Helping Sen And Non-Sen Children Boost Their Confidence And Communication Skills Through Drama

What is a Sen child?

Special Educational Needs

Thank You

Biggest frusteation is that people think acting can be taught.

Liz Hurley spent three years studying dance and theatre at the London Studio Centre and she can't act at all.

I agree with you. My focus is more on how can the subject help children grow mentally, emotionally and how they can improve their social skills through Drama. Do you have any thoughts on that? Thanks x

A lot depends on age and outcomes.

I completely agree with you. Do you think Drama is going to help them? Is it going to make some of the parents' dreams come true by using the subject to help them improve their social and communication skills. I have worked closely with Autistic, ADD, ADHD children etc and I feel I can do more to help.

Are you currently working at a facility/school that educates SEN children?

Like I said, it depends on age and outcomes and you've not given me any.

I am a Drama teacher with 5 years teaching experience and have closely worked with SEN and Non-Sen students. Yes, I am working in a school in London.

If you're teaching a bunch of 8 year olds with SEN about social situations the lessons and objectives will be very different from teaching a bunch of 16year olds who will be putting on a show at the end.

So what is it?

I've taught Drama at KS3 and have a PGCE that includes Drama, and I don't want to waste my time on stuff that may be irrelevant.

And you're lucky because I'm one of the few English people on here.

So stop being so vague and say specifically what you want to do.

I am mostly focusing on primary school children between the ages of 5 and 10. The outcome is not to put up a performance but simply to help them grow and develop skills which they don't get to develop in other academic subjects such as Maths. So, yes social situations is more the end goal.
Hope this helps.

It does I haven't taught drama to children as young as that, but I have a son who is autistic and I spent time as a parent at his school.

I would start off with the fun element, lots of games like fruitbowl, stuff like that.

That should always be an element, usually 5/10 minutes but for the first few lessons I would just do that.

Travel is good, space, desert island, train journeys, they could role play that.

Fairy tales are quite good, theycan retell them and change them. I've used Little Red Riding Hood where different groups role play different characters to come up with what "really" happened.

You can always ask the children what they want, get them to do some "I wish" sheets, if you could change one thing about school home etc.

What they like/don't like about school etc.

Work dramatisations, shop, office etc. Who is doing what.

I used to get kids working 8n small groups then performing to the whole at the end.

Don't force them to perform if they don't want to, but reluctant kids are normally alright role playing in small groups without an audience.

Hope this helps.

Thank you so much for this Its brilliant.