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Course Introduction

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Therapeutic Play, using Lego, is an effective form of therapy for children with a wide range of emotional and behavioural difficulties including depression, anxiety, aggression and social issues. Children use play as a form of communication in everyday life. In Therapeutic Play children use play to express themselves. Children enter into a dynamic relationship with the  play facilitator, i.e. the teacher, which enables them to express, explore and make sense of areas such as turn-taking, sharing and eye contact.

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Many child psychiatrists and psychologists believe that therapeutic play is an integral way to teach social skills, calm anxiety, and improve self esteem in children with ASD/ADHD and related neurobiological conditions.  Play is a child’s natural way of recovering from daily emotional upheavals. Many children best express and challenge themselves through play. Using games and activities to encourage growth and a sense of wellbeing is the cornerstone of therapeutic play. Learn how you can teach valuable life skills to children of all ages with these recommended Lego

sets and games.

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Course Aims

The purpose of this course is to pique your interest in the process of setting up a Therapeutic Play group in your classroom and/or a room in the school. On this course you will learn lots of interesting things about Lego and its therapeutic nature, but you will also specifically learn about Collaborative Lego set building; Freestyle building; Brick Club Rules; Brick Club Points; Brick Club Levels and Certificates; and The Role of the Adult Facilitator, to name but a few. These skills will enable you to set up your own Lego Club, whether in school or after school and it will give you the confidence to run the club just the way it  should. Throughout the course there are photos and short video clips from an Irish Primary

School which showcase a very successful Lego therapy club and these will set you on the right path to happy pupils, happy parents and happy staff!

 

Course Specific Learning Outcomes

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Having completed this course, you will be better able to:

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 To improve and sustain teaching and learning through play-based learning

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 To ensure teachers understand, appreciate and deploy a ‘Learning through Play’ methodology to classroom activities

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 To grow and cement concepts, skills and dispositions through play

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 To build key skills and confidence in the use of manipulatives for playful facilitation of curriculum, i.e. SSE and Wellbeing

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 To motivate, support and grow teachers to learn, understand and apply new approaches and methods across the broader integrated, skills curriculum.

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 To provide teachers with the tools and support to confidently innovate and implement new approaches to learning in their classrooms

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 To have a positive influence on learner wellbeing achievement by enhancing lifelong learning skills for all learners using the Therapeutic Play principles, practices and pedagogy

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 To provide teachers with the skills to enhance children's physical, social and emotional literacy development

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 To develop the required skills of the future through practicing working collaboratively and creatively, whilst communicating clearly and thinking critically using Lego with Therapeutic Play