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Pedagogy Focus: Mantle of the Expert

Pedagogy Focus: Mantle of the Expert

As part of our Pedagogy Focus series, we take a look at what the Mantle of the Expert entails, and how you can use it in the classroom

19th November 2018, 11:00am

Tes Editorial

What is Mantle of the Expert?

Mantle of the Expert is an approach that uses drama and inquiry to create meaningful and purposeful activities for learning. The method works by having the students take on the role of an expert team that is commissioned by a client - within a fictional context - to perform specific tasks that involve problem solving and dealing with a pre-designed situation.

The teacher also takes on a number of roles, including as a member of the team, to add tension and guide the students’ learning inside and outside the context. This is not a “discovery” approach, where the teacher sits back and observes, but one where the teacher guides and supports them along the way. It is important that students are aware from the outset that they are participating in a fictional context.

OK, so how and where did Mantle of the Expert originate?

Mantle of the Expert originates from a British educator called Dorothy Heathcote. It is an inquiry-drama-based learning approach that puts community at its centre.

It has been suggested that the name “mantle of the expert” alludes to the Polynesian people of New Zealand, the Māori tribe, and the korowai mantle that the wise members of the tribe wore in celebration of their knowledge. It may also refer to the “mantle of Elijah” passage in the Bible (2 Kings 2:11-14).

Heathcote developed the idea in her role as a drama teacher and was awarded an MBE for her work in education.

What would a Mantle of the Expert learning activity look like?

An example task might be students taking on the role of scientists and dealing with a dinosaur egg discovered on an uninhabited island. The teacher would begin by leading the creation of the island, and facilitate the learning by providing images of islands, habitats and geographical features.

The context would properly begin when the teacher gathers the students and tells them the story (but in a peer-to-peer tone rather than story time) and guides them on their learning task. Students are supported through various activities designed by the teacher to develop curriculum learning. The teacher then reflects on their work and introduces other steps, all the time guiding and shaping their journey.

How can I use Mantle of the Expert in my lessons?

There are lots of ideas and free resources here and from Tes resources here.

I want to find out more about Mantle of the Expert. What should I read?

For a book, first try A Beginner’s Guide to Mantle of the Expert, by Tim Taylor, and then Drama for Learning, by Dorothy Heathcote and Gavin Bolton, in which the approach’s creator explains her methods.

For a blog, try Tim Taylor’s blog on Mantle of the Expert. Here, he has many written examples and explains how he has used the method many times as a classroom practitioner.

For a research paper, try this from the University of Cumbria, on the effectiveness of Mantle of the Expert.

Grainne Hallahan has been teaching English in Essex for 10 years. She is part of the #TeamEnglish Twitter group and tweets from @heymrshallahan