Download CW 1 Case Study - Speech Bubbles

Clocks by
Ayomini
Main Question –
Why is Speech Bubbles’ sessions
effective for children with
communication difficulties?
History of Speech Bubbles: Founded in 2009, Partnership with
Southwark Pupil Development Centres
• Umbrella under London Bubble - 1972,– such as Glen Walford
and Peter Coe
• L.B - Formed to create, engage with and enjoy theatre work,
fulfilling their ideology to allow anyone to experience theatre.
• Main objective - theatre with communities, creating communities
through theatre and allowing their resources to be applied with
community stories
London Bubble funding –
annually
companies such as:
• Southwark council
• London Community
Foundation
- community projects and
therefore are whiling to
fund as London Bubble uses
community based work
different
strands of
London
Bubble
work:
Companies that fund Speech
Bubbles specifically
• SHINE - Support and Help
In Education
• The Mercers’ Company
- Education, therefore are
whiling to fund as Speech
Bubbles works with
education, communication
and listening skills
The Communication Trust evidence– From direct observation for children:
• 50% - children in areas of disadvantage – less developed speech and
language skills
Direct Response – Speech Bubbles creates for KS1 children, a
safe, playful environment to develop skills
Story Drama – Brings children to the centre of activities, allowing the use of
communication and listening – makes a comfortable and happy means of
bringing theatre to children
• Author – creating own stories
• Performer – engaging physically with the stories and performing the
stories
• Audience – watching and visually engaging with stories
WHO NEEDS THE DRAMA OF SPEECH BUBBLES?
From initial research brought by Speech Bubbles’ sessions over their
first few years – criteria has been structured in regards to children who
would benefit most from Speech Bubbles:
• Children who lack confidence in communication – whether that includes
children who are selectively mute and/or children with English as an
additional language
• Children who have difficulty organising thoughts and then communicating
them – which envelops children who may not respond appropriately to
what is being said
• Children who have poor attention and/or poor listening – Reflecting upon
children with low level of engagement within class-work and difficulty
developing positive peer to peer relations
• Children on some level of the Autistic Spectrum
From this framework – Speech Bubbles tailored sessions to
allow for processes that would build up lacking areas of
communication
Average Session of Speech Bubbles
Opening Activities - Hello
Game/Warm-Ups - Stop/go game,
Song, Name in the Bucket
mirroring and moving around as
something (Change for the story)
(Opening Activities Constant)
Gentle, welcoming and shared
with group –structured,
collaborative and fun
environment - taking turns and
comfortable environment
Core Activity, Story Making
(Using Story Square
structure)
Engage the children , sense of
ownership over their text
material – engaging with
exploratory talk, working
with story/narrative and
increasing verbal
communication
stimulating the children’s senses , pathway
from elements of the story to work on
individually
working positivity with one another,
listening and engaging with
communication
Closing activities –Wash off,
Barney Bear (Closing
Activities Constant)
Positive end to the session,
children to comment on what
they enjoyed and therefore
take away from the session
Take a story – similar to
opening story performed
HOW IS SPEECH BUBBLES EFFECTIVE?
In relation to my opening question
These 2013/2014 - Statistics taken from teachers who have experienced Speech
Bubbles workshops in the schools
- Statistics information acquired from Resource park and Website
89% of children showed improvement
in Learning, Speaking and Listening
with 22% showing striking
improvement
Improvements in
Learning,
Speaking and
Listening
• 90% of children showed
improvement in Emotional
Behaviour
Improvement
in Emotional
Behaviour
S.B - Brought its work to areas which statistically has low
education performances within the greater London area.
Information taken from Trust for London website
Trust for London, New Policy
Institute –
•
Boroughs such as
Greenwich and Lewisham
have some of the worst
education records in London
• By placing the work initially
in these areas it allows a
void to be filled in education,
opportunities for children
• Business - appeal to broad
range
HOW A WIDER FIELD OF APPLIED THEATRE WAS USED IN
RELATION TO CHILDREN
S.B - Applied the techniques of story-telling as
the foundation of the work
Techniques similar to Play-back theatre – allows a story
to be taken from a child, performed to an audience
• Differs – With fiction, fantasy,
• Excitement, Surreal and surprise
• No non – fiction confines, gives them freedom and no
wrong stories
Use of The Story Book
Methodologies relating to S.B workVivian Gussin Paley – storytelling,
communication
David Wood & Janet Grant: Theatre for
Children – fairy-tales
Dorothy Heathcote – Drama As Education
METHODOLOGY OF SPEECH BUBBLES - VIVIAN GUSSIN PALEY
• Vivian Paley - Former preschool teacher, pioneer of storytelling techniques
• Story format – reaction to challenges of isolation between child/teacher
relationship – main theory of “storytelling and acting are universal learning
medium”, her methodology is theatre and play for learning
• One – on – one teaching – building confidence – “Story table”(pp.21) structure
“Fantasy is a boundless topic that submits to no labels” (pp.19) – Fantasy, core of
Speech Bubbles, freedom
change in routine – “brings forth
tension and confusion” (pp.7)–
affecting children less developed in
comprehension skills – use of
timetable
Story table - Story
Square
notion of play, children are able
to explore – S.B ‘control play’,
time dedicated for exploration
• Tailoring games and activities
around stories – all aspects of
story addressed
Physical embodiment - children
become more engaged
working with all in
a safe, structure
environment
Others practitioners who use Drama for children
include – Dorothy Heathcote & David Wood
MYSELF AS A FACILITATOR
Previous experience I have before
Speech Bubbles:
• Workshop-based training –
Borders Youth Theatre
• Warm-up games, physical
activities
• Primarily with KS3 Years (11-14
and older)
• Working with children, family
Certain attributes related towards
Speech Bubbles work:
• Clear, simple instructions
• Repetitions to reinforce
• Physical sign for easy communication
• Reducing elongated or elaborate
language
What I have gained from being a facilitator
• Regarding employment - Knowledge on workshop techniques and setting up
children based workshops
• Working with less developed communication skills – presenting clear structured
plans, having positive attitude and friendliness
• Administrative aspects – creating, structuring and evaluating myself, evaluating
others – apply to own dramatic pieces or performances, concluding what
features worked or feel flat
• Personally – more confidence with working as a team, with others – children or
adults, make me more confidence as a person- like the children.
REFLECTING, ANALYSING AND EVALUATING
From Speech Bubbles facilitating – analysing and evaluating children in relation to
key speech language and communication needs
Facilitating structure allows evaluation to be recorded
After every session myself and Esha evaluate different attributes in the sessions:
• What exercises worked with the children/didn’t work and why
• Children were – receptive, attending and expressive
• Evaluate as facilitators and collectively with T.A supervisor
Evaluation forms opportunity to evaluate our
own work
assessing each section of the
structure provides a
stronger insight into the
methods we find most
comfortable to work with
the children.
SPEECH BUBBLES & PROFESSIONAL PLACEMENT
Key attributes that transfer over from Module class to work environment :
• Module requirements – constructed in professional manner – attendance,
punctuality, time-keeping
• Speech Bubbles work – arriving early, prepared work associated with precis
and blog entries, games and activities prepare and ready, items ready
• Presenting myself – dressed appropriative, respecting the room, friendly and
positive attitude
• Someone not only comfortable to work with but enjoyable
Placement experience – knowledge for further employment
Trought’s book
• Employability skills to companies – Speech Bubbles show skills in practical
context
• Cultural sensitivity – different children from different cultural backgrounds
• Leadership – leading children through games, activities , scenarios
• Positive attitude - positive, reassuring for children
• Interviews, examples of demonstrating skills – Speech Bubbles facilitating
PERSONAL REFLECTION AND BIBLIOGRAPHY
“In relation to the opening question, I believe that the sheer communication
engagement with the children through dramatic storytelling gives them a
sense of confidence and fulfilment that allows them to continue that need to
communicate outside the Speech Bubbles’ sessions, the facts and figures are
proof enough of its success but my involvement with these session has let
me see children wanting to communicate more”
Johnny Whiting - A.K.A me!!
Bibliography:
• Londonbubble.org.uk, (2015) Speech Bubbles | London Bubble Theatre Company.
Available at: http://www.londonbubble.org.uk/projectpage/speech-bubbles/
(Accessed: 10 November 2015).
• Londonspovertyprofile.org.uk, (2015) Overview of London boroughs | London's
Poverty Profile. Available at: http://www.londonspovertyprofile.org.uk/keyfacts/overview-of-london-boroughs/ (Accessed: 19 November 2015).
• Paley, V. (1990) The boy who would be a helicopter. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard
University Press.
• Speech Bubbles Resource Pack – Adam Annand
• The Story Book – created by J. Whiting (written by all)
• Trought, F. (2012) Brilliant employability skills. Harlow, England: Pearson.
• Wood, D. and Grant, J. (1999) Theatre for children. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee.