Search

MTSD210
Play Skills and Expressive Arts for Students with Disabilities

ECTS Value: 2 ECTS

Contact Hours: 10

Self Study Hours: 24

Assessment Hours: 16

 

Overall Objectives and Outcomes

Play and the expressive arts are key teaching tools when supporting and engaging with children and young people with disabilities. They provide a rich platform for social interaction and emotional expression, especially for those who have difficulties communicating verbally. They can also enhance the behavioural and psychological well-being and functioning of children and young people with disabilities. This module will examine how educators can employ a range of play skills and expressive art modalities, specifically, art, dance/movement, drama, and music to address motor, communication, psychosocial, cognitive and emotional goals.

By the end of this programme, participants should be able to:

Competences

a. Employ a range of play skills and creative art modalities to foster children and young people’s creativity and imagination, and allow them to express themselves authentically;

b. Develop play and creative sessions that establish pathways to communication and offer opportunities for self-expression;

c. Develop creative interventions that address learners’ individual motor, communication, psychosocial, cognitive and emotional goals;

d. Reflect, evaluate and assess the learners’ responses, reactions, and insights through their engagement with play and the range of expressive art modalities offered;

e. Respond and give effective feedback to learners on their participation and engagement in play/creative sessions.

Knowledge 

a. Understand the benefits of using play and multiple modalities of creative expression in an integrated way (such as using imagery, storytelling, play, art, dance/movement, drama and music) in various combinations to address the different needs of the children and young people with disabilities;

b. Develop an understanding of how the multisensory nature of play and the creative arts can:
            – stimulate the senses and promote sensory regulation,
            – support psychomotor development,
            – reinforce students’ sense of self,
            – foster meaningful interaction with others;

c. Recognise that play and the expressive arts can be tailored to an individual student’s responses, thus providing opportunities for nuanced expression and connection.

Skills

a. Apply knowledge on the benefits of using play and multiple modalities of creative expression to address the different needs of children and young people with disabilities;

b. Apply a combination of play and creative mediums so as to stimulate and encourage new behaviours, skills, expressions and emotions in students with disabilities;

c. Demonstrate knowledge of the various aspects of play and multiple modalities of creative expression and how to engage and stimulate children and young people with disabilities effectively through these expressive arts;

d. Communicate effectively with children and young people with disabilities through a combination of play and creative mediums;

e. Demonstrate knowledge of potential barriers when providing play and expressive arts opportunities for children and young people with disabilities;

f. Plan sessions to help children and young people with disabilities access and engage effectively in play and the expressive arts. 

 

Assessment Methods

This programme adopts continuous and summative methods of assessment including assignments, online tasks, reflective journals, projects and video presentations. For further details, kindly refer to the Teaching, Learning and Assessment Policy and Procedures.

Suggested Readings

Core Reading List

1. Marsh, Earline (08/01/1995). “Creatability: Creative Arts for Preschool Children With Special Needs by Fran Herman and James C. Smith (Book Review)”. American journal of art therapy (0007-4764), 34 (1), p. 26.

2. Look Who’s Talking: Using creative, playful arts-based methods in research with young children by Blaisdell, Caralyn; Arnott, Lorna; Wall, Kate ; Robinson, Carol. Journal of early childhood research: ECR, 03/2019, Volume 17, Issue 1

3. Smith, Sheila Dorothy (06/15/2012). Sandtray play and storymaking : a hands-on approach to build academic, social, and emotional skills in mainstream and special education (1-84905-205-0, 978-1-84905-205-4).

4. Perich Carleton, Jessica Perich (01/01/2012). Story drama in the special needs classroom : stepby-step lesson plans for teaching through dramatic play (1-84905-859-8, 978-1-84905-859-9).

5. Tomlinson, Jo (09/15/2011). Music therapy in schools : working with children of all ages in mainstream and special education (1-84905-000-7, 978-1-84905-000-5).

6. Vaitkevičienė, Asta (12/2016). “The specialist qualities of implementing an art education curriculum for learners with special needs from the teachers’ standpoint”. SPECIALUSIS UGDYMAS / SPECIAL EDUCATION (2424-3299), 2 (35), p. 39.

7. Nordoff, Paul, and CliveA Robbins. Music Therapy in Special Education, Barcelona Publishers, 2006. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral-proquest com.ife.idm.oclc.org/lib/insedumaebooks/detail.action?docID=4617361.

 
Skip to content