Tom Godfrey ITI Istanbul, Turkey

At the 2025 IATEFL Conference, I presented a workshop that introduced participants to Forum Theatre as a powerful, embodied approach to tackling teachers’ real-life challenges. Drawing on the techniques developed by Augusto Boal (2002), the workshop invited participants to reflect on their experiences and reimagine possible solutions through physical and collaborative exploration.

I began by outlining my philosophy of embodied learning, which views teachers holistically as physical, mental, emotional, and social beings. In line with this holistic perspective, I argue that professional development should go beyond intellectual reflection to engage the body and emotions in meaningful ways. My interest as a teacher educator lies in reflecting on “action”—both in the classroom and in the wider context of teacher learning. Forum Theatre offers a methodology that allows educators to interrogate and reframe their experiences through performance, storytelling, and collective problem-solving.

Ensemble Building and Group Dynamics

The session began with three warm-up activities designed to build group dynamics and enhance focus as demonstrated in my video (Godfrey, 2004b). Participants stood in a circle and introduced themselves by saying their names aloud. We then moved into a more dynamic version of the name game: each participant crossed the circle to greet someone else with a high-five while saying their name. Once everyone had taken a turn, the sequence was repeated—this time faster, like a choreographed dance. We also performed a “Samurai Dance,” a coordinated group movement involving three symbolic gestures. These initial exercises helped to establish connection, playfulness, and mutual trust within the group.

Developing Listening and Awareness

We continued with activities designed to enhance listening and group awareness. In the “Clap Game,” participants passed a clap around the circle, maintaining a steady rhythm and staying attuned to the group’s flow. We also moved freely around the room, changing pace, freezing, and jumping in unison. These exercises built a heightened sense of self-awareness while fostering sensitivity to others—both essential foundations for ensemble-based group work and collaborative problem-solving.

Trust Building

Next, we worked in pairs to build trust. In one exercise, one person played the “blind” partner, closing their eyes and relying on their guide to lead them around the room using only a distinct sound. This activity heightened participants’ focus and awareness of space and sound, while also requiring mutual care and responsibility.

We then moved into an exercise called “Blind Magnets.” All participants closed their eyes and walked around the space. First, they were told they were repelling magnets—if they sensed or touched another person, they needed to move away. Then, with a shift in instruction, they became attracting magnets, joining with anyone they touched to form clusters. The shift from repulsion to attraction served as a metaphor for exploring connection, vulnerability, and community.

Engaging with Forum Theatre

Having established a sense of trust and cohesion, we transitioned into Forum Theatre work. We began by exploring still images. One participant stepped into the centre and created a frozen pose using their body. Others gradually joined, contributing their own poses to build a group tableau. I then invited the rest of the group to step into the image, choosing characters they felt drawn to. We explored the imagined voices, sounds, thoughts, and hidden desires of these characters, enriching the scene with layered perspectives.

Building on this, I asked participants to reflect on real challenges they faced as teachers. Each person embodied their challenge using a sound and shape. In small groups, participants shared their stories and worked collaboratively to dramatize one of the scenarios. These scenes were then performed for the wider group.

The heart of the Forum Theatre method lies in the moment of intervention. For examples of Forum Theatre view my video (Godfrey, 2024a). After watching the initial scene, audience members were invited to step into the drama, replacing the protagonist and trying out different strategies to resolve the problem. These interventions typically spark discussions, multiple perspectives, and opportunities to experiment with alternative responses.

Conclusion

The workshop demonstrated how Forum Theatre can provide a dynamic and reflective space for educators to explore their lived experiences. Through movement, storytelling, and collective action, participants gained insight into their challenges and experimented with creative solutions in a safe and supportive environment. Rather than offering prescriptive advice, this method encourages teachers to become protagonists in their collective stories—engaging body, mind, and heart in the ongoing process of professional growth.

References

Boal, A. (2002). Games for Actors and Non-Actors (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Godfrey, T. (2024a). Community Forums: A bottom up approach to Teacher Development [YouTube video]. https://youtu.be/6RtJsoUvFao
Godfrey, T. (2024b). Performative Pedagogy and Embodied Methods [YouTube video]. https://youtu.be/H8VoyPEilhE