Students with special needs are especially affected by the lack of social-emotional skills. One of the issues is that many disorders, namely autism, affects the portion of the brain that helps children learn and understand social cues. It may be extremely difficult for many students with special needs to learn and behave in a socially productive manner. Another issue for children who physically appear different, act different, or are placed in special classrooms within even an inclusive school is often isolated from typical education peers.

What is Creative Drama?
Creative drama is an improvisational, non-exhibitional, process-oriented form of drama, where participants are guided by a leader to imagine, enact, and reflect on experiences real and imagined. The creative drama takes children’s natural world, creative play, and develops it further, using theatre techniques, to create learning experiences which are for the participants. Drama specialist, Brian Way states in Development Through Drama, “Theatre is largely concerned with communication between actors and an audience; Drama is largely concerned with experience by the participants.”
Creative drama is a very effective tool to include a disadvantaged groups because it is a discipline in which the sense of respect and empathy between individuals are developed and the principles of ethics, equality, and respect for differences are exercised. Furthermore, the integration of the disadvantaged group with the other group and the development of social, physical, emotional, language skills of the disadvantaged children are the one of the basic aims of creative drama. Self-confidence development, healthy communication and trust within the group, and the development of individual self-expression skills can be easily supported by creative drama.

Creative Drama for Pupils with Special Needs
Students with special needs are especially affected by the lack of social-emotional skills. One of the issues is that many disorders, namely autism, affects the portion of the brain that helps children learn and understand social cues. It may be extremely difficult for many students with special needs to learn and behave in a socially productive manner. Another issue for children who physically appear different, act different, or are placed in special classrooms within even an inclusive school is often isolated from typical education peers. One technique to help students develop social skills in a fun, stimulating environment is through drama and acting. There are many programs put together by parents, dramatists, and special education professionals to encourage this to help students. Teachers and parents can look for available programs in the community and get their children involved. Teachers can also incorporate drama into their lesson plans or as transitional activities to help foster social skills.

Objectives of the course

• Using drama tools in class as a teaching method
• Using drama tools as social inclusion tools
• Using Drama for Special Needs and Learning Differences
• Evaluation technics through drama activities
• Effective Communication through drama activities
• Intercultural experience

Do you organize accomodation, transportation and cultural visit?
Yes, we organize local transportation, hotel, food, cultural visit, and social activities. Please contact us about the details and the offers. We prefer to offer organization fee and the options when your project is granted by Erasmus Plus due to the fact that the cost is changing from date to date and the locations.

Can you organize a tailor-made course or a course for my group?
Yes, we do. Utopia has working fields like art, play, pedagogy, and other alternative methods. If your idea fits our vision and our resources we can propose you a tailor-made programme according to your needs. We create groups with a minimum of 6 participants. If you have 6 participants or more we can organize a course for you on the dates and location you prefer.

PROGRAME

Daily Activities: 09:00- 17:00  (6-hour training course)

DAY 1

• Welcome Activity – Pre-test
• Knowing Each other through Drama Games
• Trust Each other through Drama Games
• Team Building through Drama Games
• Introduction to Creative Drama

DAY 2 

• Energizers
• Effective Communication through Drama
• Drama as a Social Inclusion Tool  (Refugee Integration, Child Abuse, Child Labor, Special Needs etc.)
• Drama Games for special needs

DAY 3 

• Energizers
• Special Needed Children’s characteristics
• Basic Needs of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism, Down Syndrome, Dyslexia, Anxiety, Social and Emotional Problems
• Drama technics for development of emotional, social, cognitive and psychomotor skills

DAY 4 

• Energizers
• Learning Differences – Learning Styles
• Tips for Special Education teachers in Drama Activities
• Group Works

DAY 5

• Energizers
• Evaluation through drama technics – Protest
• Certificate Ceremony and Closure
• Cultural Activities- City Visit

* The programme will be designed according to the profile and needs of the groups.