Through working in both Drama and forms of Art Therapy with students and young adults living with Autism or social anxieties I have come to understand the importance of using Drama and the arts as a means for learning in various subjects and life skill areas. Accomodating students in times of evaluation through the use of developping listening skills, social skills and ways of communicating feelings and points of stress in their lives. Students with Autism often experience periods of sensory or emotional overload where performing a task like reading to themselves becomes a challenge. Using Drama as a resource to incorporate the book into a read aloud session or group skit helps foster an environment of social inclusiveness and support and encourages the student to be more independent. Using performative techniques with the class combined with moments that promote meaningful learning and discoveries through group learning and turn taking allows the student to strengthen many life skills essential to the basic foundations of deeper learning.
Using Drama and characterization with students who face learning obstacles and challenges works not only to strengthen the child's imagination and sense of possibility but opens the students eyes to seeing things through various perspectives. Understanding this core concept is a crucial step to understanding language and a sense of empathy. Forming basic groundwork and aiding the child to understand and better relate to the world around them, assess the challenges the child faces through these practical activities can help guide the teacher how to further accomodate for subject areas involving deeper thinking.
http://www.ncca.ie/uploadedfiles/P_Mild_Drama.pdf
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