children retell familiar stories and create their own story sequence by identifying key points. Needs only simple equipment such as sticky notes, pens and a ruler. This helps children understand story structure and symbols to identify key points in a story and develops their speaking skills.