Blog

Does the paper promote creativity, communication, confidence, inclusive oracy, and greater access to the arts?

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Through my work as a Speech Bubbles practitioner, and my work elsewhere at a Special Needs School, recognising feelings — both our own and those of others — is at the heart of teachers’ and practitioners’ work.  

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Safeguarding images of children

We have become increasingly concerned about the unregulated rise of Generative AI, in particular the safeguarding risks of children’s images being harvested and reused out of context. In the unregulated space there are also questions of ownership, once you post an image it seems that you lose control of it – and as our children become adults they might not want that! We have decided not to use any recognisable photographs of children’s faces on our website or marketing materials, However we still want to represent the joyful creative practice.

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As we await the DFE’s curriculum and assessment review we still don’t know if there will be new guidance on cross curricular Oracy, however the issue has been gaining traction since the Oracy Education Commission’s report ‘We need to talk’ was published this time last year.

At Speech Bubbles we advocate for the most inclusive version of Oracy – one that includes every child and is expansive to include multiple ways of communicating.

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The hospital room was stark—white walls, a table, and a few hard chairs. I was six years old. My mum, a Special Educational Needs teacher, had brought me in because I struggled with reading and writing. We were there to understand why.

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As a child, I was confident in my body - I loved to move, act and play. But ask me to speak in front of a group, and I would shrink. Now, as a Speech Bubbles practitioner, I see versions of my younger self all the time.

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I love it when students are excited, engaged, and curious to learn—it's what inspires me as a Speech Bubbles Practitioner. When learners approach my sessions with interest and enthusiasm, it creates a vibrant, dynamic environment where growth can truly be seen. My ambition is to instil a lifelong passion for learning through play, helping students see education not as a chore, but as an exciting journey of discovery.

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In Feb 2025 at the launch of the Speech, Language and Communication Alliance in the House of Lords one of our participants had this to say…

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Often in class, students are presented with right and wrong answers (for example, 20 ÷ 5 is 4, not 6!). For students who feel anxious about getting things correct, this can make the classroom a tricky place to be; not only are they trying to learn new skills and knowledge, but they are also pre-occupied with getting things “right” and not embarrassing themselves. Teachers are already balancing the need to guide students through their learning, whilst also helping them to build resilience and feel confident in expressing themselves without fear of making a mistake. This is a skill that shouldn't be understated!

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Every week in Speech Bubbles the children act out stories told by one of their peers. Our expert drama practitioners are always working out ways to best prepare the group to present the unique elements of each story. Sometimes they will adapt an old game or activity and some times they will make up a new one. 

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This Is Not a Pen! is an improvisation game where a pen is presented to the group and one at a time, the players have to pretend it's something completely different. The pen might become a shoe, a toothbrush, a banana or even a microphone! The idea is to use body language, gestures and facial expressions to show the object’s new (imagined) identity.

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In 2006, a coalition of educators, theatre-makers, and speech and language therapists came together to create Speak Out, a pioneering programme exploring how small-group drama could support primary school children needing help with speaking and listening skills. At the time, there was a growing recognition that more children required support in communication development, and a national review was underway to address these needs.

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This year it has been a privilege to continue to deliver Speech Bubbles in a school, despite it closing due to falling role this summer. It has been a really positive experience as a practitioner and has provided an important role in supporting all the children we have worked with. We ran the program as a small school program, meaning we worked with Reception and Year 1 children in one group, and Year 2 in another group.

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By being patient, accepting and encouraging, Speech Bubbles helps ensure that every child reaches their potential and fosters a life-long love of learning.

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