Early Years
0-4 yrs

Teacher Training

DNA's puppetry workshops draw on traditional puppet styles with contemporary practice to provide accessible use for teachers in the classroom.
Traditionally the crafting of puppets has taken priority in arts education, whereas DNA's training sessions concentrate on the puppet as a means of expression through performance.

A Training session involves the following:
Video's are shown to demonstrate how DNA use puppetry in creating theatre work for the particular age group.
Demonstration of traditional puppet styles, eg. Glove, rod, marionette and shadow, and their traditional use in arts education.
Demonstration of contemporary techniques in puppetry eg. Table top, acetate shadow puppets, found objects and their application in education.
How puppetry can apply to curriculum attainment targets.
Demonstration of quick and easy methods of making puppets eg:
· Shadow Play with an overhead projector
· Scrunchy Paper Puppets
· Bottlehead Puppets
Discussion on use of puppets in story telling and exploring themes eg:
· Literacy & language - poetry, Shakespeare, script writing
· History
· Personal and social education - bullying, safety, sex and relationships, abandonment.
· Multicultural celebrations - religious festivals, creation myths
Creating quick and easy sets and props.
Use of recorded music, percussion instruments & voice for sound effects,

In groups, teachers then decide on a theme, make puppets, sets & props
Three rules of puppetry manipulation:
1. Focus - looking & seeing
2. Movement & action
3. Breath & voice.

Exercises to practice puppetry manipulation techniques.
Rehearse storytelling scenes and show to group.
Feedback from group regarding their experiences

Click here for a report by Colin Grigg, project coordinator on a teacher training workshop at Tate Britain, London for 'Visual Paths to Literacy' project July 2001

Booking Details

All text and images © Dynamic New Animation 2002