How does the use of repetition, routine and ritual help young people with learning difficulties to accumulate and retain knowledge?
Repetition, routine and ritual are very important to the majority of young people at St Giles Special School. Not only does this provide structure in school life, it helps students understand and cope with the interactive world.This Creative partnerships project between Dance Equation and St Giles School explores how the development of creative workshops, using numeracy based themes can build on the principles of repetition, routine and ritual as a method for accumulating knowledge for the young people.
Central to the project's direction and development are the school's Teaching Assistants. Dance Equation will work on a weekly basis with the TA's building mini themed performances to deliver in the classroom setting, dancer and TA working together as a delivery team. There is also opportunity for elements of the workshops to be repeated with the young people at lunch time on the playground, increasing the use of 'Repetition, Routine and Ritual'. The core topics covered are: Number, Shape and Direction.
Each interactive workshop is evaluated on a weekly basis and the responses of teaching staff, pupils and practitioners used to develop subsequent workshops; referencing and refreshing past learning while building in new concepts. Regular planning, evaluation, consultation and input between teachers and artists, develops an effective creative learning team for delivering engaging performances and activities for children with special needs.
At the heart of every new idea is particular focus on minimalism in both movement and teaching. This concept is born from Rebecca's observations of the many similarities between teaching and performing, and how these practices can inform one another. By focusing on physical elements of these principles, learning becomes guided by movement rather than speech, generating a new form of kinaesthetic learning.
In developing and delivering the programme of constructive learning together with the TA's the school gains a fresh programme of learning which can be moulded and tailored to individual classes and children's abilities. School staff receive tools and confidence to expand this work beyond the duration of the Creative Partnerships project.
Through involving Teachers, Teaching Assistants midday supervisors and students, Dance Equation provides a scheme of work to develop and share ideas across the entire school.
New skills introduced and embedded through routine, ritual & repetition.
Confidence increased and pupils able to cooperate and work together in teams.
Pupils are more accepting of new ideas & activities.
They are actively involved in continuous joint planning, challenging their professional practice.
They have begun to tackle the new curriculum using creative approaches.
Teachers continue to plan creatively using generated resources, which are gradually expanded.