1. CW 1 Case Study - Speech Bubbles
By Johnny Whiting
Clocks by Ayomini
Main Question –
Why is Speech Bubbles’ sessions effective for children with communication difficulties?
History of Speech Bubbles: Founded in 2009, Partnership with Southwark Pupil Development Centres
Umbrella under London Bubble ,– such as Glen Walford and Peter Coe
L.B - Formed to create, engage with and enjoy theatre work, fulfilling their ideology to allow anyone to experience theatre.
Main objective - theatre with communities, creating communities through theatre and allowing their resources to be applied with community stories

2. different strands of London Bubble work:
London Bubble funding – annually
companies such as:
Southwark council
London Community Foundation
- community projects and therefore are whiling to fund as London Bubble uses community based work
Companies that fund Speech Bubbles specifically
SHINE - Support and Help In Education
The Mercers’ Company
- Education, therefore are whiling to fund as Speech Bubbles works with education, communication and listening skills
different strands of London Bubble work:

3. Speech Bubbles – Why it was needed?
The Communication Trust evidence– From direct observation for children:
50% - children in areas of disadvantage – less developed speech and language skills
Direct Response – Speech Bubbles creates for KS1 children, a safe, playful environment to develop skills
Story Drama – Brings children to the centre of activities, allowing the use of communication and listening – makes a comfortable and happy means of bringing theatre to children
Author – creating own stories
Performer – engaging physically with the stories and performing the stories
Audience – watching and visually engaging with stories

4. Who Needs The Drama of Speech Bubbles?
From initial research brought by Speech Bubbles’ sessions over their first few years – criteria has been structured in regards to children who would benefit most from Speech Bubbles:
Children who lack confidence in communication – whether that includes children who are selectively mute and/or children with English as an additional language
Children who have difficulty organising thoughts and then communicating them – which envelops children who may not respond appropriately to what is being said
Children who have poor attention and/or poor listening – Reflecting upon children with low level of engagement within class-work and difficulty developing positive peer to peer relations
Children on some level of the Autistic Spectrum
From this framework – Speech Bubbles tailored sessions to allow for processes that would build up lacking areas of communication

5. Average Session of Speech Bubbles
Opening Activities - Hello Song, Name in the Bucket (Opening Activities Constant)
Gentle, welcoming and shared with group –structured, collaborative and fun environment - taking turns and comfortable environment
Game/Warm-Ups - Stop/go game, mirroring and moving around as something (Change for the story)
stimulating the children’s senses , pathway from elements of the story to work on individually
working positivity with one another, listening and engaging with communication
Core Activity, Story Making (Using Story Square structure)
Engage the children , sense of ownership over their text material – engaging with exploratory talk, working with story/narrative and increasing verbal communication
Closing activities –Wash off, Barney Bear (Closing Activities Constant)
Positive end to the session, children to comment on what they enjoyed and therefore take away from the session
Take a story – similar to opening story performed

6. How is Speech Bubbles Effective?
In relation to my opening question
These 2013/ Statistics taken from teachers who have experienced Speech Bubbles workshops in the schools
- Statistics information acquired from Resource park and Website
89% of children showed improvement in Learning, Speaking and Listening with 22% showing striking improvement
90% of children showed improvement in Emotional Behaviour

7. Where was Speech Bubbles needed?
S.B - Brought its work to areas which statistically has low education performances within the greater London area.
Information taken from Trust for London website
Trust for London, New Policy Institute –
Boroughs such as Greenwich and Lewisham have some of the worst education records in London
By placing the work initially in these areas it allows a void to be filled in education, opportunities for children
Business - appeal to broad range

8. How a Wider field of Applied Theatre was used in relation to Children
S.B - Applied the techniques of story-telling as the foundation of the work
Techniques similar to Play-back theatre – allows a story to be taken from a child, performed to an audience
Differs – With fiction, fantasy,
Excitement, Surreal and surprise
No non – fiction confines, gives them freedom and no wrong stories
Use of The Story Book
Methodologies relating to S.B work-
Vivian Gussin Paley – storytelling, communication
David Wood & Janet Grant: Theatre for Children – fairy-tales
Dorothy Heathcote – Drama As Education

9. Methodology of Speech Bubbles - Vivian Gussin Paley
Vivian Paley - Former preschool teacher, pioneer of storytelling techniques
Story format – reaction to challenges of isolation between child/teacher relationship – main theory of “storytelling and acting are universal learning medium”, her methodology is theatre and play for learning
One – on – one teaching – building confidence – “Story table”(pp.21) structure
“Fantasy is a boundless topic that submits to no labels” (pp.19) – Fantasy, core of Speech Bubbles, freedom
Construction examples based on Methodology
notion of play, children are able to explore – S.B ‘control play’, time dedicated for exploration
Tailoring games and activities around stories – all aspects of story addressed
change in routine – “brings forth tension and confusion” (pp.7)– affecting children less developed in comprehension skills – use of timetable
working with all in a safe, structure environment
Story table - Story Square
Physical embodiment - children become more engaged
Others practitioners who use Drama for children include – Dorothy Heathcote & David Wood

10. Myself as a Facilitator
Previous experience I have before Speech Bubbles:
Workshop-based training – Borders Youth Theatre
Warm-up games, physical activities
Primarily with KS3 Years (11-14 and older)
Working with children, family
Certain attributes related towards Speech Bubbles work:
Clear, simple instructions
Repetitions to reinforce
Physical sign for easy communication
Reducing elongated or elaborate language
What I have gained from being a facilitator
Regarding employment - Knowledge on workshop techniques and setting up children based workshops
Working with less developed communication skills – presenting clear structured plans, having positive attitude and friendliness
Administrative aspects – creating, structuring and evaluating myself, evaluating others – apply to own dramatic pieces or performances, concluding what features worked or feel flat
Personally – more confidence with working as a team, with others – children or adults, make me more confidence as a person- like the children.

11. Reflecting, Analysing and Evaluating
From Speech Bubbles facilitating – analysing and evaluating children in relation to key speech language and communication needs
Facilitating structure allows evaluation to be recorded
After every session myself and Esha evaluate different attributes in the sessions:
What exercises worked with the children/didn’t work and why
Children were – receptive, attending and expressive
Evaluate as facilitators and collectively with T.A supervisor
Evaluation forms - opportunity to evaluate our own work
assessing each section of the structure provides a stronger insight into the methods we find most comfortable to work with the children.

12. Speech Bubbles & Professional Placement
Key attributes that transfer over from Module class to work environment :
Module requirements – constructed in professional manner – attendance, punctuality, time-keeping
Speech Bubbles work – arriving early, prepared work associated with precis and blog entries, games and activities prepare and ready, items ready
Presenting myself – dressed appropriative, respecting the room, friendly and positive attitude
Someone not only comfortable to work with but enjoyable
Placement experience – knowledge for further employment
Trought’s book
Employability skills to companies – Speech Bubbles show skills in practical context
Cultural sensitivity – different children from different cultural backgrounds
Leadership – leading children through games, activities , scenarios
Positive attitude - positive, reassuring for children
Interviews, examples of demonstrating skills – Speech Bubbles facilitating

13. Personal Reflection and Bibliography
“In relation to the opening question, I believe that the sheer communication engagement with the children through dramatic storytelling gives them a sense of confidence and fulfilment that allows them to continue that need to communicate outside the Speech Bubbles’ sessions, the facts and figures are proof enough of its success but my involvement with these session has let me see children wanting to communicate more”
Johnny Whiting - A.K.A me!!
Bibliography:
Londonbubble.org.uk, (2015) Speech Bubbles | London Bubble Theatre Company. Available at: (Accessed: 10 November 2015).
Londonspovertyprofile.org.uk, (2015) Overview of London boroughs | London's Poverty Profile. Available at: (Accessed: 19 November 2015).
 Paley, V. (1990) The boy who would be a helicopter. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press.
Speech Bubbles Resource Pack – Adam Annand
The Story Book – created by J. Whiting (written by all)
Trought, F. (2012) Brilliant employability skills. Harlow, England: Pearson.
Wood, D. and Grant, J. (1999) Theatre for children. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee.