A Tale of Two Zip Codes, 2015 Arlington Inclusive Theatre Company B. Photo by Tanya Rodman.

“Arts instruction — particularly theatre instruction — empowers students, encourages them to think for themselves, use their imagination, take responsibility, and engage fully in their education.

“Barrier-Free Theatre rehearsals are one of the few places in their lives where their opinions are sought after, where they are allowed to experiment with ‘what if…’ situations, where their ideas are encouraged and accepted. They’ve learned how to brainstorm and think for themselves. They know they have the right to have an opinion and voice it. At first newcomers to the group are afraid to share, but after awhile they gain confidence and begin to stretch their imaginations. Some even begin to develop their abstract thinking abilities.

“Theatre involves students in working together, which extends what is learned from facts to relationships and interconnection skills for living and working more effectively with others.”

ArtStream’s Inclusive Theatre Companies are based on Sally’s Barrier-Free Theatre practices.

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“’Peers can be transformative in their ability to reach and teach children a variety of fundamental social skills,’ said Blythe Corbett, an associate professor at Vanderbilt University who led the study. ‘And, combined with acting techniques that enhance our ability and motivation to communicate with others, the data suggests we may be setting the stage for lasting changes in how our children with autism perceive and interact with the social world.’”

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“The performing arts, in particular, stress interpersonal-interaction skills. An actor, musician, or dancer must learn to work with others toward the creation of a common goal: the performance. Drama, which often involves the re-creation of real-life situations and relationships, is especially useful for developing the ability to work with and understand others. The ability to share and to negotiate solutions to problems is crucial in the workplace and in the rehearsal hall.”

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“The arts develop both independence and collaboration. They provide immediate feedback and opportunities for reflection. They exercise and develop higher-level thinking skills, including analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and ‘problem finding.’

“They provide the means for every student to learn.”

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“Children create some art — a simple drawing, a poem or story, a song, a dance — to present to their injured parent upon entering the hospital room. Having something concrete to do when approaching the parent can ‘bridge the gap’ between entering the room and arriving at bedside.”

Based on ArtStream’s Allies in the Arts program!

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