Drama in Education uses the term facilitator when referring to the role of the teacher. This term expresses a pedagogical attitude – that of making it possible or easy for the participants to create/take part/engage. This attitude can be broken down to some central elements relating to how the facilitator perceives the participants of the lessons. Participants of the lessons: 

• Hold specific experience and knowledge about what it is like to be a human being. This knowledge should be taken seriously and offered a platform to share. 

• Should be seen as partners in exploring and creating meaning.

• Have been socialised into a particular set of experiences (at home and in school) of what is expected of them. They need to build trust towards new educational forms explored with them. 

The use of language is central in achieving these aims. The next sections reflect in a little more detail on this. 

Alexander (2006) also identifies five main types of classroom talk of which the following three are important:

• Instruction/exposition (teacher–class, or teacher–group or teacher–‐individual): giving learners information or explanations,

• Discussion (teacher–class, or teacher–group or learner–learner): sharing ideas and information and solving problems,

• Dialogue (teacher–class, teacher–group, teacher–learner or learner–learner): building a common understanding through structured questions and purposeful discussion.

These types of talk feature heavily in any drama learning environment and considering them in the creation of dramatic exploration is key. In addition to this, talk is important, as it acts as a bridge to written language, which is particularly true when oral tasks require students to make their meanings clear to their listeners, where they need to consider not only what they want to say but how to say it. Implicit within this is the notion of cognitive development and the important role of speech in attaining a goal. As talk and discussion are interactive processes, it means that both learners and teachers play a significant role in developing both oral skills and cognitive thinking. 

The second pillar of dialogic pedagogy involves questioning. Neelands (2004) asserts that “Drama is a questioning medium. It seeks to disturb, extend or change our understanding of who we are who we are becoming”. Methodologically speaking, drama can be used as a form of questioning in which potential realities can be discussed, explored and challenged. Ultimately, in doing this one is forced to consider who we are by looking at the ‘other’ in a particular context. Questions are the tools to do this and indeed are a fundamental part of democracy. 

Questions can be used to clarify, infer, probe, challenge, or to provide a reality check and it goes without saying that different questions stimulate a variety of responses from those being asked. Primarily questions in drama fit into two distinctive places: open questions, ones that open up discussion and do not require a predetermined answer; and closed questions, which often contain a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answer. However, questions are more than this and the question you ask in drama will often determine the shape, direction or flow of the dramatic exploration. 

For example, you may ask pupils to/for:

• List: What does democracy need? What is the point? What are the features of democracy?

• Specific information: Where does democracy exist? When did democracy begin?

• Reveal processes and feelings: How do you feel about freedom? How can we show that?

• Test potential: Could we lose democracy? Could you imagine an alternative?

• Moral/ethical judgement: Should we respect everyone’s point of view? 

• Explanation: Why is democracy important? Why do some people have more power than others?

Being mindful of the types of questions we ask and the purpose of them is important. To strengthen this, however, it is not just about asking the questions but also about listening to the response. Often learners will offer a response based upon their prior cultural and/or social experience. It is vital that the drama teacher listens to this.