Talking Tales in Action: A Year as a Polka Practitioner

Hello! I’m Rachael and a Polka Practitioner on Talking Tales. This is a co-inquiry project where Key Stage One teachers from six primary schools’ partner with drama practitioners to learn drama activities they can then embed in the curriculum. The aim of this is to improve children’s oracy through creativity. I’m partnered with two schools, Merton Abbey Primary and Havelock Primary, and work with six teachers in total. 

As a Polka Practitioner my role spans several key areas. I am involved in the development of the teacher resource packs, support the delivering of CPD training, deliver workshops in schools and finally I work with my teachers to co-plan, co-deliver and co-reflect on in school sessions. As an ESOL specialist (English for Speakers of Other Languages), a key part of my role is finding ways to adapt exercises for children who face challenges with English oracy. 

The CPD training days are a real highlight, bringing together teachers, practitioners, and the Polka team to explore new drama activities, reflect on progress, engage with training to continue through the project. A key part of this training is discussing how each drama activity can be adapted for diverse classroom needs, especially for pupils with special educational needs or English as an additional language. These open conversations not only support inclusive practice but also spark new ideas and reflections that I carry into other projects. 

Another feature of these CPD days, that has proved very popular are the mini masterclasses led by the Polka Practitioner Team. I have delivered sessions on ESOL in the Classroom, focused on supporting pupils learning English and promoting inclusive practice and on Trauma-Informed Practice, exploring how drama can support children who’ve experienced adversity. With many EAL learners in our schools, it’s vital we help build their confidence in speaking, especially within this oracy-focused project. 

These mini masterclasses have given the project teachers the opportunity to learn from all the Polka Practitioners. A great example of this is Lakeisha, an actor with extensive experience in Polka productions, who led a Teacher in Role masterclass. This is where the teacher takes on a character and leads the class through a lesson. It’s a fantastic way to show how you can add creativity into the classroom, and she became a person from the past who delivered a geography lesson with some maths thrown in there too!  

Django, a puppetry specialist, led two engaging mini masterclasses. In the first, Shadow Puppetry & Storytelling, teachers used puppets and an overhead projector to act out a story, then collaborated to create their own ending encouraging pupil’s agency and teamwork. His second session, Debate with Puppets, focused on crafting simple puppets from everyday objects to give children a less intimidating way to express opinions through a character. 

I’ve learnt so much myself from the mini masterclasses delivered by my colleagues, as well as the teachers. It’s been beneficial to have the time to really get to the know the teachers and ask questions about the curriculum and what they’re teaching now. I get so much out of having the time and space to discuss best educational practices with so many colleagues working in different roles in the education system.  

After the CPD, we move into school delivery first leading a session ourselves, then co-delivering with the teachers. I really value the co-planning process, where we discuss and adapt exercises to suit each class, especially given the high number of EAL and SEN pupils. The teachers have fully embraced the Talking Tales approach and often bring their own ideas to the table. I usually follow up by creating visual aids or sourcing audio for EAL learners. It’s exciting to see these activities used not just in English, but across subjects like PSHE, science, history, geography, and even maths. 

I love watching the teachers try out new material and seeing how it ignites the children’s imagination. It’s so rewarding seeing both the teachers and students’ enthusiasm for the exercises and it’s incredibly special when children who are quieter join in without any persuasion. There is nothing more rewarding than watching a child, who is usually quiet, put their hand up to volunteer to be in an exercise you helped introduce them to.  

It’s been a very enjoyable year of mentoring and learning. As we reach the near end of year one, I’m really excited to see where year two takes us!