A therapeutic approach to learning through creative storytelling

Advances in Dual Diagnosis, Ahead of Print. Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of a Learning Programme designed around the animation film-making process, contextualising abstract concepts to address the cognitive limitations of children with foetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Design/methodology/approach Animation production is tactile, multimodal and multisensory which allows for wide application alongside traditional learning tools, targeting multiple learning pathways with its visual, auditory and kinaesthetic approach. Individuals with FASD require information to be explained in a concrete way to enable them to process and understand. Most information can be drawn, providing a visual to assist the individual, but we must also consider abstract concepts which require further explanation or a series of drawings to display the concepts development. Animation, however, allows us the opportunity to make abstract concepts concrete, contextualising the concept in a visualisation of the child ’s story, narrated with their voice and designed to represent their world, in a film produced entirely by them, therefore allowing opportunity for a therapeutic approach to learning through storytelling. This learning tool is designed to be implemented in a specifically designed therapeutic learni ng environment to enhance the benefits of participation from both educational and therapeutic perspectives. Findings A review of relevant literature highlights a...
Source: Advances in Dual Diagnosis - Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research