Recently, my A-Level Drama students and I have been deeply exploring That Face by Polly Stenham, focusing on the character motivation, intention and actions that inform vocal and physical performance.
As I continue to embed the principles of Self-Determination Theory (SDT) into my teaching practice (thank you, Ned Glasier) I designed a collaborative task that encouraged autonomy, competence, and relatedness to motivate and engage students in their learning journey.
In our latest activity, we focused on Scene 4. Drawing inspiration from Stanislavski’s methods, I encouraged the class to take ownership of the analysis. Working together, they broke the scene into smaller units, each given a title that captured its main “event”. Using different coloured post-it notes for each character, students debated the key intentions of the characters within these units, expressing them as actionable verbs.
Autonomy: By allowing students to take control of the analysis, they were encouraged to develop and express their own interpretations of the characters’ motives.
Competence: Breaking the scene into manageable chunks helped students approach the material in a way that felt more accessible. This structure allowed them to focus on one unit at a time, building their confidence and strengthening their analytical skills without feeling overwhelmed by the complexity of the entire scene.
Relatedness: The task naturally promoted collaboration, as students worked together to share their insights and debated different interpretations. This dynamic helped them connect with one another and built a shared understanding of the scene’s emotional tension points.
We extended the analysis further by using these units as springboards for mini-tasks, such as performing a unit entirely through non-verbal communication.
After the collaborative work, students independently typed up their findings, creating a document for future reference and revision—reinforcing both their autonomy and competence throughout the process.
What stood out to me was how actively engaged the students were throughout the session.
As I continue to embed Self-Determination Theory into my teaching practice, I’m observing how these principles can transform the classroom into a space where students feel empowered, connected, and confident in their learning.
