Getting pupils to engage and participate in group and class discussions in the secondary English classroom is a difficult and often undervalued teaching skill. Drama offers obvious opportunities, but Teaching Talking 1 shows that it's not just set-piece performances that can help. A Year 7 class at Swanlea School in East London have been collaborating to devise unscripted pieces as missing scenes from a stage version of 'The Demon Headmaster'. Their teacher, Sangeeta Sharma, helps them to work logically and methodically to agree criteria for a good performance before they finish preparing their pieces. The class then use these same criteria to reflect on and evaluate their own and each other's performances and a vote for best piece. Sangeeta is a recent PGCE graduate and the lesson is observed by John Yandell, one of her former tutors at the Institute of Education. Together they watch a video recording of the lesson and discuss key moments, opportunities and issues.

Video Series: KS3-4 English
Release Date 2005