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Speech Bubbles
11 Southwark schools are doing Speech Bubbles this year, that will be a year long initiative for over 240 young people in KS1 to develop positive communication skills. Last week we had the first training day for drama practitioners and school staff who will be delivering the work with the young people. The day included information about the Pupil Development Centre initiative, a session on "attending and positive behaviour support" opportunities to experience the Story Drama approach and a chance for all the partners to get to know each other.
In Lewisham we are continuing the good work that was started with the three year "Speak Out" project with work that includes the development of a training package with the Speech and Language Therapists.
speech bubbles
parents information meetings starting this week in the 11 sSouthwark schools. Now all the practitioners are eagerly waiting to meet their groups of children - then the fun can begin.
a practitioner told me..
Some feedback from a speech bubbles session this week
On session one the boy slept in the soft corner, and refused to leave the room after his groups session, so he stayed and slept/peeped at the second group play during their session. On second two, the boy sat next to the learning mentor and watched, not joining in, claiming to be sleepy but sitting, unmoving, responding by smiling and laughing at the proceedings of the session. By the time we had gotten to session three, the boy was fully engaging, getting up to play, giving me his best small Billy Goats Gruff walk. Another boy, who only every whispers at school, spoke loud enough to be heard right across the circle. It is only session three
in speech bubbles i saw
a boy who is a selective mute, communicate clearly his role in a story, the answer to the question and how happy he felt in the drama - communicating yes, yes, yes
parents sessions
we are at that point in the term when Speech Bubbles sessions invite the parents in - it can be really satisfying especially when we get the tone right and the parents join in the drama activities and really experience what their children are up to. Speech bubbles is going from strength to strength, and, over the next few weeks we are running training for southwark schools as well as a seminar at the Institute of Education
parents sessions 2
Parents session feedback
Child A's dad Including parents in the drama is very good, a very good ice breaker
Child B's mum seeing how the children use their imagination is is very good
Child C's mum my son is talking about the drama at home a lot of the time
Child D's dad I think it's really good, my son is usually quite shy but he really did a lot today
parents session 3
Child A's mum this is great she wouldn't normally have so much to say and she plays the feelings game at home now she pulls a face and says what feeling is that? She also took part in class assembly
Child b's dad great that he is getting a chance to develop his confidence like me he doesn't talk much, rather let someone else speak for him, I'm glad he's doing it
Child c's dad its great they look really comfortable with the stuff you are doing, my girl talks about it all the time
training
we are running a seminar on the Speech Bubbles approach to small group drama at the Institute of Education on friday of this week and on wednesday of next week we have a training here at the bubble for KS1 drama. If you would like to know more about these training opportunities themn please post here or e mail me on adam@londonbubble.org.uk
Institute of education
Very interesting training seminar today at the Institute with teachers and local authority representatives from across london. as part of the session they devised some lovely stories
extracts
"...she looked in her fridge and saw the bones she had meant to make soup from staring back at her..."
"...one cold and frosty Sunday morning a brave and naughty boy was out wandering aimlessly along...."
"... the four armed, seven eyed monster from planet Zog who;'s spaceship crashed into the cave of the misunderstood witch..."
"...Lady Elspeth Lucinda Grey re-entered the castle having just spent the night pillaging from the poor..."
"Me and my shadow where hiding in the darkest part of the castle..."