Workshop 1

Name game

We started off the session by getting to know everyone through a name game. In this game, everyone stood in a circle and we would go around the circle saying our names, something we like and use an action to accompany this. Everybody in the circle would then repeat this action. For example, I said "My name is Jack and I like cars" etc. I think this was a successful and simple way to introduce ourselves to them and for us to learn their names. In addition, this is fun for them as they feel included and proud when they say their name or perform an action. Furthermore, we are able to learn about their interests. This builds a starting point for conversation and makes it easier for us to get to know them. This game also builds their confidence by creating a welcoming and non- judgemental environment for them to work. We are able to see their confidence and their ability, both vocally and physically, through this game. However, some of them may not like to be the centre of attention or to have suddenly have pressure on them straight away, so it might be difficult for them. In addition, it is a hard game for those who cannot speak, therefore they might feel upset of left out during this game.

Pass the gurn

In this game, we stood in a circle ad passed around a 'gurn', this gurn was made up of a large movement and a silly noise. Each person in the circle would pass this gurn around until it went the whole way round the circle. We then repeated this with even more energy to help them come out of their comfort zones and have a lot of enthusiasm in their energy. This helped them come out of their shells and made them feel comfortable in front of everyone. This is very good as they feel less reserved and ar more willing to be a part of the workshop without feeling self-conscious or embarrassed about what they are doing. Furthermore, it allows us to see how confident and willing they are. The down side to this is that it may have made some of them feel uncomfortable and may have made them feel even more shy because they didn't want to be 'weird' in this activity.

 Chats/water break

This was a great chance to get to know everyone and create personal relationships with them. This helped us build up trust by creating a friendly environment. It was great to get to know them and see what they are like as people and what hobbies/interests they have so that we could relate to them and find something to talk about. In addition, we could get feedback from them to find out what they enjoyed most, what they didn't like and what they would like to be included in other workshops. This helps us work around what they want, therefore making workshops that are better suited to them that they will enjoy. Finally, it was a chance for everyone to get to rest because the workshop had been very tiring and we didn't want to push them too hard or make them too tired.

Pointing game

In this game, we all stood in a circle and had to raise our heads and point at someone else in the circle. If two people both pointed at each other, they were out of the game. In my opinion, this game might have been boring for them as they prefer to be more active rather than just standing around. Furthermore, it might have been quite confusing as the rules are quite vague and it isn't always clear who was pointing at who. However, this helped improve their concentration and focus. This meant we could see how easy it would be to teach them and how well they take on instructions. Moreover, it helped us find their competitive edge and their determination to be good at something.

Musical statues

I lead this game during the workshop and I believe this was very successful. It was the only game that everyone seemed to be fully committed to and they enjoyed it thoroughly. They had a lot of fun and it was a chance for them to show off their favourite moves and their dancing ability. We would then be able to incorporate this into our final performance. It was interesting to see the different levels of skill they had and to see who was most enthusiastic and most physically able. We found out who would be the best dancers in the final performance. I believe that I did very well in leading this game as my instructions were clear and simple. Also, I made sure that I was approachable and frienly to them at all times in order to make them feel welcome.