The Bamboozle Approach Online

*How to engage learning disabled students and keep them interested*

This new series of online workshops shares key elements of the methodology that has been developed by Bamboozle practitioners over the past 25 years of working with learning disabled children and young people.

“The Bamboozle Approach has been liberating! I feel I have now got the freedom to teach the children in the way they need to learn. I would like to explore the approaches further and develop these in the coming term. I have been surprised at how simple it is to adapt an existing topic/idea into a Bamboozle-style activity. The progress of the children has been wonderful to see and the opportunities we have had to allow them to contribute have been much more. Thank you!”  Class Teacher, Lady Zia Wernher School.

Our work is often described as ‘magic’. But it isn’t. It is the rigorous application of our beliefs, principles and strategies. These can be taught. We share our Approach with parents, carers, teachers and theatre practitioners in the UK and across the world – from Shanghai to Sydney; Malta to Melbourne; Sweden to Singapore. Sharing our Approach with practitioners and educators enables more and more disabled children to experience the highest quality theatre and creative education practice as well as explore their capacity to interact meaningfully with the world around them.

This introductory series covers four key areas of Bamboozle’s unique practice

Session one:

• An introduction to the Bamboozle Approach
• Creating an Enabled Space – a practical demonstration of how to put a group at ease and enable its members to engage
• Praise – a discussion about the effects of praise and alternative ways to give value
• Discussion and Q&A

Session two:

• A practical demonstration of how to use a character to build an interactive narrative
• Looking at how children and young people can be involved in shaping the narrative
• Ways of developing the narrative to include different workshops and activities
• Discussion and Q&A

Session three:

• Exploring ritual – a practical demonstration of a ritual
• Developing ritual as a tool for enabling engagement, valuing children and young people and celebrating their achievements
• Ways of adapting ritual to use in a variety of scenarios for a variety of purposes
• Discussion and Q&A

Session four:

• Free exploratory play – creating a controlled environment in which children can explore freely and on their own terms
• How child-initiated engagement and interaction can be developed
• Adapting free exploration into more structured learning
• Discussion and Q&A

These 90 minute sessions give you the opportunity to watch demonstrations of techniques in practice and to spend time in discussion with some of Bamboozle’s most experienced practitioners. The course will give you ideas for creative learning sessions as well as behavioural and linguistic techniques and strategies that you can apply in your practice immediately.

Dates & times:

Dates for this course were due to be in February 2024, but unfortunately we are not currently able to offer this course. Please keep an eye out for future dates and email natalie@bamboozletheatre.co.uk with any enquiries.

Fees:

For schools and organisations – £167.00 per person for the four sessions which includes reference sheets on the techniques and strategies covered.

For individuals and freelancers – £87.00 per person for the four sessions which includes reference sheets on the techniques and strategies covered.

Signing up for the online series

To register for the course please contact natalie@bamboozletheatre.co.uk.