A
unique Continuing Professional Development Residency for Teachers with a
partnership utilising the experience and skills of both the Theatre
Company Blah Blah Blah and Leeds TiE, funded by Arts Council England.
The CPD work will support and inspire teachers to use
creative approaches towards literacy in their classrooms by:
- Joining us in the rehearsal room and getting an insight into how professional theatre-makers develop and restructure a text into a series of interactive drama sessions
- Taking part in delivering the work to their children using many drama techniques such as: teacher in and out of role; open questioning; freeze frame; narrating; location mapping and sound tracking
- Using teacher learning diaries to log their own progress throughout the project which is used in a final evaluation, pinpointing the skills that have transferred
- Working with two highly experienced professional actor/facilitators, teachers will be able to take risks in safe and supported sessions with their classes.
Children involved in the Oliver Twist Now project will
experience:
- Three dynamic participatory drama sessions immersing them in the underworld of Victorian London
- Building up the story together will give the children a purpose to develop speaking and listening skills
- Being challenged to think more deeply as we practically explore the story takes children through the process necessary to achieve higher order thinking skills
- Seeing their teachers learning alongside them
Two teachers commented on how CPD work (with Silas Marner as the text) positively impacted on their literacy work with their classes:
The children have been instantly engaged with the text. It’s quite a difficult text for them, but they’ve got really into the sub plot and have a much deeper understanding. They can see the story is multi-layered.
I’m more confident to use whole class drama. I will use the techniques in other story telling sessions…I’ve never done anything where I felt so involved, participating and taking a role. Loved it. Still buzzing.
This work aims to raise the confidence of both pupils and teachers, and the experience can be used as a starting point for quality writing exercises. It will be especially beneficial to schools prioritising writing, speaking and listening skills.
Availability: Dates by mutual agreement.
Target age group: Years 4, 5 or 6 – two classes per school of maximum 30 pupils each.
Commitment: Initial shared INSET / Rehearsal day for all teachers involved. Project takes place over four weeks with the INSET in week one. Sessions one and three will be delivered by two actor/facilitators alongside each class teacher. Session two will be delivered by the teacher.
After the final session, teachers attend a twilight evaluation session led by the company.
Cost: £1,500
To request further information or to book dates, please contact:
Cas Bulmer, Tour Organiser at the Theatre Company Blah Blah Blah on 0113 274 0030 or email cas@blahs.co.uk
Target age group: Years 4, 5 or 6 – two classes per school of maximum 30 pupils each.
Commitment: Initial shared INSET / Rehearsal day for all teachers involved. Project takes place over four weeks with the INSET in week one. Sessions one and three will be delivered by two actor/facilitators alongside each class teacher. Session two will be delivered by the teacher.
After the final session, teachers attend a twilight evaluation session led by the company.
Cost: £1,500
To request further information or to book dates, please contact:
Cas Bulmer, Tour Organiser at the Theatre Company Blah Blah Blah on 0113 274 0030 or email cas@blahs.co.uk
