Just Playing the Part': Engaging Adolescents in Drama and Literacy

By Christopher Worthman

Focusing on the transformative power of the creative arts process, Christopher Worthman offers readers a new way of thinking about literacy development and specifically the teaching of writing. In this groundbreaking ethnography, he describes and analyzes the writing development of a group of teenagers involved in a unique community-based teen theater project. Rich with theoretical as well as practical insights, "Just Playing the Part":

Explores the critical relationship of language and writing to movement, voice development, and dramatic interaction.Demonstrates how literacy use in a multimedia creative arts program influences the teenage participants' understanding of themselves and others.Offers a successful program for all students, especially "at-risk" teens, based on the power of the creative arts to stimulate academic and personal development.Contributes new research on out-of-school literacy programs.

Includes a script developed by the group and detailed descriptions of improvisational activities that can be adapted for use by other classes or ensembles

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0807742457
• ISBN13: 9780807742457
• Release Date: January 2002
• Publisher: Teachers College Press
• Length: 173 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.1" x 9.1"