As the Digital Theatre+ team wraps up for the year, we're looking back at everything our community has accomplished in 2024. From embarking on our first DT+ professional development courses, to hosting the likes of Theatre Director Emma Rice, we've loved having the chance to chat with the experts – and to share this journey with you all.
The DT+ platform has also seen plenty of exciting updates. With the launch of our Study Units and Interactive Playtexts, our education resources continue to give teachers an edge when it comes to engagement in the classroom (and there's still time to explore the platform for yourself!).
With all this in mind, here are the top 10 pieces of content from DT+ in 2024...
1. Teaching Shakespeare: 5 Practical Activities to Engage your Students
Topping our 2024 list of the best teaching resources is this quick-to-read blog sharing five fun Shakespeare activities you can use to make lessons more accessible and engaging.
These activities work for all levels of learners and age groups, and are a great way to get your students to look past any initial yawns or eye-rolls that come when you first mention the name 'Shakespeare'.
2. Teaching Tragic Heroes: On-Demand Professional Development
The first instance of professional development on this list, our Teaching Tragic Heroes course saw a panel of experts examine tragic literature's best-known 'heroes': from the titular characters of Macbeth and Antigone, to The Crucible's dynamic protagonist, John Proctor.
Sharing tips for enhancing literary analysis, including the ever-important need for 'Compare & Contrast' work, this course is now available on-demand, and totals 2 hours of credited professional development.
After completing this course, 55% of attendees said they would change their approach to teaching character. Find out why they're making these changes by signing up today.
3. Devising Theatre: Top 5 Exercises for your Classroom
Devising theatre is perhaps one of the trickiest skills for a drama student to master – but also one of the most fun. It requires playfulness, a sense of adventure, intense collaboration, and a willingness to try, fail, and try again. It's also an essential skill, as the majority of curriculums require students to create devised work as part of their qualification.
In this top blog, we've shared 5 devising ideas and exercises to spark creativity in your drama classroom, and to get your students inspired and motivated to create their own work from scratch!
4. Digital Theatre+ Study Units
This year, we introduced new functionality to the Digital Theatre+ platform to promote more efficient and effective lesson planning. Study Units are curriculum-aligned, time-saving spaces complete with ready-to-go tools and content for your classroom.
In simple terms, Study Units provide you with structured variety: each unit is organized for students who are 'getting started', 'building on the basics', or who are ready for a 'deep dive'. Each unit includes a diverse range of educational resources, giving you complete flexibility to build your best lessons yet.
Study Units are available for Middle School, High School, and Higher Education educators. Learn more in this blog, or book a demo to see how this feature could support your teaching needs.
5. Directing Theatre Fearlessly: In Conversation with Emma Rice
Our final webinar of 2024, we were thrilled to host Theatre Director Emma Rice for a Higher Education-focused webinar. In conversation with theatre educator and practitioner, Lisa Peck, the pair discussed:
- Directing Practice
- The Creative Process
- Influences & Emma's Career Journey
Emma also shared her advice to young creatives, and what she would do if she was starting out all over again. You can watch this full conversation on-demand here.
Emma Rice is the proud Artistic Director of her company, Wise Children | © Steve Tanner
6. How to Create a Social Contract for your Classroom
Classroom management strategies are a must for any teacher – and setting up a social contract is a great example of how you can foster an engaged and focused learning environment. In this blog, former educator and DT+'s Head of Theatre, Alesha Tatum-Howe, shares her tips for creating a strong social contract with your classroom, and keeping the chaos controlled for once!
7. Top 10 Icebreaker Activities for Getting Back in the Classroom
The perfect blog to bookmark for the new year, these icebreaker activities are the perfect way to warm up your classroom after a few weeks away (and our list even includes a holiday-based class starter!).
Fostering key skills in collaboration, creativity, and confidence, these exercises will help you to focus your students, build ensemble, and create a safe space for your students.
8. Technical Theatre Essentials: On-Demand Professional Development
Our first professional development course tackled the world of technical theatre essentials, from lighting and sound to costume and make-up. Joined by tech theatre experts BK Goodman and Aileen Zeigler, over 600+ educators joined us for six weeks of bite-sized learning, culminating in 4-hours of credited professional development.
91% of attendees would recommend this course to a fellow educator. Sign up today to unlock your free, on-demand access to Technical Theatre Essentials!
9. Digital Theatre+ Interactive Playtexts
Just like our Study Units, 2024 also saw the arrival of a new exclusive tool: Interactive Playtexts!
Educators have long spoken about the journey from page to stage – and that idea has new resonance with these playtexts, which allow users to access a fully-annotated theatrical text. In each playtext, key scenes or lines of dialogue are linked to these exact moments in multiple filmed productions.
These digitally enhanced resources act as the next step for previous plug-and-play worksheets or guides, and our current offering includes a number of frequently studied texts, including:
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10. The Digital Theatre+ Winter Wrap-Up
This year, we invited educators to celebrate the end of the year with free access to the entire DT+ platform, and 12 free gifts – including high-quality resources, prizes, and more.
The Winter Wrap-Up may be over, but you can still unlock one of these exclusive resources. Let us know what you'll be teaching in 2025 in this short survey, and get a free Resolution Worksheet (with Middle School and High School variants) for your class!
Top 10 Theatre & ELA Resources of 2024:
- Teaching Shakespeare: 5 Practical Activities to Engage your Students
- Teaching Tragic Heroes: On-Demand Professional Development
- Devising Theatre: Top 5 Exercises for your Classroom
- Digital Theatre+ Study Units
- Directing Theatre Fearlessly: In Conversation with Emma Rice
- How to Create a Social Contract for your Classroom
- Top 10 Icebreaker Activities for Getting Back in the Classroom
- Technical Theatre Essentials: On-Demand Professional Development
- Digital Theatre+ Interactive Playtexts
- The Digital Theatre+ Winter Wrap-Up