Richard Burbage, a teacher with a great deal of experience with PMLD (Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties) and autistic students, is here to talk to us about his work and also to teach us some basic Makaton that will be helpful for the cast to communicate with their audience. Makaton is based on simplified sign language and is intended to help those children who have communication difficulties. Richard talks about the enormous variety of students in special schools and how there is often a crossover between those with PMLD and those with autism. Many of his students struggle with spoken language because it is so ephemeral. A sign or a symbol can really help a child to focus on the meaning of what is being communicated. Students often respond well to rhyme and repetition so poetry could also be useful. Students have a better chance of understanding patterns or language with a very clear, simple, straightforward structure.
Some autistic students are better at communicating through visuals than sound. This is not to say that they do not hear sound or appreciate music or rhythm, it’s just that they have difficulties making sense of the intonations of ordinary speech. Autistic students may have difficulty in understanding the connection between speaking and listening. They also struggle with the social aspects of language so it is important to be very clear about what you’re communicating or they may become confused. They may use spoken language in quite a stereotypical way and find it hard if a conversation goes outside of a fixed framework. We discuss how it’s like going to France when you speak a little bit of French – you might be fine asking a question but you don’t know how to respond to the answer because it’s incomprehensible!
Also autistic students may interpret language quite literally, for example with expressions such as it’s raining cats and dogs. Or find it hard to read facial expressions and body language. Because the world is so confusing for them, they take great comfort in routines and may become fascinated by repeated movement such as spinning a wheel. They find it hard to filter out sensory stimuli so may become distracted or not focus on what is the priority from the other person’s point of view. They have difficulties with social delineation of space. So for example would find it very difficult to pick a spot to stand in an open hall unless given some kind of marker.
Many students will be familiar with the pool in their school. It’s important though to think about how sound echoes in pools or the distraction of lights playing on the water. Even the smell of the pool could be disturbing. A theatre company coming in is obviously a change of routine and this may be unsettling for some students. On the other hand it can be a way for them to experience change and creativity in a safe environment. Unlike real life, the outcomes of a drama are controlled and predictable!
The advantage of the repeat visits of ‘Pool Piece’ is that it will give students a chance to adjust to the experience of the show. It’s a good idea to always speak to students on their level, rather than towering over them, and to be aware of their need for space. Each student is different and therefore their responses will be different. Tim talks about how with previous shows, staff have enthused about what a powerful and immensely valuable experience having Oily Cart in has been because students who struggle with communication have been able to express themselves in new and surprising ways. Autistic children can be very introverted and unlikely to play with others but Oily Cart shows them that people can be interesting and fun to interact with and this motivates them to engage and communicate. The highly individual approach of Oily Cart means that students are involved in the process of the drama itself and the show is tailored to their interests as it goes along.
Makaton can be useful for students with hearing loss but also for autistic students who find it easier to visualise. The signs are based on actual actions and logically make sense so are quite easy to learn. Richard talks us through useful signs for the show such as water, wet, towel, finish, more, less etc.
After Richard’s talk, we have a music rehearsal with the gamelan gongs (there are two instruments – one of five large gongs and the other with twelve smaller gongs) and a drum. Max and Gong (Cathy) play the gongs while other cast members sing in overlapping voices in a loop that is gentle, relaxing and welcoming.
In the afternoon, we go to Livity School where we’re rehearsing in the pool. The first challenge is trying to sink Sponge’s treasure chest, which seems determined to float! The chest is lit inside and there are also lights placed in the water. When everything is set up, the children arrive. After all the talk of the show being something they might need to adjust to, it’s a pleasant surprise how instantly they seem completely relaxed and are all smiles. Far from hesitating to get into the water, one little girl only looks anxious when she has to get out! Each child is brought round by a cast member and their carer and introduced to the rest of the cast. Sponge squeezes his giant sponge and smaller sponges are used to gently massage the child. Didgeridoos are played as well as long pipes to blow into the water. One little boy seems to really enjoy blowing into a long plastic pipe to make bubbles in the water. There is also a jacuzzi that makes the water bubble.
After a short break, myself and Amanda, the designer, take the place of students for the next part of the rehearsal. We lie partly on rafts made of white floating balls and are gently pulled around the pool. Gong has small floating gongs in the water that she plays for us. We are taken on a winding water dance, which rapidly increases with speed followed by water drumming and pouring with bowls. Bubbles blows bubbles while Sponge makes farty noises by squeezing his hands together. We splash and flick the water while music plays. The whole experience is incredibly relaxing and fun – sort of like a cross between a five star hotel spa treatment with massage and playing in the bath when you’re five years old! After we’ve had showers, we sit in the garden and Tim gives notes and discusses how the next day will be. The sun is shining and I feel thoroughly chilled out and happy to have had the chance to experience some of the Oily Cart magic for myself. During the course of the day, I’ve written some poems around the idea of using sound and repetition which I’ve pasted below.
