Research Findings: Recommendations for Pedagogy
As Associate Partners, the University of Leeds were involved throughout the project, evaluating the impact of the project on the dancers and pedagogical practice. A presentation of the findings can be found here. Here is a summary of the research findings and recommendations for pedagogy it highlighted.
Key Challenges, Impacts and Benefits
Individual and focus group interviews were conducted with all participants, across all companies, alongside observations of practical training sessions. These identified key challenges that were generally faced by individuals with additional learning support needs (ALSN), and the impacts and benefits of the dance activity. Feedback was extremely positive and many challenges mapped positively onto the benefits.
Psychological Challenges
Experienced negative emotions
Low/negative perceptions of self
Struggled with change
Often overloaded by information which impacted processing time and concentration
Psychological Benefits
Enjoyment of dance/positive and pleasurable experience
Positive/improved perception of self and increased confidence, self-esteem, self-acceptance, pride
Growth mindset – Rising to challenges, changing outlook/rigidity, positive self-talk, goal-setting, readiness to embrace change
Internal processing/navigating of emotion
Meaningful activity/providing a sense of purpose
Social Challenges
Found it difficult to create and form social connections and relationships
Negative attitudes to adults with additional learning support needs
Had experienced poor accessibility to activity and non-inclusive environments
Difficulties with communication and expression
Issues with travel to the dance sessions
Social Benefits
Found it easier to create and form social connections and relationships: relating and interrelating
Experienced positive attitudes to adults with additional learning support needs
Experienced an inclusive and supportive environment where they felt visible
Found that communication skills and ability to be expressive improved
Cultivation opportunities
Health and Physical Challenges
Movement and coordination could be difficult for some individuals
Found conserving energy difficult- tired easily
Found aspects of movement and activity painful
Overeating and Weight Management – Found weight management difficult
Health and Physical Benefits
Fostering Physical Improvements
Improving physical activity levels
Locomotion
Elevation/jumping
Energy-energising
Learning new things and skills
Improved posture and alignment
Strengthening (core, arms, ankles)
Balance
Flexibility
Dynamic shifts/dynamism in movement and qualities
Weight loss, management and muscle tone
Fostering Awareness and Knowledge of the Body
Providing dancers with a more detailed embodied understanding of, awareness, and connection to, their bodies
Discovering and opening physical capabilities/ expanding movement vocabulary
Pedagogical Recommendations
The following areas were identified as being important in terms of good pedagogical practice. The recommendations listed below are suggestions that practitioners may wish to use or refer to as part of their on-going development.
Teaching strategies
Favoured teaching strategies were those that:
* Had potential to develop and grow
* Could be layered, built up, and can build in complexity
* Offered a multiplicity in interpretation, approach, entry points in a singular activity
* Moved away from exercise into dancing i.e. not perfunctory or formulaic, became exploratory
* Can become choreographic, improvisatory, involve partner work etc
* Have a simple idea/starting point
* Exercises that build week on week with subtle shifts in focus/foci to shift dancers orientation/navigation/experience of exercise/concept
* Allow dancers space/time to respond to, connect, and engage with a task on their own terms, and source their own intrinsic motivation to do so.
Feedback
Across all groups (dancers, tutors and parents) feedback and how it was delivered was considered an important aspect of good pedagogical practice. This included how dancers were spoken to and the importance of variety in terms of how feedback was given.
The following are aspects of good practice that could be considered:
* Giving clear feedback after, not during the activity
* Giving feedback to dancers as equals in the dance process
Giving feedback in a variety of ways
Giving individual (very important) and group feedback
* Engaging the dancers in giving feedback to each other
Health and Physical Aspects
Numerous health and physical benefits were identified as a result of engagement in dance. The following are aspects of good practice that could be considered:
* Ensure that sessions are physically challenging and that there is a progression over time and on an individual basis
* Use appropriate terminology to describe movement
* Use appropriate terminology to describe muscles and joints
* Encourage dancers to challenge themselves physically
* Comment on individuals’ physical improvements
* Talk about the health benefits of exercise and activity
Time spent focusing on ankle strength/conditioning was identified as a key route into improved balance/stability and elevation for dancers.
Individuality
Treating dancers as individuals and ensuring that each dancer was considered as an individual was important. This included allowing independence, choice, and giving dancers time to practice alone as well as within the group.
The following are aspects of good practice that could be considered:
* Consider how you differentiate within the session so that all dancers have both access and opportunity
* Be patient – allow dancers to explore movement, make mistakes and experiment
* Give clear instructions
* Consider use of voice/non-verbal communication/who demonstrates movements and when
* Allow each dancer to be the star at some point during the session (however this must have integrity)
Professionalism
Treating the dancers with respect and providing practice and structure that mirrored a professional dance group gave the dancers integrity and made them feel valued. The context of where the classes took place (in professional dance studios) boosted confidence and was motivating as they perceived they were valued to the same extent as professional dancers.
The following are aspects of good practice that could be considered:
* Have high expectations of the dancers as you would with a professional dancer
* Talk to the dancers about their professional responsibilities as an individual dancer
* Talk to the dancers about their professional responsibilities as a group
Psychological Aspects
Dancers with ALSN face a range of psychological challenges and involvement in dance clearly brought many benefits and helped the dancers grow in terms of confidence and self-esteem.
The following are aspects of good practice that could be considered:
* Set goals for the dancers but also encourage them to set their own goals
* Involve the dancers in the planning of the session – ask their views on what works and what does not
* Be positive and encourage the dancers to be positive to each other
* Give time for reflection
* Encourage the dancers to be active in the process
* Encourage the dancers to record or verbalise what they have achieved
Social Aspects
The social challenges faced by adults with ALSN are extensive and varied. It is clear that the social benefits that the dancers experienced through engagement in dance were very positive and the importance of this cannot be underestimated. The sense that dance created opportunities, was supportive and inclusive, enhanced social confidence and positive interactions was supported by the dancers, tutors and parents.
The following are aspects of good practice that could be considered:
* Ensure that the sessions are fun or have some aspect where the dancers can relax and laugh together
* Think carefully about how you group dancers – consider how pairings might facilitate social interaction
* Allow and encourage dancers to work together and coach/teach each other
* Plan activities that facilitate social interaction
* Allow dancers to lead
