Speech Bubbles : How play, joy, and storytelling open up expansive possibilities for language

This chapter describes the work of Speech Bubbles, an organisation offering in-school drama programmes in England to support children’s confidence and communication. Approaching the question ‘What is communication?’ as theatre makers, Speech Bubbles focuses on how children and adults communicate with each other in a whole-bodied way, through movements, sounds, and words and how this communication interacts with feelings of confidence, acceptance, belonging, and joy. With an emphasis on creative storytelling activities, this chapter details practical strategies for working with children that centre on what the children bring to the session, positive child-adult interaction, and playfulness. It argues for the fundamental importance of cultivating a comfortable environment for communication and the role of the listening ‘adult ear’ to make space and time for children to tell stories in their own ways. This involves thinking about language expansively, not overly focusing on vocabulary or grammar, and starting with the body and movement before asking how words could or should be involved. The positive impacts of the Speech Bubbles programme include benefits for children’s confidence, self-esteem, and empathy, as well as their verbal and physical fluency.