Doing Theatre at School: Effective and Fun Learning

Introduction: The theatre arts within the school curriculum has sparked a growing interest in schools as they have unique qualities that can help teachers propose teaching methods and strategies to train subjects who are able to identify their feelings in social contexts, but also a way to attract students’ attention and at the same time have an enjoyable and entertaining learning experience. Research Aim: The aim of this research was to evaluate the effectiveness of using the arts within curricular learning through a literature review. In addition, a questionnaire was administered to primary school teachers in Taranto, Italy, and its province, on the validity of the use of theatre at school. Evidence-based Facts: The experience of theatre in education enables students to explore help-seeking options. Even apart from explicit learning, it is evident that engaging children and young people with the arts can have a positive impact on their mental health and well-being. Summary: Encouraging varied activities should be considered a cornerstone for incorporating theatre practice into the school learning program, as it appears to be not far removed, in terms of education, from the school needs of the pupils themselves. The teachers interviewed themselves turn out to be, in this sense, still very restrained and tied to curricular activities to the detriment of the implementation of training interventions that are essential and geared to enhancing different skills.