Overview

A dramatic activity where students prepare and perform a characterisation from a text extract. Students annotate the text with performance notes — posture, movement, voice, inner thoughts — then rehearse and perform in pairs or small groups. A reflection task afterward asks students what they learned about the author's portrayal of the character. This targets the "sixth sense" of empathy.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Distribute a text extract featuring a character with strong emotions, motivations, or conflict.
2. Students annotate the extract with performance notes: How would the character stand? Move? Speak? What are they thinking but not saying?
3. In pairs or small groups, students rehearse a brief performance of the extract, focusing on embodying the character.
4. Groups perform for the class or for another group.
5. After performing, students complete the reflection: What was easy? What was difficult? What did you learn about the character that you didn't notice before?

Tips

• This works especially well for texts with strong first-person narration or dialogue-heavy scenes.
• Some students may be reluctant to perform — allow pairs to perform just for each other if needed.
• The reflection is essential: the performance is a means to deeper understanding, not an end in itself.

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