Wednesday, 7 March 2012

My Questions ?????

Whilst working in a special needs school in Berkhamsted I have become extremely interested about Occupational Therapy, otherwise known as O.T. The development process within these children with special needs and sometimes just Dyslexia or Dyspraxia can be phenominal and I would really like to do some work on making it more globalised. With that in mind I don't just mean Special needs schools.

I think Occupational therapy could work vey closely with Drama, using it for frustration and anxiety before a play or performance to try and focus their minds.


I would think about asking such questions like:

  • Have you ever undertaken an Occupational Therapy 'Research Project' before?
  • Would it be feasible to work on the children's development in close detail?
  • How benificial is the work for the children and does that depend on each child?
  • Would I be able to use Occupational therapy before a performance to try and focus thier minds?
  • Are there any books that would be helpful to be looking at in this process?
  • Do you have any thoughts and ideas on the sorts of ways that we can work with special needs children using drama?
Thanks for taking a look and any feedback is welcome.

3 comments:

  1. Hi Alice
    Your idea sounds great. I think it would be really rewarding working with people with special needs, especially using something you are passionate about to help them.
    Have you thought about how you would go about researching? Creating a group where you could observe how different methods help different groups of people of different individuals?
    Emily

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  2. alice - we talked about brain gym (http://www.braingym.org.uk/) for children - but these questions are more focused.

    Have you ever undertaken an Occupational Therapy 'Research Project' before?

    you are doing practitioner research within an inquiry - subtle difference here - you can add elements from your jobs (paid and uppaid) and other training you are undertaking - OT seems to have connotations of health science http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/details/default.aspx?id=284

    an example of an OT project I found

    Howard, A Study to critically evaluate creative 2006/08
    (30557380) arts activities within current
    occupational therapy practice in
    mental health


    Would it be feasible to work on the children's development in close detail?

    Yes but you will want to link this to your own training in inclusive drama - adding to your knowledge and understanding but using that as a base - others like Corinda and Natasha are looking at some of the therapy aspects of dance/performing arts - you may want to discuss some of these ideas with them. I think using theories from occupational therapy would also be appropriate. You will be working in education using some of these theories - is that right?

    How benificial is the work for the children and does that depend on each child?

    You might want to plan to look at an intervention with the children - you mentioned planning some movement activities with the children - you could also observe other practitioners in occupational therapy roles and compare these to your training and experience at your school and the Chickenshed

    Would I be able to use Occupational therapy before a performance to try and focus thier minds?
    Yes - think this through - think about the ethical implications - if it allows them to better the experience that would be helpful

    Are there any books that would be helpful to be looking at in this process?

    You need to start looking for literature - both form profesisnal and academic sources and perhaps form education policy sources - only 3 pieces for this Module - but looking at the areas that you can look into - like Occupational Therapy - drama therapy - inclusive practice -


    some samples

    http://www.alisonkelly.org/about_myself.html

    http://autism.about.com/od/improvingsocialskills/a/dramatherapy.htm

    http://www.reading.ac.uk/internal/staffportal/news/articles/spsn-255067.aspx

    http://www.channel4.com/programmes/young-autistic-stagestruck

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  3. Hi Alice
    Just had a scout through your work. These all look good from what im seein im just starting out asking the question which you r. How did u decide on the questions you was going to ask? as there are so many questions i want to ask but also i dont kno who i am asking the questions to.
    But it looks like your doing brilliantly and i was really iunterested when reading your work
    jojox

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