Drama for Everyday Life Program

The Drama for Everyday Life Program assists children, adolescents and adults in developing appropriate social skills and self confidence.  Students commence with a tailored private program before moving into small group classes.  All sessions are tailored to the needs of the individual student.

Secondary Program - Areas Covered

Using role plays, work sheets and improvisation exercises, the program covers the following areas:

• Social skills: This covers the standard social skills secondary students use regularly in everyday life. It includes conversation skills; joining in and leaving conversations; greetings and farewells, manners and appropriate use of personal space.
• Relationships: This area of the program takes standard social skills a step further by learning how to make and maintain friendships. This includes developing such skills as inviting a friend over; how to accept/decline an invitation.
• Non -Verbal Cues: Students learn how to recognise other’s emotions through non-verbal cues, such as, body language, facial expression and tone of voice. This area of the program also covers how to respond to others' feelings, for example, appropriate ways of reacting when your friend has won an award.
• Self Confidence: Students learn how self confidence is expressed through body language, facial expression and voice. By increasing self awareness, students can be more confident in expressing themselves.
• Creativity: Students are encouraged to develop different solutions to social scenarios, such as, what to do when three friends want to different activities.

Private Sessions
Private sessions are vital in laying the groundwork for group lessons.  By working one to one with a teacher, students are able to develop their skills with a positive role model.

Students commence with a ten week program consisting of one private session each week, with home activities.  After an initial consultation with the instructor, goals are set for the student's program. Programs are tailored to suit the needs of the individual, so if there are specific issues that parents/carers or students would like addressed, they can be included.   It is recommended that students complete a minimum of ten private lessons, however if there are specific issues to be addressed, a longer time frame may be beneficial.

Instructors provide parents/carers with regular feedback.  This includes weekly verbal feedback at the end of each class and written checklists at the completion of the term.

Group Sessions
After completing private lessons students are prepared to apply their skills in a group setting.  Regular attendance at group lessons provides an excellent opportunity for students not only to learn to new skills, but also to build friendships within class.  Parents/carers and students are welcome to suggest any issue that they might be currently dealing with so instructors can include these in the program.  Instructors provide written checklists at the end of each term.  Great care is taken in matching students to the appropriate group setting.

In addition to the weekly group classes, students are provided with regular home activities.  It is recommended that students continue group sessions for a minimum of one year, though they can continue indefinitely.  The program grows with the students.