‘Puppets & Ventriloquists’ Dolls’
Puppets are not only a great way to add humour to lessons - they can also help teach social skills, solve disagreements and enhance learning with any age group. Here are some ways to use puppets and ventriloquist dolls in your lessons...
1. Use specific puppets or dolls to teach the topic that they relate to.
The puppet can deliver an introduction, perform a demonstration, act as ‘host’ for a class quiz, take part in a Q & A or ‘Ask the Expert’ session etc.
- A doctor or nurse puppet can teach about human biology, diet, vitamins etc
- A ‘mad scientist’ puppet can teach science
- A farmer puppet can teach about the environment
- An alien puppet can teach about planets and the solar system
- Puppets from different countries or religious groups can talk about their life and beliefs 2. Use puppets as a classroom management aid Young children often respond much more easily and positively to requests from a puppet.
A puppet can also provide much-needed humour in highly charged, emotional situations.
Think ‘Mr Punch’.
3. Use puppets to solve disagreements between pupils A puppet can be a very effective mediator in restorative practices asking questions such as:
• What happened?
• What were you thinking?
• How were you feeling?
• Who else has been affected by this?
• What do you need now so that the problem can be resolved?
4. Use puppets to develop pupils’ presentation and social skills It can be far less daunting for a pupil to make a presentation by speaking ‘through’ or ‘to’
a puppet. Similarly, social skills can be practiced by ‘acting out’ or role-playing and using a puppet as one of the characters.
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