Holistic Development of Children through Drama & Classic Literature

Holistic Development of Children through Drama & Classic Literature

Award-winning educator William Yip’s session is crafted to empower teachers to use drama as a pedagogical tool to reveal deeper insights within classic children’s literature. This approach not only enriches the understanding of literary works but also promotes the holistic development of children by nurturing their social, emotional, cognitive, and creative abilities through the integration of drama into the learning process.
September 2, 2024
by SDEA

Award-winning educator William Yip’s session is crafted to empower teachers to use drama as a pedagogical tool to reveal deeper insights within classic children’s literature. This approach not only enriches the understanding of literary works but also promotes the holistic development of children by nurturing their social, emotional, cognitive, and creative abilities through the integration of drama into the learning process.

About the workshop

Objectives:

  1. Equip teachers with strategies to help students explore and express emotions through character study and role-play, developing empathy and emotional awareness. 
  2. Guide teachers in using drama activities to build students’ communication, cooperation, and conflict-resolution skills in a collaborative setting. 
  3. Train teachers to encourage creative expression and critical thinking by interpreting and performing different roles and scenarios from literary texts. 

Learning outcomes:

By the end of this training, teachers will be able to: 

  1. Design and implement drama-based lessons that promote the holistic development of children. 
  2. Create an inclusive and supportive classroom environment where every child feels valued and encouraged to participate. 
  3. Facilitate activities that nurture emotional intelligence, social skills, creativity, critical thinking, and cognitive development. 
  4. Inspire students to engage deeply with classic literature, transforming it into a dynamic and relevant part of their educational journey. 

Teachers will leave the program equipped with the knowledge and skills to use drama as a powerful tool for holistic learning, helping students grow as confident, empathetic, and creative individuals.

Suitable For:

  • Drama Educators 
  • Speech and Drama Educators 
  • Primary School (and above) Language and Literature Teachers 

The Facilitator: William Yip 

Musical Theatre Director / Drama & Musical Theatre Education Trainer 

William is a veteran theatre director as well as experienced in the educational drama field from Hong Kong.  

Since 1997, he has been a drama educator and consultant at various schools, universities, government departments, arts and social service organisations.  

Since 2003, he has developed a variety of educational drama programmes in over 200 local schools in Hong Kong. His "Learning English through Drama" curriculum was published by the Oxford University Press and adopted by the Hong Kong Education Bureau for its teachers’ training programme in 2009.  

In 2015, William moved to the mainland China, where his leadership and connections took him to more than 30 cities in the mainland, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chongqing, Qingdao, Nanjing, Hangzhou, and many more. He has also been interviewed by a variety of major media press.  

Since 2018, William has been leading a project in collaboration with Teach for China and Linmon Pictures to promote education equity in rural areas through educational drama programmes. 

This workshop will be conducted in English and Mandarin.

This workshop is organised as part of SDEA's 'Drama in Curriculum SG' campaign.

Drama in Curriculum SG

In response to a parliamentary question by NMP Usha Chandradas (see here in full) , The Ministry of Education stated that they will “continue to review how drama can be used in schools to support the holistic development of students”.

Drama is vital and empowering. It builds confidence, curiosity, and cultivates empathy and understanding. It equips young people with the tools to navigate a divisive and ever-changing world, enables more active learning and nurtures social and emotional well-being. Drama creates more holistic and inclusive leaders for the future.

Currently, art and music education are provided for all students in primary schools and at the lower-secondary level. We believe drama should be a part of that too, for the holistic development of not just students, but all future Singaporeans. In line with this, we launch the campaign "Drama in Curriculum SG" to advocate for Drama Education to have a greater presence in Singapore's primary school curriculum.

Support our campaign, share your thoughts and find out more about #dramaincurriculumsg on the campaign page here!

If you require any support, please contact projects@sdea.org.sg.