Saying it with Sounds
The aim of this workshop is to explore how one communicates feelings/moods and expressions by sounds alone, and not words, both individually and even more importantly collectively. The goal then, is to show just how much of how we understand others -what they are saying and how they are saying it - depends upon not what we say, but the non-verbal sound expressions that accompany it. (And how others respond to those expressions).
The workshop is designed to be flexible, and have two core activities, with (depending upon time) an optional third element.
In the first part the group is divided into teams of around six individuals. Each group is given a selection of feelings (anger, or affection or fear), and each member of the group has to communicate the feeling, using sounds alone, whether a ‘humph!’ for pride or an ‘ugh!’ for disgust, a sigh for sorrow, a growl for anger etc.. Each participant is then encouraged to think of a feeling/mood of their own, and express it in sounds, to the other members of their group, and see if they recognize what the feeling is meant to be.
In the second part of the workshop each group is given a very common situation (for example - being hungry, then eating; or being bullied; or coming to school), and asked to work out a series of sounds which describe this occasion. Once they have three series of sounds, they will perform these sounds to the other group, who will be invited to wok out what is happening…
In the final (optional) part of this workshop, each group will be invited to arrange a small drama using their original selection of moods. They can arrange these moods any way they want (and so create their own back stories), performing their own tableaux to the rest of the group.
The workshop coincides with the following Keystages:
Key Stage 1:
Citizenship and Personal education
1,2 & 4 (developing confidence, active citizenship, and developing relationships)
Art and Design.
1 &3 (exploring and developing ideas, Evaluating and developing work)
Science
2b, 2f& 2g (using first hand experience, exploring using the senses, and communicating what is happening).
Key stage 2:
Key Stage 2: Citizenship and Personal education:
1a. 4 a, b, c&d (talking about opinions, developing good relations and respecting differences).
Art and Design:
1a& 3a and b (using imagination, comparing work with others, and adapting it)
Science
1a, 2b (thinking creatively about how things work, and deciding what sources of information to use)
It is designed to fit in with the broader cross curriculum requirements for creativity, and overall ‘values and purposes’.
Is it suitable for children of 7 and up (with older groups being given more complex moods). Its shorter version would last 1 hour, and its expanded version could last up to 90 minutes.
It poses no more risk than a usual classroom situation.